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Split review to Combined Design and Construction Review

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LEED Reviews: Appeals, Design/Construction Submittals, and more

Split review to Combined Design and Construction Review

April 6, 2016

Hello,

I already registered a project for split review but we haven't yet submitted the Preliminary Design Review. Meanwhile construction works keep going and the delivery date of the building is due the 31th October.
We are wondering if it would be better to apply for Combined Design and Construction Review.
Is it possible to change the type of review?
How can we change on LEEDOnline?
What are the consequences?
Will we have to pay more fees?

Thanks!

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FTE and LEED boundary - LEED CI (v4)

Forum discussion

Calculating FTEs

FTE and LEED boundary - LEED CI (v4)

April 5, 2016

For LEED CI - this may be so obvious and that is why it is not actually stated anywhere - but I'm assuming that FTE's are calculated based on your LEED boundary, and excludes the rest of the building that is not in your current scope. Correct?

It seems like that makes achieving credits like Bicycle facilities ridiculously easy so just thought I would check.

It may be more clear in say an office tower where you are only working on one floor, and that floor has its own dedicated bike parking area.

My project is a renovation of one small area of a Museum. So I'll draw my boundary at our scope of work as best I can (at a clear, physical barrier per v4 MPR), and the bike parking provided for the entire building (including the general public) is what I will reference. Let me know if I'm off track.

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Tenant Lease Agreement Details

Forum discussion

General forums

Tenant Lease Agreement Details

April 5, 2016

Hi All,
I am working on a Core and Shell project, we know who the tenant is and we are looking to draft a legally binding document to ensure that they will install a specific building system.
My question is, what level of detail is required for LEED in this binding document?

If we outline the specific systems that will be installed by the tenant and both the tenant and landlord sign the agreement is this enough?

Your help with this is much appreciated.

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yellow bars on credit page?

Forum discussion

LEED Reviews: Appeals, Design/Construction Submittals, and more

yellow bars on credit page?

March 21, 2016

im working in the relatively new leedonline for the first time in a while. on the credits 'tab' - some of the credits are shown with a yellow/cream colored highlight. I cant figure out the significance of the credits that are highlighted?

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MBTU = 1 million BTU, which is also MMBTU

Forum discussion

General forums

MBTU = 1 million BTU, which is also MMBTU

March 2, 2016

It's come to my attention that there's some unit confusion in the LEED Treatment of District Thermal Energy Guide where DES virtual rates are calculated.

The Guide includes equations on page 14 in units of MBTU but doesn't clarify the meaning of "MBTU". The Canadian equivalent of this Guide is CaGBC's "The LEED Canada 2009 Interpretation Guide for District Energy Systems (DES)". The Canadian version uses similar equations (but the steam and hot water conversions notably don't have an electricity term). But while the equations look the same, they use MMBTU as the units. They do take the extra step to note: MMBtu = 1 million Btu.

MBTU commonly means mega or "M" BTU (x10^6) or 1 million BTU. But it sometimes means "M" for mille or Roman numerals M, which is (x10^3) 1 thousand BTU. Using this latter notation MM is 1 thousand, thousand (x10^3 x10^3) or 1 million.

My interpretation is that the USGBC's DES equations mean MBTU = 1 million BTU.

I know that was stressing a lot of people out. And with that said, let's all go metric.

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Campus for a gated residential/commercial compound versus ND

Forum discussion

LEED Guidance for Campuses and Multiple Buildings

Campus for a gated residential/commercial compound versus ND

February 23, 2016

We have a gated Residential Compound consisting of around 60 buildings - 4 to 5 stories high - different models. The buildings are distributed on two main pieces of land of equal areas separated by a main road. the whole compound is owned and will be operated by one developer. 4 out of the 60 residential buildings have commercial stores on the first floor. There is also one social club building + one commercial and administrative building (area 70,000 sf and gross area is 200,000 sf) + one nursery. The total land area is 3,000,000 sf - the actual building area is 700,000 sf - The Gross building area is 2,800,000 sf.

We want to propose to the client the following approaches :
1- ND-plan with certification of the commercial and administrative building (the problem is NPDp3 - connectivity because of the gated aspect)
2- Certifying the whole lot using Campus approach and LEED BD+C Core and Shell.
3- Only certifying the club (NC) and the mall (core and shell)
Are these approaches technically applicable ? are we getting it right?

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I Have Lost All Patience with LEEDOnline

Forum discussion

LEED Reviews: Appeals, Design/Construction Submittals, and more

I Have Lost All Patience with LEEDOnline

February 1, 2016

It is absolutely insane the amount of time I (and I'm sure many others) waste working with LEEDOnline. The "quirks and bugs" are entirely too numerous to list. I've had to purchase a new computer because for some reason, when they last updated, my old computer that I had been using for the last two years to document, no longer works, even though everything shows up with a green check on the compatibility report. I want to break things every time I have to go in to the website. It has lead to me telling my clients that I will no longer be pursuing LEED certification. Period. It is an absolute waste of their money to pay me to try to figure out what the heck they have done THIS time. And having now certified five projects under v2009, I feel like I have run through five versions of LEED since each project, even though three of them have been basically identical, has grander and grander requirements from the reviewers. Rant over even though I really want to go on ranting.

Now, I need help with the website. Again. Can someone provide input if they've had this issue? Trying to find the answer on the web is impossible because they do not use the same language as shows up with the website (ie: "Credit status is currently "Attempted" and is locked unless you change it to "Open to Update" from the credits page." Searched for this in part and whole and could not find the solution).

We have accepted the final Design Review. I and my consultants are attempting to document the construction credits but I am receiving the above message with all of the credits. When I click on the drop down "Attempted" either nothing happens or it gives me the option to "Withdraw." Anyone have any clue as to how to I can change the credits to "Open to Update" so I can update them?

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Process verses intent

Forum discussion

LEED Reviews: Appeals, Design/Construction Submittals, and more

Process verses intent

January 28, 2016

The LEED reviewers, once again, have succeeded in exasperating me and my team. We submitted under alternative compliance making a case that our approach supports the intent of the credit and why. Review response - "credit requirements are..." Another, you submitted this at the wrong time, so rather than reviewing what you sent, we decided to just tell you about the process. Or the reviewer who apparently did not open all the uploads.

I know the process. There is no human to talk to. I send feedback and, more often than not, get a generic response that makes me question if they even read what I wrote.

The LEED WALL. Where I feel like I'm yelling at a concrete wall. I know I'm not alone. Some of my engineers don't care to do LEED projects anymore because they feel disrespected. I believe in the system, but I'm as exasperated as they are.

My question - how do we change this? How do we get back to LEED being about credit intent? How do we speak to humans?

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Concessions Spaces

Forum discussion

LEED Reviews: Appeals, Design/Construction Submittals, and more

Concessions Spaces

January 28, 2016

We are looking to certify nineteen concession spaces in an existing airport. The spaces all share one mechanical system and one water source and do not appear to be sub-metered. There will be three separate design teams doing the design and the project will be constructed in four phases under one general contractor. Our questions: Is it possible to certify each individual tenant space or will that require sub-metering each space? Is it possible to achieve cerification for all the spaces as one project if the documentation is tracked accordingly over the total project duration?

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Need Registration guidance for an upcoming Hospital campus

Forum discussion

LEED Guidance for Campuses and Multiple Buildings

Need Registration guidance for an upcoming Hospital campus

January 14, 2016

We have a Medical institution coming up at Faridabad (India), which contains various types of building, where the construction would be carried out simultaneously for all the blocks. The site includes building such as Hospital, Institutional, convention center and R&D center. We want to register the project under LEED v3. But we want to know that, Should the whole project be registered as single LEED project or each building types have to be registered separately. What will be the correct approach.

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