How do you calculate the existing building structure reuse?
The percentage of reused existing building structure is calculated by area, dividing the total area of existing building structure by the total reused building area.
Should I base my calculations on plan or elevation?
This credit deals only with surface area, so you should look at walls in elevation. For the calculation of floor structure and roof structure, surface areas should be taken off of plan drawings. Note that maintained ground-level slabs on grade such as a basement floor may contribute to this credit.
Does this prerequisite apply to e-cigarettes? What about marijuana?
Yes. As of 7/1/2014, with LEED Interpretation #10388, the environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) prerequisite applies to e-cigarettes as well as conventional cigarettes. USGBC cites the World Health Organization, stating that "e-cigarettes should be prohibited anywhere where the use of conventional cigarettes is prohibited." The interpretation also updated the definition of smoke to include “smoke produced from the combustion of cannabis and controlled substances and the vapors produced by electronic smoking devices."
We have a strict no-smoking policy and local smoking laws that all our employees are familiar with. Can we skip the signage?
No. Visitors and other non-employees might not be familiar with the building policies or local smoking laws.
How do you calculate the 25 ft. rule from designated smoking areas to building openings?
The 25 feet should be calculated from the closest point within the smoking area to the building opening, going around any solid objects (balconies, walls, etc.) as needed. For calculating distances between a lower level smoking area and an upper floor building opening, it should be calculated starting from the ceiling of the lower floor to the nearest (lowest) point in the upper floor opening.
Our outside smoking area is located less than 25 feet from an emergency exit. Is this okay since that door is rarely (if ever) used?
The Reference Guide doesn’t explicitly make a distinction between a regular door and an emergency exit, making this a bit of a gray area. The safest bet is to assume they’re treated the same way under this prerequisite, which would require relocation of the smoking area to a compliant distance. If you’d like a definitive answer to this question you can submit a CIR.
How can I prohibit smoking 25 feet from the entrance of my project when it is a zero lot line and its entrance abuts a public sidewalk?
Although projects may not have complete control over the public space that surrounds their building, at minimum, provide adequate signage that communicates smoking is prohibited 25 feet from the entrance. Signage can help deter people from standing outside of the door to smoke.
Municipal law requires that our building be completely smoke-free inside. It also bans smoking next to the building, but it’s not as stringent as the 25 foot LEED requirement. Do we have to make another policy that bans smoking within 25 feet?
Yes. If local regulations are not as strict as LEED you must create a policy that complies with LEED standards (and communicate this policy to building users) to achieve this prerequisite. Exterior signage that communicates the policy is required so that all occupants, visitors, and passersby are made aware of the exterior smoking policy.
Do I have to provide a designated smoking area?
No—this is optional.
I'm reusing a historic building but I don't qualify under MRc1 due to the thresholds in the credit language. Can't I somehow get credit?
In building reuse situations where the project doesn't qualify for MRc1, the building weight or volume being reused can count toward MRc2: Construction Waste Management. MRc3: Materials Reuse, on the other hand, is not applicable in most cases—see that credit for specifics.