University Campus Project

Hi Michele, I am not aware that you can mix and match options between rating systems. This sounds like a case where you will want to confirm with GBCI, assuming you have already reviewed existing interpretations for any applicability.

Michele, did you get a response from GBCI on this? I have the same doubt for a project on a university campus.

I have heard somewhere, educational facilities are exempted from weekend trips.

Follow up question to this relative to campuses: University campus shuttles are open to the public, but they only go one way (like around a large campus in one direction on a loop). This seems to violate the LEED criteria about having paired service in both directions, but it clearly meets the intent of moving people around larger areas without cars. Anybody run into this and have an answer from GBCI?

Hi Kristen, a loop shuttle on a campus would meet the credit intent. The paired service requirement is intended to disqualify transit routes that don't provide usable service, and that's not the case for a loop shuttle. If it's a reasonably frequent shuttle, your supporting documentation will show it meets the intent, and I'd push back on a reviewer taking an overly literal interpretation there. 

I'm not aware of any exception to the weekend service requirement unless the project is registered under LEED for Schools. The requirement is there in part to ensure service is available to security, janitorial, etc staff who are there outside standard operating hours (plus office workers coming in outside usual schedule). Might be worth a CIR if you can demonstrate zero weekend use, though.

Thanks, Emily, I agree with you that it does seem to meet the intent. However, I actually did ask LEEDcoach about it and they said that it would not pass. I've pasted that response below for anybody interested. I think our only recourse at this point would be to pay for a CIR (the shuttles do have weekend service).

You're correct that in order to qualify for the credit, a transit route must have paired service (service in both directions), according to the credit language. This was a deliberate change from v3, and there are no LIs or addenda exempting campus shuttles from this requirement. So, a one-way campus shuttle would not be a qualifying transit route.

It is also worth noting that a "public" shuttle that only serves campus destinations that are only open to university students and staff (i.e. not public) and/or only connects to other transit would not qualify. A university-operated campus bus that is open to the public, runs on a set route, has paired service, and stops at both university and non-university destinations would qualify.

How frustrating - it certainly seems to me to meet the intent. When I was reviewing projects, my approach would have been to at least take a look at how frequent the service was to ensure that it was roughly equivalent to a paired route rather than deny it automatically. But I can totally understand why your LEED Coach would have been hesitant to allow something that technically ​doesn't meet the requirement even if a reviewer would likely be more flexible about it. 

I can't speak for USGBC anymore, but I would recommend you not give up on earning this one - whether it's via a CIR or just submitting for review with more detailed documentation. And, potentially keep an eye on the v4.1 revisions.

We have a similar issue on my project. 900+ trip during the week and just about 40 on the weekend. The bus routes are all loops and I agree with Emily I'd argue that this meets the intent. In fact most European cities transit systems have routes that are just that, a loop.  Especially for smaller towns, so you have let's say a short drive to the city center and a longer drive back.

Anyway. Did anyone have any luck using on-call services available to general public. I couldn't find that definition like LEEDUser has in the actual online reference guide.

And what about bus shuttles provided for events, assuming they don't just go from the stadium to the campus?

I just found this on the weekend trips for schools in the online reference guide: "Schools are not required to evaluate weekend transit service if students do not commute to schools on weekend days."

On-demand transit does not meet the credit requirement. I wish it were more clearly spelled out in the rating system as it's a common issue! The recent addenda updating the definition of informal transit makes this a little more clear: "Informal transit a publicly available transit service that includes a fixed route service, fare structure, and regular operation. It does not consist of taxi, private shuttles or seasonal, on-call or on-demand transit." (This definition primarily applies to projects outside the US - picture the minibus/van transit you see in Indian cities.)

Whether higher ed buildings can use the Schools exemption from weekend service was a common question when I was at USGBC, and the consensus was generally that no, the Schools exemption is only for LEED-Schools projects. It's frustrating me too on a university project now that I'm on the project team side! But I do agree with the intent behind the weekend service requirement, to ensure the building is located in a well-served area and is available to those building occupants who need to be there outside the standard workday.

Event shuttles that serve multiple locations is an interesting question - my gut feeling is no, since they aren't regularly scheduled, but stadiums are such exceptional projects that it would be worth discussing the specifics of the project with GBCI. The shuttle wouldn't serve everyday occupants, but it would significantly reduce your parking needs, so it's at least partway meeting the credit intent.

Like I said earlier about loop routes, yeah, the credit language says they don't qualify, but many of them are clearly providing the kind of frequent, high quality service LEED is looking for. So a reviewer might be strictly literal about it, or they might be flexible and focus on the credit intent. And I think it's worth pushing for that common-sense approach if you have a high-quality loop route.

Thanks for the inside. I can see how Campus is not the same as a K-12 school. However this university is regularly asking their students if they want more routes, when and where to. So they hear from their students, that more weekend service isn't desired and trying to add routes, when you have no need for it, just doesn't make much sense to me. I'm from Germany and all for public transport, but this seems counter productive. This campus is also very walkable, bike friendly with everything close by. I'm thinking maybe we should show this comprehensive approach in order to proof the project meets the intent of the credit and deserves more points?

I can definitely see the higher threshold in v4 being somewhat US-centric, where truly walkable environments are more rare and commuters might need a higher level of transit service for it to be a viable option.

I contacted LEED Coach and asked for some guidance regarding projects that are only occupied on the weekend, and the possibility of still earning this credit with no/little weekend services. Here is their response, for reference:

For LEED v4, the intent of this credit is to encourage development in locations well served by transit, and the definition of quality transit developed for the rating system includes weekend transit. Exceptions to the weekend service requirement are generally not available to NC or CI projects.

However, if your team feels that the intent of the credit can be met with project-specific circumstances, the alternative compliance path would need to demonstrate how the intent is met. Additionally, since the weekend requirements cannot be met, the team would need to demonstrate that the building is intended to have zero weekend occupancy (including custodial / maintenance / security staff). For example, a secure facility that is not accessible outside weekday opening hours might be granted an exception. If submitting a CIR, your team should provide a narrative describing the anticipated occupancy and any restrictions on weekend access.

Hope that helps!