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LEED v4
Commercial Interiors
Integrative Process
Integrative process

LEED CREDIT

CI-v4 IPc1: Integrative process 1-2 points

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View the LEED v4.1 version of this credit »

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Marcus Sheffer

7group / Energy Opportunities
LEED Fellow

SPECIAL REPORT

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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Site Selection and Energy-Related Systems (1 point)
Starting in predesign and continuing throughout the design phases, identify and use opportunities to achieve synergies across disciplines and building systems. Use the analyses described below to inform the owner’s project requirements (OPR), basis of design (BOD), design documents, and construction documents. Conduct analyses in site selection and energy-related systems (1 point).
Site Selection
Before site selection, analyze project goals to identify and select the building site that will provide the most opportunities and fewest barriers for the tenant improvement project. Assess at least two potential locations or base building options, taking into consideration at least the following:
  • Building site attributes. Assess the base building’s location and site design characteristics.
  • Transportation. Assess the tenant occupants’ transportation needs for commuting to and from the site, including convenient access to alternative transportation that meets occupants’ needs.
  • Building features. Assess the base building’s envelope, mechanical and electrical systems that will affect tenant space (e.g., controls, HVAC, plumbing fixtures, renewable energy supply), adaptability to future needs, and resilience in the event of disaster or infrastructure failure.
  • Occupants’ well-being. Assess the base building’s ability to provide daylight and views, indoor air quality, and other indoor environmental quality characteristics.
Implementation:
Document how the above analysis informed selection of a building site for the project’s tenant improvement and informed the OPR and BOD and site selection for the interior design project, including the following, as applicable:
  • suitability of the base building for meeting project goals relative to the building’s site attributes;
  • suitability of the base building site location for meeting daily occupants’ commuting needs;
  • suitability of the base building’s mechanical and electrical systems for meeting project goals;
  • capability of the tenant space for meeting the project’s goals related to indoor environmental quality and occupants’ well-being; and
  • other systems.
Commit to the establishment and use of ongoing feedback mechanisms that provide information about tenant space performance and occupants’ satisfaction. Provide documentation of methods planned to gather feedback on occupants’ satisfaction.
Energy-Related Systems
Discovery:
Perform a preliminary energy analysis before the completion of schematic design that explores how to reduce energy loads for the interior design project and accomplish related sustainability goals by questioning default assumptions and testing options. Assess at least two potential options associated with each of the following in terms of project and human performance:
  • Basic envelope attributes. Insulation values, window-to-wall ratios, glazing characteristics, shading, window operability.
  • Programmatic and operational parameters. Multifunctioning spaces, operating schedules, space allotment per person, teleworking, reducing building area, ongoing operations and maintenance issues.
  • Lighting levels. Interior surface reflectance values and lighting levels in occupied spaces.
  • Thermal comfort ranges. Assess thermal comfort range options.
  • Plug and process load needs. Reducing plug and process loads through programmatic solutions such as equipment and purchasing policies or layout options.
Document how the above analysis informed interior design decisions in the project’s OPR and BOD and the interior design of the project, including the following, as applicable:
  • building envelope and façade conditions;
  • elimination and/or significant downsizing of building systems (e.g., HVAC, lighting, controls, exterior materials, interior finishes, functional program elements);
  • methods planned to gather feedback on energy performance and occupants’ satisfaction during operations.; and
  • other systems.
    • Project teams may also choose Option 1 for an additional point..
    Option 1. Water-Related Systems (1 point)
    Perform a preliminary water budget analysis before the completion of schematic design that explores how to reduce potable water loads and accomplish related sustainability goals. Assess and estimate the project’s potential nonpotable water supply sources and water demand volumes, including the following:
    • Fixture and fitting water demand. Assess flow and flush fixture demand volumes, calculated in accordance with WE Prerequisite Indoor Water Use Reduction.
    • Process water demand. Assess kitchen, laundry, cooling tower, and other equipment demand volumes, as applicable.
    • Supply sources. Assess all potential nonpotable water supply source volumes, such as on-site rainwater and graywater, municipally supplied nonpotable water, and HVAC equipment condensate.
    Document how the above analysis informed interior design decisions in the OPR and BOD. Demonstrate how at least one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce the burden on municipal supply and/or wastewater treatment systems by contributing to the water demand components listed above. Demonstrate how the analysis informed the interior design and systems affected by the project, as applicable, for the following:
    • plumbing systems;
    • sewage conveyance and/or on-site treatment systems;
    • process water systems;
    • methods planned to gather feedback on the performance and efficiency of water-related systems during operations; and
    • other systems.
See all forum discussions about this credit »

What does it cost?

Cost estimates for this credit

On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.

Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.

This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.

Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »

Frequently asked questions

This is the only credit in the IP credit category. Do all teams have to pursue it?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

Do we have to adopt all strategies that improve energy or water performance based on the analysis?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)
See all forum discussions about this credit »

Addenda

7/1/2015 – Updated: 7/1/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
In the first paragraph replace the word "used" with "analyzed," so that the section reads:
Document how the above analysis informed building and site design decisions in the project’s OPR and BOD. Demonstrate how at least one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce the burden on municipal supply or wastewater treatment systems by contributing to at least two of the water demand components listed above. Demonstrate how the analysis informed the design of the project, including the following, as applicable:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
7/1/2015 – Updated: 6/30/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Under Water-Related Systems, changed "used" to "analyzed" so that text reads, "Explain how one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce municipal supply or wastewater treatment for the demand components listed below."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Revised text to specify that the requirement for nonpotable water to reduce the burden of "at least two" demand components is applicable only to BD+C projects.
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under the second first-level bullet (energy-related research and analysis), replace the second-order bullet set with the following:
• Building envelope and façade conditions
• Elimination and/or significant downsizing of building systems (e.g., HVAC, lighting controls, exterior materials, interior finishes, and functional program elements)
• Methods planned to gather feedback on energy performance and occupants’ satisfaction during operation
• Other systems

Under the fourth first-level bullet (water-related research and analysis), replace the second-order bullet set with the following:
• Plumbing systems
• Sewage conveyance and/or on-site treatment systems
• Process water systems
• Methods planned to gather feedback on the performance and efficiency of water-related systems during operation
• Other systems

Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Replace the second half of the step instructions, beginning at "Consider the following aspect of all base buildings...", with the following text:

Consider the following aspects, as appropriate:
• Building envelope attributes. Wall and roof insulation, thermal mass, window size and orientation, exterior shading devices, window performance (U-values, solar heat gain coefficient, visible light transmittance).
• Lighting levels. Lighting power density, lighting needs in workspaces, reflectance values for ceiling and wall surfaces, high-efficiency lighting fixtures and controls, daylighting.
• Thermal comfort ranges. Temperature setpoints and thermal comfort parameters.
• Plug and process loads. Equipment and purchasing policies, other programmatic solutions, layout options.
• Programmatic and operational parameters. Hours of operation, space allotment per person, shared program spaces, teleworking policies.

Assess at least two optional strategies for the above aspects.
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under the first paragraph, replace text beginning at "Consider the following aspects of all base buildings..." through "...(using the methodology for WE Prerequisite Outdoor Water Use)." with the following text:

"For all base buildings under consideration, consider the preliminary baseline and design case water consumption based on the tenants’ use of assumed plumbing fixture flow and flush rates (using the methodology for WE Prerequisite Indoor Water Use Reduction)."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
1/5/2018
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

How should project teams renovating their own space, and not considering a move, approach the ID+C: Commercial Interiors (CI) Site Selection requirement for the Integrative Process credit? Should they identify all the good things about that site, and compare it to a hypothetical alternative site? Are these project teams ineligible for all or
part of the Integrative Process credit?

Ruling:

All ID+C projects, including proposed renovations or expansions in an existing space, are eligible to pursue the Site Selection and Energy-Related Systems (1 point) component of the Integrative Process credit. The Site Selection requirement encourages teams to “analyze project goals to identify and select the building site that will provide the most opportunities and fewest barriers for the tenant improvement project,” regardless of current location. Therefore, all project teams are encouraged to pursue this credit in order to meaningfully consider and compare building attributes and locations.

To perform the Site Selection assessment, project teams in an existing space should identify one or more viable alternative locations, undertake the comparison outlined in the Site Selection requirements, and complete all associated documentation. Projects may refer to the “Example Worksheet Documentation” in the LEED v4 Reference Guide under “Further Explanation” for an example specific to Site Selection.

If completing the Site Selection and Energy-Related Systems component, project teams are also eligible to pursue the Water-Related Systems component.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
See all forum discussions about this credit »

Documentation toolkit

The motherlode of cheat sheets

LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Marcus Sheffer

7group / Energy Opportunities
LEED Fellow

Get the inside scoop

Our editors have written a detailed analysis of nearly every LEED credit, and LEEDuser premium members get full access. We’ll tell you whether the credit is easy to accomplish or better left alone, and we provide insider tips on how to document it successfully.

USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Site Selection and Energy-Related Systems (1 point)
Starting in predesign and continuing throughout the design phases, identify and use opportunities to achieve synergies across disciplines and building systems. Use the analyses described below to inform the owner’s project requirements (OPR), basis of design (BOD), design documents, and construction documents. Conduct analyses in site selection and energy-related systems (1 point).
Site Selection
Before site selection, analyze project goals to identify and select the building site that will provide the most opportunities and fewest barriers for the tenant improvement project. Assess at least two potential locations or base building options, taking into consideration at least the following:
  • Building site attributes. Assess the base building’s location and site design characteristics.
  • Transportation. Assess the tenant occupants’ transportation needs for commuting to and from the site, including convenient access to alternative transportation that meets occupants’ needs.
  • Building features. Assess the base building’s envelope, mechanical and electrical systems that will affect tenant space (e.g., controls, HVAC, plumbing fixtures, renewable energy supply), adaptability to future needs, and resilience in the event of disaster or infrastructure failure.
  • Occupants’ well-being. Assess the base building’s ability to provide daylight and views, indoor air quality, and other indoor environmental quality characteristics.
Implementation:
Document how the above analysis informed selection of a building site for the project’s tenant improvement and informed the OPR and BOD and site selection for the interior design project, including the following, as applicable:
  • suitability of the base building for meeting project goals relative to the building’s site attributes;
  • suitability of the base building site location for meeting daily occupants’ commuting needs;
  • suitability of the base building’s mechanical and electrical systems for meeting project goals;
  • capability of the tenant space for meeting the project’s goals related to indoor environmental quality and occupants’ well-being; and
  • other systems.
Commit to the establishment and use of ongoing feedback mechanisms that provide information about tenant space performance and occupants’ satisfaction. Provide documentation of methods planned to gather feedback on occupants’ satisfaction.
Energy-Related Systems
Discovery:
Perform a preliminary energy analysis before the completion of schematic design that explores how to reduce energy loads for the interior design project and accomplish related sustainability goals by questioning default assumptions and testing options. Assess at least two potential options associated with each of the following in terms of project and human performance:
  • Basic envelope attributes. Insulation values, window-to-wall ratios, glazing characteristics, shading, window operability.
  • Programmatic and operational parameters. Multifunctioning spaces, operating schedules, space allotment per person, teleworking, reducing building area, ongoing operations and maintenance issues.
  • Lighting levels. Interior surface reflectance values and lighting levels in occupied spaces.
  • Thermal comfort ranges. Assess thermal comfort range options.
  • Plug and process load needs. Reducing plug and process loads through programmatic solutions such as equipment and purchasing policies or layout options.
Document how the above analysis informed interior design decisions in the project’s OPR and BOD and the interior design of the project, including the following, as applicable:
  • building envelope and façade conditions;
  • elimination and/or significant downsizing of building systems (e.g., HVAC, lighting, controls, exterior materials, interior finishes, functional program elements);
  • methods planned to gather feedback on energy performance and occupants’ satisfaction during operations.; and
  • other systems.
    • Project teams may also choose Option 1 for an additional point..
    Option 1. Water-Related Systems (1 point)
    Perform a preliminary water budget analysis before the completion of schematic design that explores how to reduce potable water loads and accomplish related sustainability goals. Assess and estimate the project’s potential nonpotable water supply sources and water demand volumes, including the following:
    • Fixture and fitting water demand. Assess flow and flush fixture demand volumes, calculated in accordance with WE Prerequisite Indoor Water Use Reduction.
    • Process water demand. Assess kitchen, laundry, cooling tower, and other equipment demand volumes, as applicable.
    • Supply sources. Assess all potential nonpotable water supply source volumes, such as on-site rainwater and graywater, municipally supplied nonpotable water, and HVAC equipment condensate.
    Document how the above analysis informed interior design decisions in the OPR and BOD. Demonstrate how at least one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce the burden on municipal supply and/or wastewater treatment systems by contributing to the water demand components listed above. Demonstrate how the analysis informed the interior design and systems affected by the project, as applicable, for the following:
    • plumbing systems;
    • sewage conveyance and/or on-site treatment systems;
    • process water systems;
    • methods planned to gather feedback on the performance and efficiency of water-related systems during operations; and
    • other systems.

Cost estimates for this credit

On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.

Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.

This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.

Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »

In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit, for premium members only, saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:

  • Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
  • Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
  • Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
  • Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
  • Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
  • Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.

This is the only credit in the IP credit category. Do all teams have to pursue it?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

Do we have to adopt all strategies that improve energy or water performance based on the analysis?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)
7/1/2015 – Updated: 7/1/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
In the first paragraph replace the word "used" with "analyzed," so that the section reads:
Document how the above analysis informed building and site design decisions in the project’s OPR and BOD. Demonstrate how at least one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce the burden on municipal supply or wastewater treatment systems by contributing to at least two of the water demand components listed above. Demonstrate how the analysis informed the design of the project, including the following, as applicable:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
7/1/2015 – Updated: 6/30/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Under Water-Related Systems, changed "used" to "analyzed" so that text reads, "Explain how one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce municipal supply or wastewater treatment for the demand components listed below."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Revised text to specify that the requirement for nonpotable water to reduce the burden of "at least two" demand components is applicable only to BD+C projects.
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under the second first-level bullet (energy-related research and analysis), replace the second-order bullet set with the following:
• Building envelope and façade conditions
• Elimination and/or significant downsizing of building systems (e.g., HVAC, lighting controls, exterior materials, interior finishes, and functional program elements)
• Methods planned to gather feedback on energy performance and occupants’ satisfaction during operation
• Other systems

Under the fourth first-level bullet (water-related research and analysis), replace the second-order bullet set with the following:
• Plumbing systems
• Sewage conveyance and/or on-site treatment systems
• Process water systems
• Methods planned to gather feedback on the performance and efficiency of water-related systems during operation
• Other systems

Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Replace the second half of the step instructions, beginning at "Consider the following aspect of all base buildings...", with the following text:

Consider the following aspects, as appropriate:
• Building envelope attributes. Wall and roof insulation, thermal mass, window size and orientation, exterior shading devices, window performance (U-values, solar heat gain coefficient, visible light transmittance).
• Lighting levels. Lighting power density, lighting needs in workspaces, reflectance values for ceiling and wall surfaces, high-efficiency lighting fixtures and controls, daylighting.
• Thermal comfort ranges. Temperature setpoints and thermal comfort parameters.
• Plug and process loads. Equipment and purchasing policies, other programmatic solutions, layout options.
• Programmatic and operational parameters. Hours of operation, space allotment per person, shared program spaces, teleworking policies.

Assess at least two optional strategies for the above aspects.
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Under the first paragraph, replace text beginning at "Consider the following aspects of all base buildings..." through "...(using the methodology for WE Prerequisite Outdoor Water Use)." with the following text:

"For all base buildings under consideration, consider the preliminary baseline and design case water consumption based on the tenants’ use of assumed plumbing fixture flow and flush rates (using the methodology for WE Prerequisite Indoor Water Use Reduction)."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
1/5/2018
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

How should project teams renovating their own space, and not considering a move, approach the ID+C: Commercial Interiors (CI) Site Selection requirement for the Integrative Process credit? Should they identify all the good things about that site, and compare it to a hypothetical alternative site? Are these project teams ineligible for all or
part of the Integrative Process credit?

Ruling:

All ID+C projects, including proposed renovations or expansions in an existing space, are eligible to pursue the Site Selection and Energy-Related Systems (1 point) component of the Integrative Process credit. The Site Selection requirement encourages teams to “analyze project goals to identify and select the building site that will provide the most opportunities and fewest barriers for the tenant improvement project,” regardless of current location. Therefore, all project teams are encouraged to pursue this credit in order to meaningfully consider and compare building attributes and locations.

To perform the Site Selection assessment, project teams in an existing space should identify one or more viable alternative locations, undertake the comparison outlined in the Site Selection requirements, and complete all associated documentation. Projects may refer to the “Example Worksheet Documentation” in the LEED v4 Reference Guide under “Further Explanation” for an example specific to Site Selection.

If completing the Site Selection and Energy-Related Systems component, project teams are also eligible to pursue the Water-Related Systems component.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Marcus Sheffer

7group / Energy Opportunities
LEED Fellow

See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Unsubscribe from discussions about CI-v4 IPc1 View the LEED v4.1 version of this credit