August 7, 2007

How you can become a LEED innovator

Photo by Katie Zemtseff

Megan Ritchie Saffitz, a consultant at Paladino & Co., said the biggest problem with LEED innovation in design credits is that people don’t use them enough.

Wondering about the in's and out's of LEED innovation in design credits?

Megan Ritchie Saffitz, a consultant at Paladino & Co., offers some helpful tips in pursuing the sometimes wily credits. Paladino & Co. is one of seven firms nationwide contracted by the U.S. Green Building Council to review potential LEED buildings. Saffitz is a project manager for all LEED reviews and also co-chairs the Seattle LEED Users Group, which meets monthly to discuss green building topics.

What are innovation in design (ID) credits?

They are a category of LEED credits that allow you to capitalize on the uniqueness of an individual project. They're only limited by your imagination in terms of what you can do with them. I look at them in three different ways: exemplary performance credits, where they're taking an existing LEED credit and achieving a threshold beyond the level that is outlined; a precedent LEED credit which is found in a credit interpretation ruling; or creating a unique ID credit that is not addressed somewhere in the current LEED reference guide.

How many different ID credits are there?

Four. Technically, you can get five credits but one of them is for having a LEED-accredited professional on your team.

Why do you like ID credits?

ID credits are really interesting to me because they are customizable and they really allow a project team to celebrate the unique aspects of their building and their unique accomplishments.

Are people missing an opportunity here?

Lots of times project teams don't apply for all four. I think that's probably the biggest problem: that people don't use them as much as they could.

Why not?

Because specific compliance paths are not outlined the way they are for all other credits in the LEED rating system, they might not feel like they have the same level of guidance in how to achieve them. The resources aren't readily available at their fingertips the same way they can just pick up a LEED reference guide, so they have to do a little bit more footwork.

Are ID credits intimidating?

I hope they're not intimidating; they're the best credits! You can use the opportunity to really define for yourself what the steps are, what the submittals are and so I think that's a great thing, too.

How do I put together a good ID package?

You want to put together a very organized submittal that includes a narrative that explains what you're going for and why you think its appropriate for an ID credit. Identify what type of credit you're going for (and) explicitly state what your intent is. Identify what requirements you're going to hold yourself to and detail the submittals that you're going to produce to document your achievement.

How does a narrative help?

A narrative provides context to the LEED reviewer for the strategy that you're pursuing and the level of achievements that you demonstrate. I would guess that the more a LEED reviewer can really understand your project, the fewer pended credits the project team will receive, which creates more time for both the project team and the LEED reviewing team.

You won't get docked if you don't have a narrative, right?

Correct.

When should I invent my own ID credit?

When the project is doing something novel, green, quantifiable and comprehensive that is not yet represented in the LEED reference guide in any other way. Ask yourself or a colleague, ‘If you got this credit would you think that it was comprehensive, quantifiable and having a positive environmental impact?' Those are the three litmus tests that all new ID credits are held against.

If after my preliminary review some credits get knocked off, can I add new ones?

Yes. During your final review you can apply for additional ID credits for however many spaces you have available of those original four. However you will not be able to submit clarifications after the final review unless you go though a separate appeal process, so you just want to make sure they are well put together.

What points can I add later?

Well, if you have money lying around the exemplary performance in green power is a really easy one to add because it just increases the amount of green power you're purchasing. Other ones would probably include green cleaning and green education. All those measures, with the possible exception of signage (for green education), can be implemented after a building is completed.