We are seeking clarification on the requirements for mixed-use residential projects seeking SSc4.2 - Alternative Transportation, Bicycle Storage and Changing Rooms. The clarification is sought for both LEED-NC 2.1 and 2.2 projects. A recent certification review ruling indicated that changing/shower facilities must be provided for the mixed-use residential building concierge and maintenance staff serving the residential portion of the project. We believe that the language in the reference guide and existing CIR rulings make it clear that it is not necessary. There is no specific reference standard for mixed-use residential buildings. All such projects have been instructed to use LEED-NC. The requirements for mixed-use residential buildings are the same in both LEED-NC Version 2.1 and 2.2. In both, it says: "For residential buildings, provide covered storage facilities for 15% or more of the building occupants in lieu of changing/shower facilities." Therefore, the Reference Guide is clear that all residential buildings do not need to provide showers/changing rooms for the building staff and must instead provide covered bike storage for 15% of the building occupants. For mixed-use buildings with unfinished tenant spaces, CIRs have established that a project team must provide a tenant improvement manual with guidance on how to integrate green strategies into their build-outs and information on pursuing LEED-CI certification. A CIR ruling from 4/4/2005, written specifically for SSc4.4, goes further to clarify: "If the mixed-use building is less than 10% commercial square feet, the entire building can be considered residential and adhere to the residential requirements. Otherwise, the commercial component is to adhere to the commercial requirements, while the residential component is to adhere to the residential requirements." The CIR ruling provides two important clarifications on the shower/changing facility issue. First, if a mixed-use building square footage is more than 90% residential square feet, the ruling indicates that a project team is not required to provide showers/changing facilities in the building as per the credit requirements listed above. Second, if the residential square footage of the mixed-use building is less than 90% of the total building square footage, then showers/changing facilities must be provided for the commercial portion of the building, and "the residential component is to adhere to the residential requirements." Since the concierge and maintenance staff are part of the "residential component", the project team is still not required to provide shower/changing facilities for them. As supported by the CIR, it should be left up to the discretion of the project team if a shower/changing facility for the residential building staff is warranted. Based on the SSc4.2 credit language and the excerpts from the CIR Ruling from 4/4/2005 as explained above, it is clear that a project team is not required to provide a shower for the concierge and maintenance staff in a mixed-use project. If the USGBC wishes to ensure that shower/changing facilities are in fact provided for the building concierge and maintenance staff in mixed-use projects, an addenda revising the credit language for residential buildings is necessary since the Reference Guide currently establishes that for residential buildings, additional bike storage must be provided "in lieu of changing/shower facilities." If the USGBC does issue an addenda revising the credit language for residential buildings, we respectfully request current residential projects registered under LEED-NC 2.1 and 2.2 shall not be retroactively penalized or excluded from achieving the credit provided they meet the existing Reference Guide requirements. It is a good idea to provide the shower/changing facility for the building staff where practical. Any opportunity to provide incentive for use of alternative means of transportation will make a positive contribution towards our collective future. However, it is extreme to disqualify a project from receiving credit because a shower was not provided for as few as three of the building occupants even though the project met the stated requirements and facilitated bicycle riding for hundreds of occupants.