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LEED v2009
Existing Building Operations
Sustainable Sites
LEED Certified Design and Construction

LEED CREDIT

EBOM-2009 SSc1: LEED Certified Design and Construction 4 points

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Sustainability Professional

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Credit language

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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Choose 1 of the following options:

OPTION 1
Show that the building has previously been certified under LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations.

OR

OPTION 2
Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Schools.

OR

OPTION 3
Show that the building has previously been certified under LEED for Core & Shell Development. AND At least 75% of the floor area has also been certified under LEED for Commercial Interiors.

OR

OPTION 4
Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Retail: New Construction and Major Renovations.

OR

OPTION 5
Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Healthcare New Construction and Major Renovations.

OR

OPTION 6
Show that the building has previously been certified under any version of LEED for Existing Buildings and that ongoing performance has been tracked during the entire recertification period (from initial certification until the recertification application).

OR

OPTION 7
Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Homes. See all forum discussions about this credit »

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Cost estimates for this credit

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Addenda

11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Add the following paragraph after the second paragraph (before the last paragraph):"This credit is available to LEED for Existing Buildings projects that recertify using data from the entire recertification period (the period from initial certification until recertification application). It is not available to projects that certify once, stop tracking performance, then certify again with a new, three-month performance period."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Add the following text after OPTION 3: "OROPTION 4Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Retail: New Construction and Major Renovations.OROPTION 5Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Healthcare New Construction and Major Renovations.OROPTION 6Show that the building has previously been certified under any version of LEED for Existing Buildings and that ongoing performance has been tracked during the entire recertification period (from initial certification until the recertification application)."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
4/2/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Below Option 6, add a 7th option:

"OR

OPTION 7
Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Homes."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Add the following as a third bulleted item under the second bulleted item:"For projects pursuing Option 6 (recertification of LEED for Existing Buildings projects), please provide with the application a narrative describing the measures that have been in place for ongoing tracking and any lapses in this tracking during the performance period."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Replace the section\'s first paragraph with the following text: "Buildings that have been previously certified for LEED for New Construction, LEED for Schools, LEED for Retail: New Construction, or LEED for Healthcare (rating systems that address design and construction activities for both new buildings and major renovations of existing buildings) can easily achieve this credit. If the building is not currently LEED certified for New Construction, Schools, Retail, or Healthcare, consider pursuing certification under the appropriate rating system during any major renovations to the HVAC system, envelope, or interior."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Add the following text after OPTION 3: "OROPTION 4Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Retail: New Construction and Major Renovations.OROPTION 5Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Healthcare New Construction and Major Renovations.OROPTION 6Show that the building has previously been certified under any version of LEED for Existing Buildings and that ongoing performance has been tracked during the entire recertification period (from initial certification until the recertification application)."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
8/1/2011
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

Many of the ASTM Standards we reference have been withdrawn, upgraded, or superseded. Provide guidance on which updated standards should be used.

Ruling:

The withdrawn ASTM Standards listed- ASTM E1980-01 and ASTM E903-96- are still the correct references for SSc1: Site Selection, SSc7.1: Heat Island Effect, Non-Roof, and SSc7.2: Heat Island Effect-Roof. These two standards were not withdrawn for technical reasons, but were withdrawn because they had not been updated within 8 years. Testing can still be performed for these as well as the superseded standards. The updated versions of the superseded standards can be used, but are not required:Old: ASTM E408-71(1996), Current: E408-71(2008)Old: ASTM C1371-04a, Current: C1371-04a(2010)Old: ASTM E1918-97, Current: E1918-06 Old: ASTM C1549-04, Current: 1549-09Note: This Interpretations is also applicable to Sustainable Sites Credit 7.1: Heat Island Effect- Non-Roof and Sustainable Sites Credit 7.2: Roof, see LEED Interpretations dated 8/1/2011 ID number 10093 and 10092 respectively. Applicable Internationally.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
4/20/2007
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

Options G and H for landscape irrigation: This project is a commercial interiors project in a dense urban site. The existing project is on a site with no irrigation system and no landscaping. According to the LEED CI reference guide (3rd edition p. 55) states "...Also if the project site has no irrigation these points do not apply." However, the credit interpretation of 11/3/2005 for WE CR 1 (LEED NC), "Yes, projects that do not have landscaping may earn two points under WE Credits 1.1 and 1.2 since potable water is not being used for site irrigation. As the credit is about performance and not action taken by the project team, the intent of the credit in this situation is met." in addition, a CIR ruling from 7/29/06 about a different aspect of SS credit 1 for LEED CI stated that "To clarify, note that SS Credit 1 addresses the attributes of the building selected for the tenant space..." We believe that selecting a building that does not include a potable water irrigation system meets the intent of this point. Please advise whether we can expect to receive the two half-points (e.g. 1 point total) associated with Credit 1 options G and H for this project.

Ruling:

The applicant has inquired whether LEED-CI v2.0 credits SSc1 G and H are available for projects with no landscaping based on LEED-NC v2.1 CIR ruling dated 11/3/2005. The LEED-CIv2.0 reference guide states that "if the project site has no landscaping these points do not apply." This is intended to overrule the LEED-NC v2.1 CIR ruling dated 11/3/2005. Therefore, LEED-CI project sites with no landscaping cannot be awarded SSc1 G and H. Applicable Internationally.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/2/2008
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

The intent of SS-C1 is the selection of a sustainable and efficient performing building. LEED is identified as the rating system to confirm this. Our project is a Commercial Interiors project in Hong Kong. The local building rating system is Hong Kong Building Environmental Assessment Methodology (BEAM) and to our knowledge their are no LEED rated buildings. Our client has selected a building for their tenancy conforming to the highest BEAM rating(Platinum level) and has therefore demonstrated the selection of a sustainable and efficient performing building. Will a BEAM Platinum rated building meet the credit intent?

Ruling:

Your selection of a Platinum-rated BEAM rated building, while commendable, is not acceptable for achievement of this credit. Since there is no established equivalency between LEED and BEAM, your selection does not meet the intent of the credit. Applicable Internationally; China.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
8/18/2009
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

SS Credit 1 Option D: Heat Island Reduction, Non-Roof Intent: Reduce heat islands to minimize impact on habitat. Requirement: Locate the tenant space in a building where at least 30% of the site\'s non-roof impervious surfaces including parking areas, walkways, etc., uses light-colored/high-albedo materials with a Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) of at least 30. Situation: Tenant is municipal employees who will be located in the administrative area of a building that is part of a water treatment plant. There are two large circular in-ground water storage tanks that are a part of the water treatment process on the site. These tanks have permanent, impervious covers that have a durable coating with a high SRI value, and will be in place at the time of submittal for this project. Strategy under consideration: Consider the tanks to be a part of the site\'s non-roof impervious surfaces with an SRI index greater than 30, in order to provide the required percentage of light-colored, non-roof impervious surface area on the site (30%) needed to earn 1/2 point under Option D. Are we allowed to include the surface area of these tank covers in our calculation of the percentage of non-roof impervious surface area materials having SRI of 30 or higher?

Ruling:

The applicant is requesting clarification as to whether impervious covers to permanent in-ground equipment can be considered as non-roof impervious surfaces for the sake of meeting Option D requirements. Based on the description provided, it is assumed that the covers are exposed at or near grade, in which case the covers may be considered as non-roof impervious surface for the purpose of meeting this credit. All similar equipment covers within the scope of the project need to be consistently addressed.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
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Checklists

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Documentation toolkit

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Credit achievement rate

XX%

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LEEDuser expert

Jason Franken

Sustainability Professional

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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Choose 1 of the following options:

OPTION 1
Show that the building has previously been certified under LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations.

OR

OPTION 2
Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Schools.

OR

OPTION 3
Show that the building has previously been certified under LEED for Core & Shell Development. AND At least 75% of the floor area has also been certified under LEED for Commercial Interiors.

OR

OPTION 4
Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Retail: New Construction and Major Renovations.

OR

OPTION 5
Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Healthcare New Construction and Major Renovations.

OR

OPTION 6
Show that the building has previously been certified under any version of LEED for Existing Buildings and that ongoing performance has been tracked during the entire recertification period (from initial certification until the recertification application).

OR

OPTION 7
Show that the building has been previously certified under LEED for Homes.

XX%

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  • Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
  • Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
  • Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.

LEEDuser expert

Jason Franken

Sustainability Professional

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