In the LEED

Here is a “lighting round” of information regarding Project Registration, the Credit Interpretation Requests and Rulings (CIRs) and the Appeal Process in LEED. This information is as of January 2007. When updates occur, so will the information this page. Any of the information below could be asked on the Exam, so get familiar with it.

LEED Project Registration:

• First thing is to do is register ONLINE via USGBC website
• Registration fees are $450 for members, $600 for non-members
• Certification fee depends on LEED Rating System (NC, EB, CS, etc.) and building sq. ft. (let me reiterate - building square footage!)
  • paid in different stages (i.e. design and construction phase)
• All fees are waived if project receives Platinum LEED Certification
• You could submit in two phases (for design submittal and then again for construction) OR submit in one phase (design and construction submittals together)
• After design phase - USGBC will mark each credit as credit anticipated or credit denied. They cannot actually reward credits after the design phase.
• After construction phase - this is when USGBC makes a ruling on each credit as credit achieved or credit denied.
• Registration provides access to Credit Templates online
  • 4 sections of Credit Templates:
    1. template status
    2. manage template
    3. required documents
    4. documentation status
• Registration during early phases of project design ensures maximum potential for achieving certification.
• Registration establishes point of contact with USGBC and provides access to essential information, software tools and communications.
• Registration also provides access to a database of existing Credit Interpretation Requests and Rulings
• A complete LEED-Online submittal must include the following:
  • overall project narrative including at least three project highlights
  • drawings and photos illustrating the project, including:
    1. site plan
    2. typical floor plan
    3. typical building section
    4. typical or primary elevation
    5. photo or rendering of the project

CIRs (Credit Interpretation Requests and Rulings):

• During the certification process, if it is unclear whether or not a strategy applies to a given credit, a CIR can be submitted and the ruling will determine the suitability of the approach.
• CIR rulings will never guarantee or award any credits - it just provides specific information regarding applicability.
• IMPORTANT - Before submitting a CIR, check the online resource for previous CIRs logged by other projects on relevant credits first. Only if a similar credit interpretation has not been logged or does not answer your inquiry sufficiently, then a new CIR via LEED-Online should be submitted.
• CIRs are $220 for each one
• Each CIR should refer to only one LEED credit and one primary related strategy
• The inquiry should only include essential project strategy and background information and should be presented in the context of the credit intent. (600 max words?)
• Submissions of drawings, cut-sheets, or other attachments is NOT permitted.
• CIRs can be viewed by all USGBC members, non-members with registered projects, and workshop attendees.
• CIRs can only be requested by LEED Registered Project Team Members.

Appeals:

• If a project team feels that sufficient grounds exist to appeal a credit that has been denied in the Final LEED Review, it has the option to appeal.
• Appeals are $500 per credit
• You have 25 days to appeal after Final LEED Review
• Appeal submittals are all done via LEED-Online
• Because review will be done by a different review team, appeals must include the following:
  • LEED registration information, including project contact, project type, project size, number of occupants, date of construction completion, etc.
  • An overall project narrative including at least three project highlights.
  • The LEED Project Checklist Scorecard indicating project prerequisites and credits and the total score for the project
  • Drawing and photos illustrating the project, including:
    1. site plan
    2. typical floor plan
    3. typical building section
    4. typical or primary elevation
    5. photo or rendering of project
  • complete list of all CIRs used
  • Original, re-submittal, and appeal submittal documentation for only those credits that are being appealed. Narratives for each to be included as well.

Good times. Cheers!

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