About the LEED pilot credit library
According to USGBC on its LEED Pilot Credit Library page, the LEED Pilot Credit Library is intended
to facilitate the introduction of new credits to LEED. The process allows projects to test more innovative credits that haven't been through the complete drafting and balloting process.
Projects who want to participate in a credit pilot need to register with USGBC on this page. Questions about pilot credits can be directed to USGBC at pilot@usgbc.org.
For more information on the pilot credits, including language and submittal requirements, LEEDuser has a complete credit-by-credit guide.
Earning the credits: trying is no longer enough
All LEED projects can earn points for piloting credits through IDc1 (or IOc1 for EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems. projects). To earn a point, projects must do the following.
- Comply with the credit requirements. Note that when the Pilot Credit Library was launched, it was enough to try to comply, but it has become more difficult: actual achievement according to the language is now necessary, with one exception....
- ...You can fail to achieve a pilot credit, and still earn a point through IDc1, if you demonstrate that the credit is "broken," or unusable by all projects, or certain projects, in its current form. You can demonstrate this by showing that metrics are unachievable with current technology, and providing more suitable metrics; by showing that credit requirements are contradictory, and providing suggested revisions; or showing that requirements result in an outcome antithetical to LEED, and providing an alternative that better meets the intent. The idea is that if the credit is not working, the project should help improve it.
- Complete the required documentation.
- Actively
participate on related conference calls.
- Provide thorough data on their use of the credit.
- Submit additional feedback to USGBC as requested.
- Participate in the LEEDuser forum for the credit you're working on.
Rating system limitations
USGBC only makes certain pilot credits available to certain applicable rating systems. Here is a full chart showing which credits are available to which systems.
About LEEDuser's pilot credit pages
LEEDuser is a website, unaffiliated with USGBC or GBCI, that offers how-to help on achieving LEED credits. Through a special arrangement with USGBC, LEEDuser has posted the official language of the LEED pilot credits in order to make it more accessible to interested project teams.
We at LEEDuser encourage project teams using them or thinking about using them to discuss them and share experiences in the comments area on each of the credit pages.
Because these pilot credits are so new, LEEDuser does not provide the kind of how-to guidance on these pages that we normally include on our credit pages. To see LEEDuser's guidance on standard LEED credits, please view our credit listings page.
23 Comments
newly released Pilot Credit
Hi,
we are busy finalising our EB documentation, with the last performance period ending 29 February 2012 and have just noticed that one of the IO credits that we had been planning to document is similar to PC59 - Occupant Engagement, which was posted March 1, 2012.
the big question for us is now whether we have to document our employee engagement as per PC59 or whether we can document on the basis of what we have done over the past 2 years, not all of which is in line with PC59? will USGBC still accept this or ask us to submit as per the Pilot Credit?
many thanks!
If your project has a registration date that is prior to the date PC 59 was released, you won't be required to follow the PC requirements. Similarly, "if a project is registered under an older version of a pilot credit (registered prior to the release of the new version), they may continue to use the older version of the credit, even if the credit closes altogether" (USGBC Pilot Credit FAQ document). However, if the reviewer determines that your IO strategy does not meet the basic criteria for an innovative strategy, the reviewer may deny your strategy and direct you to the PC 59 requirements for guidance in preparing your final submittal.
Verification of LEEDuser registration
Does anyone have any experience with providing verification to the USGBC that a project team rep has registered with LEEDuser? Is it enough to show a screen grab of the 'my account' page for example? Or do you need to prove somehow that you have taken part in discussions in the forum?
Also is there some kind of feedback survey related to LEEDuser which needs to be completed? I have already completed surveys for my pilot credits but still got technical advice after the design review telling me to verify LEEDuser registration and complete the feedback survey.
Any advice appreciated, thanks!
Hi Anne-Maria - a screenshot is sufficient to document your LEEDuser participation. In addition we ask several questions about your LEEDuser experience on the pilot credit participant survey (also required) which can be found here: http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=2266
I recently received my final design review back for 2 pilot credits that my project applied for. The project decided to apply for these credits later and hence I could not submit these credits for the initial design review. Both of the credits have been denied stating that there is no project team member registered with LEED user. I have been registered with LEED user since the project registered for pilot credits. Is there any other way other than an appeal to prove that i was a registered member of LEED user and ensure the project doesnt lose the 2 points?
Hi Vinsu –
My apologies for your experience. My colleague – Theresa Hogerheide – will be in touch shortly to resolve this issue with you directly relative to your project.
For other project teams with similar concerns, it may be helpful to submit a screen shot or a narrative to demonstrate credit compliance for this requirement. And if ever a credit is thought to have been reviewed in error, please do contact us at http://www.gbci.org/org-nav/contact/Contact-Us/Project-Certification-Que... we will be sure to get in touch quickly to assist you with a resolution.
Best,
Megan R/S
Upcoming Pilot Credit Webinars
USGBC will be hositng several webinars in the upcoming months on Innovation and Pilot Credits. For more information go here: http://usgbc.peachnewmedia.com/store/seminar/seminar.php?seminar=10516
Each session in this series will be registered for 1.5 hours of LEED Specific (BD+C, ID+C, O+M, HOMES, ND) GBCI hours as well as 1.5 AIA/CES LU/HSW/SD hours.
Topics include:
Strategies & Certification - February 23, 2012
Demand Response - March 1, 2012
Avoidance of Chemicals of Concern - March 15, 2012
Locations & Linkages Pilot Credits - March 22, 2012
Is it double dipping?
If you are already in line to achieve points for a certain credit, can you get an ID.1 point for achieving the pilot credit that is basically a revision of that same credit? For example, you are in line for 20% recycled content. Pilot credit #20 eliminates structural steel and concrete from the calculation. You run the calculations and find that you are in line for 11% recycled content after you removed structural steel and concrete from your calculations. Would this allow you to get 2 points for the original recycled content credit, and also 1 point for the pilot credit as an ID.1 credit?
Francis, this is allowed, yes. The benefit to doing the pilot credit is really about the benefit to LEED development, on top of the environmental benefit.
The pilot credit library is evolving, with some credits being retired and some new ones being introduced soon. When you go to register, you'll get confirmation of whether this credit is available to you.
Applicability of Pilot Credits
Tristan-We've just registered for Pilot Credit 11 in a LEED for Homes project but I notice on the applicability table above this credit cannot be used for Homes. Is this a hard and fast USGBC rule or a general advisory, for want of a word?
Marian - In general, pilot credits should be used by the applicable rating systems listed in the pilot credit only. In some cases, we actively enforce these boundaries (as in the example of PC9 only being available to LEED for Homes projects after seeing it didn't fit well in commercial projects). For other credits, like PC11, we can be more flexible. In addition to your registration, please send an email to pilot@usgbc.org explaining why you think the credit would apply to your project type. We take these on a case by case basis, but use project feedback to decide where a credit's scope should be expanded or restricted.
Alternate Compliance Path
When applying a Pilot Credit as an alternative compliance path, for example the Light Pollution Credit for SSc8, are we able to 'replace' this credit on our scorecard, or will it need to take up an ID Credit slot?
At the moment, pilot credits can only be used under the ID section. They are not used as direct replacements (alternative compliance paths) for existing credits. This approach is something we're looking at for the future but it is not currently an option.
Pilot Credits and Old Rating Systems
I've been told by the USGBC that pilot credits are available for all rating systems, not just the 2009 versions. There are still restrictions about Rating System type (so CI can't use pilot credit #1, for example).
An NC2.2 project may consider pilot credits.
Yes, you're right about this. This is a newer development, and we need to update our advice to reflect it.
Please explain a bit more. Can a LEED 2009 (or earlier) project apply a pilot credit instead of the respective "old" credit? And if yes - who can decide? Just the project team, or does this require approval by e.g. GBCI?
Reinhard, you can apply for either the established LEED credit, or the pilot credit, or both.
Healthcare Credit Applicability
I think you need to revise the table above. PC2 and PC3 are particularly applicable to Helathcare...
Kim, the table is correct. It simply shows which pilot credits are available for which LEED rating systems.
Several of the pilot credits are already included as regular credits in LEED for Healthcare (which of course is still in draft form). Thus those credits have already been elevated beyond pilot status for Healthcare projects. Make sense?
Those credits are no longer in LEED HC. They got pulled out for the 2nd public comment draft and do not appear in the 3rd public comment draft, so they aren't going to make into LEED 2009 HC.
I'll update the table when USGBC update the pilot credits, but at this time those credits are not listed by USGBC as eligible for LEED for Healthcare. What can I say? ;)
I apologize for the confusion that I think stems from the fact that LEED for Healthcare is still in draft and not yet a balloted rating system. I anticipate that all pilot credits (except credits 5&6 because they are included in the LEED for Healthcare rating system) will be available to projects that use LEED for Healthcare when the rating system is available for use.
Our chart on the page above has been updated accordingly. Thanks everyone for this dialogue.
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