We are working on a building which is 14% core-and-shell. The rest is being finished by the developer and leased out. We are registering under BD&C New Construction. The developer will be finishing out the core-and-shell portion someday when they get a tenant, but right now the plans are blank except the walls. What is the best way to prove to a LEED reviewer that the sustainable features in the rest of the building will be included in the core-and-shell portion when it is finished out?
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Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11477 thumbs up
November 1, 2013 - 3:22 pm
Lawrence, this is taken on a credit by credit basis, but some familiarity with the CS rating system will help you. I would review CS Appendix 4 in the BD&C Reference Guide, and think about this on a credit by credit basis (and post credit-specific questions in our forums).
Lawrence Lile
Chief EngineerLile Engineering, LLC
76 thumbs up
November 1, 2013 - 5:45 pm
I am thinking in terms of developing a "Tenant Design and Construction Guidelines" along the lines of the CS SS Credit 9. This would be an overall plan that would guide the construction of the core-and-shell space if it is ever completed.
Although SS 9 isn't part of LEED-NC, since this isn't registered as a core-and-shell building, this specification might be a good way to show the LEED reviewer that we will be finishing out the minor tenant spaces consistent with the rest of the building.
The reviewer might question, for example, what plumbing fixtures or low VOC finishes will go into the empty space for the future tenant. "Tenant Design and Construction Guidelines" would demonstrate how we intend to meet these requirements as the developer finishes the future space. These specifications are meant to bind the developer, as they are responsible for finishing to suit the tenant.
In any credit where there would be any questions about the blank space, I'd attach this specification as part of the Alternative Compliance Path. Does that make sense for a consistent strategy across many credits?
Barry Giles
Founder & CEO, LEED Fellow, BREEAM FellowBuildingWise LLC
LEEDuser Expert
338 thumbs up
November 3, 2013 - 4:30 pm
Lawrence...very notable...except that 'Tenant Design and Construction guidelines' are just that...guidelines. To be 'enforced' they would need to be a line item into the tenant agreement, signed as part of the lease. Is that possible? If it is GBCI would probably consider that the 'guidelines' were then 'mandatory'.
Susan Walter
HDRLEEDuser Expert
1296 thumbs up
November 4, 2013 - 2:05 pm
This came up on a recent review for an NC v2.2 project. The reviewer noted that several LEED Interpretations address unfinished spaces and they are required to be built to the LEED standard used for the building. The one quoted in our review was LI 3900. You may want to start there. A letter from the owner committing to building out the shell spaces to LEED standards was all that we needed. (Our project is 100% owner occupied so your mileage may vary.)
Lawrence Lile
Chief EngineerLile Engineering, LLC
76 thumbs up
November 4, 2013 - 3:17 pm
Barry, your comment would be spot on if this was a tenant finish-out. In that case the Lease would govern the tenant's construction practices.
However it is going to be finished by the Owner, so construction is not the tenant's responsibility. Susan's comment that the Owner should write a letter committing to certain LEED standards, and attaching my guidelines, sounds like a reasonable approach.