SPECIAL REPORT
LEEDuser expert
Stephen Ashkin
The Ashkin Group LLC
President
SPECIAL REPORT
LEEDuser’s viewpoint
Frank advice from LEED experts
LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To reduce levels of chemical, biological, and particulate contaminants, which can compromise human health, building finishes and systems, and the environment, by implementing effective cleaning procedures.
Requirements
ESTABLISHMENT
None.
PERFORMANCE
Implement the strategies set forth in the facility’s green cleaning policy and perform routine inspection and monitoring. This inspection must verify that the specified strategies have been implemented and must identify areas in need of improvement.
Additionally, conduct an annual audit in accordance with APPA Leadership in Educational Facilities’ Custodial Staffing Guidelines, or a local equivalent, whichever is more stringent, to determine the appearance level of the facility. The facility must score 2.5 or better.
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
Isn’t the APPA audit just for educational facilities?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.) |
I have multiple tenants in my building. Do I need to audit 10% of each space type in each tenant area?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.) |
In our multi-tenant building there are many spaces that are currently vacant or mid-fit-out. Should those spaces be included in the audit?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 plan on training two in-house staff to conduct the audit. Do we have to purchase a copy of the APPA Custodial Staffing Guidelines?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.) |
When should we conduct the audit?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.) |
How many times can we conduct an APPA audit? We want to use the results of our first audit to improve housekeeping practices and then perform a second audit to see if we’re closer to reaching our desired level of cleanliness.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.) |
How frequently do we have to conduct an APPA audit?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.) |
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.
Get the inside scoop
Our editors have written a detailed analysis of nearly every LEED credit, and LEEDuser premium members get full access. We’ll tell you whether the credit is easy to accomplish or better left alone, and we provide insider tips on how to document it successfully.
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To reduce levels of chemical, biological, and particulate contaminants, which can compromise human health, building finishes and systems, and the environment, by implementing effective cleaning procedures.
Requirements
ESTABLISHMENT
None.
PERFORMANCE
Implement the strategies set forth in the facility’s green cleaning policy and perform routine inspection and monitoring. This inspection must verify that the specified strategies have been implemented and must identify areas in need of improvement.
Additionally, conduct an annual audit in accordance with APPA Leadership in Educational Facilities’ Custodial Staffing Guidelines, or a local equivalent, whichever is more stringent, to determine the appearance level of the facility. The facility must score 2.5 or better.
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.
Isn’t the APPA audit just for educational facilities?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.) |
I have multiple tenants in my building. Do I need to audit 10% of each space type in each tenant area?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.) |
In our multi-tenant building there are many spaces that are currently vacant or mid-fit-out. Should those spaces be included in the audit?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 plan on training two in-house staff to conduct the audit. Do we have to purchase a copy of the APPA Custodial Staffing Guidelines?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.) |
When should we conduct the audit?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.) |
How many times can we conduct an APPA audit? We want to use the results of our first audit to improve housekeeping practices and then perform a second audit to see if we’re closer to reaching our desired level of cleanliness.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.) |
How frequently do we have to conduct an APPA audit?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.) |
LEEDuser expert
Stephen Ashkin
The Ashkin Group LLC
President