This project building is a Class A multi-tenant office building, 37 stories tall and is over 400,000 square feet. Building operations and systems are managed by a property management company. All public entrances to the project building have 5\' floor mats in place, and the entire lobby floor is installed with cobbled stone to achieve the exact intent of this credit. Furthermore, there is a 25\' long carpeted area directly in front of the elevators, which acts as a walk-off mat that further reduces fine particulates from entering the building. Finally, the project building is in San Francisco, where the climate is always mild (no snow, leaves, etc), and as a result does not have substantial environmental debris tracking into the building. The current entryway system (floor mats, cobble stone area and carpet) is cleaned on a daily basis using a vacuum that is compliant with EQ 3.7 Green Cleaning: Sustainable Cleaning Equipment. We propose that the project building is clearly addressing the intent of EQ 3.8, although it does not meet the exact requirements outlined in the Reference Guide (specifically that at least 10 feet of mats must be in place immediately inside all public entryways). Proposed submittals include photos, lobby floor plan and two narratives: (a) describing how the entry system meets the intent of the credit and (b) describing the maintenance and cleaning strategies for the entry system. The project team requests that the point be granted on the basis that the project building is effectively reducing the exposure of building occupants and maintenance personnel to potentially hazardous chemical, biological and particulate contaminants.
This credit can only be achieved through the use of 10\' entryway systems specifically designed to capture moisture, dirt, dust, pollen and other particles. Entryway systems consist of fibers and textures specifically design to scrape, wipe, and hold moisture and particles from footwear. It is not apparent or verifiable that cobblestone functions equivalently; conventional carpeting is never appropriate as part of a entryway systems because of the difficulty associated with extracting trapped particles through cleaning and moisture issues. Applicable Internationally.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.