Hello,
I've struggled for a while with the exact definition of various floor area related terms in LEED ND. Can anyone give me any guidance on the typical elements that are included and excluded in "building floor area" and "conditioned square footage"?
As far as I can tell, LEED ND does not provide a standard reference for these terms and they can vary pretty significantly from one jurisdiction to another if one uses local zoning or building codes as references.
Thanks,
Daniel
Daniel Costantino
Urban Planner, LEED AP NDEcology & Environment, Inc.
69 thumbs up
October 19, 2011 - 12:10 pm
I should note that "conditioned square footage" appears in GIB P3 (water efficiency). "Building floor area" is part of the definition for density (NPD P2 and C2) and is also mentioned in GIB P2 (energy efficiency).
Eliot Allen
LEED AP-ND, PrincipalCriterion Planners
LEEDuser Expert
303 thumbs up
October 27, 2011 - 1:18 pm
Daniel, "building floor area" is equivalent to "gross floor area" as defined in the ND Addenda issued on 8/1/2011. You're correct that there's no formal definition of "conditioned square footage" in the rating system, but it's meant to include any portion of a building that is space heated and/or cooled.
Eliot