LEEDuser overview
LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.
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Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
To reduce heat islands1 to minimize impacts on microclimates and human and wildlife habitats.
|
Area Roof Meeting Minimum SRI ———————————————— Total Roof Area |
x |
SRI of Installed Roof —————————— Required SRI |
≥ |
75% |
|
[ |
Area of Roof A |
x |
SRI of Roof A ——————— Required SRI |
] |
+ |
[ |
Area of Roof B |
x |
SRI of Roof B ——————— Required SRI |
] |
+ |
... |
Total Roof Area |
||
|
0.75 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Roof Type |
Slope |
SRI |
|
Low-sloped roof |
≤ 2:12 |
78 |
|
Steep-sloped roof |
> 2:12 |
29 |
OR
OR
|
Area Roof Meeting Minimum SRI ———————————————— 0.75 |
+ |
Area of Vegetated Roof —————————— 0.5 |
≥ |
Total Roof Area |
|
Roof Type |
Slope |
SRI |
|
Low-sloped roof |
≤ 2:12 |
78 |
|
Steep-sloped roof |
> 2:12 |
29 |
What does it cost?
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.
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Checklists
LEEDuser’s checklists walk you through the key action steps you need to earn a credit, including how to avoid common pitfalls and save money.
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Documentation toolkit
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.
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Addenda
Add "skylights" to the list of things deducted from the roof area so that the sentence reads, "Determine the area of the roof covered by mechanical equipment, solar energy panels, skylights, and other appurtenances, and deduct these areas from the total roof surface area."
Below equation, add the text and equation:Alternatively, a weighted average approach may be used to calculate compliance for multiple materials:(see image)
Below equation, add the text and equation:Alternatively, the following equation may be used to calculate compliance:(see image)
Below equation, add the text and equation:Alternatively, a weighted average approach may be used to calculate compliance for multiple materials:(see image)
Replace the term "photovoltaic panels" with "solar energy panels" and add "other appurtenances" to the list of things deducted from the roof area so that the sentence reads "Projects may earn an Innovation in Design (ID) credit for exemplary performance by demonstrating that 100% of the project\'s roof area (excluding any mechanical equipment, solar energy panels, skylights, and other appurtenances) consists of a vegetated roof system."
In alphabetical order, add the term, "Roof area is the area of the uppermost surface of the building which covers enclosed Gross Floor Area, as measured when projected onto a flat, horizontal surface (i.e. as seen in Roof Plan view). \'Roofs\', or portions of roofs, covering unenclosed areas (e.g. roofs over porches and open covered parking structures) are not included in the areas used to evaluate compliance with SSc7.2, though they may be applicable to SSc7.1."
Make the following text bold, "ASTM E408-71(1996)e1, Standard Test Methods for Total Normal Emittance of Surfaces Using Inspection-Meter Techniques".
Below equation, add the text and equation:Alternatively, the following equation may be used to calculate compliance:(see image)
In alphabetical order, add the term "An appurtenance is any built-in, nonstructural portion of a roof system, such as skylights, ventilators, mechanical equipment, partitions, and solar energy panels."
Many of the ASTM Standards we reference have been withdrawn, upgraded, or superseded. Provide guidance on which updated standards should be used.
The withdrawn ASTM Standards listed- ASTM E1980-01 and ASTM E903-96- are still the correct references for SSc1: Site Selection, SSc7.1: Heat Island Effect, Non-Roof, and SSc7.2: Heat Island Effect-Roof. These two standards were not withdrawn for technical reasons, but were withdrawn because they had not been updated within 8 years. Testing can still be performed for these as well as the superseded standards. The updated versions of the superseded standards can be used, but are not required:Old: ASTM E408-71(1996), Current: E408-71(2008)Old: ASTM C1371-04a, Current: C1371-04a(2010)Old: ASTM E1918-97, Current: E1918-06 Old: ASTM C1549-04, Current: 1549-09Note: This Interpretations is also applicable to Sustainable Sites Credit 7.1: Heat Island Effect- Non-Roof and Sustainable Sites Credit 1: Site Selection, see LEED Interpretations dated 8/1/2011 ID number 10092 and 10094 respectively. Applicable Internationally.
Can sidewalks, roads, and other hardscape areas located above a project building\'s underground parking structure, which are required by the governing municipality to be constructed of non-compliant materials, be excluded from the SSc7.2 and SSc7.1 calculations?
Similar to LEED Interpretations #2293 and #3101, sidewalks, roads, and areas that cover un-conditioned spaces (such as parking garages) are considered hardscape or landscape nonroof surfaces. Thus, they should be included in the calculations for SSc7.1 Heat Island Effect- Nonroof. In situations where infrastructure, materials, or surfaces are owned, operated and maintained by the local governing body, project teams may exclude the area of the material from the calculations for SSc7.2 and SSc7.1. This exemption can be applied only if projects do not have any control over the materials used for the surfaces in question. If the materials are owned and operated by the project, but the local jurisdiction specifies that they must meet certain criteria, the materials may not be excluded from the calculations. Applicable Internationally.
There is a stainless steel tube veil that covers the complete building. The tubes are placed with a 1 mm spacing between each other, and the material interior cannot be seen. Therefore, we would like to conduct a test to verify if the SRI of the tubes will comply with the LEED requirements (equal or greater than 78). Due to the originality of the exterior facade, we would like to know what type of test should be conducted:
Option 1 - Test using a 4mx4m mock up of the roof assembly and test the reflectance per ASTM 1918,
Option 2 - A flat sample test of all the materials installed on the roof
Please advise if there are any other tests that would need to be conducted.
The Referenced LEED Standard of ASTM 1918-97 has been superseded by ASTM 1918-06. For a roof with a veil design, or similar non-homogenous materials, the project should perform a SRI test to ASTM E1175 - 87(2009) Standard Test Method for Determining Solar or Photopic Reflectance, Transmittance, and Absorptance of Materials Using a Large Diameter Integrating Sphere. When submitting for LEED Certification, please include a copy of this interpretation and a summary of any testing results that document the SRI rating for the installed veil surface.Projects may wish to test any mock-up to assess credit compliance before testing installed materials, but the testing for certification should be done for the installed roofing assembly. Applicable internationally.
Can helipads and other functional space areas be exempted from SSc7.2 Heat Island Effect- Roof calculations?
Roof area that consists of functional, usable spaces- such as helipads, recreation courts, and areas covered by equipment, solar panels, and appurtenances- can be exempted from the roof calculations for SSc7.2. Projects are not eligible for SSc7.2 if the exempted spaces encompass the entire roof area. Applicable Internationally.
LEEDuser overview
LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.
Already a premium member? Log in now
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
To reduce heat islands1 to minimize impacts on microclimates and human and wildlife habitats.
|
Area Roof Meeting Minimum SRI ———————————————— Total Roof Area |
x |
SRI of Installed Roof —————————— Required SRI |
≥ |
75% |
|
[ |
Area of Roof A |
x |
SRI of Roof A ——————— Required SRI |
] |
+ |
[ |
Area of Roof B |
x |
SRI of Roof B ——————— Required SRI |
] |
+ |
... |
Total Roof Area |
||
|
0.75 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Roof Type |
Slope |
SRI |
|
Low-sloped roof |
≤ 2:12 |
78 |
|
Steep-sloped roof |
> 2:12 |
29 |
OR
OR
|
Area Roof Meeting Minimum SRI ———————————————— 0.75 |
+ |
Area of Vegetated Roof —————————— 0.5 |
≥ |
Total Roof Area |
|
Roof Type |
Slope |
SRI |
|
Low-sloped roof |
≤ 2:12 |
78 |
|
Steep-sloped roof |
> 2:12 |
29 |
Addenda
Add "skylights" to the list of things deducted from the roof area so that the sentence reads, "Determine the area of the roof covered by mechanical equipment, solar energy panels, skylights, and other appurtenances, and deduct these areas from the total roof surface area."
Below equation, add the text and equation:Alternatively, a weighted average approach may be used to calculate compliance for multiple materials:(see image)
Below equation, add the text and equation:Alternatively, the following equation may be used to calculate compliance:(see image)
Below equation, add the text and equation:Alternatively, a weighted average approach may be used to calculate compliance for multiple materials:(see image)
Replace the term "photovoltaic panels" with "solar energy panels" and add "other appurtenances" to the list of things deducted from the roof area so that the sentence reads "Projects may earn an Innovation in Design (ID) credit for exemplary performance by demonstrating that 100% of the project\'s roof area (excluding any mechanical equipment, solar energy panels, skylights, and other appurtenances) consists of a vegetated roof system."
In alphabetical order, add the term, "Roof area is the area of the uppermost surface of the building which covers enclosed Gross Floor Area, as measured when projected onto a flat, horizontal surface (i.e. as seen in Roof Plan view). \'Roofs\', or portions of roofs, covering unenclosed areas (e.g. roofs over porches and open covered parking structures) are not included in the areas used to evaluate compliance with SSc7.2, though they may be applicable to SSc7.1."
Make the following text bold, "ASTM E408-71(1996)e1, Standard Test Methods for Total Normal Emittance of Surfaces Using Inspection-Meter Techniques".
Below equation, add the text and equation:Alternatively, the following equation may be used to calculate compliance:(see image)
In alphabetical order, add the term "An appurtenance is any built-in, nonstructural portion of a roof system, such as skylights, ventilators, mechanical equipment, partitions, and solar energy panels."
Many of the ASTM Standards we reference have been withdrawn, upgraded, or superseded. Provide guidance on which updated standards should be used.
The withdrawn ASTM Standards listed- ASTM E1980-01 and ASTM E903-96- are still the correct references for SSc1: Site Selection, SSc7.1: Heat Island Effect, Non-Roof, and SSc7.2: Heat Island Effect-Roof. These two standards were not withdrawn for technical reasons, but were withdrawn because they had not been updated within 8 years. Testing can still be performed for these as well as the superseded standards. The updated versions of the superseded standards can be used, but are not required:Old: ASTM E408-71(1996), Current: E408-71(2008)Old: ASTM C1371-04a, Current: C1371-04a(2010)Old: ASTM E1918-97, Current: E1918-06 Old: ASTM C1549-04, Current: 1549-09Note: This Interpretations is also applicable to Sustainable Sites Credit 7.1: Heat Island Effect- Non-Roof and Sustainable Sites Credit 1: Site Selection, see LEED Interpretations dated 8/1/2011 ID number 10092 and 10094 respectively. Applicable Internationally.
Can sidewalks, roads, and other hardscape areas located above a project building\'s underground parking structure, which are required by the governing municipality to be constructed of non-compliant materials, be excluded from the SSc7.2 and SSc7.1 calculations?
Similar to LEED Interpretations #2293 and #3101, sidewalks, roads, and areas that cover un-conditioned spaces (such as parking garages) are considered hardscape or landscape nonroof surfaces. Thus, they should be included in the calculations for SSc7.1 Heat Island Effect- Nonroof. In situations where infrastructure, materials, or surfaces are owned, operated and maintained by the local governing body, project teams may exclude the area of the material from the calculations for SSc7.2 and SSc7.1. This exemption can be applied only if projects do not have any control over the materials used for the surfaces in question. If the materials are owned and operated by the project, but the local jurisdiction specifies that they must meet certain criteria, the materials may not be excluded from the calculations. Applicable Internationally.
There is a stainless steel tube veil that covers the complete building. The tubes are placed with a 1 mm spacing between each other, and the material interior cannot be seen. Therefore, we would like to conduct a test to verify if the SRI of the tubes will comply with the LEED requirements (equal or greater than 78). Due to the originality of the exterior facade, we would like to know what type of test should be conducted:
Option 1 - Test using a 4mx4m mock up of the roof assembly and test the reflectance per ASTM 1918,
Option 2 - A flat sample test of all the materials installed on the roof
Please advise if there are any other tests that would need to be conducted.
The Referenced LEED Standard of ASTM 1918-97 has been superseded by ASTM 1918-06. For a roof with a veil design, or similar non-homogenous materials, the project should perform a SRI test to ASTM E1175 - 87(2009) Standard Test Method for Determining Solar or Photopic Reflectance, Transmittance, and Absorptance of Materials Using a Large Diameter Integrating Sphere. When submitting for LEED Certification, please include a copy of this interpretation and a summary of any testing results that document the SRI rating for the installed veil surface.Projects may wish to test any mock-up to assess credit compliance before testing installed materials, but the testing for certification should be done for the installed roofing assembly. Applicable internationally.
Can helipads and other functional space areas be exempted from SSc7.2 Heat Island Effect- Roof calculations?
Roof area that consists of functional, usable spaces- such as helipads, recreation courts, and areas covered by equipment, solar panels, and appurtenances- can be exempted from the roof calculations for SSc7.2. Projects are not eligible for SSc7.2 if the exempted spaces encompass the entire roof area. Applicable Internationally.