Add "skylights" to the list of things deducted from the roof area so that the sentence reads, "Determine the area of the roof covered by mechanical equipment, solar energy panels, skylights, and other appurtenances, and deduct these areas from the total roof surface area."
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Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Option 1. Nonroof measures
Use any combination of the following strategies for 50% of the nonroof site hardscape (including roads, sidewalks, courtyards, parking lots, parking structures, and driveways):- Provide shade from open structures, such as those supporting solar photovoltaic panels, canopied walkways, and vine pergolas, all with a solar reflectance index (SRI) of at least 29.
- Use paving materials with an SRI of at least 29.
- Install an open-grid pavement system that is at least 50% pervious.
- Provide shade from tree canopy (within ten years of landscape installation).
OR
Option 2. High-reflectance and vegetated roofs
Use roofing materials that have an SRI equal to or greater than the values in Table 1 for a minimum of 75% of the roof area of all new buildings within the project; or install a vegetated (“green”) roof for at least 50% of the roof area of all new buildings within the project. Combinations of SRI-compliant and vegetated roofs can be used provided they satisfy the equation in Option 3. Table 1. Minimum solar reflectance index value, by roof slope 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
See all forum discussions about this credit »Addenda
8/1/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
2/2/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Below Option 3, replace the text with the following:At least 75% of the nonroof site hardscape area uses Option 1-compliant strategies and at least 75% of the roof area of new buildings uses Option 2-compliant strategies.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
7/19/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In the third line of the third paragraph, replace "syst ems" with "systems" so the text becomes "...into a systems approach to..."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
8/1/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In alphabetical order, add the term "An appurtenance is any built-in, nonstructural portion of a roof system, such as skylights, ventilators, mechanical equipment, partitions, and solar energy panels."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
2/2/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
In the paragraph, replace the last sentence with "Combinations of SRI-compliant and vegetated roofs can be used provided they satisfy the equation in Option 3."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
2/2/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In the second row ("Typical new gray concrete"), replace the SRI of 35 with 38
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
2/2/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In the paragraph, replace the last sentence with "Combinations of SRI-compliant and vegetated roofs can be used provided they satisfy the equation in Option 3."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
8/1/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In alphabetical order, add the term, "Roof area is the area of the uppermost surface of the building which covers enclosed Gross Floor Area, as measured when projected onto a flat, horizontal surface (i.e. as seen in Roof Plan view). \'Roofs\', or portions of roofs, covering unenclosed areas (e.g. roofs over porches and open covered parking structures) are not included in the areas used to evaluate compliance with roof measures in Options 2 and 3, though they may be applicable to nonroof measures in Options 1 and 3."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/1/2011
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
There is a stainless steel tube veil that covers the complete building. The tubes are placed with a 1 mm spacing between each other, and the material interior cannot be seen. Therefore, we would like to conduct a test to verify if the SRI of the tubes will comply with the LEED requirements (equal or greater than 78). Due to the originality of the exterior facade, we would like to know what type of test should be conducted:
Option 1 - Test using a 4mx4m mock up of the roof assembly and test the reflectance per ASTM 1918,
Option 2 - A flat sample test of all the materials installed on the roof
Please advise if there are any other tests that would need to be conducted.
Ruling:
The Referenced LEED Standard of ASTM 1918-97 has been superseded by ASTM 1918-06. For a roof with a veil design, or similar non-homogenous materials, the project should perform a SRI test to ASTM E1175 - 87(2009) Standard Test Method for Determining Solar or Photopic Reflectance, Transmittance, and Absorptance of Materials Using a Large Diameter Integrating Sphere. When submitting for LEED Certification, please include a copy of this interpretation and a summary of any testing results that document the SRI rating for the installed veil surface.Projects may wish to test any mock-up to assess credit compliance before testing installed materials, but the testing for certification should be done for the installed roofing assembly. Applicable internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2012
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
Can sidewalks, roads, and other hardscape areas located above a project building\'s underground parking structure, which are required by the governing municipality to be constructed of non-compliant materials, be excluded from the SSc7.2 and SSc7.1 calculations?
Ruling:
Similar to LEED Interpretations #2293 and #3101, sidewalks, roads, and areas that cover un-conditioned spaces (such as parking garages) are considered hardscape or landscape nonroof surfaces. Thus, they should be included in the calculations for SSc7.1 Heat Island Effect- Nonroof. In situations where infrastructure, materials, or surfaces are owned, operated and maintained by the local governing body, project teams may exclude the area of the material from the calculations for SSc7.2 and SSc7.1. This exemption can be applied only if projects do not have any control over the materials used for the surfaces in question. If the materials are owned and operated by the project, but the local jurisdiction specifies that they must meet certain criteria, the materials may not be excluded from the calculations. Applicable Internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Option 1. Nonroof measures
Use any combination of the following strategies for 50% of the nonroof site hardscape (including roads, sidewalks, courtyards, parking lots, parking structures, and driveways):- Provide shade from open structures, such as those supporting solar photovoltaic panels, canopied walkways, and vine pergolas, all with a solar reflectance index (SRI) of at least 29.
- Use paving materials with an SRI of at least 29.
- Install an open-grid pavement system that is at least 50% pervious.
- Provide shade from tree canopy (within ten years of landscape installation).
OR
