Building as a Teaching Tool ID Credit Requirements

While working on a proposal for a federal project (the kind where you have to explain all the LEED points you're going to get before you even get the project!), someone suggested an idea for an Innovation in Design (ID) point based on the facility being a teaching tool. This is not a school, so it's not regulated on under the credit specifically designed for that purpose (IDc3, School as a Teaching Tool).

Instead, you must follow guidance from stemming from a CIR dating back all the way to 09/24/01. This may be old news to many of you, but it took me awhile to track this down so I figured it couldn't hurt to republish here.

From a CIR dated 09/24/01:

To take advantage of the educational value of the green building features of a project and to earn a LEED point, any approach should be ACTIVELY instructional. Two of the following three elements must be included in the educational program:

1. A comprehensive signage program built into the building's spaces to educate the occupants and visitors of the benefits of green buildings. This program may include windows to view energy-saving mechanical equipment or signs to call attention to water-conserving landscape features.
2. The development of a manual, guideline or case study to inform the design of other buildings based on the successes of this project. This manual will be made available to the USGBC for sharing with other projects.
3. An educational outreach program or guided tour could be developed to focus on sustainable living, using the project as an example.

Be sure you cover your bases before wasting your time on a submittal that will surely be rejected!

Defining Regularly Occupied Space: Outliers

While looking into a question about whether or not a particular fixture qualifies for task lighting (it did... I think), I stumbled upon a CIR that explained the differences between what is considered regularly occupied spaces (ROS) in a residential space vs. non-residential spaces.  That has since blossomed into me going through each applicable credit and seeing what pops up...

I decided it would be useful to summarize the ROS rulings for weird spaces here... Understand that I'm rather scant on details here, so if you have a space that sounds close to one of these below it's probably worth reading the full summary before making a final decision. Those with access can reach the CIRs here.

Get it?

In each case below, the rating system, credit, and ruling date for the applicable CIR are included for further research on your own.  In many instances, the rulings do not expressly state that some of these areas are or are not regularly occupied, but the inferences are fairly clear.  In some instances, a space may be listed both as ROS and non ROS based on very slight changes of use. I strongly recommend reading the original rulings if you think it may apply to your project!

Regularly Occupied

• Shipping and recieving warehouses in an industrial facility (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc6.1 - 01.18.08)
• Manufacturing floor in an industrial facility (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc6.1 - 01.18.08)
• Prison cells in a prison(LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc6.1 - 08.13.08)
• Reading/work stations for patrons at a library (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc6.1 - 10.22.07)
• All spaces except closets, utility rooms, other storage areas, and bathrooms in residences (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc6.1 - 05.12.07 and revised 10.13.07)
• Nurses stations in hospitals  (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc6.2 - 07.14.08)
• Rarely occupied assembly halls in army facilities (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc8.1 - 05.12.09)
• Courtrooms, holding cells, and jury deliberation rooms if no security requirements impede the ability for views in a courthouse (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc8.2 - 03.22.07)
• A greenhouse in a school where classes or groups occupy the space as part of classes (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc6.1 - 01.24.06) 
• Gymnasium, cafeterias, conference rooms, libraries, and staff lounges for faculty work in elementary schools (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc6.1 - 10.05.04)
• Circulation paths within open office environments in offices (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc6.1 - 06.26.01)
• "Roving scientist" desk areas used intermittantly in the California Academy of Sciences (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc8.2 - 12.21.04)
• Industrial shop in a metal piping and duct fabrication facility (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc8.2 - 08.29.03)
• Portions of warehouse space where truck receiving and unloading occurs and occupants work all day in an industrial wherehouse (LEED-CSv2.0 - EQc8.2 - 10.21.08)

Non-Regularly Occupied

• Lobbies, circulation areas, and book shelf stacks in libraries (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc6.1 - 10.22.07)
• Closets, utility rooms, other storage areas, and bathrooms in residences (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc6.1 - 05.12.07 and revised 10.13.07)
• Exam rooms and break rooms in hospitals  (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc6.2 - 07.14.08)
• Rarely occupied warehouse area when employees are assigned office space elsewhere in a warehouse (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc8.1 - 01.29.08)
• (maybe) Simulation labs in a college facility (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc8.1 - 04.20.07)
• Secure teaching labs (owner previously had issues with patent infringement) in a corporate training facility (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc8.2 - 10.21.08)
• Courtrooms, holding cells, and jury deliberation rooms if security requirements impede the ability to allow views in a courthouse (LEED-NCv2.2 - EQc8.2 - 03.22.07)
• Pick-up area/lobby for a food bank (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc6.1 - 08.09.06)
• Recieving/Processing area where no employees are 'stationed' in a household materials collection facilty (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc6.1 - 09.19.06)
• A greenhouse in a school where classes or groups do not occupy the space as part of classes in a school (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc6.1 - 01.24.06)
• Staff lounge if only used for short breaks and not for faculty work in an elementary school (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc6.1 - 10.05.04)
• Computer training and multi-media conference rooms in a multi-use building (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc8.2 - 05.24.04)
• Field house and competition gym in a... field house and competition gym? (LEED-NCv2.0 and 2.1 - EQc8.2 - 03.04.03)
• Sales stations where only final sales are completed (otherwise employees are on the floor with customers) in a retail store (LEED-CI - EQc6.1 - 02.24.09)

RIP Public CIRs (Credit Interpretation Rulings)

Buried towards the bottom of an 05.04.09 email (I'm a little late here) from Peter Templeton of the GBCI, there was a rather unfortunate announcement:

"Effective June 26, 2009, credit interpretation requests (CIRs) submitted by any registered project will no longer be vetted by USGBC or its LEED Technical Advisory Groups. As a result, CIR rulings will now be applicable only to the project that submitted them. For LEED version 2 projects, rulings on CIRs submitted prior to June 26, 2009, will be honored until they are retired by USGBC or incorporated into general USGBC-issued project guidance, such as through errata or addenda."

This blog relies heavily on the public rulings (see forthcoming post on regularly occupied space for residential buildings), which have cleared up issues for me more often than I care to admit. Equally curious is who exactly will be reviewing the CIRs from this point? One would assume it's the review team for your project, but it's not expressly stated.

Walk Off Mats and Grates - In or Out?

Short Answer: Inside Medium Answer: Inside the building, but it can be outside if it's "protected from the weather" Long, Rambling Answer in Story Form Including a Few Rants: We were working on a high end project and I brought up the fact that we need walk-off grates at all entrances that are at least six feet in the main direction of travel. Sounds simple enough but then there was a question: "Do the grates need to be inside or outside the door?" Since the point is to keep dirt and debris from entering the building, I came to the logical conclusion that the grates we need to be on the outside. The credit itself calls you to "Employ permanent entryway systems... to capture dirt and particulates from entering the building at entryways that are directly connected to the outdoors." If you've placed a grate or grill inside the building you've already lost the battle right?

Obligitory Post Picture Alert

Yep, that's a grate

By having it outside the door, the grates allow dirt to drop to the bottom, and when it rains some of the dirt could be washed away. Also, people will be stomping their feet, a process that is certain to kick up dust indoors. I was pretty certain, but I wasn't 100% sure so I decided to check the reference guide.

Why I'm Annoyed with Flexibility Those of you used to searching for practical, detailed information within the reference guide can probably guess where this is heading... The reference guide frequently stops at the level of giving practical advice like this. I understand the reasoning. By keeping things vague you allow for unforseen circumstances to be dealt with in a case by case basis. In theory it allows costs to be controlled, but in practice it's annoying. On the plus side, at least I have stuff to blog about. Credit Interpretation Requests (aka CI Rulings) If you haven't been initiated yet, the place where the answers are is within the CIRs... This is your answer depot. Luckily, someone else had the same question (note: you must work for a USGBC member company or be listed as a team member on a LEED registered project to havea access to the preceding link) and submitted it for a CIR. In fact two people did within eight days of each other... Scroll down to the ruling on 11/01/2004: "The intent of EQc5 is to prevent contaminants from entering the building which could have an effect on the indoor air quality. However, the location of the 'permanent entryway system', for example grills and grates, is subjective, depending on the layout of the building. If there is a vestibule it may be appropriate to have a walk off area located within it. Also, exterior walk-off areas may be considered if the area is protected from weather. Alternatively, the walk-off area can be within the building." How's that for a definitive answer??? My interpretation of this interpretation is that you always go inside unless you have a covered area (i.e. rain can't get on it). As we're largely talking about metal grates and grills, I don't buy the argument that they could "get wet and muddy", but c'est la vie.

Grate and Grill Manufacturers

• 4specs
• Sweets
• There's an Association for Everything