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LEED v4
New Construction
Indoor Environmental Quality

Environmental tobacco smoke control

LEED CREDIT

NC-v4 EQp2: Environmental tobacco smoke control Required

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View the LEED v4.1 version of this credit »

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Virginia Leary

LEED AP BD+C; TRUE Advisor, Fitwel Advisor

WSP USA
Assistant Consultant

SPECIAL REPORT

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

Requirements

Prohibit smoking inside the building. Prohibit smoking outside the building except in designated smoking areas located at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from all entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows. Also prohibit smoking outside the property line in spaces used for business purposes. If the requirement to prohibit smoking within 25 feet (7.5 meters) cannot be implemented because of code, provide documentation of these regulations. Signage must be posted within 10 feet (3 meters) of all building entrances indicating the no-smoking policy.

Residential only
Option 1. No Smoking
Meet the requirements above.

OR

Option 2. Compartmentalization of Smoking Areas
Prohibit smoking inside all common areas of the building. The prohibition must be communicated in building rental or lease agreements or condo or coop association covenants and restrictions. Make provisions for enforcement. Prohibit smoking outside the building except in designated smoking areas located at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from all entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows. The no-smoking policy also applies to spaces outside the property line used for business purposes. If the requirement to prohibit smoking within 25 feet (7.5 meters) cannot be implemented because of code, provide documentation of these regulations. Signage must be posted within 10 feet (3 meters) of all building entrances indicating the no-smoking policy. Each unit must be compartmentalized to prevent excessive leakage between units:
  • Weather-strip all exterior doors and operable windows in the residential units to minimize leakage from outdoors.
  • Weather-strip all doors leading from residential units into common hallways.
  • Minimize uncontrolled pathways for the transfer of smoke and other indoor air pollutants between residential units by sealing penetrations in the walls, ceilings, and floors and by sealing vertical chases (including utility chases, garbage chutes, mail drops, and elevator shafts) adjacent to the units.
  • Demonstrate a maximum leakage of 0.23 cubic feet per minute per square foot (1.17 liters per second per square meter) at 50 Pa of enclosure (i.e., all surfaces enclosing the apartment, including exterior and party walls, floors, and ceilings).
See all forum discussions about this credit »

What does it cost?

Cost estimates for this credit

On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.

Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.

This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.

Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »

Frequently asked questions

What about residential balconies?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

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Municipal law requires that our building be completely smoke-free inside. It also bans smoking next to the building, but it’s not as stringent as the 25 foot LEED requirement. Do we have to make another policy that bans smoking within 25 feet?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

We want to designate a smoking area less than 25 feet from an emergency exit. Is this okay since that door is rarely (if ever) used?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

What if I have a zero lot line property and no control over the sidewalk?

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What about vaping and e-cigarettes?

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See all forum discussions about this credit »

Addenda

4/1/2015 – Updated: 2/19/2020
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Add the following language under Campus Approach section:
"Eligible. Projects can demonstrate compliance with a campus-wide no-smoking policy in lieu of building signage. The policy must be widely communicated to all occupants (including transients and visitors) through ongoing methods such as site signage and other media (brochures, websites, etc.)."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Required Documentation section, revise the last documentation requirement in the table so it reads: "Any code restrictions that prevent establishment of no-smoking requirements."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2016
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

There are few professionals who are trained to perform compartmentalization tests in residential projects outside of North America. Is there another approach that projects can take to demonstrate compliance with Option 2. Compartmentalization of smoking areas?

Ruling:

Yes, projects outside of the U.S. and Canada may perform a visual inspection of the air sealing measures in lieu of performing compartmentalization testing.

The visual inspection must be performed by a Qualified Energy Rater and demonstrate that each unit meets the requirements of the Multifamily Midrise Thermal Enclosure Checklist, Section 5- Air Sealing (http://www.usgbc.org/resources/multifamily-midrise-thermal-enclosure-ins...). Each item in Section 5 of the checklist must be documented with photo evidence. All common walls, ceilings, and floors (adjoining another dwelling unit) must be considered 'unconditioned spaces' when completing Section 5 of the checklist.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/2/2018
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

Inquiry:
Is the smoking of cannabis covered under the Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control prerequisite?

Ruling:

Yes, smoking of cannabis is considered a form of smoking for the purposes of both the interior and exterior smoking provisions of the LEED Prerequisite Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control.

Secondhand cannabis smoke has been shown to contain many of the same chemicals and carcinogens as secondhand tobacco smoke [1].

[1] Moir D, Rickert WS, Levasseur G, et al. A Comparison of Mainstream and Sidestream Marijuana and Tobacco Cigarette Smoke Produced under Two Machine Smoking Conditions. American Chemical Society. 2008;21:494-502.

Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

Are electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) covered under the Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control prerequisite?

Ruling:

Yes, electronic cigarettes are considered a form of smoking for the purposes of both the interior and exterior smoking provisions of the LEED Prerequisite Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control. As recommended in the December 2013 report[1] prepared for the World Health Organization, “e-cigarettes should be prohibited anywhere where the use of conventional cigarettes is prohibited”. The indoor air quality impacts from electronic cigarettes are not fully characterized, but there is sufficient evidence that electronic cigarettes produce emissions in fine aerosol form that can expose building occupants. For example, according to the report, “several chemicals that have been found in e-cigarette aerosol and e-liquid are on California’s official list of known human carcinogens or reproductive toxicants, including nicotine, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, nickel, lead, toluene(1)”.

[1] Background Paper on E-cigarettes (Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems); Grana, R.; Benowitz, N.; Glantz, SA; December 2013; University of California

Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
See all forum discussions about this credit »

Documentation toolkit

The motherlode of cheat sheets

LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Virginia Leary

LEED AP BD+C; TRUE Advisor, Fitwel Advisor

WSP USA
Assistant Consultant

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

Requirements

Prohibit smoking inside the building. Prohibit smoking outside the building except in designated smoking areas located at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from all entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows. Also prohibit smoking outside the property line in spaces used for business purposes. If the requirement to prohibit smoking within 25 feet (7.5 meters) cannot be implemented because of code, provide documentation of these regulations. Signage must be posted within 10 feet (3 meters) of all building entrances indicating the no-smoking policy.

Residential only
Option 1. No Smoking
Meet the requirements above.

OR

Option 2. Compartmentalization of Smoking Areas
Prohibit smoking inside all common areas of the building. The prohibition must be communicated in building rental or lease agreements or condo or coop association covenants and restrictions. Make provisions for enforcement. Prohibit smoking outside the building except in designated smoking areas located at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from all entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows. The no-smoking policy also applies to spaces outside the property line used for business purposes. If the requirement to prohibit smoking within 25 feet (7.5 meters) cannot be implemented because of code, provide documentation of these regulations. Signage must be posted within 10 feet (3 meters) of all building entrances indicating the no-smoking policy. Each unit must be compartmentalized to prevent excessive leakage between units:
  • Weather-strip all exterior doors and operable windows in the residential units to minimize leakage from outdoors.
  • Weather-strip all doors leading from residential units into common hallways.
  • Minimize uncontrolled pathways for the transfer of smoke and other indoor air pollutants between residential units by sealing penetrations in the walls, ceilings, and floors and by sealing vertical chases (including utility chases, garbage chutes, mail drops, and elevator shafts) adjacent to the units.
  • Demonstrate a maximum leakage of 0.23 cubic feet per minute per square foot (1.17 liters per second per square meter) at 50 Pa of enclosure (i.e., all surfaces enclosing the apartment, including exterior and party walls, floors, and ceilings).

Cost estimates for this credit

On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.

Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.

This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.

Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »

In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit, for premium members only, saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:

  • Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
  • Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
  • Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
  • Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
  • Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
  • Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.

What about residential balconies?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

Municipal law requires that our building be completely smoke-free inside. It also bans smoking next to the building, but it’s not as stringent as the 25 foot LEED requirement. Do we have to make another policy that bans smoking within 25 feet?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

We want to designate a smoking area less than 25 feet from an emergency exit. Is this okay since that door is rarely (if ever) used?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

What if I have a zero lot line property and no control over the sidewalk?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

What about vaping and e-cigarettes?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)
4/1/2015 – Updated: 2/19/2020
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Add the following language under Campus Approach section:
"Eligible. Projects can demonstrate compliance with a campus-wide no-smoking policy in lieu of building signage. The policy must be widely communicated to all occupants (including transients and visitors) through ongoing methods such as site signage and other media (brochures, websites, etc.)."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Required Documentation section, revise the last documentation requirement in the table so it reads: "Any code restrictions that prevent establishment of no-smoking requirements."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2016
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

There are few professionals who are trained to perform compartmentalization tests in residential projects outside of North America. Is there another approach that projects can take to demonstrate compliance with Option 2. Compartmentalization of smoking areas?

Ruling:

Yes, projects outside of the U.S. and Canada may perform a visual inspection of the air sealing measures in lieu of performing compartmentalization testing.

The visual inspection must be performed by a Qualified Energy Rater and demonstrate that each unit meets the requirements of the Multifamily Midrise Thermal Enclosure Checklist, Section 5- Air Sealing (http://www.usgbc.org/resources/multifamily-midrise-thermal-enclosure-ins...). Each item in Section 5 of the checklist must be documented with photo evidence. All common walls, ceilings, and floors (adjoining another dwelling unit) must be considered 'unconditioned spaces' when completing Section 5 of the checklist.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/2/2018
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

Inquiry:
Is the smoking of cannabis covered under the Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control prerequisite?

Ruling:

Yes, smoking of cannabis is considered a form of smoking for the purposes of both the interior and exterior smoking provisions of the LEED Prerequisite Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control.

Secondhand cannabis smoke has been shown to contain many of the same chemicals and carcinogens as secondhand tobacco smoke [1].

[1] Moir D, Rickert WS, Levasseur G, et al. A Comparison of Mainstream and Sidestream Marijuana and Tobacco Cigarette Smoke Produced under Two Machine Smoking Conditions. American Chemical Society. 2008;21:494-502.

Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

Are electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) covered under the Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control prerequisite?

Ruling:

Yes, electronic cigarettes are considered a form of smoking for the purposes of both the interior and exterior smoking provisions of the LEED Prerequisite Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control. As recommended in the December 2013 report[1] prepared for the World Health Organization, “e-cigarettes should be prohibited anywhere where the use of conventional cigarettes is prohibited”. The indoor air quality impacts from electronic cigarettes are not fully characterized, but there is sufficient evidence that electronic cigarettes produce emissions in fine aerosol form that can expose building occupants. For example, according to the report, “several chemicals that have been found in e-cigarette aerosol and e-liquid are on California’s official list of known human carcinogens or reproductive toxicants, including nicotine, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, nickel, lead, toluene(1)”.

[1] Background Paper on E-cigarettes (Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems); Grana, R.; Benowitz, N.; Glantz, SA; December 2013; University of California

Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Virginia Leary

LEED AP BD+C; TRUE Advisor, Fitwel Advisor

WSP USA
Assistant Consultant

See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Unsubscribe from discussions about NC-v4 EQp2 View the LEED v4.1 version of this credit