We have a municipal building that won't likely comply with the open space area needed based on the project site area alone. However there is a City-owned P-Patch nearby. If the City dedicates or allocates the P-Patch as open space associated with the project for the life of the building, can we include it toward achievement of this credit? There is a section in the Reference Guide for "multi-tenant complex only" where non-adjacent space in the same master plan can contribute. A City might be considered akin to a master plan with multiple tenants, i.e. departments. The Multi-Tenant section also notes the open space area "is in or is returned to a natural state". If non-adjacent open space is allowed, could it be any type of vegetated open space as outlined in the credit? In this case we'd be maintaining "a garden space dedicated to community gardening".
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emily reese moody
Sustainability Director, Certifications & ComplianceJacobs
LEEDuser Expert
452 thumbs up
January 16, 2019 - 1:15 pm
Admittedly, I had to look up what a p-patch is. For anyone else not familiar with the term: "A P-Patch is a parcel of property used for gardening allotments; the term is specific to Seattle, Washington. The "P" originally stood for "Picardo", after the family who owned Picardo Farm in Seattle's Wedgwood neighborhood, part of which became the original P-Patch."
Now for your question:
I feel like this is a bit of a reach, but if you can get an official statement from the City claiming ownership, allocating it to this project, state that no other project will be able to claim the same area in the future, and that it will remain as open space for the life of your project, then you may be able to swing it. I would proposed the question and content of the declaration to GBCI or LEED Coach before going through the exercise. Be sure to stress that the strategy is meeting the intent of the credit as stated (which I feel like it is).
We have successfully used similar approaches on credits in the past; it just really depends on the project circumstances.
Teresa Stern
Artist, Curator, WriterTeresa Stern Arts
17 thumbs up
January 23, 2019 - 3:21 pm
I forget that a term like "P-patch" may be a local one, aka "community garden plots". Thanks for you reply Emily. I did bring this up in a LEED Coach correspondence, and here is their response:
"Regarding Open Space, the description you provide does not seem to meet the intent of a campus/multi-tenant complex. Since this one parcel among many in a downtown core, it's likely the open space would have be on the same parcel/within the LPB; however, if the planned open space is on an adjacent city-owned parcel, and thus appears to part of the LEED Project area, the project team might have a case. However, if it's just a nearby city-owned parcel, that will not meet the requirements and thus no alternate compliance is available."