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Reference Guide OverviewPrefaceGetting StartedMinimum Program RequirementsRating System SelectionCategory OverviewCreditsAppendices

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Credit StructureIntents & RequirementsBehind the IntentStep-By-Step GuidanceFurther ExplanationRelated Credit TipsChanges from LEED 2009Referenced StandardsExemplary PerformanceDefinitions

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Prerequisites MandatoryCredits Optional, must earn enough points for the

targeted certification level

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Other LEED Offerings

LEED Volume CertificationDesigned for LEED users looking to certify an entire portfolio of projects, LEED volume certification streamlines the certification process and fee structure while preserving the rigor of LEED.

LEED Campus CertificationLEED campus certification streamlines the certification process for LEED users who are certifying more than one project located on a single shared site — like a corporate or education campus.

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There are two approaches to certifying multiple buildings under the Campus Program:

Group Approach allows buildings that are substantially similar and are in a single location to certify as one project that shares a single certification.

Campus Approach allows buildings that share a single location and site attributes to achieve separate LEED certification for each project, building space, or group on the master site.

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LEED is GLOBALMore than 60,000 projects are participating in LEED across 150+ countries and territories, comprising over 11 billion square feet. Many of the world’s most well-known buildings have earned LEED certification.

LEED works with top building professionals around the world to deliver a system that is applicable at the global, regional and local levels. That means that LEED works no matter where you live — from Seattle, Washington to Taipei, Taiwan.

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Integrative Approach to Design and ConstructionProject Team Roles

Owner: The owner of the project is the person (or entity) who has the authority to hold and control the real and personal property associated with your project, and accepts (or authorizes the acceptance of) the certification agreement. While there may be multiple owners for a particular project (if so, please submit a Confirmation of Primary Owner’s Authority Form), we ask that you identify a single individual to administer the certification process.

Big takeaway: the owner has ultimate control over the LEED certification application, meaning that the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI: the organization responsible for administering LEED certification) will respond to the owner regarding the administration of the project over any other member of the project team.

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Agent: The agent is the person (or entity) who is granted actual authority by the owner to register the project and accept the certification agreement. If you are using this option, remember to upload a signed Confirmation of Agent’s Authority Form.

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Project Administrator: This team member acts as a project manager, overseeing the LEED project as well as which project team members are responsible for certain tasks, credits or prerequisites. The project administrator plays a key quality role by checking that the LEED submission is complete and accurate before submitting the project to GBCI for review, and accepting the review results once the review is complete.

Note: the individual who initially registers the project will automatically be granted the role of the project administrator, but the owner may transfer this role to another team member at any time.

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Integrative Process Phases

Discovery. The most important phase of the integrative process, discovery can be thought of as an extensive expansion of what is conventionally called predesign. A project is unlikely to meets its environmental goals cost-effectively without this discrete phase. Discovery work should take place before schematic design begins.

Design and construction (implementation). This phase begins with what is conventionally called schematic design. It resembles conventional practice but integrates all the work and collective understanding of system interactions reached during the discovery phase.

Occupancy, operations, and performance feedback. This third stage focuses on preparing to measure performance and creating feedback mechanisms. Assessing performance against targets is critical for informing building operations and identifying the need for any corrective action.

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Devising a LEED Work Plan

It is recommended that LEED applicants follow a series of steps to certification.Step 1. Initiate discovery phaseStep 2. Select LEED rating systemStep 3. Check minimum program requirementsStep 4. Establish project goalsStep 5. Define LEED project scopeStep 6. Develop LEED scorecardStep 7. Continue discovery phaseStep 8. Continue iterative processStep 9. Assign roles and responsibilitiesStep 10. Develop consistent documentationStep 11. Perform quality assurance review and submit for certification

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Devising a LEED Work Plan

It is recommended that LEED applicants follow a series of steps to certification.Step 1. Initiate discovery phaseStep 2. Select LEED rating systemStep 3. Check minimum program requirementsStep 4. Establish project goalsStep 5. Define LEED project scopeStep 6. Develop LEED scorecardStep 7. Continue discovery phaseStep 8. Continue iterative processStep 9. Assign roles and responsibilitiesStep 10. Develop consistent documentationStep 11. Perform quality assurance review and submit for certification

CharretteWhen sufficient information has been gathered, hold a goal-setting workshop.

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Maintaining Consistency in the LEED Application

Mixed UseExamples:Residential and CommercialHospitality and Retail

Multitenant ComplexMaster Plan Development

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Incomplete Spaces

No more than 40% of the certifying gross floor area of a LEED project may consist of incomplete space unless the project is using the LEED BD+C: Core and Shell rating system.

Projects with Several Physically Distinct StructuresAny single structure that is larger than 25,000 square feet must be registered as a separate project or treated as a separate building in a group certification approach.

Renovations and AdditionsProject boundarySeparate or shared mechanical system

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Tenant Sales and Lease Agreement

LEED BD+C: Core and ShellCredits or thresholds beyond the construction scope of the LEED project, a binding tenant sales and lease agreement must be provided as documentation.

This must be signed by the future tenant and include terms related to how the technical credit requirements will be carried out by the tenant.

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Previously developed - altered by paving, construction, and/or land use that would typically have required regulatory permitting to have been initiated.

Development footprint - the total land area of a project site covered by buildings, streets, parking areas, and other typically impermeable surfaces constructed as part of the project.

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Density - a ratio of building coverage on a given parcel of land to the size of that parcel.

Density can be measured using:Floor area ratio (FAR);Dwelling units per acre (DU/acre) or dwelling units per hectare (DU/hectare);Square Feet of building area per acre of buildable land;

It does not include structured parking.

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Buildable land - the portion of the site where construction can occur, including land voluntarily set aside and not constructed on. When used in density calculations, buildable land excludes public rights-of-way and land excluded from development by codified law.

Land voluntarily set aside and not built on, such as open space, is considered buildable because it was available for construction but set aside voluntarily.

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floor-area ratio (FAR) - the density of nonresidential land use, exclusive of structured parking, measured as the total nonresidential building floor area divided by the total buildable land area available for nonresidential buildings.

To calculate the combined density for residential and nonresidential areas, use FAR.

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OccupancyRegular Building OccupantsEmployees - part-time and full-time employees, totals are calculated using full-time equivalency (FTE)

StaffVolunteers - regularly use a buildingResidentsPrimary and secondary school studentsHotel guestsInpatients

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Equation 1. FTE employees = Full-time employees + (Σ daily part-time employee hours / 8)

Equation 2. FTE employees = (Σ all employee hours / 8)

VisitorsRetail customersOutpatientsVolunteers - periodically use the buildingHigher-education students

Daily averagesPeak totals

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Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs)Purpose:1. Give clear guidance to customers2. Protect the integrity of the LEED program3. Reduce challenges that occur during the LEED certification process

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1. Must be in a permanent location on existing land

RequirementsAll LEED projects must be constructed and operated on a permanent location on existing land.No project that is designed to move at any point in its lifetime may pursue LEED certification. This requirement applies to all land within the LEED project.

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2. Must use reasonable LEED boundaries

RequirementsThe LEED project boundary must include all contiguous land that is associated with the project and supports itstypical operations.

The LEED boundary may not unreasonably exclude portions of the building, space, or site to give the project anadvantage in complying with credit requirements.

The LEED project must accurately communicate the scope of the certifying project in all promotional and descriptive materials and distinguish it from any non-certifying space.

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3. Must comply with project size requirements

RequirementsLEED BD+C: minimum 1,000 square feet of gross floor areaLEED O+M: minimum 1,000 square feet of gross floor areaLEED ID+C: minimum 250 square feet of gross floor areaLEED for Homes: defined as a “dwelling unit” by all applicable codesLEED for ND: at least 2 habitable buildings, no larger than 1500 acres

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USGBC Organizational Structure

How LEED Prerequisites and Credits are Created or Substantially Changed

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