We are requesting approval of an alternate compliance path with regards to the quantity of showers required to comply with Sustainable Sites Credit 4.2 in the LEED NCv2.2 rating system. Our project, located in Cairo, Egypt, provides areas within the building for prayer and ablution areas adjacent to it used for ritual cleansing before prayer time. Each ablution area, one each for males and females, will have four sinks that are actually shower-like faucets on a wall above a trough for a total of eight sinks. We will send a photo example separately. There are no walls or enclosures around each of the sinks, although there are separate ablution areas for men and women. Users remain robed while using the sinks, except for socks, shoes and jackets. Users will typically roll up their sleeves and using a washcloth wash their arms, armpits, face, hair, feet and lower legs. While these ablution areas are used for religious practice, it is common and socially acceptable to use them for general washing as well. Furthermore, social norms do not dictate full daily washings that are typical of American culture, making "sponge" bathing a more common practice for personal hygiene for the majority of the population. We are proposing that each bathing fixture in each ablution area be counted as an individual shower, in our case eight in total. In order to fulfill the need of all occupants of the building, four regular showers, two for each gender, will also be provided in the building for occupants that wish to use a full shower and changing facility. Our building has an FTE of 1080, which requires 5.4 showers, or 3 for each gender. We believe that access to the 4 showers and 8 ablution sinks meets the intent of the credit while also being more appropriate for the social customs of the culture. Is this approach acceptable?
The project is located in Egypt and is seeking confirmation on whether the use of ablution sinks can be considered towards achievement of this credit. Based on the specific local religious and social customs, the use of ablution sinks can be deemed comparable to the use of showers, and can be included in the total number of showers required for credit compliance. However, in cases like this, at a minimum, 50% of the required number of showers must be provided by full showers/changing facilities, to ensure that all occupant needs are adequately met. The project team should include justification for this alternative approach in the LEED submission, clearly demonstrating that the majority of the building occupants adhere to these religious and social customs, and the associated use of the ablution sinks. Applicable Internationally; Egypt.