Hi,

My question is regarding the feasability of certifying a hydroelectric power plant facility under the LEED EBOM Rating System. We were unable to find any analogous cases online and we are concerned that this type of facility may not be certifiable under LEED. In the document LEED for Operations and Maintenance Reference Guide Introduction, under the title When to Use LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, it reads "LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M was designed to certify the sustainability of ongoing operations of existing commercial and institutional buildings. All such buildings, as defined by the standard building codes, are eligible for certification under LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M. They include but are not limited to offices, retail, and service establishments, institutional buildings (libraries, schools, museums, churches, etc), hotels, and residential buildings of four or more habitable stories".

Our main concern is that only a small portion of the facility is occupied. There is a small office and other areas where technicians give maintenance to machines, but it is minimal compared to the total size of the facilities. Also, we are having troubles defining the LEED Boundary (do we include the dam, the machine rooms, etc?).

I would appreciate if you could give me your opinion on this topic, as our client is very interested in pursuing LEED certification but we want to make sure that the LEED EBOM Rating System is applicable in this case.

Thanks!