For an office space with 100 individual working spaces the project team has used operable windows in order to provide thermal comfort control. 80 working spaces are located within 20 feet of a window to the inside, and ten feet from side to side. However, we have got a response from the reviewer that “it is unclear that this space has 80 individual operable windows.” From our understanding operable windows are not supposed to be individual, which cannot occur by definition in an open-plan office space. Is that correct?
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Dylan Connelly
Mechanical EngineerIntegral Group
LEEDuser Expert
472 thumbs up
March 6, 2015 - 5:09 pm
That's a rough comment. The credit says you need to be close to an operable window OR have individual control. I'd recommend you appeal the decision if you're rejected.
Larissa Oaks
Specialist, LEEDUSGBC
LEEDuser Expert
67 thumbs up
May 11, 2015 - 10:41 am
I agree with Dylan, the review comment is incorrect.
Agnieszka Rylska
GO4IT SP Z OO SP K29 thumbs up
June 1, 2016 - 9:36 am
Charalampos, was your approch accepted by GBCI or did they say in the end that there has to be one operable window per person in order to comply with the credit requirements?
Charalampos Giannikopoulos
Senior Sustainability ConsultantDCarbon
84 thumbs up
June 2, 2016 - 3:31 am
Agata, just to clarify that this project was seeking the corresponding credit of v4. However, although the reviewer's technical advice is not part of the "changes from LEED 2009" section of v4 reference guide we had to comply with it and provide alternative means of the thermal comforts such as desktop fans.
Agnieszka Rylska
GO4IT SP Z OO SP K29 thumbs up
June 2, 2016 - 3:46 am
Do you know if it's still possible to achieve this credit in v2009 by using operable windows (one window would be for more than one person or two)? People without access to windows could use fancoil units.
Charalampos Giannikopoulos
Senior Sustainability ConsultantDCarbon
84 thumbs up
June 2, 2016 - 3:55 am
So far yes, we have managed to achieve this credit at v3 projects with one operable window for more than one occupants as long as those occupants are within 20 feet of this window to the inside, and 10 feet from side to side.
Agnieszka Rylska
GO4IT SP Z OO SP K29 thumbs up
June 2, 2016 - 3:59 am
Thank you for a quick response!
Larissa Oaks
Specialist, LEEDUSGBC
LEEDuser Expert
67 thumbs up
June 2, 2016 - 5:46 pm
Hi Charalampos, the requirement for operable windows has not changed for LEED v4. I will discuss this with GBCI to make sure it is being interpreted properly for LEED v4, and we will consider releasing an addendum to the reference guide to further clarify.
Charalampos Giannikopoulos
Senior Sustainability ConsultantDCarbon
84 thumbs up
June 3, 2016 - 10:05 am
Thanks Larissa! That would be very helpful!
Charalampos Giannikopoulos
Senior Sustainability ConsultantDCarbon
84 thumbs up
June 27, 2016 - 11:55 am
Hi Larissa, we've just received a review for a v2009 project and the reviewer has commented that "it appears that each operable window has been counted as a thermal control for multiple occupants located close to the windows and that this credit only allows an operable window to be utilized as a single thermal control (e.g. each operable window could only be applied to one workstation or shared multi occupant space)." Obviously so far we have been able to comply with the credit requirements providing operable windows which are not individually operable.
Did you have the chance to discuss this issue with the GBCI? Thank you.
Larissa Oaks
Specialist, LEEDUSGBC
LEEDuser Expert
67 thumbs up
June 27, 2016 - 3:32 pm
Hi Charalampos, Yes I have talked with GBCI about this issue for LEED 2009 and LEED v4. They will be clarifying the requirements to the reviewers but there may be a few projects already in the pipeline that will be impacted as your project apparently has. Thanks!