Change LEED boundary after Design Review?

Joyce Kelly

Architect - Cx Provider - Building Performance Specialist

GLHN Architects & Engineers

LEEDuser Premium Member

25 thumbs up

May 31, 2017

LEED boundary encompassing 130 acres was established by Civil to include all stormwater treatment. Following Prelim. Design review, they decided to reduce boundary to include all areas affected by new construction; changed boundary on their siteplan and associated calcs for SSc6.2. Unfortunately, we didn't remember to change PIf2 site SF to match. Their credit was denied. Do you think it is too late, with an Appeal, to reduce the LEED boundary and Site acreage? Or is it opening a can of worms?

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Allison Smith

Sustainable Design Leader

HKS, Inc.

LEEDuser Premium Member

40 thumbs up

Wed, 05/31/2017 - 22:41

It depends. I would do a quick assessment of what credits will need to be resubmitted and any impact on the construction phrase credits that will be submitted (will it impact compliance, or can you meet the credit with either LEED boundary?). Then assess if it is worth the additional cost and hassle for the 1 point. It might be worth the effort, but I suspect it's not. For future reference, the stormwater credits don't need to be managed within the LEED boundary.These are some of the few credits that can be handled offsite as long as the system meets the credit requirements for all areas served.

Edgar Arevalo

Energy Engineer

ads ENGINEERS, DPC

LEEDuser Basic Member

21 thumbs up

Tue, 05/05/2020 - 06:49

Hi Allison, I have a similar situation with my project. I'm currently going through the preliminary design review credits, and I was stumped on the comment for IEQp1: Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance surrounding the 40,198 sq. ft. documented in the indoor air performance calculator being drastically different than the 75,000 sq.ft. total gross floor area reported in PIf2. After singling out all the floor area not applicable to IEQp1, both that number and the one used in the calculator was still much lower than 75,000 sq.ft. I realized that we didn't remember to adjust the total gross floor area to a more accurate estimate before preliminary submission. Even worse is certain design credits that involve total gross floor area data are already marked as anticipated. Would there be any complications from the LEED reviewer if I went ahead and adjust the total gross floor area in PIf2, as well as in those other design credits by opening those credits to update before I submit for final design review? By complications, I mean like if there is an actual cost ($$$) to it or if any red flags were raised by the reviewer. I know that even with the adjusted gross floor area, those other credits will still meet compliance.