Our building is an office building in Washington DC with over 90% of the building\'s parking spaces located on 2 underground parking levels. We plan to capture this credit using Option C, which requires the building to provide preferred parking for hybrids or alternative fuel vehicles for at least 3% of the total vehicle capacity, increasing up to 10% or more to meet demand. Building management has opted to have the preferred parking in the form of designated parking spaces identified by signage. Preferred parking spaces would be located on Parking Level 1, and available to monthly pass holders only. Our questions: 1. The newer versions of LEED-EB (O+M and 2009) use the same language for this credit as LEED-NC 2.2, which is "low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles" in lieu of the LEED-EB 2.0 language of "hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles". To capture this credit for our LEED-EB 2.0 registered building, is it acceptable to use the newer LEED language on preferred parking signage and in the building occupant communication program? The communication program would explain the ZEV and ACEEE criteria for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles documented in the LEED rating system and Reference Guides for LEED-EB O+M and LEED-NC 2.2. The building occupant communication program would also mention other standards recognized in LEED CIRs, such as EPA Certified SmartWay Elite. 2. Building management intends to issue decals to monthly parkers whose vehicles are low-emitting and fuel-efficient. Building management has asked us to consider if vehicles whose emissions are offset through the purchase of carbon offsets should also be eligible for preferred parking spaces for low-emitting vehicles. Please confirm if - and under what conditions - a vehicle whose emissions are offset is equivalent to a low-emitting vehicle as defined by the LEED Rating systems. 3. We are hoping to win SSc3.4 Alternative Transportation - Carpooling and Telecommuting in addition to SSc3.3. We plan to capture SSc3.4 using Option A, which requires the building to provide preferred parking and implement / document programs and policies for car pools or van pools capable of serving 5% of the building occupants, and to add no new parking. SSc3.3 Option C would require the building to provide a minimum of 6 preferred parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles. SSc3.4 Option A would require the building to provide 18 preferred parking spaces for car / van poolers. A total of 6 + 18 = 24 preferred parking spaces is required to cover the criteria for both credits. Is it possible to "combine" the 24 required spaces, providing identical signage for all spaces? The signage would indicate that the spaces are reserved for low-emitting / fuel-efficient vehicles and car / van poolers. We understand that unlike SSc3.3, SSc3.4 does not require that carpool spaces be increased to meet demand; however if the preferred parking spaces were combined, demand for all the parking spaces (by both low-emitting / fuel-efficient vehicles / car and van poolers) would be monitored throughout the performance period and increased to meet demand.
1. For the purposes of meeting all criteria and submittal documentation requirements for LEED-EB v2.0 SSc3.3, Option C, it would be acceptable to define low-emitting vehicles and fuel-efficient vehicles as vehicles that are classified as zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by the California Air Resources Board or that have achieved a minimum score of 40 on the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) annual vehicle-rating guide for the purposes of providing a preferred parking program for LEED-EB v2.0 SSc3.3, Option C. In addition, the NC v2.1 CIR Ruling dated 10/2/06 that approved the "US EPA Certified SmartWay Elite [ http://www.epa.gov/SmartwayLogistics/consumer/vehicles.htm ] as an acceptable alternative standard would also be acceptable for LEED-EB v2.0 SSc3.3, Option C purposes. This allowance is specific to the "Elite" designation (not simply "SmartWay"), which has been confirmed as equal to or more stringent than the ACEEE Green Score of 40. 2. It would not be acceptable to consider vehicles whose emissions are offset through the purchase of emission offsets to be eligible for low-emitting vehicle preferred parking spaces. Smog is a localized issue resulting from a reaction between the sun, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, forming particulate matter and ground-level ozone. There are no offsets that appropriately deal with all factors that contribute to smog and no way to guarantee that offsets appropriately address the smog issues of the community in which the project is located. 3. It would be acceptable to "combine" the number of required spaces for LEED-EB v2.0\'s SSc3.3, Option C and SSc3.4, Option A and provide identical signage for all spaces as long as the total number of provided preferred parking spaces and signage language meet the criteria for both credits. Demand for all preferred parking spaces (by both low-emitting / fuel-efficient vehicles / car and van poolers) would also need to be monitored and documented throughout the performance period and increased as necessary to meet the demand. All additional criteria and submittal requirements must be met for both LEED-EB v2.0\'s SSc3.3, Option C and SSc3.4, Option A in order to earn both credits. Applicable Internationally.