I am working on a project that is only half funded. The A/E firm has been approved for 80% construction docs. It also is going to have a significant amount of leasable space to which tenants have not yet been identified. As the project moves along, the leasable space may become leased and then the use may change which may impact occupancy numbers. Having said all that, would you do a design submittal or not? If yes, when?
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Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11477 thumbs up
May 24, 2011 - 11:06 am
Shannon, what rating system are you using? CS or NC?Sounds like a design submittal could be complicated. What does the client prefer?
Shannon Deeb
ConsultantMac Company
24 thumbs up
May 24, 2011 - 11:43 am
Tristan- Thanks for the reply. We are using NC because 54% of the space has known tenants and/or is owner occupied. The client is looking for my recommendation which I am presenting this week. My recommendation is to hold off until we get approval for 100% construction docs at which time we can reevaluate where we are with funding also. The unknown tenant spaces will probably still be unknown at this time however. Do you or does anyone have previous experience with such a high ratio of unidentified tenant space in using the NC rating system? Any thoughts/recommendations?
David Posada
Integrated Design & LEED SpecialistSERA Architects
LEEDuser Expert
1979 thumbs up
May 24, 2011 - 1:22 pm
We've seen similar projects under NC with the owner occupying just over half the building and the rest of the building only built out as a core and shell for future tenant improvements (TIs). If the other tenant improvement spaces are not "controlled" by the building owner or built out as part of the contract for the owner's TI, they can be excluded from the NC submission. Often the other TIs are built by different general contractors and at a different time than the core and shell and owner's TI space, so those would not be considered under the owner's control. Many multi-tenant office building owners feel they cannot require potential tenants to pursue LEED CI for their space, or become part of an NC submission that's already underway since that can increase the costs that the tenants would have to pay for commissioning, documentation, project management, and any material premiums.
For an NC project with some core and shell spaces, the building owner is expected to provide a tenant manual for the other tenant improvements that encourages them to follow LEED guidelines by offering suggestions for material and product selections, explains the benefits of pursuing LEED strategies, and provides guidance to make those options easier to implement such as providing a Construction Waste Management Plan, forms and templates for documenting materials, IAQ Management Plan for construction, etc.
Hope that helps!
Shannon Deeb
ConsultantMac Company
24 thumbs up
May 27, 2011 - 12:26 pm
David, Thanks for the above info. If we submit under NC with some C&S space, how do you address the building energy model and water calculations? Does the C&S space get factored into the energy model and water calculations or just the NC space?
David Posada
Integrated Design & LEED SpecialistSERA Architects
LEEDuser Expert
1979 thumbs up
May 27, 2011 - 5:14 pm
For the FTE numbers that inform the energy model and water calcs you would assume those spaces are built out following default occupancy numbers that are found in the BD&C Reference Guide Appendix 1. For energy modeling of those spaces see Appendix 2, and also the NC and CS 2009 EAp2 forums - there are some related comments there.
Shannon Deeb
ConsultantMac Company
24 thumbs up
May 30, 2011 - 10:02 am
David-Thanks so much for all of your guidance. It has been most helpful.