Removed: "The no-smoking policy applies to spaces outside the property line used for business purposes."
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View the LEED v4 version of this credit »
View the LEED v4 version of this credit »
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LEEDuser expert
Virginia Leary
LEED AP BD+C; TRUE Advisor, Fitwel Advisor
WSP USA
Assistant Consultant
SPECIAL REPORT
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Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To prevent or minimize exposure of building occupants, indoor surfaces, and ventilation air distribution systems to environmental tobacco smoke.
Requirements
For this prerequisite smoking includes tobacco smoke, as well as smoke produced from the combustion of cannabis and controlled substances and the emissions produced by electronic smoking devices.
Prohibit smoking inside the building.
Prohibit smoking outside the building except in designated smoking areas located at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) (or the maximum extent allowable by local codes) from all entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows.
Communicate the no-smoking policy to occupants. Have in place provisions for enforcement or no-smoking signage.
Residential onlyOption 1. No Smoking
Meet the requirements above.
OROption 2. Compartmentalization of Smoking Areas
Meet the requirements above for all areas inside and outside the building except dwelling units and private balconies.
Each dwelling unit where smoking is permitted 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 0.30 cubic feet per minute per square foot (1.53 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). Renovation projects that retain their existing envelope must meet an allowable maximum leakage of 0.50 cfm50 per square foot (2.54 liters per second per square meter) of enclosure area.
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Cost estimates for this credit
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Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »Frequently asked questions
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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? 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.) |
|
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.) |
Addenda
11/9/2020 – Updated: 2/3/2021
Form Update
Description of change:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/9/2020 – Updated: 11/25/2020
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under Behind the Intent, add a sentence at the end: The following language has been moved from the credit requirements to the reference guide: “Also prohibit smoking outside the property line in spaces used for business purposes.”
Under Step-By-Step Guidance,
delete "Follow LEED v4 reference guide with the following modifications:"
add: "Step 1. Determine Smoke-Free Locations
Obtain information from the owner that smoking is prohibited inside the building. Residential projects may allow smoking in specific units, with specific requirements for ensuring that those units are adequately isolated (Refer to the LEED v4 reference guide, Further Explanation, Project Type Variations).
• Identify the location of building openings, including entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows.
• Emergency exits do not quality as building openings if the doors are alarmed, because alarmed doors will not be opened. Emergency exits without alarms qualify as building openings."
revise step 2 so it reads:"Step 2. Designate Locations Of Exterior Smoking Areas: Determine whether the project has or will have designated outdoor smoking areas. Locate any area designated for smoking at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from smoke free areas, based on the information gathered in step 1. The 25-foot (7.5 meter) distance is a straight line calculation. Research local codes applicable to the building- the code regulations may or may not meet the 25 feet distance rule for exterior smoking. See the LEED v4 reference guide, further explanation, code limitations and restrictions.
• Consider design strategies that may encourage people to use the designated smoking area, such as covered seating
• Educate occupants on the smoking policy and encourage them to self-police. This is particularly important in retail situations.
• Ashtrays signal that smoking is allowed in a particular area. Be sure these are placed outside the 25-foot (7.5 meter) perimeter."
delete step 3 and rename step 4 to step 3
Under Further explanation,
Delete " Follow LEED v4 reference guide with the following modifications."
and replace the text under "Property Line Less Than 25 Feet (7.5 Meters) From the Building:" with
"Projects with a property line less than 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the building must consider space usage when determining the outdoor smoking policy. Smoking must still be prohibited on sidewalks within 25 feet (7.5 meters) of openings. Building staff should be educated about this policy so they can direct smokers to designated smoking areas and away from entrances or windows. See Figure 1 in the LEED v4 reference guide.
Project Type Variations
Restaurant
Smoking must be prohibited outside the restaurant building in all areas except the designated outdoor smoking area. This prohibition must include all restaurant seating/café tables controlled by the project even if they lie outside of the property line (such as on a public sidewalk). See Figure 1 in the LEED v4 reference guide "
Under Step-By-Step Guidance,
delete "Follow LEED v4 reference guide with the following modifications:"
add: "Step 1. Determine Smoke-Free Locations
Obtain information from the owner that smoking is prohibited inside the building. Residential projects may allow smoking in specific units, with specific requirements for ensuring that those units are adequately isolated (Refer to the LEED v4 reference guide, Further Explanation, Project Type Variations).
• Identify the location of building openings, including entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows.
• Emergency exits do not quality as building openings if the doors are alarmed, because alarmed doors will not be opened. Emergency exits without alarms qualify as building openings."
revise step 2 so it reads:"Step 2. Designate Locations Of Exterior Smoking Areas: Determine whether the project has or will have designated outdoor smoking areas. Locate any area designated for smoking at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from smoke free areas, based on the information gathered in step 1. The 25-foot (7.5 meter) distance is a straight line calculation. Research local codes applicable to the building- the code regulations may or may not meet the 25 feet distance rule for exterior smoking. See the LEED v4 reference guide, further explanation, code limitations and restrictions.
• Consider design strategies that may encourage people to use the designated smoking area, such as covered seating
• Educate occupants on the smoking policy and encourage them to self-police. This is particularly important in retail situations.
• Ashtrays signal that smoking is allowed in a particular area. Be sure these are placed outside the 25-foot (7.5 meter) perimeter."
delete step 3 and rename step 4 to step 3
Under Further explanation,
Delete " Follow LEED v4 reference guide with the following modifications."
and replace the text under "Property Line Less Than 25 Feet (7.5 Meters) From the Building:" with
"Projects with a property line less than 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the building must consider space usage when determining the outdoor smoking policy. Smoking must still be prohibited on sidewalks within 25 feet (7.5 meters) of openings. Building staff should be educated about this policy so they can direct smokers to designated smoking areas and away from entrances or windows. See Figure 1 in the LEED v4 reference guide.
Project Type Variations
Restaurant
Smoking must be prohibited outside the restaurant building in all areas except the designated outdoor smoking area. This prohibition must include all restaurant seating/café tables controlled by the project even if they lie outside of the property line (such as on a public sidewalk). See Figure 1 in the LEED v4 reference guide "
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/9/2020 – Updated: 11/25/2020
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Under the third paragraph, delete the last sentence" This smoking requirement also applies to any spaces outside the property line that are used for business purposes."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
7/25/2019 – Updated: 7/30/2019
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under Behind the Intent, Beta Update, delete the sentence "Further, while projects still need to ensure smoking is prohibited inside the building or inside the interior space, projects can opt to follow local code mandated maximum allowable distances for smoking from all building entries, outdoor air intakes and operable windows instead of the 25 feet policy in LEED."
Under Further Explanation, Delete the last paragraph that reads "The code limitations and restrictions are now an alternate pathway formally approved for achieving the prerequisite requirements and documentation for code compliance in lieu of meeting 25 feet rule may be submitted."
Under Further Explanation, Delete the last paragraph that reads "The code limitations and restrictions are now an alternate pathway formally approved for achieving the prerequisite requirements and documentation for code compliance in lieu of meeting 25 feet rule may be submitted."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To prevent or minimize exposure of building occupants, indoor surfaces, and ventilation air distribution systems to environmental tobacco smoke.
Requirements
For this prerequisite smoking includes tobacco smoke, as well as smoke produced from the combustion of cannabis and controlled substances and the emissions produced by electronic smoking devices.
Prohibit smoking inside the building.
Prohibit smoking outside the building except in designated smoking areas located at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) (or the maximum extent allowable by local codes) from all entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows.
Communicate the no-smoking policy to occupants. Have in place provisions for enforcement or no-smoking signage.
Residential onlyOption 1. No Smoking
Meet the requirements above.
OROption 2. Compartmentalization of Smoking Areas
Meet the requirements above for all areas inside and outside the building except dwelling units and private balconies.
Each dwelling unit where smoking is permitted 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 0.30 cubic feet per minute per square foot (1.53 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). Renovation projects that retain their existing envelope must meet an allowable maximum leakage of 0.50 cfm50 per square foot (2.54 liters per second per square meter) of enclosure area.
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.
|
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.) |
|
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.) |
11/9/2020 – Updated: 2/3/2021
Form Update
Description of change:
Removed: "The no-smoking policy applies to spaces outside the property line used for business purposes."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/9/2020 – Updated: 11/25/2020
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under Behind the Intent, add a sentence at the end: The following language has been moved from the credit requirements to the reference guide: “Also prohibit smoking outside the property line in spaces used for business purposes.”
Under Step-By-Step Guidance,
delete "Follow LEED v4 reference guide with the following modifications:"
add: "Step 1. Determine Smoke-Free Locations
Obtain information from the owner that smoking is prohibited inside the building. Residential projects may allow smoking in specific units, with specific requirements for ensuring that those units are adequately isolated (Refer to the LEED v4 reference guide, Further Explanation, Project Type Variations).
• Identify the location of building openings, including entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows.
• Emergency exits do not quality as building openings if the doors are alarmed, because alarmed doors will not be opened. Emergency exits without alarms qualify as building openings."
revise step 2 so it reads:"Step 2. Designate Locations Of Exterior Smoking Areas: Determine whether the project has or will have designated outdoor smoking areas. Locate any area designated for smoking at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from smoke free areas, based on the information gathered in step 1. The 25-foot (7.5 meter) distance is a straight line calculation. Research local codes applicable to the building- the code regulations may or may not meet the 25 feet distance rule for exterior smoking. See the LEED v4 reference guide, further explanation, code limitations and restrictions.
• Consider design strategies that may encourage people to use the designated smoking area, such as covered seating
• Educate occupants on the smoking policy and encourage them to self-police. This is particularly important in retail situations.
• Ashtrays signal that smoking is allowed in a particular area. Be sure these are placed outside the 25-foot (7.5 meter) perimeter."
delete step 3 and rename step 4 to step 3
Under Further explanation,
Delete " Follow LEED v4 reference guide with the following modifications."
and replace the text under "Property Line Less Than 25 Feet (7.5 Meters) From the Building:" with
"Projects with a property line less than 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the building must consider space usage when determining the outdoor smoking policy. Smoking must still be prohibited on sidewalks within 25 feet (7.5 meters) of openings. Building staff should be educated about this policy so they can direct smokers to designated smoking areas and away from entrances or windows. See Figure 1 in the LEED v4 reference guide.
Project Type Variations
Restaurant
Smoking must be prohibited outside the restaurant building in all areas except the designated outdoor smoking area. This prohibition must include all restaurant seating/café tables controlled by the project even if they lie outside of the property line (such as on a public sidewalk). See Figure 1 in the LEED v4 reference guide "
Under Step-By-Step Guidance,
delete "Follow LEED v4 reference guide with the following modifications:"
add: "Step 1. Determine Smoke-Free Locations
Obtain information from the owner that smoking is prohibited inside the building. Residential projects may allow smoking in specific units, with specific requirements for ensuring that those units are adequately isolated (Refer to the LEED v4 reference guide, Further Explanation, Project Type Variations).
• Identify the location of building openings, including entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows.
• Emergency exits do not quality as building openings if the doors are alarmed, because alarmed doors will not be opened. Emergency exits without alarms qualify as building openings."
revise step 2 so it reads:"Step 2. Designate Locations Of Exterior Smoking Areas: Determine whether the project has or will have designated outdoor smoking areas. Locate any area designated for smoking at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from smoke free areas, based on the information gathered in step 1. The 25-foot (7.5 meter) distance is a straight line calculation. Research local codes applicable to the building- the code regulations may or may not meet the 25 feet distance rule for exterior smoking. See the LEED v4 reference guide, further explanation, code limitations and restrictions.
• Consider design strategies that may encourage people to use the designated smoking area, such as covered seating
• Educate occupants on the smoking policy and encourage them to self-police. This is particularly important in retail situations.
• Ashtrays signal that smoking is allowed in a particular area. Be sure these are placed outside the 25-foot (7.5 meter) perimeter."
delete step 3 and rename step 4 to step 3
Under Further explanation,
Delete " Follow LEED v4 reference guide with the following modifications."
and replace the text under "Property Line Less Than 25 Feet (7.5 Meters) From the Building:" with
"Projects with a property line less than 25 feet (7.5 meters) from the building must consider space usage when determining the outdoor smoking policy. Smoking must still be prohibited on sidewalks within 25 feet (7.5 meters) of openings. Building staff should be educated about this policy so they can direct smokers to designated smoking areas and away from entrances or windows. See Figure 1 in the LEED v4 reference guide.
Project Type Variations
Restaurant
Smoking must be prohibited outside the restaurant building in all areas except the designated outdoor smoking area. This prohibition must include all restaurant seating/café tables controlled by the project even if they lie outside of the property line (such as on a public sidewalk). See Figure 1 in the LEED v4 reference guide "
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/9/2020 – Updated: 11/25/2020
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Under the third paragraph, delete the last sentence" This smoking requirement also applies to any spaces outside the property line that are used for business purposes."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
7/25/2019 – Updated: 7/30/2019
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under Behind the Intent, Beta Update, delete the sentence "Further, while projects still need to ensure smoking is prohibited inside the building or inside the interior space, projects can opt to follow local code mandated maximum allowable distances for smoking from all building entries, outdoor air intakes and operable windows instead of the 25 feet policy in LEED."
Under Further Explanation, Delete the last paragraph that reads "The code limitations and restrictions are now an alternate pathway formally approved for achieving the prerequisite requirements and documentation for code compliance in lieu of meeting 25 feet rule may be submitted."
Under Further Explanation, Delete the last paragraph that reads "The code limitations and restrictions are now an alternate pathway formally approved for achieving the prerequisite requirements and documentation for code compliance in lieu of meeting 25 feet rule may be submitted."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
LEEDuser expert
Virginia Leary
LEED AP BD+C; TRUE Advisor, Fitwel Advisor
WSP USA
Assistant Consultant
