Central vacuums existed in the "Contaminant Control" category in LEED Homes 2008: https://www.usgbc.org/node/1731967?return=/credits/homes/v2008/indoor-en...
They do not exist in the next version, which is LEED Homes v4: https://www.usgbc.org/node/2612496?return=/credits/homes/v4/indoor-envir...
This document tracks the changes between the two, and it doesn't mention central vacuums, though the section was radically reorganized, so maybe they just deleted without comment: https://www.usgbc.org/sites/default/files/Summary%20of%20Changes%20-%20L...
How would I go about getting more information about this?
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11474 thumbs up
August 7, 2019 - 10:51 pm
Nathan, I think it was deleted without comment, as you indicate. You could dig into the LEED Homes v4 drafts or public comments... not sure if there will be a paper trail. I might try to find and contact folks listed in the LEED Homes v4 Reference Guide as having contributed toward writing it.
Nathan Barlow
August 8, 2019 - 9:19 am
Tristan,
Thank you, this is helpful. I looked through the public comments and LEED said "thank you for your comment. Central vacuum systems were installed so infrequently in LEED for Homes projects that they were removed." If I was looking to getting this reconsidered, would I submit a proposal for the v4.1 open call? https://new.usgbc.org/leed-v41#join
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11474 thumbs up
August 12, 2019 - 12:13 pm
Yes, that would be a good starting place. I would suggest taking a fresh approach to the credit to merit consideration, so it's not just "you shouldn't have removed this credit," but rather "here's a fresh take on how to encourage good IEQ in homes," or something. For example, in LEED v4 BD+C, several IEQ strategies were combined into one credit as multiple options within that credit. Any one of them was perhaps not relevant to stand on its own as a credit, but together they represent a comprehensive view. I don't know if a similar approach exists in Homes, but it could, if not.