From the text in MPR3, it seems plausible that bike parking and showers used to meet credit SS4.2 could be built by renovation in another in another facility outside the project's LEED scope, as long as they meet distance requirements, but the energy use/water use/materials/etc etc all other elements used to create the bike area and showers would not be counted toward the LEED project? The project in question here is a new 14 story full building addition to an existing two building complex. The intent is to certify the new building, the two existing buildings will have some renovation but are not and will not be certified. The buildigs are physically connected with circulation connecting them, but air spaces are separated by walls and doors, all plumbing and electricity systems will be separate, mechanically the air systems will be separate but heat/cooling water for mechanical will come from the same plant. We are working through the details of MPR2 and specifically "Buildings Attached to Non-LEED Certified Buildings" and have feedback that our approach is generally acceptable, but are looking for specific feedback on SS4.2. In short: Can the bike storage/shower areas be renovated in an existing building outside the LEED project scope, if they meet distance requirements? If they count toward SSc4.2 but are outside the LEED project scope, do the components and systems that serve them get counted toward other credits (MR credits... energy model and EA credits... WE credits for the showers... etc)?

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David Posada

Integrated Design & LEED Specialist

SERA Architects

LEEDuser Expert

1361 thumbs up

Tue, 12/18/2012 - 19:46

Yes, the bike shower and storage areas can be housed in an existing building outside of the LEED boundary if they are within the 200 yard distance. The exclusion and example on the top of page 25 of the MPR Supplemental Guidance Revision #2 speaks to this situation. In most cases, you would count the showers in the adjacent building as meeting the “access” requirement of SSc4.2 and exclude the water, energy, and materials from your LEED project calculations. The example says those showers “may not be included in the calculations for WEp1…” so it sounds like that’s the primary intent. Since your project is *not* separated by ownership, and you *might* have the ability to include the shower work in the contract for the LEED project, this MPR language suggests it might be possible to include those off-site showers in the energy and water calculation in some cases, but the language is not completely clear. You could certainly write a CIR for guidance on whether they should be included, and that might be the only way to know for sure. Since project teams are given a fair amount of room to define the LEED boundary and scope of systems included, you could probably make a case for either approach in a detailed narrative. My hunch is including the showers might be more trouble than it is worth, especially in the energy model, since it sounds as though you have a central district system for heating & cooling water, but you mentioned your plumbing systems are separate. Hope that’s clear enough to be helpful – post back if you still have any questions.

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