Dear All,
One of our clients is considering the possibility of certifying an addition to an existing airport terminal and asked us to perform a preliminary evaluation of the potential LEED score. The idea is to limit the scope of the certification to the addition, excluding the existing building from the certification process.
The addition will be physically connected to the existing building. However, according to LEED Minimum Program Requirements, “Buildings that are physically connected by programmable space are considered one building for LEED purposes unless … they are a newly constructed addition”. My interpretation is that, as the addition is a new construction, it can be certified as an independent building. My question is: are there any specific LEED requirements and / or conditions that must be met by the addition in order to achieve LEED certification ? Where can I find guidance on this ?
Thank you in advance.
Summer Minchew
Managing PartnerEcoimpact Consulting
LEEDuser Expert
164 thumbs up
May 15, 2019 - 10:34 am
An addition project could be eligible for LEED BD+C certification if there is enough in the project scope to meet all prerequisites and credits for certification. I find typically the determining factor to be whether or not the addition can meet the LEED BD+C Prerequisites for Whole Building Energy and Whole Building Water meters.
Sandra Arismendi
August 12, 2019 - 3:34 pm
Summer, I'm working on a project for which the area boundary has been set excluding the area that the contractor will use for staging(trailer's location, material's storage) during construction do this will hurt our LEED project's score? Any recommendations?
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11474 thumbs up
August 13, 2019 - 9:39 am
Sandra, what is in the scope?
If you're concerned about the score being hurt by a staging area being excluded, this should not affect the project scorecard at all as long as you have a normal building project with full scope inside the area.
Technically the LEED boundary should include everything in the project scope, so I'm hoping the staging area itself will not be disturbed or altered significantly by the staging activity.
Sandra Arismendi
August 13, 2019 - 1:26 pm
Tristan , Thanks for your answer , bringing all the main utilities to the new building facility was not part of the project scope before but it is now. The contractor's trailer and materials storage during construction is out of the project boundary. Additionally It might be some minor construction demolition outside of the boundary to bring the new utilities to the building