We are optimizing a 4 storey residential building for certification under LEED EBOM (it is currently under construction) . Most residential units will have to allow smoking . My understanding is that in addition to pressurization , weather stripping of apartment doors and blower tests, this also means the ducting will have to be redesigned st all air from smoking appartments must be completely exhausted outdoors and 100% fresh air only must be supplied to apartment spaces. Is my understanding correct ? The issues here are not only ducting redesign, but the energy efficiency issues of using 100% fresh air for cooling for all these spaces as this is an extremely hot climate which will completely undermine building performance in EAC1 optimize energy performance . Any other suggestions or alternatives to save the project energy efficiency performance and meet the ETS prerequisite ?
You rely on LEEDuser. Can we rely on you?
LEEDuser is supported by our premium members, not by advertisers.
Go premium for
Ben Stanley
Senior Sustainability ManagerWSP - Built Ecology
LEEDuser Expert
250 thumbs up
March 9, 2016 - 11:25 am
Hi Ranya,
How is the ventilation system currently designed? The smoking prerequisite doesn't prescribe a specific ventilation strategy and so you may have some options. But, since the prerequisite essentially prohibits air transfer from one unit to another, the ventilation system could not be designed in such a way that air from one residential unit would later end up in another.
Barry Giles
Founder & CEO, LEED Fellow, BREEAM FellowBuildingWise LLC
LEEDuser Expert
338 thumbs up
March 9, 2016 - 11:56 am
Ranya. A brief question. If the building is being constructed from the ground up then EBOM is the wrong rating system to be using....you should be in BD&C.
Ranya Metwalli Shields
LEED AP BD+C, CEMMarch 9, 2016 - 3:13 pm
Barry, the building is currently under construction, a number of BD+C prerequisites incl construction activity pollution prevention already voided as owner request for LEED certification came halfway through construction. Hence we decided best option to plan ahead and "optimize" building for EBOM. If only they had called us a year ago !
Ranya Metwalli Shields
LEED AP BD+C, CEMMarch 9, 2016 - 3:42 pm
Thanks Ben, at the moment there are a number of apartments sharing a common return. Each apartment receives a mixture of fresh and recirculated return air. Note that at this point in time we can make some changes to the HVAC design . Would it be okay to recirculate the return air from the non smoking appartments throughout the building including the supply of the non-smoking apartments this would help solve the problem. What additional measures, if any in this scenario should be included to prevent cross-contamination ? Is there any way you know of where we can treat or clean the smoke-laden air ? Any other suggestions to solve our dilemma ? Thanks !
Ben Stanley
Senior Sustainability ManagerWSP - Built Ecology
LEEDuser Expert
250 thumbs up
March 29, 2016 - 12:11 pm
Hi Ranya,
I don't know the answer to your question 100%, but it doesn't seem like recirculating air back to a central AHU would work. Even if it was only recirculated air from non-smoking units, those units could change to smoking units at a later date. Treating the air somehow also wouldn't align with the prerequisite requirements. If you wanted to try that, it would require submitting a CIR.
Ranya Metwalli Shields
LEED AP BD+C, CEMMarch 29, 2016 - 4:27 pm
Ben,
Thanks,
Another idea is to set up lease so smoking is on balconies only . Balcony doors would be weatherstripped and adjacent room positively pressurised (balcony would be treated as smoking room ) We would also have to conduct blower tests and ensure no intakes or operable windows within 25 ft of balconies, but the main thing is this implementation means we will not compromise on our energy efficiency targets which was the main concern.What do you think ?
Aso, non-smoking units would not change over time to smoking. Would this help ?
Ben Stanley
Senior Sustainability ManagerWSP - Built Ecology
LEEDuser Expert
250 thumbs up
March 29, 2016 - 6:01 pm
That might be possible if you could show that ETS transfer to other units would be minimized. Maybe you saw this related LEED interpretation http://www.usgbc.org/content/li-1957?