CS-2009 IDc1: Innovation in Design 1-5 points

PULSED POWER TECHNOLOGY [Alternative Process Water Treatment] Intent: Reduce the impact of potentially hazardous chemical discharges to the environment by eliminating conventional means of process water treatment in HVAC equipment. Reduce amount of water consumption from conventional recirculating water systems such as cooling towers, hydronic HVAC systems, or process water systems by decreasing the need for make-up water caused by evaporation and system blowdown (or bleed). Requirements: Provide an integral chemical-free water treatment technology in place of conventional water treatment which uses potentially toxic chemicals which may also produce potentially hazardous chemical byproducts. Provide documentation in the form of a letter from the project engineer that includes a narrative description of the chemical-free water treatment system used and how the system works. The narrative shall specifically state the environmental benefits of using the chemical-free process in place of the conventional chemical water treatment system; state specific chemicals and their estimated quantities eliminated by substituting the chemical-free process; state the methods and quantities of process water discharge as an estimate of potential water savings. Rationale: Recirculating water systems used in building mechanical processes such as HVAC heat rejection in cooling towers and hydronic heating and cooling systems often use chemical infiltration using manual or automatic injection processes in order to chemically treat the water contained in them. Chemical treatment is typically used for a wide range of functions such as the prevention of mineral scale formation, control of microbiological populations, and to inhibit corrosion. These functions may be equally served by the introduction of an electronic process known as pulsed power technology. Environmental benefits of the pulsed power technology are achieved simply with the elimination of potentially hazardous chemicals and their toxic byproducts used to prevent formation of mineral scale, control of microbiological populations, and inhibit corrosion. Conventional chemical treatment systems often ultimately cause the release of potentially hazardous substances into the environment through water discharge such as evaporation, spills, spray, and drift. In conventional process water systems such as open cooling towers chlorine or other biocides are used to control biological activity which is rapidly discharged to the atmosphere as chlorine gas. Corrosion inhibitors such as zinc, molybdenates, and phosphates are discharged in the drift from the cooling tower and spray settling to the ground as well as through the sewer system through blowdown draining. Water softeners, not needed in pulsed power processes, are typically used to prevent scaling and discharge quantities of salt brine as part of the softener process. The use of an alternative means of process water treatment in HVAC equipment such as the pulsed power technology is estimated to yield the following benefits and savings when applied to our building project: - the elimination of potentially hazardous chemicals and their toxic byproducts with the elimination of conventional chemical water treatment processes - saves the use of approximately 186 gallons per year of industrial strength chlorine bleach, 5 to 6 gallons of isothiazine, and 115,000 gallons of water containing 2 ppm zinc and 20 ppm phosphate from being discharged into the environment - saves the requirement for approximately 90 lbs. of chlorine per year (most of which is evaporated to the atmosphere) - Annual water usage savings of approximately 67,275 gal/yr when compared to a typical open system water cooling process (cooling tower) of the same capacity with conventional chemical treatment processes Please confirm attainability of this credit.

We are seeking an Innovation in Design credit for implementation of innovative, environmentally beneficial measures through active intervention in the zoning and land development process of the larger community. In the end, a 16,000 s.f. project was able to leverage over 200,000 s.f. of LEED Gold. Background While St. Stephen\'s was in the design process for its LEED project, a local developer proposed to build on the vacant lot located one property lot away to the south. The project team learned that the developer was preparing to present the building design drawings at an upcoming Harrisburg Planning Commission meeting, during which variances would be requested for significantly exceeding the height and setbacks allowed by city zoning code. St. Stephen\'s publicly opposed providing a variance for these excesses primarily because the neighboring building would cut off access to sunlight that the St. Stephen\'s project team was planning to collect for day lighting and PV arrays. Given the developer\'s and St. Stephen\'s prestige in the community, St Stephen\'s requested a meeting with the developer to discuss the issues to see if the height could be lowered or setbacks aligned with zoning requirements. The outcome was that the developer agreed to meet with the St. Stephen\'s team. Initially the developer brought in his architect to explain the designs. The St. Stephen\'s team also presented its sunshade studies. The developer agreed to examine stepping the new building back between the 5th and 8th stories so that the St. Stephen\'s complex would not be in shadow so often. Ultimately, no accommodations for setbacks were provided and it was acknowledged that the developer had no intention of making it a sustainable or LEED building. Soon thereafter, the developer divulged that the tenant would be Pennsylvania Housing and Finance Authority (PHFA). Resulting LEED Achievement During the time period that followed, St. Stephen\'s thought that there was an opportunity in this to leverage their position and negotiate a greater good by supporting the proposed zoning variances. At the time in 2002, very few PA state agencies were pursuing LEED certification for their buildings, with the exception of DEP. The project team thought that fighting the developer and PHFA might ultimately gain the 16,000 s.f. St. Stephen\'s school daylight, but rather than be "penny wise and pound foolish" the project team realized that there would be a much greater benefit if they could convince a public agency to make greater accommodations that would benefit the larger Harrisburg and Pennsylvania community in the name of environmental responsibility. They believed this could be especially important given that the agency is the PHFA that would deal with the future housing in the state. As a result, the St Stephen\'s project team invited the PHFA representatives to join in the discussions with the developer. During the subsequent meetings, the St. Stephen LEED design team educated the building\'s developer and its tenant, the PHFA, about sustainable design buildings and negotiated a formal agreement. This agreement accomplished 1) a minimum silver rated building for a state agency, 2) a smaller building that was "stepped back" so that it would relate better to the surrounding small and historic buildings within the neighborhood and not leave them all in shadow, 3) higher density in the neighborhood by allowing a smaller setback and taller building than zoning permitted, and 4) greater access to solar energy for the Episcopal school by granting St. Stephen\'s rights to harvest solar energy from the PHFA roof, which is much larger than St. Stephen\'s and would see more daylight than St Stephen\'s would otherwise due to surrounding buildings and trees. As a result of the St. Stephen\'s project team efforts, the developer and PHFA were prompted to enlisted their architect to redesign their project to include sustainable design features and achieve the minimum LEED silver rating that St. Stephen\'s demanded as part of the negotiated agreement, which is why sustainable design became one of the inherent development goals of the PHFA building. The PHFA building ultimately received LEED Gold Certification in September 2005.

The New Census Bureau Headquarters Office Building has purchased its officer furniture from Knoll, Inc. whose system furniture is certified by GREENGUARD. The materials specified and utilized for the assembly of the office furniture are environmental sound furniture which includes high recycled content, local/regionally manufacture materials, and local/regionally extracted materials. The design strategies were based on the following life cycle analysis: Low impact materials, clean manufacturing, healthy workplace/indoor air quality, waste reduction/efficient use of resources, durability/extended product life, reuse and refurbishment, ease of disassembly and material product recyclability. INTENT: Reduce the use of materials and finishes assemblies that may release indoor air contaminates that are odorous or potentially irritating and might be deleterious to the installer and occupant health, comfort, and well being. REQUIREMENTS: - Use office furnishings whose components meet the LEED version 2.1 requirements. - Eliminate toxins from the manufacturing process. Lead, heavy metals and hazardous chlorinated compound are completely eliminated from the manufacturing processes. - VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are eliminated from the manufacturing processes. - Water bases paints and adhesives are used for the assembly of office furniture. - 100% percent recyclable fabric is used on all furniture. - All furniture used is GREENGUARD certified. - GREENGUARD certified products will help reduce indoor air pollution and create a healthier interior environment.

Low-Water Nursery Growing System for Plants Used in Landscaping The Southface Eco-Office project is requesting an Innovation and Design credit for the use of Gro-Eco plants in their landscaping. Growing plants for market in this manner requires four and a half times less water daily, and requires up to thirty percent less growing time when compared to traditional methods using overhead irrigation. The estimated water savings for the 400 plants used on site, with an average growing period of a year, was almost 70,000 gallons. The Gro-Eco system uses raised beds that are built and covered with weed cloth. Pockets are then dug in the beds to accommodate nursery pots of various sizes - only the upper third of each pot extends above the top of the bed. Irrigation drip tape runs down each row of plants along the tops of the containers, while another drip tube, buried under the cloth in the center of the bed, helps keep the roots cool. Moderating the temperature of the roots improves the health of the plants and further reduces the amount of water needed. Auxiliary benefits of such a system include: thirty to forty percent less chemical use and drastically reduced runoff, elimination of retention ponds and nitrogen leaching, less need for fungicide due to the elimination of excess moisture on leaves, lower energy costs, and less invasive site design due to the flexibility in drainage topography. For more information on the Gro-Eco process, please view the Florida Agriculture video produced for the 2007 Environmental Leadership Award. http://www.florida-agriculture.com/news/agen_fraleighnursery.htm The requirements for this credit would be to document all plants obtained from Gro-Eco for use on the Eco-Office project, and to provide evidence of the estimated water savings being claimed.

Ecologically Based Landscape Design and Pest Control: The project site is an urban infill site located in Sacramento, California. The project is an office building for the State of California, housing the Department of Education. Prior to the design and construction of the new office building, the site was a surface parking lot with a few trees surrounding the site on the perimeter. Adjacent to the project is a six-story apartment building and across from the site is the California State Capitol mall, a park like setting, with many differing plants and tree species represented. Contained within the project is a small pocket park, which separates the office building from the adjacent apartment building. The park was selected as a site for the State Arts in Architecture program, and a nationally known artist was selected for the art commission. In response to community outreach efforts, and in response to neighborhood concerns about open space, the Design Team for the project worked with the artist to develop a unique response. The team worked on the development of the landscape design using specific features listed below, coupled with the strategy of an ecologically based landscape management and maintenance program. The team also sought to use the project landscape as a means to educate and promote the use of organic based urban landscaping and agricultural farming and the use of beneficial insects as a substitute for pesticides. Features of the Ecologically based Landscape Design and Pest Control include: - An interpretive fountain and sculpture that uses gray water and that reflects the culture and environs of the Sierra Foothills; - Native plant materials, selected for their appropriateness to the climate, low water requirements, adaptation of the native cultural landscape of the region, and aesthetic appeal. Plant material was also selected for its ability to provide habitat for beneficial insects; - Organic landscape specifications including soil mix management, sub-surface drip irrigation, gray water and organic fertilizers; - An irrigation system that utilizes high efficiency drip technology and reduces water consumption by 63%; - A fertilizing and feeding plan, which includes a biological nutrient management using compost tea, injected into the irrigation system; - The project also has a retail component, designated as restaurant space. Once restaurant tenants are identified, the Design Team will work with the tenants to develop a composting process to recycle organic waste streams from the building and the restaurant tenants, including food waste, landscape pruning, etc. - Training of the building and grounds maintenance staff to monitor for insect pests and plant disease. Training the staff to release beneficial insects as the primary means of pest control, and training the staff to use soft pesticides and to avoid toxins. - Educational stations with plaques and graphics delineating the ecological methods utilized, beneficial insect and plant identification and their symbiotic relationships. - Consultation on pest problems and supplying beneficial insects to the project for the duration of the two-year warranty period. Question: Could this interpretive pocket park, developed with neighborhood concerns, educational goals and coupled with organic practices be considered an innovation point?

From the Innovation in Design Credit Catalog (March 2008), we find that a previous project received an ID credit for "building elevators with innovative technology that does not use hydraulic fluid, eliminating the need for a machine room and reducing the energy required [including demonstrating] the associated reduction of energy use." Our project is a large destination resort which includes 18 service and passenger elevators: 14 high-rise and 4 low-rise. Compared to conventional traction (high-rise) and hydraulic (low-rise) elevators typically specified for this type of project (based on a recent similar-scale resort project located near our project), the elevators for the project will have these benefits: Annual process energy cost will be reduced by 65% compared to that of conventional elevators: $8,400/yr vs $23,900/yr. The coated steel belts used in the proposed fourteen high-rise elevators have a lifespan twice that of conventional hoist-rope assemblies. This means that, for the fourteen high-rise elevators, the owner will need to replace 12,600 feet of steel belts half as often as for conventional elevators. The proposed fourteen high-rise elevators do not require lubrication because they do not have hoist ropes and machine rooms. This will eliminate, for each elevator, 1 gallon of petroleum-based and 3 -4 gallons of synthetic-base oil each year. Compared to the conventional approach of four low-rise hydraulic elevators, the proposed four traction elevators will use no hydraulic fluid, for a savings of 320 gallons. Elevator hydraulic fluid is typically a hydrocarbon. From BuildingGreen.com: "Leaking hydraulic oil, like all spilled oil, poses environmental risks in the form of soil and water contamination. Cleanup of hydraulic-oil-contaminated soils is a difficult and costly task.." All these elevators do not require a machine room. If we were including conventional elevators in our project, these machine rooms would total 3,200 sf. This additional space would require additional construction, including structural steel and framing, concrete, exterior and interior finishes, roofing, and electrical systems, for an added project cost of $1,120,000. Will this combination of benefits be sufficient for achievement of an ID credit?

The IT department proposes moving the current server network to a virtual server network. The move would produce immediate benefits to both the IT department and Harris construction as a whole. Virtualization is a proven software technology that is rapidly transforming the IT landscape and fundamentally changing the way that people compute. Today\'s powerful x86 computer hardware was originally designed to run only a single operating system and a single application, but virtualization breaks that bond, making it possible to run multiple operating systems and multiple applications on the same computer at the same time, increasing the utilization and flexibility of hardware. In essence, virtualization lets us transform hardware into software. The use of software such as VMware ESX will allow us to transform or "virtualize" the hardware resources of an x86-based computer-including the CPU, RAM, hard disk and network controller-to create a fully functional virtual machine that can run its own operating system and applications just like a "real" computer. Multiple virtual machines share hardware resources without interfering with each other so that you can safely run several operating systems and applications at the same time on a single computer. Power Consumption Energy consumption is a critical issue for Harris IT today, whether the goal is to reduce cost, save the environment or keep our datacenter running. In the United States alone, datacenters consumed $4.5 billion worth of electricity in 2006. Industry analyst Gartner1 estimates that over the next 5 years, most enterprise data centers will spend as much on energy (power and cooling) as they do on hardware infrastructure. Virtualization allows us to reduce our energy costs and consumption by 80%. Most servers and desktops today are in use only 8-15% of the time they are powered on, yet most hardware consumes 60-90% of the normal workload power even when idle. VMware virtualization has advanced resource and memory management features that enable consolidation ratios of 15:1 or more which increase hardware utilization to as much as 85%. Once virtualized, a new feature of VMware Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) called Distributed Power Management (DPM) monitors utilization across the datacenter and intelligently powers off unneeded physical servers without impacting applications and users. With VMware virtualization we can dramatically reduce energy consumption without sacrificing reliability or service levels. Reduce the Environmental Impact of IT For Harris this equates to every server virtualized, we can save about 7,000 kilowatt hours, or four tons of CO2 emissions, every year. This means our 12 servers could be reduced to 4 servers through virtualization. The reduction in servers along with the savings in electricity with the reduced cooling requirements equate to as savings of 49,000 kilowatt hours, or 28 tons of CO2 emissions every year. Currently 60 cents of every dollar spent for data center energy is used for cooling equipment and not powering it. Conclusion In short the five major reasons to virtualize the Harris IT servers are: Server Consolidation and Infrastructure Optimization: Virtualization makes it possible to achieve significantly higher resource utilization by pooling common infrastructure resources and breaking the legacy "one application to one server" model. Physical Infrastructure Cost Reduction: With virtualization, we can reduce the number of servers and related IT hardware in the data center. This leads to reductions in real estate, power and cooling requirements, resulting in significantly lower IT costs. Improved Operational Flexibility & Responsiveness: Virtualization offers a new way of managing IT infrastructure and can help IT administrators spend less time on repetitive tasks such as provisioning, configuration, monitoring and maintenance. Increased Application Availability & Improved Business Continuity: Eliminate planned downtime and recover quickly from unplanned outages with the ability to securely backup and migrate entire virtual environments with no interruption in service. Improved Desktop Manageability & Security: Deploy, manage and monitor secure desktop environments that end users can access locally or remotely, with or without a network connection, on almost any standard desktop, laptop or tablet PC. Virtualization is a technology that can benefit Harris Construction. The employment of virtualization solutions will reduce IT costs while increasing the efficiency, utilization and flexibility of their existing computer hardware.

Intent of credit: ---- Reduce operations related carbon footprint and encourage organizations associated with LEED projects to do likewise. Requirements for compliance: ---- Identify operational sources of carbon emissions not otherwise addressed by LEED. Establish the operational carbon footprint of the occupants of the LEED project verified by a recognized authority. (See CIR dated 6/29/06 for list of authorities). Obtain carbon offsets for the carbon footprint associated with operational sources of carbon emissions equal to or greater than 50% over 2 years**. Submittals: ---- 1. Signed letter template declaring that offsets equivalent to at least 50% of operational carbon emission loads associated with air travel, car travel, and natural gas for a period of at least two years have been obtained. 2. Narrative describing the project\'s approach to addressing carbon loads. 3. Calculation used to determine carbon emissions, resulting equivalence data, and quantity of offset measures required. 4. Certification document from a recognized source of carbon offset credits. Design Approach (Strategies) / Narrative: ---- Reliable analysis of construction related life cycle carbon emissions is difficult to obtain and verify at this time. Emissions data related to operations are more readily available and recognized authorities exist that can quantify the carbon emissions related to operations based on established metrics. This credit addresses carbon emissions other than those addressed by LEED-CI v2.0 EAc4 Green Power. The following steps describe the actions needed to achieve this credit: Research currently available carbon emission measurement standards and offset options. Identify recognized service providers. (See CIR dated 6/29/06 for list of recognized authorities) List carbon emission sources specific to operations associated with the project in question. Run calculations on offset measures needed. Obtain carbon offset credits at least equivalent to 50% of operational carbon emission loads associated with natural gas, air travel, and car travel for a period of at least two years. This innovation credit meets the three basic criteria for innovation credits as described in the LEED Reference Guide: 1. Quantitative performance improvement: A baseline evaluation of the operational carbon footprint using methods specified by a recognized authority (Green-e for instance) establishes a starting point and is used to calibrate the quantity of carbon offset measures needed. 2. Comprehensive program: The program addresses business related carbon emissions related to air travel, car travel, and natural gas, not covered by LEED and augmenting similar efforts related to electrical loads achieved by meeting LEED-CI v2.0 EAc4 Green Power requirements. 3. Applicability to other projects: This innovation credit provides an outline for any organization interested in addressing their operational carbon footprint. Similar ID credits related to post occupancy efforts are listed in the USGBC\'s Innovation & Design Credit Catalog (1 December 2007), including credits addressing: Green Cleaning; Monitoring Threatened & Endangered Species; Donation and Protection of Open Space (not assoc. with project site); Alternative Transportation Management Plan; Employee Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Food composting; Occupant recycling program; Waste reduction operations; Work at home program; LEED post-occupancy performance evaluation; Employee wellness; Educational program; Student report; Carbon offset; Environmentally preferable services; and Off site environmental benefit. ** Time period and % based on those established for the LEED-CI v2.0 EAc4 Green Power credit.

The project team is seeking clarification to the requirements for Building Shell Commissioning outlined in the Innovation in Design Credit Catalog from March 2008. The credit is found on page 14 of that document and states: Building Shell Commissioning (approved) Requirements: Commission the building envelope in addition to a "fair amount of attention paid to the shell design during the design review process".
Submittals:

• Narrative describing commissioning process and issues found
• Building shell construction checklist Our project will create a mock up of the façade and a third party will test for air tightness testing and moisture management. Revisions to the façade design will be incorporated, as necessary, based upon the results of the mock-up test. Once construction has begun and the façade is in place, the same testing agency will visit the site 3 times and test 4 areas during each visit to ensure the façade is performing as designed. The areas will be selected at random and the general contractor will not know in advance where the spot checking will take place. The agency shall report any deficiencies to the general contractor and will re-test the area to ensure corrections were made. Once the façade is complete, the agency will perform thermal imaging and report any areas where the change in temperature is greater than 1 degree Celsius. The testing will be performed in accordance with the following standards:
• ASTM E 283 Standard Test Method for Determining Rate of Air Leakage Through Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, and Doors Under Specified Pressure Differences Across the Specimen. ASTM E 330 Standard Test Method for Structural Performance of Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, and Doors by Uniform Static Air Pressure Difference.
• ASTM E 331 Standard Test Method for Water Penetration of Exterior Windows, Skylights, Doors, and Curtain Walls by Uniform Static Air Pressure Difference.
• AAMA 501.1-94 Standard Test Method for Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls and Doors for Water Penetration Using Dynamic Pressure

We would like confirmation that the above mentioned procedures would merit an Innovation in Design credit or what additional testing would be required to earn a credit.

This CIR is being submitted to assess whether this proposed ID credit may qualify for a point assuming that all proposed standards are met and all documentation is made. ID Credit Title: Recycled Landscape Material - 50% (post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer) Narrative Statement of Credit Intent: Increase the demand for recycled landscape inorganic materials as a method for diverting materials from landfills. Narrative Statement Describing Credit Requirements: Use materials with recycled content such that the sum of the post-consumer recycled content plus one half of the pre-consumer content constitute 50 % of the inorganic landscape material used in the project based on cost. Submit manufacturer / MSDS information, and material invoices indicating the purchase and delivery for all inorganic landscape materials. Indicate the percentages of post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled materials used. Narrative Describing Project\'s Approach to the Credit: This project is a tire sales and service facility which generates a large volume of waste tires annually. We will be using used tire mulch for our landscape mulch purposes. The tires are either finely ground or shredded enough to allow water infiltration, but are heavy enough that they are not easily moved by flood conditions to receiving streams and storm water systems. The material is clean, non-toxic, and does not produce toxic leachate. In addition, they are no more flammable than traditional wood based mulches. Other materials that may be used include weed control geotextiles with recycled content and recycled plastic hard trim or edging.

Innovation & Design Process: Exemplary Performance in Alternative Transportation - Hybrid Vehicle Reimbursement Program Intent Reduce pollution and energy impacts from automobile use. Requirements To receive an innovation point, the project team will demonstrate that a comprehensive hybrid vehicle reimbursement program is in place with clear performance goals, including: 1. A statement of purpose describing what the program is trying to achieve from a health and environmental standpoint, focusing on reduced carbon emissions. 2. Procedural requirements for employees who participate in the program to comply with the guidelines. 3. A clear set of acceptable performance metrics by which to measure progress or achievement, such as a sample request for reimbursement form stating all data gathered (i.e. miles driven, vehicle purchased, vehicle replaced, vehicle fuel consumption, etc.), and calculated statistics, including equivalent pounds of carbon dioxide NOT released, compared to the baseline (vehicles driven, fuel consumed, and emissions released, prior to the program). 4. Documentation of the program\'s vehicle and procurement specifications, including a list of approved vehicles, and employee eligibility guidelines. Demonstrate that the vehicles purchased and miles driven result in improved environmental impact. Submittals 1. Copy of program guidelines and eligibility requirements. 2. Copy of request for reimbursement form. 3. Calculations illustrating number of participating employees, vehicles purchased, vehicles replaced, miles driven each week for commuting purposes, and whether the program influenced the decision to purchase a hybrid. 4. Calculations quantifying equivalent pounds of carbon dioxide NOT released. Design Approach As part of a corporate commitment to reduce its environmental impact, as well as a comprehensive effort to improve its leadership on environmental issues, including LEED-CI certification of its Corporate Center interiors, Bank of America announced on June 7, 2006 that it will reimburse Associates living within 90 miles of Charlotte, Boston, and Los Angeles and purchasing a new hybrid vehicle $3,000. Available to more than 49,000 associates, the program addresses a correlation between air quality, limited travel options (other than single-rider vehicles), and commute length. As of September 7, 2006, 200 Bank of America associates, including 118 in Charlotte, have taken advantage of the program and the Bank expects up to 100 more will participate by the end of 2006. The program is available to all associates working in the Bank of America Corporate Center and it is possible to monitor how many of those associates take advantage of the program. We request a ruling on whether implementation of this program would achieve an Innovation & Design credit, since it is available to ALL Bank of America Associates living within 90 miles of Charlotte, where the Bank of America Corporate Center Renovation Pilot Project is located.

Integrated HVAC for Building & Greenhouse This CIR proposes an innovation design credit for a design to integrate the HVAC system between the greenhouse and the main building of the new Pacific Garden Mission (PGM) facility in Chicago. The intent of the proposed design innovation is to: 1) use the greenhouse vegetation to help improve the air quality in parts of the main building; 2) pass the building exhaust air through the greenhouse to provide carbon dioxide enriched air to help in plant growth in the greenhouse. The new PGM facility includes a men\'s and a women\'s greenhouse attached to the south wall of the facility. The design calls for an HVAC system that can operate in the following three modes modes: 1)Exhaust building air from the adjacent 1st floor rooms through the greenhouse to help heat and cool the greenhouse, keep it positively pressurized to avoid infiltration. Our preliminary energy modeling indicates that this mode of operation will result in annual avoided heating costs of at least $2,500 or over 1% of the projected energy costs for the current building design. Exhausting building air through the greenhouses will promote plant growth by supplying greenhouse with CO2-enriched building exhaust air. 2)Draw air through the greenhouse so that it can be tempered and supply part of the make-up air required for the dining/kitchen area. 3)Divert the air from the adjacent rooms through the greenhouse to clean, humidify it, and enrich it with oxygen before it returns back to the building. Our approach is to include the energy saving aspects of these design features in the energy model of the building that has been prepared for EA Credit 1 Optimized Energy Performance. Therefore, our proposed Innovation Design Credit is for the environmental benefits of this design that integrates the HVAC systems of the greenhouse and main building. We look forward to the USGBC\'s guidance on this exciting potential innovation in design.

We are seeking an Innovation in Design credit for the use of low-emitting insulation material. Intent Reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, potentially irritating and/or harmful to the comfort and wellbeing of installers and occupants. Requirements All insulation used in the building interior (defined as inside of the weatherproofing system) shall meet one of the testing and production requirements below: Option A: California Department of Health Services Standard Practice for The Testing of Volatile Organic Emissions from Various Sources Using Small-Scaled Environmental Chambers, including 2004 Addenda. OR Option B: GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification (requirements are more stringent than those set forth by the Cal DHS Standard Practice for Testing of VOCs from Building Materials Using Small-Scaled Environmental Chambers) Submittals Provide the LEED-CI Letter Template, signed by the architect, interior designer or responsible party, listing all the insulation used in the tenant space and stating that they meet or exceed the applicable testing and product requirements. Background The basis for our request is that within LEED for Homes MRc2.2 Insulation is awarded 0.5 points if it complies with California Practice for Testing of VOCs from Building Materials Using Small Chambers. The effective use of insulation to minimize energy costs and improve control of environmental comfort with placement in the walls and above drop- ceilings of high-performance buildings has led to insulation being a highly utilized individual material in many LEED-CI buildings. Therefore, now more than ever, the assurance that insulation is not off-gassing harmful chemicals is an important step in assuring the health of all building occupants. Insulation is listed as one of a three component system under Option 6 - Ceiling and Wall Systems (LEED for Schools EQc4). We are proposing to have insulation identified as a stand-alone material due to its abundant use within a building. It is understood that LEED for Schools EQc4 allows up to 4 points for low-emitting materials. It is requested that insulation, by itself, as allowed in LEED for Homes MRc2.2 be eligible as an ID credit. To be consistent, this would be an option only if the project has not already received 4 points for low-emitting materials.

This project is a laboratory building being constructed in an existing building. As part of the design process, the Labs21 EPC and the LEED Draft Application Guide for Labs were used as a guideline for sustainable design features of the labs. Towards that end, we are proposign the following for ID Credit 1.1: ID CR 1: Laboratory Safety: Intent: Insure the health and safety of laboratory employees Requirements: Design laboratories to ensure contaminants are contained and workers are protected (relates to AGL EQ Pre-Requisite 3 and Credits 9.1 and 9.2) 1. Ensure minimum requirements for safety and worker protection are met through compliance with ANSI / AIHA Z9.5 latest version. 2. Conduct Fume Hood commissioning including ASHRAE-110 method for testing performance of Laboratory Fume Hoods (latest version). This includes field testing each of the new fume hoods as well as each of the existing fume hoods scheduled to remain in the new construction. 3. Design all alarm systems in the laboratory to be inherently self-identifying and fail-safe Submittals will be 1. Letter certifying ventilation design is in compliance with ANSI / AIHA Z9.5 latest version 2. Specifications and Fume Hood Commissioning report 3. Fume hood controls and alarm system diagrams and schematics from design documents Please advise if this suggested point will meet the requirements of the Innovation in Design Credit 1 and will be likely to be awarded to this project.

Innovation Credit Inquiry for PVC Intent: To eliminate the use of PVC to the extent possible due to the hazards of PVC production and disposal. Description: One of the program goals for this project was to eliminate the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to the extent possible. The Pentagon Renovation Program required in their statement of work that PVC should be eliminated unless: a. There was not an alternative product b. Alternative product selection compromised performance c. Alternative product selection had an unacceptable impact to budget or schedule (note that the program did pay more for some non-PVC products). The purpose for attempting to eliminate PVC is as follows: Toxicity liabilities: The manufacturing of PVC burdens the environment with numerous environmentally undesirable byproducts. - The lifecycle of PVC production creates four persistent organic pollutants that are identified for phase-out under the United Nations Environment Program POP Treaty. - Ethylene dichloride (EDC) and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) which are released to air and water during manufacture of PVC are toxic and carcinogenic. - When PVC is incinerated as part of a Municipal Solid Waste strategy, toxic dioxins are formed as a byproduct of incomplete combustion. - Chemical additives called phthalates are added to PVC to enhance performance characteristics such as flexibility. These compounds are typically DEHP and MEHP which affect bronchial contracting receptors and thereby generates a hyper reactive condition in the lungs. Because these additives are not chemically bonded, they tend to leach out of the PVC causing indoor air quality to be compromised. Lack of market stewardship: According to the Worldwatch Institute, global PVC production exceeded 25 million tons in 1999. By 2002, it is estimated that the figure will rise to 33 million tons. Accordingly, although 250 million tons of PVC are in use today it is estimated that over 100 million tons have been landfilled or incinerated. The production of one ton of chlorine requires about 3,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Since 40 percent of chlorine is attributed to PVC production, the energy burden for PVC is about 1,800 kilowatt-hours per tons of product. Because the PVC industry does not promote any kind of product stewardship initiatives, from the perspective of both resources and energy consumption, there is no credible proactive effort to enhance the properties of PVC to characterize it as a sustainable material. Reclamation deficiencies: In the document Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste, the EPA estimates that 970 thousand tons of PVC were generated in 1999 of which only a "negligible" amount was recovered. So small is PVC recycling, in fact, the amount recognized for discards equals the amount of material generated. Because PVC must be produced with a number of additives such as lead and cadmium to produce unique characteristics, it is difficult and expensive to reclaim resins. Most recycling that does occur is post-industrial which means that nearly everything that has entered the consumer market will eventually be landfilled or incinerated. The project team did evaluate the environmental impacts of those materials that were specified in lieu of PVC. For this project, a number of different products were specified where PVC might have conventionally been a "default" selection. These included, but were not limited to: - High density polyethylene (HDPE), for wastewater, potable water, foundation drainage and sprinkler systems. - Bentonite waterstops in lieu of PVC waterstops. - Linoleum (rapidly renewable material), in lieu of PVC flooring - Carpet tile with recycled PVC backing Could an innovation credit be achieved for the elimination of PVC (including the use of contract language to eliminate PVC) to the extent possible on this project?

The purpose of this CIR is to request approval for one ID credit for an innovative approach to material reduction by using QuietRock soundproof drywall in lieu of multiple layers of traditional drywall. INTENT: To minimize the total quantity of new gypsum wallboard (drywall) used in acoustically sensitive buildings through accurate performance specifications, enhanced materials, and efficient design. The innovative approach will be applied to walls and partitions specified as acoustically high performance for interoffice privacy and/or noise control (sound transmission class 50 or higher). In some cases, a single layer of soundproof drywall can be used to replace up to five layers of traditional drywall. This product and design approach will result in a significant reduction in the total embodied energy of the materials used in the building. (The BEES software from NIST has reported that a single panel of drywall represents between 150,000 to 300,000 Btu\'s of embodied energy). REQUIREMENT: Minimize amount of building materials used by designing walls meeting the sound isolation requirement with QuietRock soundproof drywall. Demonstrate at least a 20% savings in the quantity of gypsum wallboard used compared to the baseline design using conventional, techniques and materials. SUBMITTALS: Architectural plans, details and specifications, a letter signed by the architect or acoustical engineer outlining the acoustical performance requirements identified in the design, the measures implemented in the approach, photographs of soundproofing measures under construction, bills of sale of soundproofing drywall materials purchased, and calculations demonstrating at least a 20% savings in the quantity of drywall used compared with conventional, baseline construction techniques and materials. DESIGN APPROACH: For a two-story multi-purpose commercial building, areas of the floor plan require additional noise control (due to amplified lecture halls or private workspaces). Well established performance specifications required that these walls perform to an STC 50 or higher. These partitions have been designed using QuietRock, an innovative soundproof drywall, so that an over 20% material reduction is achieved. The process was as follows: 1. All walls with a sound isolation requirement have been reviewed by a qualified professional to assess/confirm minimum performance requirements and alternate, material-optimized assemblies were recommended. 2. Acoustical walls requiring multiple layers of gypsum drywall have been redesigned using layer(s) of soundproof drywalls in their place. 3. Architectural details have been added that address acoustical seal and closure best practices for optimal sound isolation. 4. Per CIR 12/6/2002 and 1/9/2003, the basic steps for Boeing to achieve an ID Credit for Material Reduction will be: - Provide documentation, such as a narrative and drawings, to prove on the validity of the baseline to which the project is compared. - Provide a convincing and thorough analysis of this condition by a knowledgeable professional, such as an acoustical engineer or an architect. - The actual bill of materials purchased and a spreadsheet comparing quantities & costs. - A letter signed by a responsible party enumerating and certifying the product and building methods. Should this credit be audited, the applicant also should be prepared to provide photographs of the soundproof wallboard installation in the field.

Credit Title: Educational Outreach Program Intent: To broaden the public\'s knowledge and awareness of green building strategies from a lessons learned perspective and to use the facility as a full scale example. The intent of the design team is to submit for an Innovation and Design Credit for an Educational Outreach Program. The project is a Car Wash & Maintenance Facility (hereafter referred to as the Facility) for a major Metropolitan Transit Agency. Due to the nature of the Facility the building is not generally open to the public. Use of the facility is limited to staff and organized visitations, thus onsite general public education would not be lucrative. Instead of an onsite educational program the Agency has accomplished / will be accomplishing the following: Educational Outreach: Project was featured in the Agency\'s "Going Green" brochure that was distributed on Earth Day. The use of captured rain water at the new Facility was a component of the Agency\'s "Earth Day" car posters distributed throughout the car fleet. The Agency\'s web site prominently features the Facility and has an animation of the Car Washer showing the captured / recycled rain water feature. Also, this website has recently been upgraded, as required by an Executive Order of the Governor, to be "accessible" to the hearing/visually impaired. Educational flyers on the Building will be available at the main lobby to visitors. Presentations: Presented a paper on the project at the Railroad Environmental Conference at UIUC in 2002. (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) "Green" features of the new Maintenance Facility and Car Washer were part of the Transit Agency\'s "Building for Tomorrow" brochure and presentation at the UITP Conference on Sustainable Design. This was also presented at the APTA conference on the environment given in NYC. Tours: A delegation from MetroVal (Valencia Metro, Venezuela) went on a tour through the facility. There are also additional plans for a group of engineering students from Colombia University to tour the Facility. Awards: Applied for and received a "Green Apple" award (honorable mention) from NYC/DOB and the US-EPA for Green Building Design. Design Guidelines: Established Design Guidelines for "Sustainability" for implementation throughout the Capital Program that were a direct result of the Green Design efforts on this project. We propose to submit copies of all the brochures created as part of this outreach program as well as website information for viewing. This project is not the typical project for which LEED NC was originally designed. As a major Metropolitan Transit Agency - the project is very high profile and thus contributes to the expansion of green building into the mainstream. As such, we feel that these efforts should obtain an Innovation & Design credit. Please let us know if these efforts will garner us an additional credit and if not, what we may do to accomplish this under this specific type of facility and ownership. Additionally, we would also like to know what submittals will be necessary to establish sufficient evidentiary information for the USGBC review.

Title: Whole Building Double Water Filtration to Obviate the Need for Bottled Water Intent: To minimize or eliminate the use of plastic water bottles in buildings by providing the purity levels afforded by bottled water through comprehensive building water filtration. The bottled water industry has grown substantially in the past decade. About 74% of Americans drink bottled water; one in five drinks only bottled. Demand is outstripping recycling capacity. According to the Container Recycling Institute, each year an ever smaller proportion of plastic bottles are recycled; from 2 out of 5 in the mid \'90s, to only 1 out of 7 today. Seventy million water bottles are disposed of each day, with 60 million going into landfills, oceans or incinerators. Our project plans to implement a two-stage water filtration system that provides water purity equal to or better than bottled water. Implementing water filtration technology is an answer to the severe environmental impact of bottled water, because it reconciles people\'s desire for pure, safe drinking water with the imperative of reducing waste. By installing two-stage water filtration - first at the main (point-of-entry, POE) and then downstream within kitchen cabinets (point-of-use, POU) -- and educating our occupants about the health and environmental advantages of the system, we anticipate a dramatic reduction in the purchase of bottled water in our building and associated waste. The two-stage configuration, and the specific equipment selected, are designed so as to minimize environmental impact by 1) at POE using negligible water for self-cleaning, and 2) at POU achieving significant filter cartridge longevity. Requirements: - Provide building-wide point-of-entry water filtration that removes particulate contamination equal to or smaller than 10 microns; AND - Provide point-of-use water filtration at 0.2 micron (fine enough to remove bacteria) and NSF/ANSI Standard 42 and 53 certified. AND - Educate building occupants about the system, how it works and its substantial environmental benefits. Benefits: - Obviate the need for bottled water by providing high performance and low impact two-stage water filtration that will substantially reduce the amount of plastic water bottles going to waste from our building. - Reduce the exposure to potentially harmful waterborne contaminants for the entire population through universal access to filtered water. - Reduce the energy required to heat water by screening out particulates that over time negatively impact system efficiency. - Reduce the amount of pollutants released in the manufacture and transportation of bottled water attributable to our building. There are 70 million bottles of water consumed in the US per day. Dividing that number by the total population of approximately 306,000,000, means that 23% of the US population is drinking one bottle of water a day. We believe this estimate to be conservative and that widespread adoption of two-stage water filtration could have a much bigger impact, especially in areas with known water quality problems. We estimate that our 1200 apartment project will have 2130 occupants. Therefore, 23% of 2130 = 479 people drinking one bottle of water a day times 365 days/yr = 174,835 bottles for this one building resulting in a reduction of 149,858 (6 out of 7) bottles going to landfill, oceans or incineration. New occupants will be given an orientation session at the time of lease by the property manager explaining the dual system, the POU maintenance requirements and why the cost and environmental impact of bottled water can be avoided in the building. The tenant environmental guideline will also detail the environmental impact of bottled water and describe the system benefits and performance. The filtration system will be a highlighted feature on all leasing and green building tours.

INQUIRY: To help stimulate the development of sustainable product evaluation and certification tools by building professionals, we are seeking to establish an innovation point for specification of products certified under the SMART & California Gold Sustainable Product Programs explained at: http://mts.sustainableproducts.com/SMART_Building_Product_Standard SMART & California Gold provide manufacturers with a transparent measure of sustainable product achievement through consensus based standards. They help customers purchase and specify products that are pursuing a broad definition of quality. Through SMART and California Gold, this broader definition of quality means using products and materials safe for public health and environment as measured by LCA and 12 life cycle impacts; using renewable energy and energy efficiency; using recycled and biobased organic materials with EPA best management practices; increased water conservation; facility and company achievements; social equity; and product reuse and reclamation. SMART & California Gold meet all 24 Sustainable Product Certification Criteria (SPC Criteria) found here: http://sustainableproducts.typepad.com/Sustainable_Product_Certification.... To qualify for this CIR, SMART Gold & California Gold must have at the manufacturing facility 60% Green-e Power or 60% conventional energy reduction from the baseline. SMART & California Platinum must have 80% Green-e or 80% conventional energy reduction for both the manufacturing facility and suppliers. Eighty percent of all SMART & California Gold credits reduce climate change pollution. If a candidate product achieves the necessary criteria, it is certified as a Silver, Gold or Platinum Sustainable Product and must complete independent third party global auditing requirements of manufacturer and supplier facilities. The following Intent, Requirements and Submittals for this Innovation in Design application are suggested: Intent: Help stimulate the development of certified sustainable products for use by building professionals. Requirements: Use SMART or California Gold Certified building materials and products for 2.5% of the total value of all building materials and products used in the project, based on cost. The "cost value" of products for the purposes of this calculation will be discounted by 50% for Silver level products, and doubled for products certified at the platinum level: Cost value of products = (Silver x 0.5) + Gold (1.0) + (Platinum x 2) Submittals: Spreadsheet matrix with the following information: DEFAULT MATERIALS VALUE Total construction costs (hard costs for CSI Master Format 1995 Divisions 2-10 and 12** only): _______ Default materials cost (total Divisions 2-10 and 12** construction cost x 0.45): _______ OR ACTUAL MATERIALS VALUE Actual materials cost (excluding labor and equipment) hard costs for CSI Master Format 1995 Divisions 2-10 only): _______ - Material Name/Description - Manufacturer - Total Material Cost ($) - Percent Of Product SMART or California Gold Certified (% by Weight) - Compliant Product Value - Adjusted value (Silver x 0.5, Gold x 1.0, Platinum x2) Total "cost value" ($) of SMART or California Gold certified materials: _______ SMART or California Gold certified material value as a percentage of total materials cost*: _______ *To qualify for this ID credit the percentage of SMART or California Gold certified materials must be at least 2.5% of the total materials cost. **CSI Master Format 1995 Division 12 may be included in calculations if materials from Division 12 are used consistently with calculations in credits MRc3-7 in LEED-NC or MRc3-6 in LEED-CS. LEED-CI projects are required to include Division 12 components in the calculation of this ID point, as these components are required for calculations in CI credits MRc4-7. Please refer to the LEED-CI Reference Guide\'s credit calculation instructions for guidance in calculating these credits.

Can a project earn ID credit for being in a LEED ND neighborhood? What level of certification or stage or review must the project have completed?

The following Innovation & Design CIR is being submitted to assess whether the following criteria could qualify for an ID credit if all standards are met and documentation received: Intent - To provide a mechanism to support novel ideas to improve the environment at Union College. Through a competitive grant-based initiative, members of the Union College community have access to a $16,000 per year pool of funding to either make Union operations more sustainable or to conduct research that will make specific contributions to sustainability at the regional, national or global scale. Grant proposals are required to detail rationale, a project/research plan, anticipated outcome, detailed budget, and timeline, and are rated based on the benefit to environmental sustainability and feasibility. In the 2008-2009 academic year, ten different projects proposed by students, staff and faculty were awarded between $500 and $2000. With the opening of a new USustain headquarters located in Wold Science Center, the office of President Stephen Ainlay has committed to funding for two more academic years. Projects that directly impact the design and operations of the Wold Science Center or research projects that would be undertaken at the Wold Science Center will be especially encouraged. Requirement - Union will support grassroots sustainability ideas for the period 2009-2011. Supported projects will include specific reporting guidelines and communication procedures. The period of funding shall cover a period of no less than two academic years, for a total monetary amount of $48,000. Submittals - Presidential Green Grant RFP (Sept. 2008); Summaries of 2008-2009 proposals funded by Presidential Green Grants.

We recognize that ID credits cannot be granted achievement via the CIR process, but request the review of this proposed approach for viability to support a project earning an ID credit by meeting these requirements. Please provide insight as to the type & level of documentation required to pursue such an ID credit. Title Pursuit of Company\'s Mission Zero objectives through the application of sustainability programs to new building construction and operation. Credit Intent To incorporate the building into the Owner\'s Company Mission Zero objectives, the new facility has been designed & will be operated under the site\'s ISO systems. This includes the application of the Owner\'s unique corporate programs; QUEST, EcoSense and Ecometrics, to ensure the new facility is operated to high standards of sustainable practice. These proprietary programs form part of the Owner\'s Mission Zero program to reduce the footprint of a manufacturing facility to a virtual zero point by 2020. The project is the first in Asia to operate under such programs, covering all aspects of waste, materials & utility reduction as well as addressing less tangible social aspects of sustainability. Credit Requirements Consideration of the requirements of operating the new facility under the Company\'s Mission Zero programs has been applied in a holistic manner to the design. The choice of pursuing the LEED certification for the building was a key aspect of this approach, other considerations were the overall building design to incorporate a natural ventilation system, submetering of utilities, drainage system, improved staff facilities, etc Project Approach The building & all operations will be under the company\'s ISO systems and Mission Zero initiatives. These programs have been operating since 1998 for the current factory. The programs to be applied under Mission Zero are: ISO9000 Internationally recognized Quality Assurance program ISO14000 Internationally recognized environmental management system where all environmental aspects are encompassed, managed for environmental responsibility, audited & verified. The management system is used to administer all the sub-programs as follows: Ecometrics Comprehensive monitoring of the utilities / materials usage of activities in the facility & relating these to output of the plant. The program facilitates benchmarking, driving & verify of results in the pursuit of the Mission Zero goal. It is utilized to drive, monitor & demonstrate reduction in resource usage for the output of the operation and target of reducing the footprint of the operation to virtually zero by 2020. Materials usage & percentage recycled content Utility Usage & percentage renewable usage Waste generated & percentage recycled Transportation Energy costs QUEST System of financial accounting of the waste reduction programs which operates from a benchmark point to reduce costs of waste by 10% per annum The program monitors performance in the following areas Internal Off-Quality External Off-Quality Correction Costs Process Waste Material Usage Variances Energy Costs - Renewable / Nonrenewable Inventory Losses Packaging Costs Non-Quality related correction costs EcoSense A program to drive less measurable but important aspects of sustainability addressing areas such as Operation to recognized Quality & Environmental standards (ISO9000 & ISO 14000) Sustainability Awareness of Shareholders; Employees, Customers, Suppliers, Neighbors Safety standard improvements Transportation impacts - commuting/business travel/supply chain Sociometrics - monitoring of the efforts to improve the social aspects of sustainability Waste & Energy Reduction Projects - encouraging both large & small scale improvement projects to reduce Emissions Reduction - auditing of all facility emissions Life Cycle Assessment programs The intent of all of these company initiatives area a comprehensive strategy w/ triple bottom line quantifiable benefits beyond the manufacturing industry standard - documentation of metric results are available for all of these programs.

It appears that most data centers that have recently pursued LEED certification have been successful using a \'mixed use\' model, in which the data center is a component of a larger office building. Based on this model and the definition of \'Process Load\' in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-99 ("energy consumed in support of a manufacturing, industrial or commercial process other than conditioning spaces and maintaining comfort and amenities for the occupants of a building"), it is our interpretation that the energy required to power and cool the data center electronics is not included in the baseline energy calculation under the Energy & Atmosphere credit category. (Ref: CIR 4/11/2003 and Ruling 5/5/2003). This leads us to believe that an appropriate venue for credit contribution associated with data center energy reduction initiatives is in the Innovation & Design category. With the rise in bandwidth requirements, optical fiber versus copper has significant energy savings advantages. Energy savings associated with power and cooling of a 10Gbyte/s optical network vs. 10G copper network can range from 75-85% depending on port count. Further, innovative high fiber count pre-terminated optical solutions vs. traditional patch-cord solutions reduce cabling congestion and optimize air flow in the server racks and raceways further reducing cooling energy requirements. Will Innovation & Design credits be considered for the following? 1. Installed cabling infrastructure that provides improved energy efficiency over another. 2. A Pre-Terminated high fiber count optical solution vs. Patch-Cord optical solution.

We propose that a LEED Innovation & Design Process (IDP) point be awarded to any project that combines the two transportation strategies of public transportation and third party car sharing from a company like WeCar by Enterprise (http://www.wecar.com/) or an equivalent program. By providing the car sharing program MORE employees can utilize public transportation because employees will be less tempted to drive their own cars to work for out of office meetings/business that may not be accessible by public transportation and will also reduce parking demand in the vicinity of the tenant space. The tenant owner would pay for a monthly public transportation pass (or equivalent) to employees and also offer a third party car sharing program in which cars are strategically placed around the city; accessed electronically by participants; booked online; available 24 hours a day seven days a week and utilize hybrid cars. Below is an outline of the potential Innovation Credit. Intent: Reduce pollution and land development impacts from automobile use. Promote use of public transportation and car sharing. Proposed requirements for compliance: Tenant to promote use of public transportation by offering to employees a stipend to cover the cost of a monthly public transportation pass cost or equivalent. AND Offer a third party car sharing program to employees for business related travel. The car sharing program will utilize fuel efficient hybrid automobiles and demonstrate that there will be enough cars available in the area to supplement the need from the tenant space. Proposed submittals to demonstrate compliance: Car sharing lease agreement, area plan showing location of cars realtive to tenant space, and signed letter from owner stating that they will provide a stipend for employees to purchase a monthly public transportation pass or equivalent. Technologies and Strategies: Perform a transportation survey of potential tenant occupants to identify transportation needs. Choose a building near mass transit and located near a car sharing program. Considerations: Offering to pay for staff members public transportation cost will help promote use of public transportation and reduce carbon emissions. Car sharing is becoming a popular way to pool transportation resources and have access to an automobile without owning one.

Transportation Management Plan The INTENT of this innovation credit is to provide occupants of the building additional options for Alternate Transportation through the use of a Transportation Management Plan. The proposed REQUIREMENTS are to include the following features in the Transportation Management Plan: Rideshare Matching Assistance, Subsidized Regional Transit Pass ( In lieu of providing 3% with Alternative Fuel Vehicles ), Bike Subsidy and User Groups, Amtrak Subsidy, Guaranteed Ride Home Program. The required SUBMITTALS would require all features listed in the Requirements to be summarized in a narrative and in the form of the LEED letter templates. Possible DESIGN APPROACHES would include working with the local Transportation Management Association or local agency to figure out which options are best suited for the occupants of the building. The following paragraphs further explain of how the requirements will be met. Per the Transportation Management Plan filed with the City of Sacramento, and DPR\'\'s subsequent commitment to participate in and financially support the South Natomas Transportation Management Association (TMA), the following programs and services will be available to all DPR South Natomas employees as well as employees of any subtenant occupying 2480 Natomas Park Drive. Rideshare Matching Assistance The South Natomas TMA supports and uses the regional carpool database, www.1800COMMUTE.org to provide matches for short-term emergencies or long term carpool arrangements. Additionally, we will provide personalized transit trip planning assistance, providing employees a detailed explanation of how to take the bus from home to work, and back again. Prior to DPR relocating to the new South Natomas facility, all occupants will provide their names and nearest cross streets, so that carpool database will generate a personalized transit trip and/or carpool matchlist for each occupant of the building. Subsidized Regional Transit Passes We have a cooperative agreement with Regional Transit to provide photo identification Regional Transit passes to ALL member employees. This is similar to the requirement in SS4.3 to provide alternate fuel vehicles for 3% of the building. By subsidizing the Transit Pass for ALL occupants we feel that we are meeting the intent of the Alternate Transportation credits. This RT pass is valid on Regional Transit light rail and buses for both commute and non-commute trips. YoloBus, Placer County Transit and also accept this pass. Bike Subsidy and Users Group The Bike Users Group is a result of the Bucks for Bikes Program, which provides South Natomas TMA members commute bike purchase subsidies. The South Natomas BUG also provides a voice for cyclists throughout the South Natomas area, advocating safer trails and road conditions, and supporting education for current bicycle commuters and encouragement for fellow cyclists new to commuting by bike. DPR\'\'s bike lockers will complement the employees\'\' participation in our bike-related activities and support bicycle commuting. Amtrak Capitol Corridor Subsidy We offer up to 10 monthly subsidies of $28 each, or the full fare, whichever is lower, to member employees for reimbursement of an Amtrak Capitol Corridor monthly pass or multi-ride ticket. Employees have the option of either transferring to RT # 88/87 (with their Regional Transit pass) to connect to/from the Amtrak station and South Natomas or riding a bike through Discovery Park. (Amtrak has generous facilities for riders to bring bikes on board). Guaranteed Ride Home Program This program provides employees who rideshare two or more days per week and experience a mid-day emergency, or who have to work unexpected overtime, with a free guaranteed ride home using a taxi or rental car service up to 6 times per year.

For our multifamily project, we propose the following approach to earn an ID point for transportation management. Please confirm whether this strategy is likely to earn an ID point if appropriately implemented and documented, and if not, what additional activities would be necessary to earn the credit. We propose to implement a two-part program to encourage bicycle use and reduce automobile use. Due to our suburban community\'s lack of a comprehensive, convenient public transportation system, we believe biking will be residents\' preferred alternative transportation mode. (Please note that this means we may not meet SSc4.1 requirements for public transportation access, but will meet 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4). (1) Implement a bicycle check-out program by which the apartment community loans bikes to residents to use for free. We expect the bikes would be used for errands and other periodic trips (when public transportation may not be practical), reducing automobile use for these trips. The bikes would also be used for recreation/exercise, contributing to a healthier community. For a 500-person community, we would purchase 5 bikes. (2) Subsidize residents\' purchase of bicycles for daily commuting. The check-out program would not be able to serve regular bike commuters. For these residents, the property will subsidize 10% of the purchase cost (up to $100) of a bicycle. Per LEED CIR ruling IDc1.1-5/9/2003, the program will continue for at least 5 years or 50 bicycles, whichever comes first.

Our project is a 320,000 s.f. mixed-use project being designed and constructed to achieve various LEED NC 2.2 credits. The mixed use components consist of residential units, residential parking and commercial tenant space (shell only). The project is located in Solano County, CA. We are seeking an innovation credit for a Comprehensive Transportation plan based on the ID credit previously approved on 5/9/2003 The INTENT of this innovation credit is to provide occupants of the building additional options for Alternative Transportation and reduce the drive alone trips through the use of a Transportation Management Plan. The project is currently pursuing three SS 4 baseline credits including: a. Project is located within 1/4 mile of Bus service. b. Bicycle Storage is provided for residents and retail customers and employees. c. Preferred Parking is provided for low emitting/ fuel efficient vehicles . The Comprehensive Transportation Plan will include the following additional elements: a. The developer will provide free conferencing facilities to accommodate flexible work schedules and reduce the drive alone trips. A conference room with infrastructure for video conferencing/ telecommuting will be provided for use by residents. b. The Solano County Transportation Authority provides a number of transportation amenities/ alternates for its residents and information on the same will be displayed in the lobby and included in the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions. Information and amenities include: i. Maps/ schedules/ contact info for Public Transportation ii. Information on incentives provided by Solana County Transportation Authority including: 1. Emergency Ride Home Program 2. "Bucks for Bikes" program (Up to 60% -$100 max of the cost of a bicycle) 3. Commuter Check Program 4. Carpool/ Vanpool incentives (Up to $100 Gas Card) c. The developer will provide 10 free bicycles for the use of residents. Bicycle maintenance and replacement will subsequently be part of the Home Owner\'s Association Submittals will include a. A floor plan showing conferencing facility within residential development. b. Copy of CCRs outlining available public transportation amenities. c. Commitment letter or receipt from developer for 10 bicycles.

The following proposed innovation in design credit language is intended to demonstrate accomplishment of Comprehensive Exterior VOC Emitting Materials Reduction above and beyond requirements set forth in existing LEED credits. We recognize that an ID credit cannot be granted achievement through the CIR process, but request the review of this proposed approach for viability and appropriateness as written to support a project earning an ID credit by meeting these requirements. Proposed Title: Comprehensive Exterior VOC Emitting Materials Reduction Intent: Provide a safe and healthy outdoor environment for both construction teams and building occupants. Reduce outdoor pollution resulting from construction practices and material selection. Requirements: Significantly reduce the amount of VOCs released to the outdoor air through construction practices and materials selection by specifying low VOC emitting products for each of the following if/as incorporated in the project: ? Factory applied cool roof coating (rather than field applied) ? No added urea-formaldehyde composite wood exterior doors ? Low VOC siding materials (composite wood and cement product) ? Low VOC pesticides and vegetation care products ? Heat island effect: roof- meet LEED-NC SS7.2 credit requirements Submittal: In addition to all corresponding submittal requirements for existing LEED credits, document specific efforts to reduce VOCs external to the building, and describe how a comprehensive exterior VOC reduction that address control and mitigation has been realized. Design Approach: ? Source Control: minimize VOC sources from being installed/used in the exterior building and site construction ? Mitigation: maintain outdoor air quality to minimize VOC presence ? Identify sources of VOCs within the exterior building and site design, and specify low VOC or VOC free alternatives. ? Locate site in area accessible to existing public transportation networks, provide bike storage and showering facilities, provide preferred parking for low emitting and fuel efficient vehicles, and base parking capacity on actual user needs rather than code or precedent for building type. ? Green Seal Standard GC-03 exterior paints, primers, and coatings ? SCAQMD Rule #1168 compliant concrete sealant ? Low VOC exterior caulks and adhesives ? Separate pedestrian traffic flow patterns from vehicle flow patterns ? Heat island effect: non-roof- meet LEED-NC SSc7.1 credit requirements ? SCAQMD Rule #1168 compliant wood stains and wood sealers ? Low VOC decking materials (composite wood and cement product)

Credit Title: Green Building EducationINTENT: To provide public education focusing on green building strategies and solutions.REQUIREMENTS AND SUBMITTALS: Credit 1.1 (1 point) Provide permanent educational displays illustrating at least one component of each of the five major green building categories in the LEED rating system:Sustainable SitesWater EfficiencyEnergy and AtmosphereIndoor Environmental QualityMaterials and Resources- Provide narrative to describe the intended green building education program that will use the displays.- Provide narrative to describe the selected green building educational displays.- Provide design drawings of the educational displays and their locations in the building.Credit 1.2 (1 point) Provide educational outreach focusing on sustainable living and building practices to serve the general public.- Provide education program with identifiable tasks and outcomes geared toward sustainable living and building practices.- Develop an ongoing education program to provide access to practical methods for homeowners and others for sustainable living and building practices.SUMMARY OF REFERENCED STANDARDS: There are no such referenced standards for this credit.GREEN BUILDING CONCERNS: Public education is necessary to encourage green building practices in public programs, private development, and residential communities. The purpose of this innovative credit is to encourage public education in green building projects and provide a strategy to meet that goal.Mission Statement: To inspire people to live more sustainably, using flexible and achievable standards for building and landscaping practices in such a way as it will protect our local and regional natural resources.DESIGN APPROACH: Even though this credit is designed with an environmental education center in mind, the principles of public education can be applied to either public or private structures. For example, office buildings, although a private enterprise, have employees coming and going each day. A building that is didactic and is reinforced with clearly defined educational displays can have a significant impact on the user\'s understanding of the built and natural environment. Transforming thoughtful design solutions into educational opportunities is the intent of this credit. Also, disseminating effective and practical information on sustainable living and building practices to the general public is a fundamental way to make changes in our society.

This innovation credit is being sought by addressing a significant environmental benefit that the Lutron Quantum system provides. The Lutron Quantum system is a complete-project light and energy management system that will be installed in the confidential client\'s space. The Quantum system provides the following:

Exemplary performance in Landscape & Exterior Design to Reduce Heat Islands / Non-Roof. Intent: The intent of this proposed Innovation in Design credit(s) is to show exemplary performance as it pertains to Heat Island mitigation. The project is a Campus Dining facility located on a 3 acre site with heavy pedestrian traffic and thru-way circulation. The sought innovation in design is for taking 2 incremental steps above the 30% LEED compliance totaling 98% High-Albedo surfaces across the entire 3 acre site. Design Approach: The project is proposing to use Concrete paving with an initial reflectance of .4-.5 for 98%, or 36,852 sq.ft., of the sites impervious non-roof surfaces. Only 2%, or 863 sq.ft,. of the site will be asphalt paving. Please note also that 18.5% of this already compliant concrete paving will have additional shading by proposed native vegetation. Lastly, the roof surface is covered by a High Albedo LEED compliant roof surface for a total 91% of the roof surface equaling 16% greater than LEED compliance. This makes 65,604.5 sq.ft. of the 3 acre sites total impervious surface of 69,230 sq.ft. constructed with High Albedo materials for a grand total of 95% (this does not include the added benefit of shading by trees 18.5%). Based on the LEED intent for these credits, we feel as though we are good candidates for (2) or more innovation points for exemplary performance. Please advise.

DESCRIPTION Proposed achievement of this credit involves production of a fifteen minute video overview of the resort\'s LEED and green features. INTENT Previous rulings have indicated a minimum of two of the following solutions were required to achieve a point for public education within the Innovation and Design category: - Comprehensive signage program - Development of a manual, guideline, or case study - Educational outreach program or guided tour It is the intent of this CIR to seek a ruling that would permit the use of digital media (i.e., video) to serve, as an alternate path to all of the above. REQUIREMENTS Utilize digital media to expand upon the delivery of public education through: - Providing context to the LEED plaque (to be located in the lobby) by playing back the video on a flat screen adjacent to the plaque. This will provide expansive meaning to a plaque that will be viewed by thousands of people each year - including many who are not familiar with USGBC or LEED. Additionally, this would also reduce the traditional use of lobby paper products to tell the green story. Such paper products can sometimes go underutilized and/or are quickly discarded. - Educating visitors on the LEED and non-LEED green attributes of the resort by the daily and multiple playbacks (minimum 4 times each day) of the video on the resort\'s dedicated in-room television channel. This would achieve USGBC\'s goal of educating visitors to the project. - Educating new employees by playback of the video as part of their initial training and orientation. This would achieve USGBC\'s goal of educating employees. - Reaching a larger audience beyond those traveling to the resort by featuring the video on the resort\'s website and the corporation\'s environmental initiatives website. In essence the video provides a virtual, as opposed to physical guided tour, of the project without expanding facilities unnecessarily in order to conduct tours of the back of house physical plant. This would complement USGBC\'s goal of sharing the successes of this project with others who may not have the opportunity to visit the project. SUBMITTALS LEED Design Application Milestone: - Proposed location of lobby LEED plaque and adjacent flat screen - Story treatment/synopsis LEED Construction Application Milestone submittals would include: - Shooting script - Shooting schedule - Schedule of daily playback on the in-room resort channel - Web address/proposed design for the resort and environmental affairs websites that would host the video.

Green Building Educational Component This project intends to provide a two-part educational package as part of its process. This will consist of the following: 1. A display system comprised of small iconographic signs throughout the facility highlighting where green strategies have been employed. These icons will then be complemented by a display panel in the main cafeteria space which highlights what the green building strategies are, and some of the impacts. Rather than put text-based signs throughout the facility, the icons will remind people as they move through the space that there is something green there. All employees go to the cafeteria several times a day, and this way the centralized panel can highlight the environmental impact of each piece of the building. For example an icon at the parking lot can highlight how much the hybrid vehicle parking spaces are reducing emissions. An icon at the toilet rooms can highlight how many gallons of water are going to be saved each year. By having the icons spread throughout the facility we can illustrate how pervasive our green strategies are. 2. A case study book or website, tied in to graphics of the building, which will highlight materials and strategies used throughout the facility. It will be cross-referenced with synergistic efforts made in the owner\'s corporate office center, also under construction and also seeking LEED certification. This resource will include both materials used, design strategies employed, and local suppliers and professionals involed in the project, such as construction entities, local waste recyclers, etc. This case study book or website will be shared with the USGBC and the Pittsburgh Green Building Alliance (GBA). Please review and let us know if this approach will meet the intent of the CIR from 9/24/2001 regarding educational programs for Innovation in Design points, and whether this approach is likely to be awarded a point if submitted.

We request a Credit Interpretation for an Innovation and Design credit for Exemplary Recycling Performance. In a CIR Ruling dated 3/8/04, you state that a recycling ID credit can be achieved if there is a ".substantial and measurable environmental benefit." You mention that previous projects have achieved an innovation credit by calculating the amount of material recycling achieved by MRp1 and then calculating the percent improvement over that recycling rate they achieved by recycling/reusing additional materials.Our question relates to applying this credit to a university campus where many of the facilities are shared. Our project is a renovation of a residence hall. In addition to recycling the basic recyclables required in MRp1, we offer collection of wooden pallets, old electronic equipment, furniture, batteries and other materials. We also have an extensive, university-wide composting program that collects organic cafeteria scrap and landscaping waste. The cafeteria is a separate building that serves students, faculty and staff on campus. The landscaping waste is collected from the entire campus, including our project site. In fiscal year \'05 every building on campus collected the basic recyclables mentioned in MRp1, collecting 195 tons of material (173 tons paper, 11 tons cardboard, and 11 tons cans and bottles). We recycled an additional 453 tons of other materials (167 tons landscaping waste, 186 tons food waste, and 100 tons other recyclables), for a 233% increase in our overall recycling rate.We understand that ID credits are not awarded through the CIR process, but we would like to know if an ID credit can be achieved for campus-wide exemplary performance. The students who will live in our residence hall are also using our cafeteria and using the landscaped common areas that contribute to the composting collection. The residence halls, classrooms, libraries, cafeteria, and common spaces within our campus collectively represent one community and our recycling efforts are geared towards this community. We would also like to know the target percentage for exemplary performance in recycling. By how much must a project increase their recycling collection compared to what is collected for MRp1 to achieve an ID credit?

Design for Increased Physical Activity Credit Intent: The obesity epidemic is a major health crisis facing the American public, leading to the increased incidence of type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease among other ailments. Increased physical activity, as little as two minutes of stair climbing each day, could significantly reduce the rate of obesity in the country. Extensive studies by the Center for Disease Control and other independent researchers* have shown that there are four major elements of building design which encourage greater physical activity: A) Stairs - Signage prompts encouraging the use of the stairs. - Improved stairwell aesthetics through use of color, artwork, music, etc. - Favored central locations for stairwells. B) Access to exercise facilities - Weekly exercise classes - On-site walking trails - Gym or exercise room C) Improved streetscapes - Sidewalks/traffic safety - Comfort lighting - Aesthetic landscaping D) Community location - Urban density - Mixed use - Connectivity of pathways to destinations *Full text of these reports is available via email as files cannot be posted with CIRs. Credit Requirements As LEED already accounts for the items listed in C & D, we propose that the ID credit be earned through meeting 4 of the 6 items listed in A & B. Submittal A LEED-Online letter template including the project compliance narrative and floor plans highlighting the design elements included. Project Approach The Riverside Health Center is a partial renovation and addition project that will provide the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene with a contemporary facility to serve their Health Academy, Nutrition, Primary Care Clinic, STD Clinic, Family Daycare, and School Health programs. The building design will include a centrally located stair, signage prompts containing info on the benefits of taking the stairs. The stairwell itself has been enlarged to encourage greater use, will feature added ventilation, operable windows, and is to be included as a site for expressing the project\'s 1% for the arts. The 1% for arts is a city funded program that matches 1% of a project\'s construction budget towards a public art project. In addition to fulfilling all three stairwell improvements, the building features an exercise room, will offer weekly yoga classes, and includes an on-site community garden with landscaped pathways to encourage outdoor exercise.

Activated Carbon Filters for Low-Cost Demand Control Ventilation and Energy Efficiency This CIR proposes an innovation design credit for a suite of design features and a design procedure that will reduce the cost of demand controlled ventilation (DCV). The procedure is based on a combination of: scrubbing the air with activated charcoal (AC) filters to reduce the number of critical rooms in a building that will require CO2 sensors; using air-to-air heat recovery for the building air: using time-of--day control of ventilation for the building zones. The proposed design procedure will enable selecting the minimum number of CO2 sensors to control the amount of delivered outside air. This will reduce the initial cost as well as the annual cost of maintaining their calibration. The new Pacific Garden Mission building in Chicago will house an average of 800 homeless people on any given night. The design calls for using activated carbon filters in the main air handling unit for the entire building to help control the peculiarly strong body odors of the guests and to reduce the required outside air and associated energy use. Three "hot boxes" will also be used to disinfect by 180oF+ heat all the clothes of the incoming guests as part of the thorough laundry process. The activated carbon filters are capable of reducing these outdoor air rates by over 70%. This was determined by applying the Indoor Air Quality procedure described in Section 6.2 of ASHRAE Standard 62-1999 Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality1 To be conservative, we will assume that only a 50% reduction in outside air will be feasible because additional outdoor air may be necessary to control body odors by dilution. Besides reducing the cost of conditioning the ventilation air an additional benefit of the activated carbon filters will be to help reduce the number of CO2 sensors needed in the building for effective and affordable demand control ventilation. By reducing the required outside air by 50% the number of "critical rooms" is reduced. We define "critical rooms" as the rooms having a required minimum fraction of outside air, say 0.50, as calculated using the Ventilation Rate Procedure for multiple spaces and the Indoor Air Quality Procedure in ASHRAE 62,2-20012. The rationale for not installing CO2 sensors in rooms with outdoor air fractions below a specific number, say 0.50, is: 1. if regularly occupied rooms with outdoor air fractions above 0.50 are getting sufficient outside air, the rooms with lower fractions should automatically get sufficient outside air. 2. one air handling unit serves the entire PGM building. Therefore, a small number of CO2 sensors can control the outdoor air fraction throughout the building. (The air handler is equipped with multiple fans--their redundancy makes it acceptable to serve a building this size, approx. 118,580sf net interior floor area with one air handler.) 3. The design will also include air-to-air heat recovery at the main air handling unit using either run-around-coils or heat pipes. 4. For major parts of the day CO2 sensor control of the supply and outside air quantities for particular space will be overridden by direct time-of-day control by the central EMS. The building program is arranged so that during the daytime the lower two floors will be occupied and conditioned for occupancy. The upper two floors are dormitories that will be unoccupied and their environment will be kept at unoccupied settings, including just enough supply air to slightly pressurize these floors relative to the outside. Conversely during the evening hours, the lower two floors will be unoccupied and their environment will be kept at unoccupied settings with the minimal required supply air to temper the space and control building pressurization. The central EMS will be used to control the supply air to these large blocks of the building. (This will also allow using a very low diversity factor to size the main air handling unit since it will be used to condition about 1/2 of the building at any one time.) 5. The limiting factor in determining the minimum acceptable amount of outside air may very well be the perception of odors by the occupants. This may require higher amounts of outside for dilution of odors than what would be called for by the CO2 sensor. This will be determined empirically after occupancy begins. In summary, the above design features and program requirements make it possible to reduce the number of CO2 sensors at this job by at least 50%. This will be documented in the summary table of the Ventilation Rate Procedure analysis. As such, the use of activated carbon filters makes demand controlled ventilation economically viable. Our first question is whether the above package of design features and approach is acceptable for reducing the number of required CO2 sensors and the cost of DCV and whether this would be considered an Innovation in Design and suitable for receiving a a LEED credit. Our second question is whether we can calculate the energy savings due to the activated carbon filters using the same analysis method approved for demand control ventilation. The % reduction due to the DCV would be calculated by subtracting saved energy from DCV in the numerator and using the Base Case energy cost without DCV in the denominator. Our preliminary energy modeling indicates annual savings of at least $10,000 per year or about 5% of the projected energy costs of the Current Design. These savings would be included under EA Credit 1 Optimize Energy Performance. We look forward to the USGBC\'s comments on this potential innovation in design and on the savings calculation method for the activated carbon filters. 1. ASHRAE 62.2-1999 Section 6.2 and Appendix E 2. ASHRAE 62.2-1999 Section 6.1.3.1 Ventilation Procedure for Multiple Spaces

The commercial office project is designed and constructed to achieve various LEED NC 2.2 credits. The project is located in Providence, Rhode Island. We are seeking an innovation in design credit (ID) for a Comprehensive Transportation plan based on the ID credit previously approved on 5/9/2003 The INTENT of this innovation credit is to provide occupants of the building additional options for Alternative Transportation and reduce the drive alone trips through the use of a Transportation Management Plan set forth by the Owner. The project is currently pursuing three SS 4 baseline credits including: a. Project is located within 1/4 mile of Bus service and directly across the street from train station. Direct route into Boston also. b. Bicycle Storage and shower facility is provided for employees. c. Preferred Parking is provided for low emitting/ fuel efficient vehicles. Please note that the project locations offers bus service beyond 2 lines [ >50 lines available from this location ]. In addition, the train station offers a direct line to the airport. The Comprehensive Transportation Plan will include the following additional elements: a. The employer is providing free bus passes to 30% of the employees [equivalent of 300 passes]. b. The Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority [RIPTA] provides a number of transportation amenities/ alternates for its residents and information on the same will be available through the employer\'s intranet. Information and amenities include: 1. Maps/ schedules/ contact info for Public Transportation 2. Information on incentives provided by RIPTA includes: a. RIPTA/Google Trip Planner b. Carpools: carpooling options c. Commuter services Submittals will include: a. Copy of RIPTA pamphlet outlining available public transportation amenities. b. Commitment letter from the employer to provide 300 public transportation passes.

EDITED 5/7/07 to include CSI Masterformat 1995 Division 12 in calculations. INQUIRY: In an effort to help stimulate the development of environmentally focused product evaluation and certification tools for use by building professionals, USGBC is seeking to establish an innovation point for specification of products certified under the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) program. This program is explained at http://www.mbdc.com/certified.html. C2C Certification provides manufacturers with a means to measure achievement in environmentally intelligent design and helps customers purchase and specify products that are pursuing a broader definition of quality. Through C2C, this means using environmentally safe and healthy materials; design for material reutilization, such as recycling or composting; energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy; efficient use of water, and maximum water quality associated with production; and instituting strategies for social responsibility. If a candidate product achieves the necessary criteria, it is certified as a Silver, Gold or Platinum product or as a Technical/Biological Nutrient (available for homogeneous materials or less complex products), and can be labeled as Cradle to Cradle. USGBC suggests the following Intent, Requirements and Submittals for this Innovation in Design application: Intent: Help stimulate the development of environmentally focused product evaluation and certification tools for use by building professionals. Requirements: Use Cradle to Cradle Certified building materials and products for 2.5% of the total value of all building materials and products used in the project, based on cost. The "cost value" of products for the purposes of this calculation will be discounted by 50% for Silver level products and those identified only as "technical or biological nutrients", and doubled for products certified at the platinum level: Cost value of products = ((Silver & nutrients) x 0.5) + Gold + (Platinum x 2) Submittals: Spreadsheet matrix with the following information: DEFAULT MATERIALS VALUE Total construction costs (hard costs for CSI Master Format 1995 Divisions 2-10 and 12** only): _______ Default materials cost (total Divisions 2-10 and 12** construction cost x 0.45): _______ OR ACTUAL MATERIALS VALUE Actual materials cost (excluding labor and equipment) hard costs for CSI Master Format 1995 Divisions 2-10 and 12** only): _______ - Material Name/Description - Manufacturer - Total Material Cost ($) - Percent Of Product C2C Certified (% by Weight) - Compliant Product Value - Adjusted value (Silver and nutrients x 0.5, Platinum x2) Total "cost value" ($) of C2C certified materials: _______ C2C certified material value as a percentage of total materials cost*: _______ *To qualify for this ID credit the percentage of C2C certified materials must be at least 2.5% of the total materials cost **CSI Master Format 1995 Division 12 may be included in calculations if materials from Division 12 are used consistently with calculations in credits MRc3-7 in LEED-NC or MRc3-6 in LEED-CS. LEED-CI projects are required to include Division 12 components in the calculation of this ID point, as these components are required for calculations in CI credits MRc4-7. Please refer to the LEED-CI Reference Guide\'s credit calculation instructions for guidance in calculating these credits.

This project is a major downtown office development on a site that will require constant dewatering due to the excavation depth and underground parkade. This is a common problem in the downtown area of our city. We are attempting to obtain City permission to capture and reuse the heat (cooling) from the water to loop through the building prior to discharging it back into the City storm system (this is a City requirement as it ensures that projects do not reduce the the normal aquifer depth). Our question however is this: Can this project - a 38 story concrete office building - qualify for an Innovation Credit for non-potable (i.e ground water) water use during construction? We would write the credit to preclude using potable water for construction activities - from vehicle wash down to cleaning concrete formwork, cutting masonry and stone etc, and save millions of litres of potable water as a result. We would do the calculations to estimate the amount saved, etc.

Taylor 28 is a mixed-use project that includes multi-family residential over ground floor retail with underground parking in addition to outdoor plazas and courtyard spaces. The project is located in downtown Seattle, Washington. The project has three above-grade, podium level courtyards that are composed of concrete pavers, raised planting areas, and a small amount of wood decking (ipe). The project has strong design intent focused on minimizing the heat island effect and thus is pursuing and will likely achieve the Sustainable Sites credits for Heat Island Effect for Non-Roof (SSc7.1) and Roof (SSc7.2). We believe the project also satisfies the intent of the Exemplary Performance pathway for Heat Island Effect Non-Roof since 100% of the parking is underground. However, we are confused about how best to demonstrate that accomplishment due to the complexity of our project, contribution of multiple strategies, and imprecise language in the reference guide. Please provide clarification on how to document this credit, given the circumstances described. Even though the roof already satisfies the criteria for SSc7.2 Heat Island Effect, Roof, the roof is reexamined in determining compliance with the Exemplary Performance pathway for SSc7.1 since portions cover the underground parking. As previously mentioned, the project will easily achieve the 50% threshold for SSc7.1, by either or both of the available options. However in order to achieve the SSc7.1 Exemplary Performance threshold of 100%, it seems the project is required to demonstrate that any portion of roof that covers parking has a minimum solar reflectance index (SRI) of 29. We believe that the project satisfies the intent of the credit but is having trouble matching the circumstances of the project to the submittal requirements. As you will read below, only by the strictest definition of the requirements, does the project fail to satisfy the requirements. The following four ways demonstrate both in isolation and in cooperation why our project should be awarded full credit for the Exemplary Performance for SSc7.1: 1. Area-weighted Average SRI - The area-weighted average SRI value for surfaces that are above underground parking is 75, which is composed of the following three elements: a. Roof - White TPO membrane, SRI = 82, Area over parking = 36,483 sf b. Courtyard - Concrete pavers, SRI = 40, Area over parking = 4,742 sf c. Courtyard - Ipe decking, SRI = 27, Area over parking = 1,634 sf The area of vegetation and a corresponding SRI is excluded from the Area-weighted Average SRI. However, it is worth noting that vegetation on the courtyards covers 4,535 sf (9.5%) and further reduces the heat island effect and would increase the average SRI if vegetation could be valued using the SRI metric. The percentage of the total area covering underground parking for each of the four materials is as follows: a. Roof - White TPO membrane, percentage of total roof area: 77% b. Courtyard - Concrete pavers, percentage of total roof area: 10% c. Courtyard - Vegetation, percentage of total roof area: 9.5% d. Courtyard - Ipe decking - percentage of total roof area: 3.5% 2. Shading: The three podium-level courtyards are located one story above street level and are significantly shaded by five levels of residential units that surround them. Due to this, the courtyards are further mitigated from any heat island effect by shading. In fact, using the LEED prescribed shading calculations (qualifying area shaded is the average of areas shaded at 10 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m. on the solstice), even though they only technically apply to the Option 1 compliance path, demonstrates that shade from the building will cover 47 % of the total courtyard area, and 51% of the total wood decking area. This further reduces the influence of the wood decking in contributing to the heat island effect. In addition, tree plantings in the larger courtyard will also contribute to shading of the pavement. 3. The LEED-NC Reference Guide gives an explicit definition of what qualifies a project for the Exemplary Performance Pathway for SSc7.1, "Project may be awarded an innovation point for exemplary performance by demonstrating that.2) 100% of the on-site parking spaces have been located under cover". There is no mention of the requirement that "Any roof used to shade or cover parking must have an SRI of at least 29" as is mentioned in the credit language. Furthermore, the roof in question was not merely put in place as a parking shade, but instead to cover the building, which is already included in SSc7.2 Heat Island Effect, Roof, which this project is already achieving. 4. Amenity Space: The project is sited in a dense urban area, where residential development is part of a strategy to create vibrant neighborhoods. In creating such communities, it is important to provide outdoor amenity spaces for the residents that allow for a respite from the hectic pace of urban life. These courtyards provide simple outdoor gathering spaces comprised of a variety of materials which allow residents to relax in a visually rich outdoor space within the harsher city environment. As a footnote, the Ipe wood decking in question was sent for testing at a laboratory, at a not insignificant cost, to determine its actual SRI value and its impact on the heat island effect. Since new Ipe decking has very different properties than Ipe decking that is a few years old due to the effect of weathering (the brownish wood weathers to a silvery gray over time), a partially-weathered sample was tested. It is our belief that this was the appropriate approach as for most of the life of the building, the weathered Ipe decking will be in place, and only for the first few years would the decking exhibit its as-installed brownish look. Since the sample available for testing was only partially weathered, we believe this further strengthens our argument, as over time the SRI value will slowly increase, likely moving from its tested value of 27 and eventually crossing the threshold of 29. In conclusion, the Taylor 28 project has located 100% of its parking underground to avoid paving even a single black asphalt parking space, is located in a dense urban environment where amenity spaces-especially those with natural wood elements-are limited and essential to community and producing peaceful outdoor spaces, and has multiple strategies in place to respond to the intent of reducing the heat island effect. The wood decking is only slightly under an SRI of 29, comprises only 9.5% of the over-parking roof area, is 51% shaded via LEED shading methodology, and the remaining roof areas and vegetation will also drastically reduce the heat island effect-combining to nearly trivialize the contribution of the Ipe decking to the heat island effect, while providing a great amenity space and natural element in a dense urban environment. For these reasons and everything described above, we believe that this project should be awarded both Heat Island Effect credits as well as an Innovation in Design point for Exemplary Performance for credit SSc7.1.

Please advise on the viability of the following Innovation and Design Process credit: Intent The intent of this Innovation Credit is to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of building materials and products, and increase the market demand for climate neutral products and materials. Products and materials are climate neutral when there is zero net greenhouse gases (GHG), such as CO2, from the entire life cycle of the product. The manufacturer calculates the total GHG impact utilizing life cycle analysis and then obtains carbon emission reduction credits (ERCs) such as through green power off-set purchases or carbon sequestration projects. The offsets must equal or exceed the GHG produced during extraction, processing, manufacture, transport and end use of a product, and be certified by a recognized third party using sound scientific and accounting principles. Climate neutral products must also deliver climate benefits "above and beyond" the standard version of these building materials, thus making them distinct and separable from all other sustainability features that these materials might also possess, such as recycled content. The development of market demand for climate neutral products provides several environmental benefits: Reduce the GHG impact of building materials, and thus address the embedded climate impacts inherent in a building or interior fit-up materials. Support USGBC\'s desire to move towards a more life-cycle based approach. Reward proactive suppliers who take a climate leadership position with their products. Ensure that climate benefits can be delivered on a credible, measurable and transparent basis. Support the emerging market for carbon and other GHG trading. Requirements Specify 5% of the project\'s total material value with products or materials, which are third party certified as climate neutral. Submittals Provide a spreadsheet indicating the total material value of the project, including furniture and list each climate neutral material or product, indicating its material value in dollars, manufacturer and third-party certification. Calculate the percentage content of the climate neutral products and materials in relationship to the overall project material value. For products in which a portion of the total product is certified climate neutral, the calculation is based on the percentage of the climate neutral material in relationship to the total material or product cost. The percentage of climate neutral products must be greater than or equal to 5% of the total project value. See formula below: Total climate neutral material value ($) / Total project material value ($) = Project percentage of climate neutral materials (%) Provide cut sheets or other documentation demonstrating climate neutral compliance for each product. Potential Technologies & Strategies Research and specify products and materials that are climate neutral and have third party life cycle analysis and certification, which has determined that there is no net addition of greenhouse gases CO2, from their from their extraction, processing, manufacture and end use. Establish a project goal for climate neutral products and identify suppliers that can achieve this goal. Select products, which met all other project performance criteria including other environmental benefits, such as recycled content, distance from project site to place of manufacturer and extraction, VOC content and other measurable criteria. Supporting Documentation This innovation credit recognizes that tools are becoming available to more clearly state the environmental benefits of product and materials which offer a climate neutral stance in regard to greenhouse gas impact. For the purposes of this credit climate neutral products and materials are climate neutral when there is no net addition of greenhouse gases, such as CO2, from their extraction, processing and/or manufacture, or the manufacturer has purchased carbon or other greenhouse gas offsets such as through green power purchases. The Climate Neutral Network (www.climateneutral.com) is an independent non-profit organization which certifies climate neutrality under its Climate Cool brand mark for products, materials, processes and enterprises. The process of certification is rigorous, quantitative and based on established, clearly stated and repeatable standards and principles, similar to the rigor of the Greenguard and Forest Stewardship Council, although with a difference emphasis. Based on the particular products and/or amount of material specified, manufacturers can calculate the amount of CO2 permanently retired by the specific use of a Climate Cool product or material. The achievement threshold for this proposed innovation credit is 5% of total project material cost. Given the current limited amount of climate neutral products available on the market, this threshold is significant in that to achieve this level a designer will need to seek out and consciously choose these products and materials over their non-climate neutral counterparts. This threshold is the same as the current LEED-CI threshold for rapidly renewable materials, which currently represent a similar sized share of the building material market.

ID Credit Title: BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING (BIM) Credit Intent: Implement an integrated 3D model to optimize material usage and reduce overall construction waste. The general contractor and subcontractors will be able to plan for more prefabrication rather then onsite fabrication since the 3D model will provide accurate quantities, measurements and final location of material in the building since the project has already been built once digitally. The prefabrication of materials in return will reduce the amount of material used due to fabricating it correct the first time and the amount of waste that is generate onsite. Benefits to the project - reduced rework from conflicting trades, reduction of unused or extra material, and opportunity to make corrections before an element is buried by other trades. Requirements for Compliance: Implementation of a BIM plan that identifies trades, site logistics and owner furnished elements where 3D planning and coordination will be used. Staff must be in place that can facilitate the extension of the typical 2D detailing and coordination into a 3D model based coordination and planning process. The staff must be able to help integrate individual trade models into a single consolidated model for review on a weekly basis. Systematic evaluation of each consolidated model will be used to identify and resolve conflicts. A final consolidated model must be agreed to by all parties prior to material release and pre-fabrication. - Model Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Sprinkler, Stairs, Exterior Skin, Site and Interior Partitions in 3D - Consolidate individual models into a single model on an iterative basis - Test all elements for conflicts, collisions, and access - Translate 3D model information into field layout coordinates - Verify installations against the 3D model as trades complete work Submittal: Confirm trades are fabricating, planning and installing based on the agreed properties in the coordination 3D model. Include list of participants in 3D modeling. Submit list of items that will be pre-fabricated for the project.