The parking is Under the building

LEED Interpretation #2391 pertains to this. However, it doesn't say the ruling is applicable to LEEDv4 projects. The Ruling States: A parking garage placed under a building can qualify as compliant under SS Credit 7.1 if the appropriate percentage of total parking is located in the garage. Roofs that directly shade parking, such as a carport roof, are subject to the SRI requirement of 29. However, an SRI requirement does not exist for parking placed underground, under deck, or under a building. Applicable Internationally.

Hello, I´d like to ask what happens when underground parking is out from the project boundary. In my case parking assigned to the building is reserved in an underground public parking next to the building but not owned by the building itself, and it´s under a public place. Is this parking elegible for option 2?.

Borja: This is a great question with a fairly complicated response. The reference guide for SSc Heat Island Reduction, Option 2. Parking Under Cover indicates that only parking spaces within the LEED project boundary can be included in the calculation for this credit. However, it also states that the total parking value must be consistent with the parking spaces used for other credits. The reference guide for LTc Reduced Parking Footprint states: "The credit calculations must include all existing and new off-street parking spaces that are leased or owned by the project, including parking that is outside the project boundary but is used by the project. On-street parking in public rights-of-way is excluded from these calculations." The total vehicle parking capacity must include any leased, owned, or designated spaces located outside of the project boundary and must be consistent across credits. Therefore, I believe your project can include the reserved parking in the calculations for SSc Heat Island Reduction, Option 2. Parking Under Cover. You will want to write a narrative explaining your strategy and make sure that parking is treated consistently across all credits. Please follow up and let us know how this goes during review.

Hi, Summer: I have already asked the same question to my LEED Coach and his answer has the same reasoning as you give me: "parking must be reported consistently throughout the project", that´s why undercover parking out from project boundary should count for Option 2 in this case. Hope this can help to any other with the same doubt.

A follow up to Radwa's original question; the roof for parking that is underground or under a building does not need to meet the SRI requirements.

I am confused by the responses regarding "reporting" parking that is outside the LEED boundary - it makes sense to me for responding to LTc Reduced Parking Footprint; however if parking outside the LEED boundary is included in SSc Heat Island Reduction (disregarding the Option 2 approach), wouldn't that throw off all the SF numbers, which are based on LEED site area?

Hi Deborah,  Although LEED does not make this clear and there are no LEED interpretations on this, I believe the SSc Heat Island Reduction Option 1, is only talking about the hardscape within the LEED boundary. You do not need to report the number of parking spaces in the calculations for Option 1, rather this option is based on the total SF of hardscape on site. Additionally, if a project utilizes off-site parking, they do not have the option to alter those spaces in anyway, so to me it would seem unfair to ask projects to include hardscape that is outside of their scope of work.  This is just my best guess as I have not encountered this issue, but I hope it helps!