This credit is focused on limiting environmental impacts from automobile use. It targets commuting specifically, but also addresses company vehicle fleets, maintenance vehicles, and buses.

Projects that have substantial parking area may find the requirements of this credit to be low-hanging fruit, because they should easily be able to designate preferred parking for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles, which is one option. There are two other options for compliance, both of varying difficulty and requiring varying levels of commitment from the project owner.

Pick a path and go with it

It’s wise to choose your compliance path early in the process, especially since some of the options require infrastructure development such as alternative fueling stations. 

Make sure that you base your choice on the likelihood that building occupants will take advantage of the resources you provide. While this is not often done, surveying occupants or prospective occupants is a good way to determine which strategy is likely to have the highest impact.

A range of options

Option 1:  Providing low-emitting or fuel-efficient vehicles for 3% of FTE occupants along with preferred parking for these vehicles may be the most expensive approach to this credit. If a project already maintains a fleet of vehicles, however, then low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles can be substituted at no added cost—possibly even a cost savings.

Option 2: Providing preferred parking for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles for 5% of total parking capacity is by far the most cost-effective option for projects that have onsite parking managed by the building ownership. “Preferred” is defined as easy to access (such as close to building entrances), or available at a discounted price.

Option 3: Providing onsite alternative fueling stations for 3% of total vehicle parking capacity is a bit more involved and potentially more expensive. The most readily accessible strategy here is providing plug outlets for electric cars.