Hello,
We are trying to determine which rating system to use, NC or C&S, for a mixed use project. The project consists of underground parking levels, an office building that will be totally finished upon project completion & a residential part that will be core & shell. Could anyone help in clarifying whether the areas of the underground parking levels should be included in the calculations of the NC areas versus the C&S ones, to determine which rating system to pursue, based on the 40/60 rule?
Thank you.
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Jon Clifford
LEED-AP BD+CGREENSQUARE
LEEDuser Expert
323 thumbs up
September 18, 2015 - 8:24 pm
The definition of gross floor area (GFA) specifically excludes “floor area dedicated to the parking and circulation of motor vehicles.” Therefore, you would not include the garage deck areas in floor area calculations.
Garage construction materials would count toward MR credits, and its energy use would figure into energy models. However, since a parking garage is unconditioned (per ASHRAE-90.1), non-regularly occupied, open to the outdoors, and separated from occupied interior space, a garage is NOT interior space and is, therefore, exempt from IEQc4 VOC restrictions (see LEED Interpretation #1767: http://www.usgbc.org/leed-interpretations?keys=1767).
For more on how to calculate non-certifiable areas (such as parking garages) as part of a LEED project, see this discussion on the NC-2009 EAp2 forum: http://www.leeduser.com/comment/redirect/59216.