Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a well-documented human health hazard. The only way to eliminate the threat of ETS is to completely prohibit smoking indoors, which is why LEED gives no way around the requirement to ban indoor smoking. “Smoking” is now defined to include cannabis and e-cigarettes.

Residential projects remain an exception to the interior no-smoking rule. See below for specific considerations for residential projects.

Smoking outdoors is allowed, with certain parameters

Smoking must be prohibited within 25 feet of building entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows. If you want to create a designated smoking area, it must be located at least 25 feet away from building openings.

Additionally, if a portion of the site is used for business purposes–courtyards or a cafe with sidewalk seating, for example–this area must also be 100% smoke-free. Smoking must be prohibited in this type of area regardless of whether it’s inside or outside the property line.

Residential projects can allow smoking indoors

Smoking can be permitted in residential units and on private balconies. However, additional work will be required to confirm that smoke isn’t moving from smoking units to non-smoking areas of the building. See the LEED Reference Guide for specific information on the requirements for this situation.

Different requirements for schools

If you’re working on a LEED for Schools project, you’ll need to ensure that smoking is prohibited on the entire site.

What’s New in LEED v4.1

• The prerequisite language now explicitly calls out cannabis and e-cigarettes as prohibited (this was implemented in an addendum to other versions of LEED as well).
• Specific language about signage placement (e.g. within 10 feet of entrances) has been removed and replaced with requirements to inform occupants and have either an enforcement plan or signage.
• Residential projects have gained slight leeway in the airtightness requirements.

Should I upgrade?

Although the signage requirements have seemingly relaxed, there’s not a big reason to do a one-off substitution here. The basics remain pretty simple: no smoking allowed.