private vs. public lavatories

Daycia, there is always a lot of confusion around this issue, so it's good to see it supported in yet another forum. To answer your specific question, a restroom in a commercial office building is considered a "private lavatory" if it is used on a daily, exclusive basis by the same occupant (i.e. an executive with their own private restroom). The scenario that you're describing for your project where "lavatories have keyed entry for personnel only" would not be considered private lavatories because any building occupant with access to the entry code is able to use those restrooms on a regular basis. Yes, it's true that they are not accessible to the general public off the street; however, they are being used by multiple occupants throughout the project building so they are considered "public lavatories" for LEED purposes.

This information is located at the top of page 88 in the LEED for Green Building: Operations and Maintenance Reference Guide (2009 Edition). Creation of the the LEED Rating System and Reference Guide language is a consensus-based process whereby multiple subject matter experts collaborate on, review and revise the language before publication. USGBC also makes draft versions of future editions available for public review/comment - check with the USGBC or your local Chapter to find out when balloting will take place for the 2012 edition.