Hi, I am working on the LEED aspects of a healthcare project in KSA. A full and detailed EIA Study for the project was completed to local standards and no contaimination was found. The EIA states that soil quality testing was completed to Dutch Standards as no local standards exist for this. The EIA has recommended a number of measures to be implented during design, construction and operation phase.
Will the USGBC accept this EIA as complying with the intent of SSp2 Environmental SIte Assessment?
Thanks! Lesley
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Larry Sims
PrincipalStudio4, LLC
LEEDuser Expert
161 thumbs up
October 22, 2012 - 3:00 pm
Lesley, 2009 LEED Healthcare projects, with regard to SSp2, offers alternative compliance paths that permit state or local standards as replacements for discovery and subsequent remediation, if required. Assuming KSA is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, you can use the Global Alternative Compliance Path (ACP). Per ACP relative to SSp2: Projects outside the U.S. may use a local equivalent to ASTM E1527-05 Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and ASTM E 1903-97 Phase II Environmental Site Assessment.
Your statement that the EIA was completed to local standards and no contamination was found should close the deal. IMO, the fact the EIA recommended a number of measures to be implemented during design, construction and operation phase per Dutch Standards appears to be cautionary measures as opposed to remediation efforts.
The Global Alternative Compliance Path is in its infancy and constantly under review and tweaking. So I feel there may be more open interpretation than normally offered to projects within the U.S., which at times is quite liberal. However, given the fact this is a mandatory prerequisite and addresses relatively virgin territory, as a precaution I would contact USGBC/GBCI for some degree of assurance.