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NC-v4.1 LTc8:Electric Vehicles

Combination option?

Joseph Snider

Principal

Integrative Sustainability Solutions

LEEDuser Premium Member

46 thumbs up

October 6, 2020

Has anybody seen an option to install some EVs and then some EV ready to combine Option 1 and 2? In 2009, there was a way to run weighted calcualtions. We have a project doing a little bit of both, but unwilling to commit to ALL of the EVs needed to meet the credit.

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Emily Purcell

Sustainable Design Lead

CannonDesign

LEEDuser Expert

379 thumbs up

Wed, 10/07/2020 - 14:09

Hi Joseph. haven't seen anything official but definitely reach out to USGBC and ask. (I wrote that LEED interpretation about the weighted approach in v2009 after getting countless emails from project teams asking how they could do both. Seems like an equally reasonable approach to the credit, but published guidance might be waiting on a critical mass of people asking for it.)

Joseph Snider

Principal

Integrative Sustainability Solutions

LEEDuser Premium Member

46 thumbs up

Wed, 10/07/2020 - 14:43

Thanks, Emily. Yeah, I shot a note over to them. We may just go for it. For the record if anybody else is reading, it seems that if Option 1 (full EVs) is 2% and Option 2 (EV ready) is 6%, then essentially one full EV is the equivalent of 3 EV readies. So if you have 400 spaces, then you would need 24 EV ready spots. But if you have 6 full EV stations, that is the equivalent of 18 EV ready. Then you would only need 6 more EV ready spaces. I'll let people know if I hear anything or what happens if we submit under that.

Joseph Snider

Principal

Integrative Sustainability Solutions

LEEDuser Premium Member

46 thumbs up

Tue, 10/13/2020 - 21:26

FYI, I heard back from USGBC on this one. NO, they won't accept a weighted option. However, they will allow a full EV to count as an EV ready...so if you needed 10 EV readies, and you had 6 full charing stations, you would only need 4 more EV ready spots.

emily reese moody

Sustainability Director, Certifications & Compliance

Jacobs

LEEDuser Expert

469 thumbs up

Tue, 10/13/2020 - 21:41

I keep having this question comes up, too. This is another one of those times where we really deserve a "why" response instead of just "no" so that we can aptly explain to our clients why GBCI won't consider this very logical and reasonable approach that meets the credit intent. Frustrating all around.

Emily Purcell

Sustainable Design Lead

CannonDesign

LEEDuser Expert

379 thumbs up

Tue, 10/13/2020 - 22:06

That is frustrating! I can see the reasoning being that in v2009, preferred spaces and chargers were both incentives for greater EV uptake, while in v4 chargers and EV ready are both about meeting near-future demand for EV infrastructure. You could split incentives between the stronger option (chargers) and the weaker one (preferred parking) but to meet demand, you just need a certain number of spaces to have the wiring. That's just me spitballing, though, and there is definitely an argument for allowing a weighted approach if that's what projects need to pursue the credit at all. Meanwhile, Chicago is about to roll out a requirement for 20% EV ready spaces...I have a feeling the 2% / 6% is going to become dated pretty quick, even if it is a stretch right now.

Dave Hubka

Practice Leader - Sustainability

EUA

LEEDuser Expert

510 thumbs up

Wed, 10/14/2020 - 15:44

take a look at LI 10485. https://www.usgbc.org/leedaddenda/10485 This allows a combination of preferred parking and EVSE....don't know why this combination approach could not also be used in v4.1. I agree that this is frustrating and that GBCI should give us a why and not just a no. Our project teams deserve a reason if the answer is no. I'll poke the GBCI on this too - - - sometimes it takes a village!

Dave Hubka

Practice Leader - Sustainability

EUA

LEEDuser Expert

510 thumbs up

Wed, 10/21/2020 - 20:03

Got a response from GBCI today, here it is: "The combination of Options 1 and Options 2 can be allowed on a project-specific basis. Simply fill out the Special Circumstances narrative and document an Alternative Compliance Path that meets the intent/requirements of the options combined" GOOD LUCK!