We are working on a LEED O+M: existing building project with a multilevel parking space (10th floor mechanical parking) attached to the main building.
There is no parking space on the top floor of the structure, in which case it must comply with the criteria for roof area according to the LEED Reference Guide.
My question is about the case when the roof of the parking structure does not comply with roof standards (high SRI). In this case, is it reasonable to count the remaining parking spaces except for the parking spaces of the top floor under the roof as complying with the requirements of the underground parking option, or should the entire parking spaces in the tower be considered as not meeting the conditions of the underground parking spaces?
emily reese moody
Sustainability Director, Certifications & ComplianceJacobs
LEEDuser Expert
476 thumbs up
October 30, 2022 - 6:20 pm
I'm not entirely sure I'm understanding your project correctly, but I'll try to respond and see if this makes sense.
If your parking garage is entirely underground or under cover (like an above-ground garage), and the top level (that is exposed to sky) is not providing parking spaces, then your project is eligible for Opt 2 for 1 pt, provided that the top level is either SRI-compliant, vegetated, or covered in renewable systems (which is sounds like yours in not). In this case, your project would not be eligible for Opt 2 since you cannot meet all of the criteria.
Depending on the rest of your building roof materials, and site elements, you may be eligible for Opt 1. I recommend using the Credit Form in LEED Online to test the waters and see how close your project is to complying with the weighted option if you have other roof/site elements that are qualifying. I'm often surprised by how many projects still qualify using the weighted approach, even if there are areas that are non-compliant.