The intent of this credit is to "Provide a high ratio of open space to development footprint to promote biodiversity." The requirements for the credit call for exceeding the zoning requirement for open space by a stated percentage. A stated option for credit compliance is for projects also earning SSc2, which allows projects to provide pedestrian-oriented hardscape to meet the credit requirement for open space, providing a minimum of 25% of the total open space counted is vegetated. Our project is a 36,000-seat ballpark with a retractable roof located in Miami, Florida. The ballpark will host 81 ballgames per year, of which 70 will be held during the evening and 11 during the afternoon. The facility will also host approximately 20 concerts or special events per year, of which 11 will be held during the evening and 9 during the afternoon. The intent of the retractable roof is to remain open the majority of the time in order to provide sunlight, rainwater and natural ventilation to the natural turf field. For day-time events, the roof will be closed beginning 3 hours prior to the event to shade and cool the seating area for the comfort of the attendees. The roof will remain closed for the duration of the event or until evening sunset. To calculate daylight hours the roof will be closed, figure daytime events start at 1:00pm, lasting 4 hours; the roof will be closed from 10:00am till 5:00pm. (7 hours total) For evening events, the roof will be closed late afternoon to shade/cool the seating bowl for the comfort of attendees and will remain closed until sunset. To calculate daylight hours the roof will be closed, figure an evening event starts at 7:00pm, lasting 4 hours; the roof will be closed from 3:00pm till 7:00pm. (4 hours total) The approach that we would like to take to calculate vegetated open space is as follows: (1). Include site vegetated areas in the calculation to count toward the minimum 25% vegetated open space. AND (2A). Include the natural turf field area in the calculation to count toward the minimum 25% vegetated open space. OR, (2B). To be used if (2A) is not acceptable due to partial closure of the roof during daylight hours. Include the field as vegetated open space, but discount the total SF of vegetation relative to the annual number of hours that the retractable roof will be closed during daylight hours. To determine annual daylight hours, go to http://aa.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/aa_rstablew.pl For the sake of simplicity, total the average daylight hours for each month based on the available daylight hours on the 15th of each month x number of days in that month for the year 2011, when the ballpark opens. Calculation for total daylight hours annually: Average daylight hours for each month x 12 months = total daylight hours annually Calculation for total roof closure annually: Daylight events: 7 hours x 20 days = 140 hours + Nighttime events: 4 hours x 81 days = 324 hours 140 hours + 324 hours = 464 hours roof is closed during daylight hours annually Calculation for the discounted field area: 464 hours/ total annual daylight hours = XX% XX% x vegetated field area SF The request is this: A. Can we include the total field area SF as open vegetated space? B. Or, will we be required to discount the field SF, based on the % of annual daylight hours the roof is closed? C. If so, is this approach acceptable?
The project team is proposing an alternative strategy to meeting the credit requirement by classifying the natural turf grass of the playing field as open space, and including this within the area calculations for credit compliance. The inclusion of this turf grass is not an acceptable approach, regardless of the number of daylight hours it receives. The turf grass of the playing field is contained within the development of the ballpark structure, is not generally accessible to the building occupants, and is further separated from the surrounding natural environment with the retractable roof. It will be a highly maintained area of vegetation, solely used for ball games. The area does not meet the intent of the credit to promote biodiversity, and therefore cannot be included in the open space calculations for this credit. Applicable Internationally.