The project will have several patios / decks throughout, many of which will be covered by a large cantilever above (being the building itself). Should this be calculated under non-roof calculation? I'm assuming it should and the SRI for the decking will not matter for those areas provided with direct building shading above.

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emily reese moody

Sustainability Director, Certifications & Compliance

Jacobs

LEEDuser Expert

469 thumbs up

Mon, 12/10/2018 - 03:07

In my experience, you should count anything that you could see if you were hovering above the building. So, if you had a balcony that was inset, it wouldn't contribute to the calcs. If part of that balcony extended out from under the building, though, that portion would contribute, and you would likely want it to be compliant.

emily reese moody

Sustainability Director, Certifications & Compliance

Jacobs

LEEDuser Expert

469 thumbs up

Tue, 01/22/2019 - 20:39

I emailed LEED Coach for some balcony guidance, and have now heard back. Here's what I sent and their response: We are seeking some clarification for the Heat Island Effect credit. In my previous projects, if there was a balcony, terrace, green roof area, etc. that was not covered by the building (i.e. it is visible in plan view), we included that SF in our calculations and strove to select compliant materials. The v4 Reference Guide does not specifically mention areas such as these, unless they are specifically a roof (over an enclosed space below). If there is a balcony that projects away from the building, but does not provide a roof to an enclosed space for the building, how should it be treated? Response:
According to the Certification team, the balconies are considered non-roof and the SR should be included in the calculations. A balcony or terrace would be considered an architectural structure. The credit requirements state, "Provide shade with architectural devices or structures that have a three-year aged solar reflectance (SR) value of at least 0.28. If three-year aged value information is not available, use materials with an initial SR of at least 0.33 at installation." Note that only 50% of the non-roof area needs to meet the credit requirements. If you run into a major issue when the balconies are included in the calculation, please let us know and the Certification team can take a look at the project-specific issues with you on a call. Hope that helps people in their related queries.

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