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Group Approach?

Santiago Avila

Junior Sustainability Engineer

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

May 27, 2024

Hello everyone,

I am currently working on a project consisting of two residential towers (deep retrofit). Although they appear to be connected from the outside, the only connection they have is through the underground parking lots. It is important to note that they have the same owner, are connected to the same thermal district, do not have cooling, have the same type of ventilation but do not have a centralized system, and have the same connection to the potable water network (a single meter). Clearly, the parking lot is not conditioned, but there is a gym and a laundry room in the underground area that both towers will apparently share. Can it be certified as a single project, or does it need to be adapted to meet the requirements as a group approach?

Thank you in advance

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Andrey Kuznetsov

ESG consultant, LEED AP BD+C

Self Employed

LEEDuser Basic Member

36 thumbs up

Wed, 05/29/2024 - 13:02

Hello!
Based on your description - no, it must be certified as separate buildings (two projects). But you can ask for exemption for your specific project by GBCI - make your best in statement why it's reasonable to treat it like one building and single project - and it can be granted. What you can use as arguments: - one owner and maintenance by owner as one building; - it shares some of engineering systems; - if it are close to each other and don't only "touches" common psrking - you can point out the architectural unity of the project.

Santiago Avila

Junior Sustainability Engineer

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

Wed, 05/29/2024 - 13:27

Hello Andrey, thank you for your prompt reply. Do you happen to know if there is a definition available somewhere? I believe I could base it on the architectural unity and shared spaces, such as the parking area accessible to both towers, where you can also find the fitness and laundry facilities

Kath Williams

LEED Fellow 2011, Principal

Kath Williams + Associates

LEEDuser Premium Member

103 thumbs up

Wed, 05/29/2024 - 13:51

Strongly suggest you contact GBCI to discuss as per their advice to our team as recently as two weeks ago. Our experience has been that sharing a common podium, some systems, common space, and parking does not constitute a single building. The recent project seeking certification was a warehouse, office, restrooms, and security guard checkpoint that were each in separate buildings. Because they function as one unit (impossible to function without each other), it made sense that they could be certified as one "building" and GBCI agreed. (The discussion also was blostered by the fact they were in a temperate climate where physical connections were not necessary.) Contact GBCI sooner than later!

Santiago Avila

Junior Sustainability Engineer

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

Wed, 05/29/2024 - 15:07

I deeply appreciate your comment about your experience, thank you.

Andrey Kuznetsov

ESG consultant, LEED AP BD+C

Self Employed

LEEDuser Basic Member

36 thumbs up

Thu, 05/30/2024 - 03:31

The only definition and guide for it (for deciding if it is one or two buildings) is at the one of MPR - Must Use Reasonable LEED Boundaries. Among other things it states: Buildings that have no physical connection or are physically connected only by circulation, parking, or mechanical/storage rooms are considered separate buildings and individual projects for LEED purposes, with the following exceptions:
...
- For other cases such as buildings that have programmatic dependency (spaces – not personnel – within the building cannot function independently without the other building) or architectural cohesiveness (the building was designed to appear as one building), project teams are encouraged to contact USGBC to discuss their project prior to proceeding. So even GBCI urges you to contact it to discuss the issue. Make the description of you case to convince GBCI that you case falls under such exception and check it on some of your colleagues not involved in the project and ask them to challange you. If you succed to sell them idea, that it's one building - proceed to GBCI to convience them.

Glen Boldt

ZC Sustainability

LEEDuser Premium Member

1 thumbs up

Thu, 05/30/2024 - 03:51

I think you can probably win this one as a single building, but if not, use the Group approach. Note that if you do that, you can also ask for additional credits beyond those that are deemed "Group" eligble if you can justify it. You will have to pay to regeister each building but the review fees will be based on the aggregagte GSF of the 2.