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FAQs about IEQp2 :

We have a strict no-smoking policy and local smoking laws that all our employees are familiar with. Can we skip the signage?

Does this prerequisite apply to e-cigarettes? What about marijuana?

Do I have to provide a designated smoking area?

How can I prohibit smoking 25 feet from the entrance of my project when it is a zero lot line and its entrance abuts a public sidewalk?

How do you calculate the 25 ft. rule from designated smoking areas to building openings?

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Forum discussion

NC-2009 IEQp2:Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control

No-Smoking Policy

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Maura Adams
Environmental Stewardship Manager
LEEDuser Basic Member
114 thumbs up

My building is on a campus with a no-smoking policy, but employees can smoke in personal vehicles. Our policy wasn't enough for the LEED Review Team; they still require us to put up signage, and said that smoking in cars had to be forbidden as well. That would require school administration to change HR policy, which they are very reluctant to do. We measured the distance between the parking lot and nearest door and it's 31 feet. Assuming we put up signage about the 25 foot requirement, are we in the clear?

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Tristan Roberts
Representative
Vermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
7780 thumbs up

Tue, 07/03/2012 - 18:46

Maura, it doesn't sound like it to me. The review team is saying that smoking in cars has to be forbidden, so putting up a sign but having the administration nod and wink to the employees that smoking in the car is still ok doesn't sound like it will work. Note that the LEED requirement is to prohibit smoking, and no smoking signs are merely an enforcement piece.How many parking spaces does this affect? Why not just prohibit smoking in those spaces?
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Maura Adams
Environmental Stewardship Manager
LEEDuser Basic Member
114 thumbs up

Tue, 07/03/2012 - 18:59

All parking spaces are outside of the 25' boundary.
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Tristan Roberts
Representative
Vermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
7780 thumbs up

Tue, 07/03/2012 - 19:31

Oh... I misunderstood. Now it's obvious... In that case, yes, I think having the policy in place with the signs should suffice.
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Maura Adams
Environmental Stewardship Manager
LEEDuser Basic Member
114 thumbs up

Wed, 08/22/2012 - 20:16

If signs state "No smoking within 25' of building," etc. it implies that smoking IS allowed beyond that limit, when in fact smoking is highly restricted everywhere. How can we phrase or place signage to succinctly communicate the full policy? We need a common sense solution.
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David Posada
Integrated Design & LEED Specialist
SERA Architects
LEEDuser Expert
1361 thumbs up

Wed, 08/22/2012 - 21:53

Maura, How about a student sign-writing contest for the wording that communicates this full and somewhat unique policy most succinctly? If the signs just said "No smoking within 25' of building" I doubt that people would start smoking beyond that limit at a boarding school where students and staff are already quite informed about such matters! I suppose you could say "No smoking within 25' of building; smoking policy in effect for all campus areas." (Students might come up with something more clever... "No smoking, drinking, or PDA within 25' of building”... “No smoking or nuclear warheads within 25’ of building…” I’m sure Thomas Paine would have taken issue with LEED. Sorry to digress.)
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Maura Adams
Environmental Stewardship Manager
LEEDuser Basic Member
114 thumbs up

Wed, 08/29/2012 - 18:29

We're putting up the "No smoking within 25'" signage on building doors, but do we also have to put up "Designated smoking area" signs when there is no "area" per se? Cars are not "areas." Frankly we don't want people to know that smoking is okay anywhere on campus.
Profile picture for user davidp
David Posada
Integrated Design & LEED Specialist
SERA Architects
LEEDuser Expert
1361 thumbs up

Wed, 09/05/2012 - 20:25

Sounds like in the eyes of the reviewer, you have areas where smoking is allowed, even if only for certain people -the school employees. If an employee is allowed to smoke in their car, then a parking lot is technically a designated smoking area *for school employees only.* The reviewer will probably want to see a site plan that shows this "area" where someone might smoke is more than 25' from entries, windows, vents, etc. If you can show that, I think you will have addressed their concerns. I know it seems crazy, but sometimes it helps to look at this (and many other permitting procedures) like a game of "Simon Says." I don't think indicating "designated smoking areas" on a site plan only used for LEED Online changes the message students receive about the smoking policy.

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