We are planning to pursue this credit and would like to better understand if occupancy is tied to 'substantial completion' occupancy or is occupancy understood as a more high level idea - when the building is being used for its intended purpose?
Substantial completion from the City's perspective is when the building is determined as being able to be occupied for its intended use. The owner wishes to start moving in the furnishings & furniture & setting up in the two months following substantial - during which time some staff may be working (it's a library). What is considered the time of occupancy: substantial / any one working in the space / the space being used for its intended purpose?
Thank you!
Emmanuelle
Dave Hubka
Practice Leader - SustainabilityEUA
LEEDuser Expert
530 thumbs up
March 19, 2014 - 9:21 am
The Supplemental Guidance to the Minimum Program Requirements defines typical physical occupancy as "the state in which normal building operations are underway and the building is in use by the average number of FTE occupants for which it was designed". The case you described appears that the building will not initially be considered "typical physical occupancy".
However, I interpret the credit to require a flush-out or air testing prior to occupancy of the first person. Afterall, how many buildings are 100% occupied (or considered typical physical occupancy) the very date occupancy is declared by the authority having jursidiction?
I believe it would be very difficult to provide a narrative to the LEED reviewer explaining how staff occupied the building before the completion of the required flush-out or air testing.