How do credits get removed? Central vacuums mystery

Nathan Barlow

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

August 7, 2019

Central vacuums existed in the "Contaminant Control" category in LEED Homes 2008: https://www.usgbc.org/node/1731967?return=/credits/homes/v2008/indoor-environmental-quality

They do not exist in the next version, which is LEED Homes v4: https://www.usgbc.org/node/2612496?return=/credits/homes/v4/indoor-environmental-quality

This document tracks the changes between the two, and it doesn't mention central vacuums, though the section was radically reorganized, so maybe they just deleted without comment: https://www.usgbc.org/sites/default/files/Summary%20of%20Changes%20-%20LEED%202008%20to%20LEED%20v4%20-%20Homes%20and%20Midrise.pdf

How would I go about getting more information about this?

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Tristan Roberts

Representative

Vermont House of Representatives

LEEDuser Expert

7780 thumbs up

Thu, 08/08/2019 - 02:51

Nathan, I think it was deleted without comment, as you indicate. You could dig into the LEED Homes v4 drafts or public comments... not sure if there will be a paper trail. I might try to find and contact folks listed in the LEED Homes v4 Reference Guide as having contributed toward writing it.

Nathan Barlow

LEEDuser Basic Member

0 thumbs up

Thu, 08/08/2019 - 13:19

Tristan, Thank you, this is helpful. I looked through the public comments and LEED said "thank you for your comment. Central vacuum systems were installed so infrequently in LEED for Homes projects that they were removed." If I was looking to getting this reconsidered, would I submit a proposal for the v4.1 open call? https://new.usgbc.org/leed-v41#join

Tristan Roberts

Representative

Vermont House of Representatives

LEEDuser Expert

7780 thumbs up

Mon, 08/12/2019 - 16:13

Yes, that would be a good starting place. I would suggest taking a fresh approach to the credit to merit consideration, so it's not just "you shouldn't have removed this credit," but rather "here's a fresh take on how to encourage good IEQ in homes," or something. For example, in LEED v4 BD+C, several IEQ strategies were combined into one credit as multiple options within that credit. Any one of them was perhaps not relevant to stand on its own as a credit, but together they represent a comprehensive view. I don't know if a similar approach exists in Homes, but it could, if not.