Date
Inquiry

Our pair of office buildings are over 300,000 sf each with 9 stories of upper-level office space, 3 stories of below-grade structured parking, 2 stories of above-grade structured parking, and a ground-level with mixed parking, loading, retail and miscellaneous uses. In addition to the other requirements of this Credit, we have provided large areas of permanent floor grates at each building\'s main, ground-level entrance from the exterior. Our questions are as follows: (1) Must floor grates from exterior to interior space be located on the inside of the building or is the outside acceptable, especially if located under an overhang? (2) In addition to the main entries, must we also provide floor grates to the entries from the exterior into ground-level retail spaces, which comprise only about 15% of the combined ground-level floor plan? (3) Must we also provide floor grates at each building\'s ground-level interior Rear Lobby, through which users of the various parking levels must pass in order to access each building\'s main level and its elevator lobby to the 9 upper office levels of the buildings?

Ruling

(1) If there is a vestibule it may be appropriate to have a walk-off area located within it. Also, exterior walk-off areas may be considered if the area is protected from weather. Alternatively, the walk-off area can be within the building. (2) Yes. If the areas in question are areas of high volume, which it appears they would be, entryway systems would be required. (3) Yes. Since you have a high volume entrance in which people are coming from the parking garage, entryway systems are required in order to prevent the transfer of dirt to the interior of the building according to EQc5. Applicable internationally.UPDATE 10/1/12: This LEED Interpretation has been marked "Not Applicable" to all rating systems other than NCv2.1UPDATE October 1, 2012: Please see updated guidance for this LEED Interpretation under a LEED Interpretation Ruling 10098 posted date 8/01/2011. Projects registered on or after this date must use the new ruling.

Internationally Applicable
On
Campus Applicable
Off