Total Site Paving Area

Hi Maria,  Unlike a few other credits that take into consideration the existing conditions, the calculations for this credit are based on your proposed design only and what you're able to do within your project boundary.

Hi Emily, Does that mean existing parking lots can be excluded from the credit calculation then?

Hi Irene, To be safest, I would say that an existing parking lot where you are not performing any work (so it is not within your project's limit of disturbance) would likely be outside of your LEED project boundary, and would therefore be excluded from this credit's calculations. I have seen projects include an existing parking area within the LEED boundary since it serves its occupants, even if they're not altering it. If it does not serve the project occupants, then there would be no reason to include it. Do note, though, that an existing parking lot that is outside of your LEED boundary may not contribute to this credit, but if it serves your project's occupants, it would need to be included in the parking-centric credits (Reducing Parking Footprint and Green Vehicles).

Hi Emily, Thanks for your input! For the project we are working on, we are including the existing parking lot as it serves the building. Therefore, we are including the parking lot for the Reduced Parking Footprint and Electric Vehicles credits.  For the Heat Island Reduction credit though, we are having challenges to find the ways to comply with this credit. Because the existing parking lot (all asphalt) is relatively large and the new building is small, the SRI value has to be at least 135 (which is not possible). I was wondering if we have to give up pursuing this credit or if we could still pursue this credit excluding the existing parking lot and add white roof (with high SRI value) and zero asphalt within the construction boundary.  

As far as I know (and have done myself), if it's included within your boundary, then it must be included in your calcs. I've had projects like this one where we had to weigh the credit impacts with and without a particular site area that could either be in or out and still meet the LEED boundary requirements for not gerrymandering (in the Minimum Program Requirements). In some cases, we just end up not eligible for this particular item but benefit elsewhere.

Hi Emily, That make sense. Thanks for the inputs!