"Regularly Occupied Spaces" are now "Applicable Spaces"

Hello Brittany,

I understand your confusion. I'm not sure exactly what was intended, but after a first read-through it is my guess that this is their way of making the text that describes the calculation options be generic so that it can apply to any criteria that they want to set up. So, for example, in LEED for Schools the "applicable spaces" can be either the "regularly occupied spaces" or the "classroom spaces" since they have set up different levels of percentages to achieve points in these areas. You can see that they left the term "Regularly Occupied Spaces" in the section under "Requirements." So, in most cases, applicable spaces means regularly occupied spaces. Just my guess!

It seems to me that the wording was changed to allow the project team to define their own "applicable" spaces, within the context of the credit. While all "regularly occupied" spaces should be considered, there are cases where a project team may want to exclude some of them. For example, an auditorium, a media-intense classroom, or a photo darkroom may be hindered by daylight/views. In this case, they would still be regularly occupied, but not applicable to the credit.

If you mean that they changed the wording for brevity so that "applicable spaces" means "regularly occupied spaces that have not been excepted" then I agree. If you mean that they wanted to allow the design team to make their own exceptions, then I strongly caution against using this interpretation.

This would allow the project team all of the freedom in choosing how the credit is applied. There is no precedent for this in any other credit. I know from experience that (though my logic would say otherwise) school auditoriums are not allowed as an exception to this credit because they is the possibility that they will get used for events other than black-box theaters and this use could benefit from daylighting. The design team is instructed to come up with their own way of blocking out all light from the windows for their black-box use. I'm pretty sure that photo darkrooms are excepted by precedent though.

I would be very surprised if this change was meant to allow the design team to make their own exceptions. They did not chance the wording that states "Exceptions for areas where tasks would be hindered by the use of daylight will be considered on their merits." Which, to me, says that they are the only ones allowed to approve exceptions.

Brevity, for sure. As you say, there always needs to be a strong case for exclusion. I mention those spaces as examples only -- NOT as a list of spaces I know to be allowed to be excluded.

If a performance theatre lobby is to be used for miscellaneous events on occasion, does this mean it should be an "applicable space"? Patrons will be lingering in the lobby and lounges before performances and during intermission where drinks will be served (you all know how this works), and this would be the normal scenario. If we don't include the grand lobby and lounge, the facility will not meet the intent of this credit. Not sure which way to go with this.

Yes, the lobbies and lounges are applicable spaces because any single occupant might be in there for an hour or more.