…But you can’t make it drink. In other words, bike racks and showers will probably not be enough to encourage biking in an area that’s unfriendly to bicyclists. If you’re thinking of pursuing this credit, first consider the realities of the neighborhood around your project. Is it realistic that building occupants will ride bicycles and make use of the bike racks and storage or the shower facilities? It’s important to consider whether the intent of this credit will bear out in reality or if your resources might be better allocated elsewhere.

There are some additional costs

This credit entails the costs of purchasing and installing the bike racks, as well as showers and changing facilities if you decide to provide those onsite. For smaller projects, the additional plumbing associated with showers and the space allocations for changing rooms and bike storage might make this credit cost-prohibitive. For larger projects, however, the initial cost of making a building “bike friendly” is relatively low. Remember—showers and changing facilities do not have to be onsite. They can be located anywhere within 200 yards of a building entrance as long as they are available to occupants at no cost. (There may be a cost to the owner, however, in the form of gym memberships or access fees to provide access to showers in other facilities when none are being provided in the LEED project building.)

Different building types = different requirements

Different building types call for different calculations under this credit—make sure you’re using the proper variables for your building type. Residential project teams should also keep in mind that bike storage facilities must be covered—which is not part of the credit requirements for other building types—and that this will impact building design.

Do visitors need shower access?

Bike-rack capacity is calculated for peak-time building users, which include transients and visitors. The number of shower facilities needed is calculated based on full-time equivalent (FTE) occupancy, which excludes visitors. Therefore, transient occupants and residents (because they have their own showers in their residential units) don't need access to showers.