We have a campus project where one of the buildings contains showers and changing rooms for the entire campus.
In spite of our explanations of the function of these showers, the LEED Reviewer states "The calculations for WEp1 are only attributed to the LEED project building, and therefore should only include the FTE and transient occupancy of the LEED project." Meaning, we suppose that transients should not be counted in the shower usage.
This is like saying that showers in a health club are only used by the club employees....Does anyone have an argument that has worked?
Melissa Merryweather
DirectorGreen Consult-Asia
245 thumbs up
September 1, 2016 - 9:28 pm
I think this is a clear example where different reviewers have given different answers--or where answers have changed over time. We had a certified project where over 20,000 workers from other parts of the factory came to our certified facility for lunch. We submitted this as transient usage, explained it and it was accepted. If not the water use shown in Energy Star records after certification would have been exceeded by 5 times. I think our way of recording it had to be correct and was glad when the reviewer agreed.
Deborah Lucking
Director of SustainabilityFentress Architects
LEEDuser Expert
256 thumbs up
September 15, 2016 - 2:43 pm
Our project has 69 FTEs and 12 showers (6 male, 6 female). Would seem a tad excessive to argue that only FTEs use the showers. The biggest irony of course, is that if we had attempted SSc4.2 for the campus, we would have to account for use of those showers by the entire campus FTE population.
I am beyond frustrated.
Michelle Rosenberger
PartnerArchEcology
521 thumbs up
September 15, 2016 - 3:08 pm
Hi Deborah,
I've done lots of YMCA projects that have a similar shower issue in that there are lots of transient users. I've always declared a percentage of them as users and explained with no issues. The showers were in the building and used for the building users entirely.
I also have projects where showers were not in the project scope for my users. In that case, WEpr1 doesn't show the showers at all. Only WEcr3 includes them. Is that what the Reviewer is trying to say perhaps? That the shower use for WEpr1 should only be building users, but the shower use on WEcr3 would include the transients? Just a thought. Otherwise I don't understand.
Deborah Lucking
Director of SustainabilityFentress Architects
LEEDuser Expert
256 thumbs up
September 15, 2016 - 3:31 pm
Michelle,
I was going to ask the Reviewer if he/she was referring to your second point (about WEp1 and WEc3 having different users).
This one particular project has been a real test of patience - the project is simple, but we kept getting stuck on definitions and interpretations.
Will apprise this group once I get some sensible clarity.
Thanks for the suggestions!