Our LEED-NC v2.1 registered project is an office/laboratory building located on a 738 acre university campus. To meet the requirements of SSc4.3, the Reference Guide indicates that the university must ".provide alternative fuel vehicles for 3% of building occupants AND provide preferred parking for these vehicles." 220 total FTE occupants are assigned to this building, so 7 alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are required per this calculation. The LEED-NC Application Guide for Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Building Projects (AGMBC - October 2005) indicates that it is possible to meet the requirements for SSc4.3 by providing ".low-emission and/or fuel efficient vehicles* for 3% of the full time employees (FTE)", and that these vehicles must be classified as Zero Emission Vehicles by CARB or have achieved a minimum green score of 40 on the ACEEE annual vehicle rating guide. A 9/6/2005 CIR Ruling for SSc4.3 states that ".implementing car-share programs with alternative fueled vehicles (AFVs), such as Zipcars or Flexcars. Is applicable to a campus situation, and it is therefore reasonable to assume that (a).car-share strategy would meet the intent of the credit." The Ruling further indicates ".that it is reasonable that 8 building FTE occupants are served per shared-use alternative fuel vehicle." Therefore, for our project, 1 car-share AFV would be required to meet the requirements of this credit per this calculation. The university proposes to purchase one low-emission/fuel-efficient vehicle that meets CARB or ACEEE requirements stipulated in the AGMBC. This car-share vehicle will be reserved for use only by the 220 FTE occupants of our LEED registered building. It will be parked in a preferred and marked parking space near the building. A car-share program will be created to promote and manage the use of this vehicle for all FTE occupants. This university program will provide more benefit than those created by a third-party car-share program because: - The individual FTE occupants will not be required to rent the vehicle and so will be more apt to use it, and - The AFV will be available to building occupants for many years beyond the minimum two-year contract period that is recommended in the 9/6/2005 CIR Ruling. We propose to submit proof that the vehicle meets low-emission/fuel-efficient vehicle requirements, proof of purchase, a copy of the car-share plan, and a map showing the location of the preferred parking space and proximity to the building. We are seeking LEED Platinum certification and, consequently, each point is critical. We want to be sure that we execute this properly. Therefore, will this credit strategy be sufficient to earn the SSc4.3 point?
Yes, based on the description provided above it appears that the strategy being proposed meets the intent and requirements of SSc4.3. As the applicant has indicated, a LEED NC v2.1 SSc4.3 ruling dated 9/6/2005, states that implementing car share programs with alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), such as Zipcars and Flexcars, is applicable on a campus situation. In this case, the car share program would be developed and administered by the university and not a third party. This is consistent with the intent of the credit so long as the program is administered as described above and: 1) the car is owned by the university 2) the car is not assigned to any one person, but rather available for use by any and all of the occupants of the building 3) the program will be in place for at least two years. In addition, per the LEED NC v2.1 SSc4.3 ruling dated 1/26/2005, since this project is an office/laboratory building, to earn this credit using this approach, the project must also achieve SSc4.1, so that the building occupants can access the building without commuting by car. As the applicant has indicated the LEED NC v2.1 SSc4.3 ruling dated 9/6/2005 also states that it is reasonable that 8 building FTE occupants are served per shared-use alternative fuel vehicle. In addition to the documentation listed above, the project team should also provide the FTE occupancy for the project and calculations demonstrating that AFVs are provided for at least 3% of the FTE occupants (assuming that 8 FTE occupants are served per shared use vehicle). A narrative explaining the car share program and its administration should also be provided. Update April 15, 2011: Please note that all 2009 projects in multiple building situations must follow the 2010 Application Guide for Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Building Projects, located here: https://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=7987. 2009 project teams should check this document for up to date guidance on all multiple building issues. Applicable Internationally.