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

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.

Low-Cost HVAC For Green Buildings According to the R.S. Means Square Foot Costs, 25th Edition, the HVAC cost for a single-story office building 7,000 to 20,000 square feet in size will be $13 to $17 per square foot. This cost range is for a typical HVAC system that meets minimum building code requirements, but can not meet ASHRAE Standards 62 or 55. Our intent was to provide an HVAC system that met ASHRAE Standards 62 and 55 and used less energy while costing at least 20% less than a standard system. Our design approach combined air-to-air energy recovery with furnace/air conditioning units. The air-to-air energy recovery units deliver 1,648 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of outdoor air at constant volume or 38 cfm for each building occupant. This ventilation rate is almost twice the rate required by ASHRAE Standard 62. In addition, the air-to-air energy recovery units allow moisture transfer between the exhaust and outdoor air streams, helping to meet ASHRAE Standard 55 for comfort all year long. The total cost of the HVAC system is just $99,120 or $8.30 per square foot which includes all overhead and profit. This cost is 35% less than the lowest figure published by R.S. Means. Furthermore, the system uses 30% less cooling energy and 10% less heating energy than a system that just complies with ASHRAE Standard 90, and the system uses non-chlorinated refrigerant. This system is green and very cost effective.

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?

Our project is a 3 story multi-family apartment building in a metro area. Part of the site was previously developed and contained two houses. In lieu of demolition of these structures, one of the houses was moved from the property - being sold to a 3rd party who has moved the house to a new location and is continuing to use the house as a residence - thereby extending its useful life and purpose. The second structure was in poor condition and was unlikely to continue to be used as a residence. This structure was donated to the local municipality for use by the public safety/fire department as an educational/training tool as part of a live fire training exercise. This of course means that the house was burned as part of the training exercise and is no longer on the property. Our question is two fold: 1. The house that was moved rather than demolished and diverted from the waste stream continues to be used as a house and serves a family of four. We consider this a benefit as a family is provided affordable housing without the use and extraction of additional material resources. Also, because the house was moved it is being used in its entirety - diverting even more waste than would normally be realized through job site recycling. Should we include the weight of this house in our calculations for credit MR 2, and if so, how should we best estimate the weight of the structure? We will not be able to separate the weights of the various materials and components but will rather need to estimate the weight of the house en masse and list as a separate line item. or, should we apply for an Innovation and Design Credit for the reuse of the house? 2. The house that was donated to the local municipality for use by the public safety/fire department as an educational/training tool also diverted waste from the landfill. We understand that incineration of building materials and waste is not considered to meet the intent of MR 2 unless it is used as a biomass fuel generation source as determined by the ruling on 3/23/2004. However, use of this structure benefits the public good - by providing firefighters necessary educational and lifesafety training experience so that they are better prepared to fight fires and rescue people in danger - the use of the house in this manner thereby helps to save lives and extend the public good beyond the material value of the structure. All of the burned material was removed from the site prior to the contractor\'s mobilization and control of the site. May we apply for an Innovation and Design Credit for this work? Supporting documentation will include narratives, a statement of activity by the public safety/fire department and an environmental report stating that the house contained no hazardous materials at the time of the fire fighting exercise.

Our project is a 198,000 square foot, high-rise dormitory on a university campus in an area with constant, prevailing trade winds. Due to its location, the project has provided natural ventilation for its building corridors as well as operable windows for all student apartments. In order to provide a comfortable environment for building occupants, we have undertaken a wind tunnel study, which is not typical design practice for this type of building. Two approaches were undertaken in this wind tunnel study: numerical calculations and a wind tunnel test. The numerical calculations considered input parameters such as wind speeds, wind pressure coefficients, air temperatures, opening sizes for doors and windows, and different air permeability rates for the windows, doors and cracks. The wind tunnel test was conducted by creating a 1:150 scale model of the building complex based on the drawings of the architects. The model of the planned building complex was instrumented with approximately 500 pressure taps to test for pressurization, and it was exposed to 36 different wind directions spaced 10 degrees apart (0 to 360 degrees). The building model was mounted on a turntable with a large inertial mass, allowing any wind direction to be simulated by rotating the model to the appropriate angle in the wind tunnel. The wind tunnel study resulted in a change to the project\'s natural ventilation design. It was determined that several windows needed to be moved to different fa

Intent To utilize a comprehensive Sustainability Plan for a televised event that extends LEED guidelines from building to an annual event. Proposed Requirements Develop and implement a Sustainability Plan that reduces consumption, increases recycling and reuse, offsets fossil fuel energy use and implements Green Education. Provide resource use and disposal baseline quantities and track improvements. Submittal to demonstrate compliance a) Provide resource consumption baselines for a timeline that includes pre-event preparation and the event itself. b) Provide quantifiable improvements for the event using the same timeline as the baseline. Summary of project design approaches The Live Television Production is a temporary facility for an annual single evening event lasting 10 days. - SITES - Transportation: all participants (presenters and production staff) were provided with GM flex fuel and hybrid vehicles. - WATER Conservation: All urinals are waterless at the venue saving 7 million gallons per year. Lavatory sensors are provided for premium seating restrooms - ENERGY: 10% energy reduction with an incremental decrease of 1% per year for 10 year commitment: Production lighting is designed to reduce electrical usage. 2 million kilowatt-hours of Green Power was provided that met three times the electricity needs of the award broadcast 666,000 kwh were used for the broadcast. - MATERIAL: Reuse: 100 % of all building material on the production set is donated to non profit foundations and memorabilia. - MATERIAL: Recycled content - All paper products had recycled content - Invitations, Posters and Programs are printed on Endeavour Recycled Paper, which is 30% post consumer waste, 50% recycled and is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. (1 LEED point for 50% FSC ) - Souvenir Telecast and awards celebration. Tickets are printed on stock that is 40% post-consumer waste and 60% recycled. - Tissue products 100% recyclable post-consumer napkins were used for five (5) full days of crew meals and craft services. vi) MATERIAL - Waste: 35% of waste is diverted from landfills by weight - Event generated 1,029 tons of trash, diverted 360 tons from landfill - Event is in compliance with assembly bill 2176 AB-2176. vii) IEQ -- Green Housekeeping: Venue uses two cleaning products that are green seal certified "Hillyard Chemicals. viii) Green Education - The promotion of all the "green" attributes of the event . Naras to confirm if the greening was indicated on any of the print material used for the event - Raise awareness of the availability and benefits of Green Power in Los Angeles and beyond. Green Volunteer Team responsible for placing recycling containers in key staff and public facing areas and educating people on what goes in the bins. In addition to managing the recycling stations, each volunteer had a document on hand to speak to the other aspects of the events that were green. ix) FOOD - Water sponsored by PRIMO, whose bottles are made from American grown corn oil, not petroleum - The 100% of food packaging is nature based and environmentally sustainable - 100% Sustainable Food for crew & parties - Regional, Organic, humane and environmentally-friendly food and food practices, including seafood, dairy, and produce - 100% Reusable service materials and accessories. Reusable service materials such as ceramic plates, glass tumblers and silverware included at crew meals and craft services. - Food Waste -- 100% food waste from the event was sorted, compacted and managed by New Market Waste Solutions for donation and composting. - Food Donation. Venue Concessionaire Partner donates edible left over food to the Angel Donation program at a local mission. Un-used food from the after-party (& crews) donated to local organization to feed the homeless in local shelters.

Ozone System in Lap Pool and Spa: exceptional IEQ Our project is a sports facility with a 6-lane, 25m swimming pool and 2 spas. Instead of the conventional chlorine system, we are using an ozone system to treat the water. The Ozone system has the following advantage: - Destroys bacteria, mold and mildew - Eliminates spores, yeasts, fungus and inactivates viruses - Aids the removal of minerals such as iron and manganese - Water is softer and has neutral pH - Leaves no unpleasant chemical or smell, no chloramines build-up, the by-products of ozone are heat and pure oxygen - No irritation to the eyes, nasal passages or throat - Will not cause dry skin, bleached hair or faded swimwear - Reduce chlorine consumption to a minimum, saving money on maintenance, and avoid storing such toxic chemical on site. To summarize, the system reduces the use of chlorine greatly (50-75% depending on splash limit). Unlike chlorine, ozone leaves no unpleasant odors or residual chemicals in the pool and spas. It eliminates the problems of red and irritated eyes, dry skin, faded swim wear and other problems associated with chlorine. We believe that this system has significantly increased the indoor environment quality of the project, especially when the pool and spas are frequently used being in a sports facility instead of a private residence. And a large amount of occupants will be benefited. Therefore, we would like to use this for one of our Innovation and Design Credits. Please advice on the feasibility.

The project team is seeking clarification as to whether an enhanced Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) would qualify as an Innovation Credit. The General Contractor, Hensel Phelps Construction Company, has developed and implemented a program to monitor construction pollution prevention and ensure soil erosion and sediment controls during construction. Hensel Phelps developed a trial program in 2007 to assess their effectiveness in assuring compliance with specified pollution prevention strategies. Results of the trial indicated dramatic performance improvements in the implementation of pollution prevention practices during construction. Consequently, the company has adopted this program as standard practice for all of its projects. The Prerequisite for Sustainable Sites requires prevention of: 1. Loss of soil during construction by stormwater runoff and/or wind erosion, including protecting topsoil by stockpiling for reuse, 2. Prevent sedimentation of storm sewer or receiving streams, and 3. Prevent polluting the air with dust and particulate matter. While all construction sites attempt to fulfill this prerequisite by putting in place controls, these precautions are rarely monitored and thus not repaired when necessary. Hensel Phelps Construction actively evades this negligence by implementing a much more thorough Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan. The program contains a comprehensive plan for ensuring compliance through extensive training, routine audits, documentation, and maintenance. An HPCC employee not on the project team is employed to audit the site\'s SWPPP Program. Three to seven days after the initial assessment, a follow-up inspection is conducted. Throughout the lifetime of the project, at least one HPCC employee that is part of the construction crew is assigned to oversee the upkeep of the soil erosion and sediment control measures on a monthly basis. This surveyor will walk the site to ensure that the control measures are in good shape. Documentation guidelines and performance metrics are also included to allow for thorough monitoring and assessment of the plan\'s effectiveness. Reports from the third party inspections of the SWPPP are forwarded to the Vice President, General Superintendent, Project Superintendent(s) and the Area Superintendent(s) to ensure that it receives the appropriate attention. Then the monthly inspections are recorded in detailed reports called "Stormwater Risk Management- Construction SWPPP Field Inspection Report." The report includes general information and summarizes the number of findings, the severity of these findings, calculations of how the findings are scored, and the percentage of the corrections made due to the findings. The summary is followed by maps of the construction site with markings of problem areas. The report then progresses into further detail with documentation of each finding including a deadline for correction. The follow-up inspection section indicates if any correction was attempted, any necessary explanation, and the follow up finding severity rating in a similar format. Photos of the site are also present from both initial and follow- up inspections. Continuous implementation of this program will provide substantial contributions to maintaining water quality. In addition, the success of this program provides a model for other project teams seeking to improve stormwater pollution controls and minimize damage to waterways resulting from construction practices. Hensel Phelps received an Environmental Achievement Award in 2008 in recognition of these ongoing benefits from the Mid-Atlantic Environmental Protection Agency. According to the EPA\'s website: "This award recognizes and rewards projects that have significant sustained, measurable, and replicable environmental results for a clearly defined environmental issue in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia; must have reduced pollution and/or protected public health and the environment; has innovative ideas, approaches, techniques, and/or technologies; and demonstrated leadership and outreach to others."

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.

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.

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 project involves the construction of a land mark addition to one of the world\'s premier art museums. As such a world famous architect based out of Paris, France was contracted to design the 260,000 square foot addition. We would like to propose an innovation in design credit based on electronic transmission of submittal review packages with the assumption that we will be saving sending hardcopies back and forth to Europe. Would the following be considered for an innovation credit? Credit Intent: Reduce the project\'s carbon footprint Credit Requirements: 1. Document the total number of submittal packages reviewed by the architect. For the purposes of the calculations, we will assume a standard submittal package size of 10 pages of 11x17 paper, and five copies of each submittal 2. Based on the above assumption, calculate a total weight of submittal packages that would have been sent to Europe. 3. Provide evidence of the weight capacity and fuel use of a standard aircraft used to ship packages to Europe. 4. Indicate the total savings of harmful emissions from NOT shipping hard copies of the submittal packages. As a side note, the use of electronic transmission not only reduces the project\'s carbon footprint, but has the added benefit of faster review of the submittals, likely reducing the overall time of construction.

This project utilizes a parallel water distribution system (Viega\'s Manabloc) for domestic water on all lavatories, mop sinks, and water coolers (water closets are served by grey water). The design uses two strategically placed manifolds located close to the hot water recirculation loop. Individual supply lines from the manifolds are routed the shortest possible distance to each fixtures (hot and cold) in a home-run style minimizing lengths to

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.

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.

Our project is a three story laboratory facility in the city of Port St. Lucie Florida. The project has used an exterior coating system with a higher heat reflectance value than the values of conventional coatings. This credit interpretation request is to inquire about submitting the coating system used, to apply for a credit for reduced heat island effect for non-roof surfaces. The Total Solar Reflectance (TSR) values of the exterior coatings used in the building were tested using a D&S reflectometer according to ASTM C1549-04. The TSR value of the BML-01 "White" color used was 82.9% and the TSR value for the PPG522-3 "Water Chestnut" color used was 74.5%. To prove merit for one point under LEED, we have followed the guidelines of the LEED reference guide to document Sustainable Sites Credit 7.1-Heat island effect non-roof. The baseline case and design case were calculated using the exterior wall surface area and 50% of the site hardscape area. The baseline case was calculated using 43.7% solar reflectance for conventional beige paint to match the color used in the building and 35% for new gray concrete hardscape. The design case was calculated using 74.5% solar reflectance for the Water Chestnut coating used and 5% for new asphalt hardscape. Using Ecotect and site specific data the building was modeled with the correct north orientation. Ecotect calculated the incident solar radiation that strikes the north, south, east and west walls, and the hardscape surfaces annually in Wh. The incident solar radiation value for the four facades and the hardscape were added, and multiplied by the solar reflectance values to determine the site reflected solar energy. The analysis showed that 61% of solar energy would have been reflected using conventional paint and new gray concrete, but instead we are reflecting 77% of the total solar energy incident on the site using a coating with a higher heat reflectance value. We would like to know if this approach of using exterior coatings with higher reflectance values to lower heat island effect on non-roof surfaces will be acceptable to document one innovation in design point.

The goal of this CIR request is to confirm that it is viable for a project filing under LEED-NC v.2.2 to look to credits and credit requirements under LEED-EB v.2.0 (specifically three credits under the heading of Building Operation & Maintenance) as the basis of one of its ID credits. Specifically, a large private university in the mid-west has a growing commitment to sustainability and green design. It is currently constructing several new dormitories and student support/activity spaces (5 buildings total) which are targeting LEED-NC v. 2.2 Silver at a minimum. This university realizes that sustainable practices don\'t end when construction of these new dormitories and buildings is complete and they receive their LEED certification. Consistent with their plans to use the LEED for Existing Buildings program in the future to enhance campus operations and maintenance of buildings, this university plans to extend sustainable practices into the life and maintenance of these new dormitories and student support/activity buildings by adapting "appropriate operations and maintenance of buildings and building systems so that they continue to deliver target building performance goals over the long term." (LEED for Existing Buildings v 2.0 Reference Guide, page 213.) Also important, this university is looking to its experiences building and implementing a long-term Building Operation and Maintenance Plan at these new dormitories and student support/activity buildings as a test case for all five of its campuses. Basis of Building Operation & Maintenance at these new Dormitories and Student Support/Activity Buildings: This university looks to LEED-EB v. 2.0 for the basic standards in it Building Operations and Maintenance Program: Specifically: 1. LEED-EB, v 2.0 EA Credit 3.1: Building Operation & Maintenance, Staff Education; 2. LEED-EB, v2.0 EA Credit 3.2: Building Operation & Maintenance, Building Systems Maintenance; and 3. LEED-EB, v2.0 EA Credit 3.3: Building Operation & Maintenance, Building Systems Monitoring; This university also looks to LEED-NC v. 2.2 standards and monitoring criteria. Specifically: 1. LEED-NC, v2.2 EA Credit 3: Enhanced Commissioning; 2. LEED-NC, v2.2 EA Credit 5: Measurement & Verification; and 3. LEED-NC, v2.2 EQ Credit 1: Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring. Action Plan: Within the context of the above LEED-EB v. 2.0 and LEED-NC v. 2.2 standards, Building Operations and Maintenance at this university will follow the following four basic strategies: 1. Commissioning, through design and 10 months into occupancy; 2. Maintenance & Operations Staff Continuing Education and Training; 3. Building Systems Maintenance; and 4. Building Systems Monitoring (M&V, Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring, Johnson Controls). In terms of the ID credit filing for this project, the project team describes how this university and this new dormitory and student support/activities spaces project meets and, in some cases, exceeds the credit criteria for the above three LEED-EB EA Credits 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3. Is this a viable ID credit for its LEED-NC v. 2.2 filing?

This CIR is concerned with the integrity of LEED boundary when office spaces and laboratory spaces designed in same building, take place concurrently and adjacent to one another. The GSF of our project is around 211,144 sq.ft - excluding mechanical room and parking space - which comprises the main lab volume of 57,899 sq.ft (19,353 sq.ft underground, 38,546 sq. ft above ground) and office volume 153,245 sq.ft all above ground) which goes up to 7 floor levels above ground and 3 levels below ground. The above ground levels will be occupied by office spaces, part of laboratory spaces and supporting facilities mainly. The below ground levels will be occupied by part of laboratory spaces, car parking, mechanical plant room and back of house (BOH) areas. The entire building will be developed and occupied by single Ownership as the goal is to pursue LEED NC 2.2 Platinum level by all necessary measures. Our project team wants to clarify that Is it possible to have a LEED boundary which covers only certain portion of the building? 1. If it is possible..... 1) In what way, the demarcation and zoning of the boundary has to be made between each program-> Lab and Office? (Separated by each floor level? Or Grouped together as either above or underground level?) 2) How shared facilities such as parking spaces, mechanical rooms, restrooms are attributed for each program and to what extent, it should demonstrate physical barrier? 3) How outdoor landscape area and open space should be designated using GSF ratio of each program? 2. If it is NOT possible.. 1) How should the special circumstances of the Lab be addressed in LEED rating system? (EA and IEQ) 2) Can Lab21 Environmental Performance Criteria contribute to additional LEED point? Or officially considered as credit reference? The main reason why we would intend to exclude the Lab zone from the LEED boundary can be summarized as below 1. Most of the tests within the Lab require non-traditional lab facilities related to construction industries and deal with hard construction materials. 2. The Lab building itself is meant to be acting as a test-bed for on-site experiments which requires flexible fa

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.

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:

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.

Maximum Masonry Construction This CIR is for a proposed Innovation Design credit--Optimal Masonry Construction (OMC)-a design approach developed by the International Masonry Institute (IMI) and the project Architect for the new National Training Center in Bowie, Maryland. This design approach will: 1) enhance the building energy and acoustical performance, 2) minimize the use and cost of construction materials, 3) minimize construction waste, 4) reduce building operation & maintenance costs, 5) enhance the durability and useful life of the building. These benefits are achieved by the following design elements used in the new IMI National Training Center in Bowie, Maryland: 1. Improve building thermal and acoustical performance. Use concrete masonry units (CMUs) for all structural walls-exterior and interior. Their high thermal mass improves indoor temperature control by dampening indoor temperature swings. This also reduces energy costs as the thermal mass acts to store excess heat and "coolth" and then release it to the indoor environment when it is useful. Our DOE-based building energy model does not fully model the effect of thermal mass on building energy use and comfort. So we estimated the effect of thermal mass by increasing the R-value of the masonry components of the walls by 20 to 30% according to industry guidelines.1 The resulting energy savings was about 5% of the total annual heating, ventilation and cooling costs for the two buildings. Using autoclaved aerated concrete results in additional thermal resistance due to the myriad air cells the cured concrete. (We used the same wall system in the Base Case energy model as per the ASHRAE 90.1 guideline for energy modeling-- the energy savings due to masonry construction is "buried" in the prescribed energy savings analysis.) Masonry walls provide superior acoustical isolation that can be further enhanced by filling the CMU cavities with grout or with a poured or foamed thermal insulation. 2. Minimize the use and cost of construction materials. a. Eliminate drywall & acoustical tile. At IMI drywall use was reduced by 97% to lower construction waste, lower project material costs due to fewer wall material components; lower installation costs due to the elimination of cutting, taping, plastering, and sanding steps; lower housekeeping costs, lower Operations and Maintenance (O&M) and life-cycle costs; and reduced likelihood of moisture and/or mold accumulation resulting in higher indoor air quality. This approach eliminates the waste and environmental disturbance caused by the manufacturing of drywall. Not using acoustical tile or any type of ceiling finish also reduces project costs and construction waste. It avoids the cost of maintaining the ceiling finish and improves access to the building infrastructure located at the ceilings; b. Avoid wood and wood-based materials to avoid harvesting old growth forests. Avoid wood-based products and their associated manufacturing processes and binders/adhesives that can adversely affect the indoor and public environment. The IMI project virtually eliminated wood by using steel, stone or concrete lintels and frames. Optimal Masonry Construction makes it more affordable to use small amounts of FSC-certified wood products or drywall with a very high recycled material content.; c. Use high recycled content masonry units (CMUs) that have at least 40% post-industrial recycled content; d. Avoid floor coverings. Over 95% of the floor area will be either durable concrete or terrazzo masonry floors sealed and protected by low or non-VOC coatings. The remainder is synthetic rubber flooring and a small amount of carpeting. For the new IMI National Training Center-the exposed masonry approach avoided an estimated $ 825,000 in construction costs due to eliminating entire building systems. 3. Minimize construction waste. Optimize the masonry system by coordinating the dimensions of the building, the thickness of the wall insulation and the rain screen air gap to minimize/eliminate the number of masonry cuts. This reduces masonry construction waste, construction costs and housekeeping costs. At the new IMI National Training Center this was done by half-overlapping the 8-inch face brick and selecting wall lengths so that there is no need to cut any of the bricks at the exterior corners. 4. Reduce Building Operation & Maintenance costs. This is done by: a. Improved moisture control. The 8-inch brick size and 1/2 overlap pattern used at the new IMI facility leave a four inch space between the outside of the concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls and the inside surface of the face brick. It makes it convenient and affordable to provide a 2-inch wide air gap for good moisture control-considered good practice in the industry.2,3 As described in Part 2a above, eliminating drywall and acoustical tile layers eliminates potential areas for moisture and mold build-up; b. Improved thermal insulation. The 4-inch space also allows for at least a 2-inch layer of continuous rigid board insulation over the CMU wall that greatly enhances the thermal properties of the walls. This is in addition to the added thermal insulation resulting from the high density of masonry walls; c. Decreased maintenance of exterior and interior finishes. As described in Part 2a above, the all-masonry construction and "naked architecture" design approach will reduce the cost of cleaning the building and the cost of periodic refurbishing interior surfaces and finishes. The materials require minimum maintenance except for tuckpointing that is done over 10 year or longer periods. The exposed building systems are easier to access and maintain. 5. Increased building safety, durability and longevity. All--masonry construction ensures the use of materials with high durability and damage resistance that also provide enhanced protection to occupants. Exterior and partition walls of masonry and stone, whether in the form of block, bricks, or poured concrete, are more resistant to damage from natural catastrophes and afford greater protection to the occupants than do drywall and wood products. Masonry and stone walls also afford greater protection to occupants from wind-borne projectiles under tornadic conditions as well as greater fire protection than typical drywall/framed wall systems. Masonry and stone construction make for a durable and long-lasting building. The proposed Innovation Credit would require satisfying at least six of the following design elements: 1) Drywall and acoustical tile cover less than 10% of all interior walls and ceilings 2) Use masonry construction for at least 90% of the structural and partition walls 3) Avoid using wood or wood-based products in the building or furnishings 4) Use aerated concrete for at least 5% of the total wall mass 5) Use a face brick pattern that eliminates avoid brick cuttings at exterior wall corners, 6) Provide at least a 2-inch rain shield space in the exterior walls 7) In climates covering areas such as Bowie, Maryland and further north, install at least 1-inch or continuous rigid insulation outside of at least 66% of the exterior walls mass 8) Use floor coverings are on less than 10% of the conditioned floor area 9) Expose at least 80% of all electrical and HVAC distribution systems. 1. Technical Notes 4A&B - Heat Transmission Coefficients & Energy Code Compliance of Brick Masonry Walls. The Brick Industry. Sept. 1997. 2. Masonry Cavity Walls: Systems and Construction. Section 2.12.4 Technology Brief of the International Masonry Institute. October 2000 3. Technical Notes 27 - Brick Masonry Rain Screen Walls. The Brick Industry. August 1994. p15 Please provide the IMI Project Team with a ruling that will let us know the likelihood of the aforementioned ID Credit Proposal being successful.

INTENT The construction phase has many opportunities to improve and should be more greatly weighted to drive new innovations and processes. With most of the scoring based on design aspects, there is not a strong push for contractors to implement new strategies. This is further evidenced in the fact that there are few credits that are construction activity based. One area that has not been addressed is the impact of temporary buildings servicing the project. Many of the same challenges, and thus opportunities, exist during the construction process as they do during the design, construction and life of a building. We propose the use of "green" trailers during construction on LEED projects to reduce the ecological footprint of these facilities. APPROACH Through the use of green trailers we will reduce energy use, raise awareness and educate our staff and project partners, improve occupant comfort, and reduce the ecological footprint of the trailer\'s infrastructure (i.e fewer replacements of lighting, heating equipment, etc.) The trailer will, at minimum, be constructed with the following components: motion sensors for lighting in the project offices T-8 lighting fixtures bulbs for reduced electricity use, programmable thermostats for thermal comfort control increased weather stripping to reduce heating and cooling loss Increase window area to allow for daylighting in the space Further Measures: Project trailers will also aim to reduce water usage, either through the installation of added low-flow fixtures or alternatively through a written Water Conservation Plan for the project site and trailers. Air quality is being addressed through improved filtration and material waste reduction through an Office Supply Selection & Waste Reduction plan for the project offices. Proposed Submittals: - Proof of onsite signage regarding water conservation or water restriction guidelines/regulations when low-flow fixtures not installed - Comparisons of energy use between regular and "green" trailer - Documentation of energy bills (or statement from client regarding increased energy cost when power being drawn from existing system) providing level of use - Narrative on Further Measures and use of green trailers in general We believe that Green Trailers are a true innovation in project delivery that not only aims to reduce energy use onsite and throughout construction, but also educate and change behavior through the consistent application of LEED principals across all project activities. Through the development of three different trailer models of increasing efficiency and overall performance, we also endeavor to push the industry as a whole toward more efficient equipment and offices during the construction process.

Fly Ash Blended Cement We are looking to score one innovation credit for the use of fly ash blended cement. However, we are looking to use approximately 10% of normal, non-blended cement (300 cy out of a total of 3,000 cy)due to coordination and timing issues. If we then use approximately 90% blended cement, would we still be eligible for the innovation credit?

We are requesting confirmation of the intent, requirements, and documentation for an Innovation in Design point that we wish to include in a forthcoming LEED design submittal. The project is a 500,000 SF replacement hospital with both inpatient and outpatient services that will be built in phases on a large site in a business park. We have developed a comprehensive master plan that will accommodate the growth and future expansion of the hospital for several decades. We believe the project merits the award of an Innovation in Design point for the conservation of resources because the project has been designed to accommodate future expansion in a flexible and adaptable manner. This design approach will facilitate the efficient use of resources over the life of the facility because the first phase of our building has been designed to accommodate future changes and building additions in a manner that will minimize the need to demolish and remodel significant portions of the first phase of our project as the campus is expanded over the next fifty years. We propose to meet the intent, and requirements of the 2007 Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) v2.2 MRc7.1, Resource Use: Design for Flexibility credit. We propose to meet a minimum of (3) out of the (8) goals that are listed as the goals in this GGHC credit to fulfill the requirements of this Innovation point. We propose to submit this with our LEED Design submittal, and we will document the point with floor plans, site plans, and calculations to confirm compliance with the GGHC point requirements. Since this point addresses a unique environmental attribute, that is not currently included in LEED, we believe it merits an ID point that is not contingent on the approval of any other points in our LEED submittal. Please confirm that our proposal warrants an Innovation in Design point.

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.

We are seeking approval of an Innovation and Design Credit for implementing a system which protects the tenants of the building from increased Electromagnetic Field (EMF) exposure due to the presence of high-current busways, electrical panels and switchgears within typical commercial buildings that are not protected for by any local, state, or federal building codes or regulations. Extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields are generated from commercial building electrical power distribution systems and it has been shown that over-exposure to elevated and high ELF magnetic fields can have adverse affects on human health as well as interference with other sensitive electronic and electric control systems. The proposed EMF Shield to be incorporated into the project is to reduce the amount of EMF tenants are exposed to, thereby creating a healthier working environment. As demonstrated in the Intent Justification at the end of this CIR request, there have been hundreds of studies about the effect of EMF on a persons\' health and while there are a broad range of opinions on the quantifiable effects, there is an accepted belief that exposure to elevated and high levels of EMF can have a negative outcome on individuals health. The ID credit Intent, Requirements, and Documentation Requirements we have developed to impose on the project are outlined below. The Proposed Design Solution and Standards, and Intent Justification, are provided as ID validation following the Intent, Requirements, and Documentation Requirements. Intent Reduce building occupants and visitors exposure to EMF thereby supporting preventing and mitigating potential associated harmful effects of EMF on individuals to improve overall building Indoor Environmental Quality. Requirements Identify and adopt recognized design standards to protect building occupants from the potential harmful effects from EMF exposure. Implement design strategies, and/or products, and or systems that result in building occupant protection from EMF exposure that exceed the recommended level of protection dictated by accepted EMF protection design standards. Documentation Requirements Summarize and document EMF potential harmful effects on building occupants. Provided copy of recognized design standards to protect building occupants from the potential harmful effects from EMF exposure. Provide design drawings, specifications, and product/system submittals that demonstrate that the design standard of protection has been met or exceeded. Proposed Design Solution and Standards AC ELF magnetic shielding systems will be installed in the Main Switchgear Room and in all nine electric closets to attenuate (reduce) the magnetic field levels within the future building areas to 5 mG and less measured from the shielded surfaces during peak summer building loads assuming the ground/net currents are minimal. The proposed AC ELF magnetic shielding systems are designed to exceed the 10 mG standard recommended in Section 8.4.1.3 option 3 in the National Council of Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) draft report published in the July/August 1995 issue of Microwave News (visit the Microwave News Homepage www.microwavenews.com for the entire draft report) as follows: 8.4.1.3 Option 3: An exposure guideline of 1

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 uses only carpet products designated as Environmentally Preferable Products (EPPs) by achieving either \'Gold\' or \'Platinum\' certification as per NSF Standard 140-2005 - Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard (a draft Standard developed by NSF International, presently in its trial use and comment period) Specifically, we intend to use a Collins & Aikman ER3 Modular Tile product for our LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors) Project. The entire line of ER3 Modular Tile products are SCAS NSF-140 \'Platinum\' certified. The Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard (SCSA) is the first nation-wide certification program that evaluates all measurable aspects of the environmental performance of carpet products. SCSA seeks to promote products that provide comprehensive environmental, economic, and social benefits while protecting and enhancing the needs of future generations, public health, welfare and the environment over their full commercial cycles, from raw materials extraction to final disposition, and ensuring that such products are also equivalent in performance and quality to other carpet products. Carpet products that carry SCSA \'Gold\' and \'Platinum\' level certification have the added credibility of being subject to regular, independent third-party audits. Upon completion of the trial use and comment period, SCSA will be revised as necessary and submitted to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for approval as an American National Standard. In the baseline LEED Rating Systems, carpet products are evaluated per their indoor VOC emissions, plus the extent to which they might have some recycled content, regional material content, and/or rapidly-renewable material content, thus contributing to the associated Materials & Resources credits. While valuable, such criteria are somewhat limited in scope. By contrast, SCSA takes a broad, life-cycle-based approach to product evaluation, thoroughly examining such varied issues as the environmental impact of the manufacturing processes, social concerns such as the rights and working conditions of company employees, and what happens to carpet products at the end of their useful lives. The draft Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard consists of the following major categories: Safe for Public Health and Environment Addresses the reduction of inventory pollutants that adversely impact public health and the environment, over the entire supply chain of any given carpet product. Energy & Energy Efficiency Addresses energy use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with carpet production and recognizes the use of renewable energy sources and implementation of conservation and efficiency measures. Bio-based, Recycled Content or Environmentally-Preferable Products Addresses more environmentally-benign feedstocks used to manufacture carpet products and is applicable to either natural or synthetic fiber construction. Manufacturing Addresses company-wide environmental stewardship via reporting and certification protocol, such as adoption of an environmental policy, use of an environmental management system (EMS) and public declaration of performance as per ISO 14001. Reclamation and End-of-Life Management Addresses product reuse and reclamation opportunities as well as installation and maintenance procedures that extend product system life. We feel that this strategy warrants a LEED IDP point because SCAS sets a high benchmark for environmental accomplishment, is comprehensive in nature, and specifically references many other third-party standards to set specific performance criteria. Furthermore, there is precedence for acceptance of such holistic standards for IDP points. In recent CIR Rulings, USGBC has favorably recognized whole product evaluation standards such as MBDC C2C, the California Gold Standard and the Climate Neutral Network Climate Cool Certification. The Project Team hopes that adoption of such a rigorous standard in the carpet industry will stimulate development of similar standards to guide other industries involved in the manufacturing of building products and materials. NSF Standard 140-2005 - Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard can be accessed on-line at: http://www.nsf.org/business/standards_and_publications/pdf/NSF_140-05-DS....

For our high rise multifamily project, we propose a slightly different approach to earning an ID point for education and awareness. This is a hybrid of (a) the approach described in LEED CIR rulings IDc1.1-9/24/2001 and IDc1.1-2/4/2003 for LEED-NC projects, and (b) requirements of LEED for Homes AEc1-Education of the Homeowner or Tenant. We believe this will be the most effective approach for a multifamily community. 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. (1) We will provide "operations training" similar to that outlined in LEED for Homes AEc1. A package of information distributed to all residents upon move-in will include (a) operations guidance for the energy efficient equipment and other "green" features of the apartment home, (b) additional information such as energy- and water-saving tips, waste reduction/recycling tips, guides to energy-efficient appliances and home electronics, guides to sustainable furniture choices, and information on green cleaning products and strategies, and (c) copies of the building\'s LEED checklists. Building managers will do a walk-through/tour with all new residents, showing the LEED features of the apartment and the building. In addition to the mandatory (1) above, we propose to implement two of the following five activities to promote public awareness for residents, visitors, and the broader community (selection of specific items will depend on further analysis of opportunities and interest in the community): (2) Build a comprehensive signage program into the building\'s spaces to educate the occupants and visitors of the benefits of green buildings. (3) Implement procedures for leasing/marketing staff and property managers to educate (through conversations and building tours) potential residents and other visitors on the building\'s sustainable design and construction. All leasing/marketing staff and property managers would receive instruction and training on how to use the guides during all leasing and promotional activities. (4) Offer a workshop to interested residents and members of the community approximately six months after occupancy, providing attendees with actively instructional, educational information on sustainable living. (5) Generate a newspaper article highlighting the new building\'s sustainable design and construction. The article will have two goals: educate the general public on the benefits of green buildings, and share our successful strategies with other developers interested in building LEED apartment communities. (6) Publish a web site with at least two pages that provides detailed information about the features and benefits of the LEED project. (Same two goals as (5) above.)

Bamboo flooring demonstration: exceptional effort in researching new sustainable materials Our design team is dedicated in introducing sustainable materials that are not familiar with the industry to the project, such as stained concrete, wheatboard, recycle-content ceramic tiles and rubber flooring. In particular, bamboo is a rapidly renewable material and has been used widely in gyms in Europe, but the client was not very comfortable of incorporating the material. In order to convince the client/ users to use bamboo flooring in lieu of hardwood for sports flooring, we installed a demonstration racquetball court. Users are provided with information of the new product and can try playing on the bamboo flooring. At the end, although bamboo is not used for the basketball courts and racquetball courts, they are used in the aerobics area and other common circulation space. Along the line of USGBC\'s policy of "no work, no point", we feel that this is a significant effort by the design team to introduce unfamiliar materials to the client. And we would qualify for an Innovation and Design Credit. Please advice on the feasibility of the credit.

Intent: Utilize Salmon-Safe certification to inspire and deliver bioregionally significant environmental protection critical to the survival and recovery of imperiled Pacific salmonids and the restoration of West Coast watersheds.

Proposed Requirements: For site development and management applications ranging from corporate & university campuses to large-scale residential development, golf courses, manufacturing sites, and park systems, address all Salmon-Safe certification requirements, and additional restoration requirements as outlined by Salmon-Safe's independent Ph.D.-level science team in their Evaluation Report.

The following criteria will be met: Site selection & design to protect habitat & water quality beyond SSc1. Salmon-Safe standards require protection of rare, threatened, or endangered salmonids and their habitat, as well as the siting of new development consistent with enhancement of overall site hydrology and landscape ecology. Zero increase in stormwater run-off. Salmon-Safe requirements for design of stormwater facilities mandates that pre-development runoff conditions be met. Salmon-Safe requires dispersion and infiltration, where technically feasible, rather than flow concentration and retention. Salmon-Safe performance requirements for treatment of water quantity and quality include various LID strategies that diffuse, store, and filter stormwater runoff. This is more stringent than SSc6.2's requirement to treat and filter 90% of the average annual rainfall. Landscape management that protects water quality & wildlife habitat.

Salmon-Safe mandates a biologically-based and peer-reviewed Integrated Pest Management Plan and Fertilizer Management Plan, as well as the exclusion of pesticides (synthetic or naturally derived) with ingredients listed on Salmon-Safe's "high risk" pesticide list of inputs harmful to salmon and their aquatic ecosystem. Water conservation to protect aquatic species. Salmon-Safe mandates water conserving irrigation technology, limitations in the size of the landscape area to receive irrigation, the use of less water dependent native plants in landscaped areas, and the use of soil management practices such as composting and mulching to reduce irrigation requirements. These requirements protect and restore habitat as well as conserve open space, exceeding SSc5 requirements. A site-wide trend of declining water use is verified by Salmon-Safe on an annual basis. Submittals: Salmon Safe Independent Science Team Evaluation Report Reports, plans, policies, and other documentation addressing precondition and conditional requirements Salmon Safe Certification certificate Environmental Benefits: Salmon Safe mandates low impact principles for new development. Certification is based on the professional judgment of a team of expert, Ph.D.-level and independent certifiers.

The program provides a stringent property evaluation, provides pre-condition requirements, requirements, and recommendations to ensure on-going certification, exceeding LEED Rating System requirements in key water quality and habitat protection areas. After a project is certified, Salmon-Safe ensures the long-term environmental performance of certified sites through an annual verification process. This process includes habitat restoration progress, stormwater system performance, environmental design of any planned expansion, and other program elements to make sure the project is functioning as designed. Salmon-Safe certification incorporates, and significantly expands upon, previously approved LEED innovation credits including Integrated Pest Management, Monitor Threatened and Endangered Species, and Green Landscaping, just to name a few. Salmon-Safe Certification meets the three requirements of an Innovation & Design Credit. The Certification program provides quantitative performance benefits for environmental enhancement, is comprehensive to the project, and is readily applicable to other projects.

This request seeks ID credit approval for an energy- and resource-saving, paperless, Web-based collaboration solution for architecture, engineering and construction project team members from multiple organizations (i.e. owner, construction management firm, general contractor, architecture firm, engineering firm, subcontractors, suppliers, etc.): our Virtual Project Office. We have used our experience with delivering consulting services and training on project management technologies to develop this customizable, easy-to-use Microsoft SharePoint-based tool; it is a private, secure, project-specific Web site. Our innovative solution helps project participants efficiently share and process vital documents like drawings, RFIs and contracts--all while slashing printing, shipping and travel energy- and resource-usage. Owners and contractors from multiple organizations can collaborate to make informed and timely decisions when they exchange and store data in a project\'s own secure, neutral, Web-based \'office,\' rather than using paper to print draft after draft of large files (i.e. drawings, specs, contracts, change notices, payment estimates, submittals, RFIs, correspondence, safety bulletins, contact directories, schedules, calendars, announcements, transmittals, progress photos, progress reports, meeting minutes, etc.) Any and every process our project requires can, and will, be incorporated into our Virtual Project Office. For example, when the project team is ready to request bids from contractors, we will use our paperless, Web-based Virtual Project Office to issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs), provide bidding instructions, and announce up-to-date questions and answers. We will be able to post downloadable construction documents such as drawings and project specs. Contractors will then upload their bids electronically, automatically notifying the bid manager--via e-mail--of their submission. Housing all bidding information in one secure, collaborative online workspace dramatically reduces the typical energy and resource consumption of the bidding process, supports confident contract-award decisions, and gets the project off to a successful start. We will use our collaboration solution to: Connect team members across organizational and geographic boundaries so they can collaborate regardless of their time and place of work--without spending energy, resources, money or time on paper, shipping or travel. Streamline review-and-approval processes (i.e. RFPs, RFIs, submittals, change notices, payment estimates, etc.) and make them electronic, eliminating the energy costs and delays of printing and shipping multiple copies of paper documents back and forth among project participants. Notify collaborators automatically via (paperless) e-mail when virtual documents are added and updated. Reduce energy- and resource-consuming litigation by mitigating all parties\' risk exposure with automatic auditing of revisions, ball-in-court requests, and responses. Protect private information using our secure, neutral collaboration platform, limiting each party\'s vulnerability to energy- and resource-consuming claims. Take advantage of seamless interoperability, configuration, training and support--eliminating potential energy and resource expenditures associated with printing and shipping training manuals and/or booking travel for consultants, instructors and attendees. Archive automatically--online--to incorporate Best Practices and Lessons Learned as standards, and build on the project team\'s successes.

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.

The Innovation in Design Credit Catalog describes a potential ID credit as Common Area Services. The intent of that credit is to demonstrate innovative performance by enhancing the quality of life for campus occupants while reducing vehicular traffic out of campus. CREDIT REQUIREMENTS: The requirements appear very specific and include requirements to incorporate a comprehensive design for a centralized facility to house a cafeteria, gym, travel agency, credit union, printing/publishing services as well as laundry services. While our project includes many of these specific items, a cafeteria, a wellness suite, and potential for travel planning and purchase in the computer lab, it would be redundant for our facility to provide other services provided elsewhere on campus, such as laundry facilities and gymnasium. The Student Center has been designed with the intent to enhance the quality of campus life, build community between students, faculty, staff and the community, and bring a large number of facilities and services under one roof. Prior to designing this building, when interviewed, students complained that there was nothing to do outside of classes and they wanted healthier food choices. The New Student Center was designed to minimize the need for students (as well as visitors, faculty and staff, during office hours) to leave campus to go to Easton Mall and other places to obtain the described services. In addition to the items listed above, the building will provide a convenience store, a bookstore, study and social lounges, a campus radio station, a computer lab for personal usage, small, medium and large meeting rooms s available for on-campus group meetings, and the project encloses the pedestrian access to the gym, basketball courts, dance area, showers and lockers in an adjoining facility less than 200 feet away. PROJECT APPROACH TO ACHIEVING CREDIT: In providing the documentation for this innovative design credit, we propose to: - Estimate the reduction of vehicular usage by providing these additional services to the campus and surrounding community by the addition of this new building. - Calculate the environmental benefits and the reduction of impacts in comparison to a conventional campus complex including how many people visit each facility/day and the subsequent reduction in CO2. - In addition, we will provide an itemized list of other facilities and services currently available on campus within walking distance of the new student center.

The City of Richmond, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, is undergoing an important redevelopment of its centrally located Civic Center Complex. This revitalization is a multi-phase project involving several buildings and parking structures and will act as a community showcase for energy and environmental leadership. As part of this effort, every attempt has been made to maximize the potential for energy efficiency and for renewable energy in the form of solar photo-voltaic (PV) panels. The existing buildings that make up the Civic Center Complex are currently individually metered for electric services from the local utility, PG&E. The key buildings involved in the first phase of work are the City Hall and the Hall of Justice which will have 2000kva combined electrical loads. Our project will include installing a 12kV system to loop several existing buildings together including these two buildings, providing two primary benefits to the City: (1) it will consolidate several buildings\' loads to a common meter at a higher voltage service, and (2) allow us to install additional PV panels. The latter is important as the Hall of Justice lacks adequate available roof space for much PV. By looping this building with other nearby buildings with the 12kV system, we can install PV on another building on the loop, the Auditorium, and permanently assign the generated power to the Hall of Justice. The Auditorium provides ample rooftop area to site enough PV panels to meet at least 7% of the proposed load for the Hall of Justice. An individual meter for the PV system will track its production of electricity. The 12kV loop also provides measurable innovative energy efficiency performance benefits by replacing the single source feeds that are now fed from the existing Hall of Justice at 208/120V with a primary based distribution system to each building. This will reduce the line losses in the Complex saving considerable energy not accounted for in other energy efficiency calculations for this project. Based on voltage drop calculations and a rough distance between the involved buildings, the energy savings will be on the order of 100 KW at full facility load. The 12kV loop is also being designed to accommodate future buildings, greatly adding to the reduction of total line losses when complete and allowing us greater flexibility for future siting of additional PV. Our question is if the 12kV loop will qualify as an innovation credit for innovative energy efficiency performance under the LEED guidelines.

On-site combustion of natural gas releases climate-changing greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere, and Energy and Atmosphere Credit 6 (Green Power) only addresses electric power sources, not on-site natural gas use. GHG emissions are the largest environmental impact associated with burning fossil fuels, and purchasing high-quality greenhouse gas emissions offsets will significantly and quantifiably reduce greenhouse gas emissions beyond purchase of renewable power, further reducing the climate impact of a building\'s energy use. Therefore we propose an Innovation in Design Credit for balancing out the greenhouse gas impacts of a building\'s natural gas use as follows: Intent: Reduce climate impacts associated with a building\'s fossil fuel energy use. Requirement: Participate in a program with rigorous standards that balances out 100% of the climate impact of the building\'s actual natural gas use by purchasing an equivalent number of high-quality greenhouse gas emission reductions for a period of two years. Submittals: Provide a copy of the energy bill verifying enrollment in the program; provide a letter from the owner committing to participation in the program for a period of at least two years. Design Approach: Participate in Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)\'s ClimateSmartT program (http://www.pge.com/climatesmart), through which we achieve a greenhouse gas offset equal to 100% of the emissions from our building\'s natural gas use. 100% of our building\'s natural gas supply comes from PG&E, and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with our natural gas use are calculated based on the actual amount of natural gas our building uses each month, and the greenhouse gas intensity of PG&E\'s natural gas supply. The independently certified emission rate is 13.446 lbs carbon dioxide (CO2) per therm. We pay PG&E to purchase greenhouse gas emission reductions on our behalf from new projects (after December 14, 2006) that would not have otherwise occurred. The projects from which PG&E purchases reductions must demonstrate that they are real, additional, verifiable, and permanent, and the projects must not be counted towards any GHG emission reduction caps specified in any mandatory local, state, national or international GHG regulatory structure or cap-and-trade program, or in any voluntary cap-and-trade program. The projects are also independently verified, audited, and registered with the California Climate Action Registry ("Registry") and all emission reductions are permanently retired in the Registry\'s publicly accessible Climate Action Reserve tracking database. Projects must be based in California and meet the stringent requirements of one of the Registry\'s project protocols, which include capturing methane gas from dairy farms or landfills and conservation-based forest management. All projects that PG&E invests in absorb or reduce GHG emissions from the atmosphere; the amount of emission reductions purchased through the program on our behalf is equal to the actual amount of GHG emissions from our building\'s natural gas use. Purchasing a percentage of renewable energy under the Green Power credit lowers the climate impact of energy use only by the amount of green power purchased. This program goes further by offsetting 100% of the actual greenhouse gas emissions associated with our building\'s natural gas use, making our natural gas energy use "climate neutral."

Prior to submitting the full Template and supporting documentation for this Innovation & Design Process Credit, we would like to request an evaluation to ensure we are on the right path for this credit. Our project is a mixed-use facility with residential units at 7 levels, retail at the ground level and parking below grade. We plan to integrate an Educational Outreach Program, following the guidelines as defined in IDc1.1 inquiry dated 9-20-01. The following is the Outline of our Program: I. Interpretive Signage Program A signage permanent signage program will be designed and installed to communicate the major sustainable design aspects of the project to the visitors and customers of the facility, highlighting the various sections of the LEED program - Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Materials and Resources, Energy & Atmosphere and Indoor Environmental Quality a. Retail - Signs to be located at the Paseo area between the two buildings and will highlight the sustainable design features of the project, including: 1. Water Efficiency - reduced water consumption and irrigation by captured ground water 2. Stormwater reduction and Heat Island reduction: Rooftop gardens and Green Roof - reduces Stormwater quantity, reduces heat islands at the roof and provides the residents with a gardening plot. 3. Recycled materials & low VOC materials as well as Construction waste diversion from landfills. 4. Alternative Transportation - preferred parking for HOV, secured bicycle parking for residents, adjacency to bus stops and ferry service. A signage program will be designed and installed to communicate energy and water efficiency data on a monthly basis to the residents. The intent is to encourage residents to make a concerted effort towards reducing energy and water consumption. b. Residential - Signs to be located at Residential Common Lobby Areas II. Project Manual for Sustainable Design features for the project a. Manual will include narratives and supporting graphics documenting the design approach for the 5 sections of the LEED NC v2.2 Submission b. The LEED Checklist and Templates submitted to the USGBC will be included in this Manual for reference by others. III. Educational Outreach Program a. The Home Owners Association will sponsor Educational Programs (Organic Gardening, Organic Cooking, Sustainable Living Practices, Energy Consumption Reduction) will be held at the facility in the meeting room for residents to further their awareness of sustainable living.

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.

The following Innovation & Design CIR is being submitted to assess whether the following criteria could qualify for a ID credit if all standards are met and documentation recieved. ID Credit Title: Low Emitting Materials: Building Insulation Narrative Statement of Credit Intent: Reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, irritating, and/or harmful to the comfort and well being of installers and occupants. Demonstrate that for all insulations used in the project that none of the insulations contain urea formaldehyde resins. Submit manufacturer / MSDS information, and material invoices indicating the purchase and delivery for all insulation materials Narrative Statement Describing Credit Requirements: Building insulation products used in the building shall contain no added urea formaldehyde resins. Building insulation products include: thermal batt insulations, sound attenuation batt insulations, rigid insulations, blown-in insulations, and foamed-in-place insulations. Narrative Describing Project\'s Approach to the Credit: Formaldehyde is a well-known carcinogen and is highly toxic, having been linked to respiratory ailments and throat cancer. Further eliminate the use of urea formaldehyde from the building by eliminating the use of insulation containing urea formaldehyde. The project will be specifying a batt insulation (both thermal and sound attenuating) that is formaldehyde-free. Batt type (blanket) insulation is used extensively throughout this project. Also, the project will be using a foamed-in-place insulation injected into the cores of the masonry block after masonry work has been completed. Many foamed in place insulations used in masonry applications use a urea formaldehyde resin as one of their components. These are classified as urea formaldehyde foam insulations (UFFIs). UFFIs were banned in 1982, but later that ban was over turned in 1983. Since then, UFFIs have been banned in several states. The state that this project is located in does not have a ban on this material. The foamed-in-place insulation used for this project will not contain urea formaldehyde. Other rigid insulations such as polyisocyanurate and extruded / expanded polystyrene do not contain urea formaldehyde in their manufacturer. This project is specified to use extruded / expanded polystyrene for rigid insulations.

Credit Intent: Implement a "Green Office Program" for building tenants who commit and prove they are operating as a "Green Office". The program will encourage tenants to operate more sustainably even if they are not performing a renovation (LEED-CI) for their office space. The goal is to provide method for tenants to move into the direction of sustainable operation, and with supporting documents showing achievement, be rewarded by the property management office. This will also encourage tenants to perform conduct cost-benefit analysis for improvements that can be achieved at nominal and/or no cost. Even credits that have a cost may still have that cost returned through reduced operating expenses. The "Green Office Program" is promoted through the building tenant guide and distributed by building managers, which encourages tenants to identify and implement no-cost and low-cost alternatives to operating in a standard indoor office environment. Scored on a scale of 100, offices are evaluated in seven categories: Energy Efficiency, People & Atmosphere; Travel & Commuting; Reduce, Reuse & Recycle; Cleaning; Remodeling & Construction; and LEED. When a specific strategy or improvement has been implemented, participating tenants earn "Leaf Credits." If an office achieves "70 Leaf Credits", it is then designated as a GREEN OFFICE. Here are a few items (entire program will be submitted with ID): Energy: - Set computers to "energy save" mode - Lower blinds in summer; raise blinds in winter - Install occupancy light sensors - Replace End of Life computer monitors with Energy Star Equipment - Set "sleep mode" for office equipment - Install compact fluorescent/low mercury light wherever possible People and Atmosphere: -Organize office employees to participate in a sustainability-focused community project once per year -Keep you local office employees updated quarterly about what green efforts you have achieved, your future sustainable goals, and how they can assist in reaching those goals Travel & Commuting: - Instead of traveling for meetings, reduce emissions by encourage teleconferencing and videoconferencing when possible - Ensure 25% of employees carpool or use mass transit to commute to work Reduce/Re-use/Recycle: - Use mugs and tumblers to save waste on disposable cups and plastic bottles - Participate in E-recycle Day for buildings annual e-recycle drive - Transition from petroleum-based or non-compostable products (ex: Styrofoam) to biodegradable products - Do not order any bottled water. Procure bottle-less water coolers to provide cool and hot filtered municipal water Remodeling & Construction: - Certify your office space as LEED-CI - Standardize workspace configuration to accommodate future change that will minimize remodeling and construction - Shift from "closed single offices" to efficient "open-office work plans" Requirements: Every 2 years, the tenant office manager would submit a scorecard to the property manager listing "green opportunities" achieved. Supporting documentation must be provided to achieve the credit. The tenant representative would also be required to attend quarterly building management/tenant meetings to updates to "Green Office Tenant Guidelines" and how they can promote sustainable office/business operation. As you can see, our goal is not to replace LEED-CI. Our program will not only encourage tenants seek LEED-CI, but also help grow our sustainable culture among building occupants beyond the built environment. Many tenants want to operate more sustainably. This program will be their guide.

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.

Ergonomics Strategy

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?

This is a general guidance Credit Interpretation Request, not specifically addressing ID credit. This credit interpretation was filed under ID because there was not an appropriate category. Our project is a 396,000 s.f. mixed-use project 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. The commercial tenant space will occupy approximately 10,000 s.f. (2.5% of the total building square footage). The scope of this project only provides a shell for the tenant spaces which will be designed and built out by future tenants. The fact that the completion of these spaces is outside of the scope and schedule of this project complicates application for certain LEED-NC credits. According to the Administrative Credit Interpretation Request dated 3/23/07 (Ruling dated 4/20/07) it would be acceptable to "withdraw the retail portion from the project scope of work under LEED-NCv2.2." As we have not found any direction for clearly defining and excluding portions of the building from the "project scope of work under LEED-NC 2.2," we are asking for direction. We propose to exclude all future tenant spaces and occupancy from LEED NC documentation and calculations for all credits across the board. Considering the above referenced CIR and the fact that future tenant improvements are indeed outside of the scope of this building project, this seems to be a reasonable strategy. Please confirm that our proposed compliance path is acceptable, and please give us direction if any special steps need to be taken to document this exclusion.

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?

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.

We are seeking approval of a concept for an innovation point for low emission office systems furniture and seating. Our project is a 280,000 SF office building that is registered for certification under LEED-NC v2.1. A developer is building the base building core and shell and a single tenant will lease the building. The project is currently in the design phase, and it is our goal to achieve LEED-NC EQ credits 4.1 through 4.4. Since over 75% of the floor area of the project will be occupied by open office systems furniture, and emissions from these systems will have a significant impact on IAQ, we plan to specify a low emission furniture system that complies with the requirements of LEED-CI EQ cr 4.5 (Low Emitting Materials, Systems Furniture and Seating). We believe that this merits an innovation point because LEED-NC does not address emissions from furniture, and in our project these emissions will have a significant impact on IAQ. In order to demonstrate compliance, we are proposing to comply with the intent, requirements, and submittals of LEED-CI EQ cr 4.5. We are requesting that the approval of this innovation point not be contingent on our project achieving any of the points in LEED-NC EQ cr 4. We are requesting this condition because we believe that even without the attainment of LEED-NC EQ cr 4, our proposed innovation point will significantly enhance IAQ, and it is above and beyond the scope of the EQ points in LEED-NC. We are also requesting that the attainment of this innovation point not be contingent on the attainment of LEED-NC EQ cr 4, because we can not be certain that we will actually be able to attain any of the points in LEED-NC EQ cr 4 until the construction of the project has been completed.

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 proposed innovation in design credit is intended to demonstrate that Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST) designed for distribution of natural gas and LPG (propane Gas) systems saves time, reduces cost, and is environmentally friendly where integrated in a holistic approach to a building project. This innovative technology is the only standard based natural gas and LPG (propane gas) system manufactured, designed sized and installed under the ANSI LC1 certification process. CSST is IAPMO, ICC and CSA listed; IFGC, UPC and NFPA-54 approved as a gas-piping material. This system is installed with fewer fittings eliminating leak paths in the natural gas or LPG (propane gas) system, thus making the system safer within a structure. The inherent flexibility and light weight will reduce costs and help prevent job related accidents. Most manufactures\' of CSST incorporate a fitting which uses a metal to metal seal with no gaskets or O-rings and features which allows for maintaining of the integrity of the Polyethylene jacket protecting the system from corrosion and harsh environments. The Polyethylene jacket, as required by ANSI LC1, is constructed to meet the ASTM E84 requirement for Fire /Smoke (25/50) making the system safer in the event of fire. This innovative technology eliminates the need for welding of natural gas and LPG piping and the dangers associated with such procedures, such as toxic fumes from welding gases, flux and brazing rods and smoke and soot caused by welding. This technology reduces respiratory problems associated with inhaling the toxic fumes resulting from welding of natural gas and LPG piping and eliminates the dangers of fire associated with welding of natural gas and LPG piping. It also eliminates personal injury associated with the use of welding and threading equipment. It is our intent to submit for this credit as a system which exceeds the LEED-NC performance as related to a safer environment during construction and safer system within a structure, for the life of the structure.

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.

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.

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.