Should a crawl space be included in the GSF of a project if it's completely empty (not hosting any mechanical equipment?) If the crawl space DOES have mechanical equipment within it, should it be included? The space is not at a height where anyone can stand within it.
Thank You!
Jon Clifford
LEED-AP BD+CGREENSQUARE
LEEDuser Expert
323 thumbs up
August 29, 2016 - 11:42 pm
Sara—LEED and ASHRAE define gross floor area: “The sum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building, including basements, mezzanine and intermediate‐floored tiers, and penthouses with headroom height of 7.5 ft (2.2 meters) or greater,” excluding “non‐enclosed (or non‐enclosable) roofed‐over areas such as exterior covered walkways, porches, terraces or steps, roof overhangs, and similar features,” excluding “air shafts, pipe trenches, and chimneys,” and excluding “floor area dedicated to the parking and circulation of motor vehicles.” (The definition of gross square footage is virtually identical.)
Therefore, if the height of a crawlspace is less than 7.5 ft (2.2 meters), do not include it in the gross floor area.