Hi!!
Do parquing areas for bicycles also be excluded from "Total gross square footage"?
When in PIFORM 2 LEED asks "Number of stories below grade, excluding parking:", in our case we have a floor with parquing but also with other spaces (mostly tecnic rooms) should i count this floor?
In our building the cooling and heating system uses geothermal energy throught an heat pump. We understand that this kind of system, in credit EA c2 LEED, is not considered renewable, for is not a deep-earth water or steam system. So should we also consider for this form that we dont have geothermal energy?
Thanks!!
Kimberly Frith
323 thumbs up
April 8, 2013 - 5:39 pm
Albert,
1. If the bicycle storage is indoors or under a canopy that you would consider gross square footage, it should be included, otherwise it makes sense to exclude those areas from the total gross square footage.
2. I believe the # of stories below grade is related to the building envelope categories for EAp2 (below grade walls have different baseline U-values from above grade walls), so I would make that call based on if your below grade levels have any occupiable space. If they are primarily parking garages with mechanical rooms, those could probably be excluded.
3. A geothermal heat pump does not count as on-site renewable energy and should be reported as electricity.
Good luck!
Albert Sagrera
ArchitectSocietat Organica
13 thumbs up
April 9, 2013 - 4:01 am
Kimberly, thanks!!
The bicicle storage is on the same floor and next to the parquing for cars, and both indoors. I assume that if we have to exclude this area of the parquing for cars also should exclude the parquing for bicicles?
Kimberly Frith
323 thumbs up
April 17, 2013 - 3:32 pm
Albert, it seems sensible to exclude that area since it is a parking level.