LEED NC or CI?

[knichols]

Hello All,

I'm working for an Owner who has committed to applying for LEED certification for a new 35,000 SF office/warehouse building.

I'm having difficulty determining what rating system is appropriate for our project.

The Owner will occupy and build-out 60% of the building. The remaining 30% will be intentionally left un-occupied and offered as tenant space, but with NO mechancial system equipment in place.

I know we can't apply under LEED CS because the Owner is occupying more than 50% of the building. The LEED CS rating system recommends NC in this case.

My question: Does this obligate the owner to install mechanical equipment for the un-occupied tenant spaces to achieve energy efficiency pre-req's and credits, OR can we exclude the un-occupied tenant spaces from our credit calculations. The difficulty I see with this path, is that we'd like to include other elements connected to the tenant space scope for other credits, like MR, recycled content, SS roof heat island, etc.

Do you think this project would qualify for LEED CI, just for the owner occupied portion? LEED bases CI language around a tenant assumption. So, can building occupants who also own the building technically be defined as tenants??

Any advice is greatly appreciated,

Katie

[gleearch]

I suggest using LEED NC. Why go through the trouble of building it and then attempt for LEED CI just for the interiors?
The owner's tenant can use LEED CI and even though the building isn't LEED CS, can still use the synergies from a certified building to obtain certain corresponding credits.

LEED NC does not deal with tenant spaces like the way LEED CS does. Your mechanical engineer and your energy consultant will help you out where those categories are concerned. There are ways to test the eqpt without a full tenant build out. It isn't that difficult. Have you checked the CIRs?
Just be aware that for some of the credits like daylight and views, you may have to design a conceptual tenant fit out to model the daylighting and views within the tenant spaces. Basically a free TI. Factor that into your fee or avoid that credit.

[knichols]

Thanks for your input. I'll definitely check the CIR's . I emailed the USGBC and they said it was 'plausable' that we could apply for certification under NC by excluding the tenant space if we provided consistent square footage and material quantities across all credit calculations.

I assume our Design Build Contractor will have additional time to break out quantities between the tenant and owner occupied spaces, along with subs who have to provide documentation.

Hmm.

Thanks Again.