LEED Canada Ref Guide NCCS 2009 Intro en

The following document is the Introduction section of the LEED Canada Reference Guide for Green
Building Design and Construction 2009. This excerpt has been made publically available to assist in the
selection of an appropriate LEED rating system. The complete Reference Guide including strategies,
calculations and additional resources to assist in meeting the requirements of each credit and
prerequisite may be purchased from the CaGBC website, www.cagbc.org.
L E E D C A N A D A R E F E R E N C E G U I D E F O R G R E E N B U I L D I N G
D E S I G N A N D C O N S T R U C T I O N 2 0 0 9
INTRODUCTION
I. WHY MAKE YOUR BUILDING GREEN?
The environmental impact of the building design, construction, and operations industry is
enormous. Green building practices can substantially reduce or eliminate negative environmental
impacts through high-performance, market-leading design, construction, and operations practices.
As an added benefit, green operations and management reduce operating costs, enhance building
marketability, increase workers’ productivity, and reduce potential liability resulting from indoor air
quality problems.
Throughout this reference guide, information is presented on the environmental impact buildings
can have as well as practical solutions to limit negative impacts. As well, case studies of high
performing buildings are shown as real world examples.
BENEFITS OF GREEN BUILDINGS

Green buildings are superior to their conventional counterparts; typically including features such as:
• Landscaping that requires little or no irrigation or application of synthetic chemicals, manages
and treats stormwater and non-point-source pollution onsite, and replenishes groundwater
supplies.
• Locations that support efficient travel options for building users.
• Durable, thermally efficient roofs, walls and windows that reduce heating and cooling and
enhance thermal comfort.
• Building form, orientation and thermal mass optimized for solar gains, natural ventilation and
daylighting for free heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting.
• Significantly smaller and more efficient HVAC and electrical lighting systems.
• Water efficient supply and waste fixtures.
• Adaptable interior designs, providing visual access to the outdoors and access to daylight.
• Interior finishes and installation methods having lower toxic emissions.
Throughout their lifecycle, green buildings use less energy and water, generate less greenhouse
gases and other pollutants, use materials wisely, and produce less waste. They cost less to operate,
are more adaptable to new uses and typically have longer economic lives. Occupants are more
comfortable in green buildings with their excellent ventilation, thermal comfort, and abundant
natural light. Green buildings are healthier for occupants and workers who process building
materials, by minimizing use of materials made with harmful chemicals and indoor air pollutants,
and reducing the risks of biological contamination. The satisfaction and lives of occupants are
greatly enhanced by providing restorative views, plentiful outdoor air, and greater personal control
of internal conditions. Providing healthy indoor environments reduce sick building syndrome as
well as the risks of litigation. A growing body of research links the high quality indoor environments
of green buildings to gains in productivity, decreased absenteeism and improved employee
morale. Green design has environmental, economic, and social benefits for all stakeholders,
including owners, occupants and the general public. Green buildings are essential to support
sustainable patterns of living.
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II. LEED® GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEM

BACKGROUND ON LEED
Growing awareness and concern with the environmental and health impacts of buildings in
Canada has led to widespread demand for a common method of independently certifying the
merits of a given building. In response to this demand, the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC)
has adapted several rigorous Canadian green rating systems based on the U.S. Green Building
Council’s (USGBC) LEED® system. The aim has been to create rating tools that both recognize
high health, energy and environmental performance, while being practical and easy to apply by
Canadian building projects.
The first LEED rating system adapted for Canada-wide use was the LEED® Canada for New
Construction and Major Renovations version 1.0, launched in December 2004. This system was
adapted from the USGBCs LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations version 2.1 (2002),
tailored specifically for Canadian climates, construction practices and regulations. This first version
also incorporated planned changes for the release of USGBC’s LEED for New Construction and Major
Renovations version 2.2 in 2005. In 2007, the CaGBC released an addendum to the LEED Canada
for New Construction and Major Renovations version 1.0 Rating System and Reference Guide,
introducing new compliance paths and adaptations from the release of USGBC’s LEED for New
Construction and Major Renovations version 2.2, as well as incorporating changes based on the
experience of Canadian users.
The USGBC released LEED for Core and Shell version 2.0 in 2006 after a pilot. Due to its similarities
to LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations, CaGBC released the new rating system as an
adaptation to LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations version 1.0 in 2008. This
allowed an expedited release process and allowed building owners to switch between rating
systems if tenant expectations change.
In 2009, the USGBC re-launched its suite of rating systems and aligned LEED for New Construction
and Major Renovations (NC) and LEED for Core and Shell Development (CS) into one reference guide.
The CaGBC is following suit and re-launching LEED Canada NC 2009 and LEED Canada CS 2009,
merged not only in one rating system document but also in this reference guide for ease of use.
LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations 2009 and LEED Canada for Core and Shell
Development 2009 also incorporates CaGBC’s application guides on the previous versions:
• Application Guide for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings in LEED Canada-NC (September 2005),
• Application Guide for Campuses and Multiple Building Projects in LEED Canada-NC (February
2008),
• Application Guide for Core and Shell Buildings and Leased Tenant Space in LEED Canada-NC
(July 2008).
By incorporating these application guides into one package, it provides for a far more streamline
approach for users.
The green design field is growing and changing daily. New technologies and products are coming
into the marketplace, and innovative designs are proving their effectiveness. The rating systems
and the reference guides are evolving as well. Teams wishing to certify their projects with LEED
must use the version of the rating system that is current at the time of their registration. CaGBC
highlights new developments on its website on a continual basis; see www.cagbc.org.
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FEATURES OF LEED®
The LEED Green Building Rating Systems are voluntary, consensus-based, and market-driven.
Based on existing and proven technology, they evaluate environmental performance from a whole
building perspective over a building’s life cycle, providing a definitive standard for what constitutes
a green building in design, construction, and operation.
The LEED rating systems are designed for rating new and existing commercial, institutional, and
residential buildings. They are based on accepted energy and environmental principles and strike
a balance between known, established practices and emerging concepts. Each rating system
is organized into 5 environmental categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and
Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality. An additional category,
Innovation in Design (or Operations), addresses sustainable building expertise as well as measures
not covered under the 5 environmental categories. Regional bonus points are another feature of
LEED and acknowledge the importance of local conditions in determining best environmental
design and construction practices.
THE LEED CREDIT WEIGHTINGS

In LEED 2009, the allocation of points between credits is based on the potential environmental
impacts and human benefits of each credit with respect to a set of impact categories. The
impacts are defined as the environmental or human effect of the design, construction, operation,
and maintenance of the building, such as greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel use, toxins and
carcinogens, air and water pollutants, and indoor environmental conditions. A combination of
approaches, including energy modeling, life-cycle assessment, and transportation analysis, is used
to quantify each type of impact. The resulting allocation of points among credits is called credit
weighting.
LEED 2009 uses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s TRACI1 environmental impact
categories as the basis for weighting each credit. TRACI was developed to assist with impact
evaluation for life-cycle assessment, industrial ecology, process design, and pollution prevention.
LEED 2009 also takes into consideration the weightings developed by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST); these compare impact categories with one another and assign a
relative weight to each. Together, the 2 approaches provide a solid foundation for determining the
point value of each credit in LEED 2009.
The LEED 2009 credit weightings process is based on the following parameters, which maintain
consistency and usability across rating systems:
• All LEED credits are worth a minimum of 1 point.
• All LEED credits are positive, whole numbers; there are no fractions or negative values.
• All LEED credits receive a single, static weight in each rating system; there are no individualized
scorecards based on project location.
• All LEED rating systems have 100 base points; Innovation in Design (or Operations) and
Regional Priority credits provide opportunities for up to 10 bonus points.
1
Tools for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI).
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development. http://www.epa.gov/
nrmrl/std/sab/traci/.
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Given the above criteria, the LEED 2009 credit weightings process involves 3 steps:
A reference building is used to estimate the environmental impacts in 13 categories associated
with a typical building pursuing LEED certification.
The relative importance of building impacts in each category are set to reflect values based on
the NIST weightings.2
Data that quantify building impacts on environmental and human health are used to assign
points to individual credits.
Each credit is allocated points based on the relative importance of the building-related impacts
that it addresses. The result is a weighted average that combines building impacts and the relative
value of the impact categories. Credits that most directly address the most important impacts
are given the greatest weight, subject to the system design parameters described above. Credit
weights also reflect a decision by LEED to recognize the market implications of point allocation. The
result is a significant change in allocation of points compared with previous LEED rating systems.
Overall, the changes increase the relative emphasis on the reduction of energy consumption and
greenhouse gas emissions associated with building systems, transportation, the embodied energy
of water, the embodied energy of materials, and where applicable, solid waste.
The details of the weightings process vary slightly among individual rating systems. For example,
LEED Canada for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance includes credits related to solid waste
management but LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations does not. This results in
a difference in the portion of the environmental footprint addressed by each rating system and the
relative allocation of points.
USGBC’s weightings process for each rating system is fully documented in a weightings workbook.
The credit weightings process will be re-evaluated over time to incorporate changes in values
ascribed to different building impacts and building types, based on both market reality and
evolving scientific knowledge related to buildings. A complete explanation of the LEED credit
weightings system is available on the USGBC website, at www.usgbc.org.
2
Relative impact category weights based on an exercise undertaken by NIST (National Institute of
Standards and Technology) for the BEES program. http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/oae/software/bees/.
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III. OVERVIEW AND PROCESS

The LEED Canada New Construction and Major Renovations Green Building Rating System and the
LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development Green Building Rating System are a set of performance
standards for certifying the design and construction of commercial or institutional buildings and
high-rise residential buildings of all sizes, both public and private. The intent is to promote healthful,
durable, affordable, and environmentally sound practices in building design and construction.
Prerequisites and credits in LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations 2009 and in
LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development 2009 address 7 topics:
• Sustainable Sites (SS)
• Water Efficiency (WE)
• Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
• Materials and Resources (MR)
• Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
• Innovation in Design (ID)
• Regional Priority (RP)
LEED prerequisites and credits have identical structures; see Section XI of this introduction.
MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

There are seven Minimum Program Requirements for projects certifying under LEED Canada for New
Construction and Major Renovations 2009 and under LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development
2009. These must be adhered to by all projects. See Section IV of this Introduction for more details.
WHEN TO USE LEED CANADA FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS
LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations was designed primarily for new
commercial office buildings, but it has been applied to many other building types by LEED
practitioners. All commercial buildings, as defined by standard building codes, are eligible for
certification as LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations buildings. Examples of
commercial occupancies include offices, institutional buildings (libraries, museums, churches,
schools, etc.), hotels, and multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) other than those covered by Part
9 of the National Building Code. MURBs under Part 9 of the National Building Code and single-
occupancy residential buildings wishing to obtain a LEED certification, should apply under LEED
Canada for Homes 2009. However, Part 9 buildings that are a part of mixed-use projects in which
the majority of the floor area is eligible for LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations
certification are allowed to be part of the latter project. Note that there is no separate LEED for
Schools rating system in Canada. Instead schools wishing to obtain LEED certification for new
buildings must apply under LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations. Some special
allowances for schools have been noted within the credits.
LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations addresses design and construction
activities for both new buildings and major renovations of existing buildings. For a major renovation
of an existing building, LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations is the appropriate
rating system; refer to the “How to apply as a major renovation” section below for important details.
If the project scope does not involve significant design and construction activities and focuses
more on operations and maintenance activities, LEED Canada for Existing Buildings: Operations &
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xvii
Maintenance is more appropriate because it addresses operational and maintenance issues of

working buildings. If the project’s scope is mostly limited to interior renovations, LEED Canada
for Commercial Interiors is more appropriate. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure
the project can achieve all prerequisites and sufficient credits for certification when selecting an
appropriate rating system to use.
Some projects are designed and constructed to be partially occupied by the owner or developer,
and partially occupied by other tenants. In such projects, the owner or developer has direct
influence over the portion of the work that they occupy. For such a project to pursue LEED Canada
for New Construction and Major Renovations certification, at least 50% of the building’s floor area
must be fit-up for the certification application. Projects in which 50% or less of the building’s floor
area is fit-up (and is not under the design and construction control of the owner or developer)
should pursue LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development certification.
WHEN TO USE LEED CANADA FOR CORE AND SHELL DEVELOPMENT

The LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development Rating System is a market-specific application that
recognizes the unique nature of core and shell development. The LEED Canada for Core and Shell
Development Rating System acknowledges the limited level of influence a developer can exert in a
speculatively developed building.
LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development was developed to serve the speculative development
market, in which project teams do not control all scopes of a whole building’s design and
construction. Depending on how the project is structured, this scope can vary significantly from
project to project. The LEED Canada for Core and Shell Rating System addresses a variety of project
types and a broad project range.
LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development can be used for projects in which the developer
controls the design and construction of the entire core and shell base building (e.g., mechanical,
electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems) but has no control over the design and
construction of the tenant fit-up. Examples of this type of project can be a commercial office
building, medical office building, retail center, warehouse, and lab facility.
If a project is designed and constructed to be partially occupied by the owner or developer, then
the owner or developer has direct influence over that portion of the interior build-out work. For
these projects to pursue LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development certification, the owner must
occupy 50% or less of the building floor area. Projects in which more than 50% of the building
floor area is occupied by an owner should pursue LEED Canada for New Construction and Major
Renovations certification.
Note that the final project name must reflect the Core and Shell building rather than the tenant
space, even if it is included in the common name of the building. The tenant space must not
appear to be certified under LEED Canada if it in fact has not been. For example, a developer
creates a small building which eventually houses a bank and a coffee shop. Since fit-up for the core
and shell project did not include those tenant spaces, the LEED project title may not indicate the
name of the bank and coffee shop.
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HOW TO APPLY WITH LEASED TENANT SPACES UNDER LEED CANADA FOR NEW
CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS
Although LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development is designed specifically for projects with
leased tenant space where the owner cannot control the fit-up (i.e., interior build-out work),
projects with leased tenant space can still apply for LEED Canada for New Construction and Major
Renovations certification as noted above. The following conditions have to be met for projects
applying for LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations certification:
• the base building and all interior areas to be occupied by the owner or developer must be fit-
up to comply with the LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations requirements;
• at least 50% of the building area must be fit-up to LEED Canada for New Construction and Major
Renovations requirements before the project applies for certification; and,
• the remaining leased tenant space must have mandatory lease agreements that require
the fit-up of tenant spaces to comply with the LEED Canada for New Construction and Major
Renovations requirements. An exemption may be allowed for up to 10% of the building floor
area, or 20% in the case of mixed-use projects.
The 10% fit-up exemption recognizes the difficulty in getting multiple tenants to comply with LEED
requirements. However, this exemption is extended to 20% for mixed-use projects, recognizing the
complexities and barriers that mixed-use projects face. Note that the exemption does not apply to
base building elements and special directions are provided for specific credits where tenant use
must be accounted for, such as WE Credit 3 (Water Use Reduction).
Tenant spaces are evaluated in their entirety on a tenant-by-tenant basis. That is, the 10% (or 20%)
exemption must be applied to an entire tenant space(s) and cannot be made up of portions within
tenant space(s). Furthermore, the tenant space(s) selected for demonstrating LEED compliance
must be the same across all LEED credits.
For areas fit-up for the certification application (i.e., at least 50% of the building floor area), the
submission demonstrates compliance through the submittal requirements as outlined in the
LEED Letter Templates and as noted through the specific prerequisites and credits. However, for
unfinished space, compliance must be demonstrated through Tenant Lease or Sales Agreements
(i.e., mandatory lease agreements), along with a letter from the owner showing commitment to
use those lease agreements. See the Interpretation sections of applicable prerequisites and credits
for further guidance as well as the Leased Tenant Space Appendixes. Independent verification of
construction documents or activities by a LEED Accredited Professional, although encouraged, is
not required.
Projects with leased tenant space should review the Leased Tenant Space Appendixes, described
briefly in Section X of this Introduction.
HOW TO APPLY WITH LEASED TENANT SPACES UNDER LEED CANADA FOR CORE AND
SHELL DEVELOPMENT
For projects to pursue LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development certification, the owner must
be unable to control the fit-up for 50% or more of the building floor area. However these two
requirements must still be met:
• the base building and all interior areas to be occupied by the owner or developer must be fit-
up to comply with the LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations requirements;
and,
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• any materials installed as part of the base building contract in leased tenant spaces must
comply with the LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development requirements. Otherwise the fit-
up of leased tenant spaces are exempt from most LEED credit requirements (see the Leased
Tenant Space Appendixes for further details on project scope as well as direction within the
prerequisites and credits).
LEED Canada for Core and Shell Development project teams should review the Leased Tenant Space
Appendixes, described briefly in Section X of this Introduction.
HOW TO APPLY AS A MAJOR RENOVATION UNDER LEED CANADA FOR NEW

CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS
A “major renovation” to an existing building includes extensive alteration work in addition to work
on the exterior shell of the building and/or primary structural components and/or the core and
peripheral MEP (mechanical – electrical – plumbing). Typically, the extent and nature of the work
is such that the primary function space cannot be used for its intended purpose while the work
is in progress and where a new certificate of occupancy is required before the work area can be
reoccupied. If the project does not meet this definition, it may be more appropriate for the project
to certify under LEED Canada for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance or under LEED Canada
for Commercial Interiors. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the project can achieve all
prerequisites and sufficient credits for certification when selecting an appropriate rating system to
use. The overall project narrative in the submission for application should clearly outline how the
project meets this definition of a major renovation.
HOW TO APPLY AS A LEED MULTIPLE BUILDING PROJECT

A LEED Multiple Building Project is a project made up of several buildings sharing a campus that
wish to apply for LEED certification as if they are a single building. The overall project narrative in
the submission for application should clearly outline how the project meets the conditions noted.
For Multiple Building Projects to be eligible to certify as a single building they must:
• Be designed by the same team (minor variations are permitted);
• Be constructed by the same team (minor variations are permitted);
• Be constructed concurrently or consecutively;
• Be part of a Campus-like site (i.e., share a single site);
• Share hard & soft landscape surfaces, open space and parking; and,
• Have LEED documentation completed as if they were a single building.
Note:
• When multiple buildings are treated as one project, the prerequisite or credit requirements
need only be met at the project level, not at the individual building level (e.g., the energy
cost of the individual buildings are added together to show compliance to EA Prerequisite 2
Minimum Energy Performance).
• Throughout this reference guide, the “LEED project” is often referenced as the “LEED building.”
For the case of a multiple building project, instances where “LEED building” is used may be
interpreted as “LEED project.”
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HOW TO APPLY USING THE CAMPUS APPROACH

It is recognized that LEED projects may be part of a larger campus with shared amenities. LEED
Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations 2009 and LEED Canada for Core and Shell
Development 2009 provide special allowance pathways for these projects primarily through the
Requirement sections of the Prerequisites and Credits.
The use of the term “campus” is not solely for university campus projects. For LEED Canada, projects
may apply under campus allowances in settings such as corporate, military, institutional or private
sites that are under single ownership or property management control. A campus may include
existing buildings, new or major renovations of buildings pursuing LEED certification, and new or
major renovations of buildings not pursuing LEED certification.
The campus boundaries that are being used for credit achievement may be defined by the
applicant for the purposes of certification, and its boundaries need not include the entire portfolio
of existing buildings owned or controlled by an organization, but rather may be part of a larger
site of which a portion is being developed (e.g., LEED-certified buildings in a small precinct of a full
university or office park). In addition, the campus site chosen for a credit need not be consistent
with the campus application for a separate credit. For example, the campus site boundary used
under SS Credit 1 (Site Selection) may be a much larger area then that used to achieve SS Credit 3
(Brownfield Redevelopment).
The campus allowances are intended to reduce environmental impact by encouraging owners and
developers to take a broader approach to green infrastructure and project development. Green
features developed on a district scale have, potentially, far greater environmental benefit over small-
scale features on individual disconnected sites. In addition, the campus allowances can provide
for improved efficiency for both applicants and LEED review teams with repetitive or shared LEED
elements within a campus.
Many site related credits have campus-wide compliance paths which can be used to demonstrate
that the entire defined campus achieves the credit. Projects can apply for a campus-wide precedent
on the LEED Letter Templates when the first project of the campus is submitted for certification.
If the credit is achieved for the campus, subsequent projects on that campus need only indicate
the CaGBC project ID number of the initial project to achieve the credit and a declaration that the
submission has not changed since that achievement. This simplifies the application for campus
projects. An example of this situation is SS Credit 1 (Site Selection) where the entire campus can
achieve the requirements campus-wide.
However, there are additional interpretations for campuses that pertain to sharing infrastructure or
to handling specific campus elements, such as exclusion of primary roads in a campus for select
credit achievement. For more information on these allowances, see the Interpretation section of the
credits. Sharing of energy-related systems is handled separately in the LEED Canada Interpretation
Guide for District Energy Systems.
REGISTRATION
Project teams interested in earning LEED Canada certification for their buildings must first register
the project with the CaGBC. Projects can be registered on the CaGBC website (www.cagbc.org).
Registering early in the development process ensures the maximum potential for achieving high
building performance, and establishes contact with the CaGBC.
Registration of a LEED Canada NC or LEED Canada CS project provides online access to essential
information, software tools and communications for LEED users, such as the LEED Canada NC / CS
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Letter Templates and Scorecard spreadsheet, and allows the team to submit Credit Interpretation
Requests (CIRs).
The CaGBC website (www.cagbc.org) contains additional registration details as well as the online
form used to register projects.
CERTIFICATION SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTATION

Once a project is registered and design begins, teams should also begin to collect information and
perform calculations to ensure that the project meets the requirements for the prerequisites and
credits. Once submitted to the CaGBC, this documentation becomes the proof behind declarations
made in the LEED certification application.
It is best to start and continue preparing LEED certification submittals from project onset, having
reviewed this reference guide and the LEED Letter Templates spreadsheet for each prerequisite
and credit, to understand the information required and the formats that will satisfy LEED Canada
prerequisite and credit certification review. Note that additional documentation may be necessary
to demonstrate credit achievement if applying an interpretation from this reference guide, if using
a Credit Interpretation Request, or under any other special circumstance. Project teams must
provide narratives to cover these special allowances, as well as any supporting documentation that
would assist in demonstrating achievement.
It is helpful to have a LEED consultant (who has achieved a LEED Accredited Professional
designation) assigned as the project contact and team member responsible for coordinating the
certification process. Most project team members have submittals to prepare, and having an
experienced LEED Accredited Professional designated to assist and coordinate efforts has proven to
make the process much easier and more efficient.
LEED LETTER TEMPLATES

The LEED Letter Templates are the primary resource for managing the LEED Canada documentation
process. The LEED Letter Templates provide a tool for project teams to manage project details; verify
compliance with and complete documentation requirements for LEED credits and prerequisites;
and provide professional declarations of achievement. The LEED Letter Templates are ultimately
submitted with applications for LEED certification. All project teams pursuing LEED certification are
required to use the LEED Letter Templates and the submittal documentation paths outlined within.
LEED Letter Template submittals are instrumental in demonstrating credit compliance because
they contain all the documentation requirements for any given LEED credit. Additionally, the LEED
Letter Templates contain embedded calculators and tables to ensure that the submittal package
delivered to CaGBC is complete and accurate.
The LEED Letter Templates must be signed by the individual responsible for the portion of
the design or construction referred to by the credit or prerequisite. The signatory should be
knowledgeable of the prerequisite or credit requirements and by signing certifies that the project
meets those requirements. The intention is for the individual who performed the calculations to
sign rather than the company signatory or overall LEED Consultant. The LEED Letter Templates
default to the project team member who most regularly would meet these criteria. A single
signatory for the entire LEED Letter Template package is not acceptable.
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CREDIT INTERPRETATION REQUESTS AND RULINGS

In some cases, a LEED project team may encounter challenges when interpreting the requirements
of a prerequisite or credit for their project, perhaps because the reference guide does not
sufficiently address a specific issue or a conflict requires resolution. To address such issues, the
CaGBC allows project teams to submit Credit Interpretation Requests (CIRs).
Each CIR must request guidance on a single credit or prerequisite (unless there is technical
justification to do otherwise). CIRs should contain one concise question. Once a response to a
CIR is posted, it is applicable to all projects submitting for certification thereafter, regardless of the
project’s registration date.
CIR rulings are intended to provide assistance to project teams by clarifying credit requirements
and/or providing acceptable alternate compliance paths that meet the credit’s intent. Project teams
may implement CIR rulings at their discretion.
The credit interpretation process is as follows:
1. Before submitting a CIR:
a. Review the intent of the credit or prerequisite in question and self-evaluate whether the
project meets this intent.
b. Consult this reference guide for more detailed explanation, instructions, calculations and
guidance.
c. Review the CIR database on the CaGBC website (www.cagbc.org) to see if the same inquiry
has been answered previously, or if there are relevant CIRs that can help you deduce the
answer. Many questions can be resolved by reviewing existing CIRs. Note:
• CIR rulings for other rating systems, previous versions of rating systems and from the
USGBC are not necessarily applicable.
• This reference guide incorporated all appropriate CIR rulings from LEED Canada NC
version 1.0 posted by August 2009.
2. If a CIR is needed, submit a new credit interpretation request using the online form. Guidance
for submitting a CIR can be found on the CaGBC website (www.cagbc.org).
Credit interpretation rulings do not guarantee credit award; the project applicant must still
demonstrate and document achievement during the LEED Certification application process.
Credit language or achievement thresholds cannot be changed through the CIR process.
A project applying any CIR must note that CIR number on the LEED Letter Template in their
submission declaration in order to ensure effective credit review. Include any supporting
documentation necessary to support use of the CIR.
REVIEW AND CERTIFICATION

To earn LEED certification, the project must satisfy all the prerequisites and credits worth the
minimum number of points to warrant the desired project rating under LEED Canada for New
Construction and Major Renovations or Core and Shell Development. (Note: Projects must meet all
prerequisites and achieve 40 points from other credits before they may earn any points from
Regional Priority credits.) Project teams are subject to the Rating System and Reference Guide
addenda requirements based on the project’s registration date. Rating System and Reference Guide
addenda can be found on CaGBC’s website (www.cagbc.org).
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xxiii
Applications for certification (submittals) should follow the requirements noted on the CaGBC
website and within the LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations or LEED Canada for
Core and Shell Development Rating System, this reference guide and LEED Letter Templates.
FEES
Information on certification fees can be found on the CaGBC website (www.cagbc.org). The CaGBC
will acknowledge receipt of the application and proceed with application review when all project
documentation and payments have been submitted. Registration fees, certification fees, and
appeal review fees are not refundable.
APPEALS
Appeals may be filed after receipt of the final review report. Please see the CaGBC website
(www.cagbc.org) for more information on appeals.
UPDATES AND ADDENDA

This is the first edition of the LEED Canada Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction
2009, dated June 2010. As building science and technology continue to improve and evolve,
updates and addenda will be made available. The CaGBC cannot be held liable for any criteria
set forth herein that may not be applicable to later versions of LEED rating systems. Updates
and addenda will be accumulated between revisions and will be formally incorporated in major
revisions. In the interim, between major revisions, the CaGBC may issue updates or addenda to
clarify criteria.
The prerequisites, credits, amendments and addenda current at the time of project registration will
continue to guide the project throughout its certification process.
USES OF SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTATION AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION

CaGBC is committed to the furtherance of green building research and program development.
Currently and in the future, such efforts rely heavily on the collection and distribution of
data collected from green buildings. In consideration of this pressing need, as a condition to
participation in the LEED certification process, project teams must agree to provide CaGBC
ownership of all data and underlying information that is submitted to CaGBC in accordance with
the LEED project requirements. This requirement does not include any plans, drawings, schema or
designs submitted to CaGBC. In accordance with these property rights, CaGBC may share such data
with third parties to further research pertaining in general to green buildings and in particular LEED
Certified projects.
Project Teams must also provide CaGBC with authorization to provide all submitted information
to third parties for the purposes of carrying out certification reviews, project credit interpretation
requests and appeals as required to carry-out the LEED certification process.
Projects may elect to have their information kept confidential at any time, through their online
project profile. Information from such projects will only be used in anonymous fashion, except
where required for the purposes of performing certification.
xxiv C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L
IV. MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS (MPRS)

There are seven minimum program requirements for projects certifying under LEED Canada for
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The Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs) are:
1. MUST COMPLY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS.
The LEED project building or space, all other real property within the LEED project site
boundary, and all project work must comply with applicable federal, provincial, and local
building-related environmental laws and regulations in place where the project is located. This
condition must be satisfied from the date of LEED project registration or the commencement
of schematic design, whichever comes first, up to and until the date that the building receives a
certificate of occupancy or similar official indication that it is fit and ready for use.
The project must comply with all building-related environmental laws that impact that project.
A lapse in a project’s compliance with a building-related environmental law or regulation that
results from an unforeseen and unavoidable circumstance shall not necessarily result in non-
compliance with this requirement. Such lapses shall be excused so long as they are remediated
as soon as feasibly possible.
In no way will CaGBC act as law enforcement. With this minimum requirement, CaGBC is using
established laws only to ascertain that the LEED project is meeting a minimum environmental
standard.
Intent:
• The purpose of this requirement is to highlight the importance of environmental
laws and regulations that apply to LEED projects. While all building projects ought
to comply with all legal requirements, as the LEED rating systems are standards for
excellence in green building, it is appropriate and logical to specifically require LEED
certified buildings to comply with applicable environmental laws and regulations. Such
legislation establishes a baseline standard for sustainability.
Exceptions:
• If the project is granted an exemption from a building-related environmental law
from governmental authorities for any reason, then that project is exempt from this
minimum requirement in regards to that particular law. In the event that this occurs, a
description of the situation leading to the exemption and proof of the exemption (such
as an official letter from the granting authority) must be provided with the certification
submission.
2. MUST BE A COMPLETE, PERMANENT BUILDING OR SPACE.

All LEED projects must be designed for, constructed on, and operated on a permanent location
on already existing land. LEED projects shall not consist of mobile structures, equipment, or
vehicles. No building or space that is designed to move at any point in its lifetime may pursue
LEED Certification.
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xxv
LEED Projects must include the new, ground-up design and construction, or major renovation,
of at least one commercial, institutional, or high-rise residential building in its entirety.
Intent:
• The LEED rating systems were designed to evaluate complete buildings and spaces in
fixed locations. Partial buildings or spaces are unsuitable for LEED certification because,
when analyzed under the requirements of LEED prerequisites and credits, they create
results inconsistent with those of whole buildings or spaces. Also, partial certification
can easily appear to encompass an entire building or space, sending a false message to
users.
• Permanency is an important requirement because a significant percentage of LEED

prerequisites and credits are dependent on location, making a mobile building or
space unacceptable. The stipulation for already existing land responds to the fact that
artificial land masses disrupt marine ecosystems. Buildings that generate the need to
develop such land do not meet the overall intent of the LEED rating system. Anything
less than a distinct, complete, and permanent project on existing land will not be able
to accurately demonstrate compliance with LEED.
Exceptions:
• Prefabricated or modular structures and moveable building elements of any variation
may be certified once installed and/or established as part of the LEED project building.
If such a structure is moved, the LEED certification no longer applies.
• Certification of temporary structures is permissible. The amount of time that a
building or space is intended to remain standing does not affect compliance with this
requirement.
• Artificial land mass or support structures:
o Buildings located on previously constructed docks, piers, jetties, infill, and other
manufactured structures in or above water or other bodies are permissible,
provided artificial land is previously developed, i.e., previously supported hardscape
or another building before the development of the LEED project.
o Buildings cantilevered over water, highways, or other bodies are acceptable.
o Existing land to which soil or other material has been added is acceptable.
• Buildings vertically connected to, but physically distinct from public infrastructure
such as a transportation hub, may be considered a building in its entirety and certified
independently of the infrastructure.
• Horizontally and vertically attached buildings may be certified independently, provided
the following conditions are met:
o They are physically distinct; i.e.,
• Exterior walls are party walls or are separated from adjoining buildings by air
space;
• Lighting, HVAC, plumbing, and other mechanical systems are separate from
the systems of adjoining buildings. If the thermal energy serving the structure
xxvi C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L
is to be sub-metered, exceptions will be made for buildings served by a

common chiller plant or hot water/steam heating system.
o They have unique addresses or names.
If these conditions are not met, the structure is considered a single building and must
be certified as such.
• Additions to existing buildings (defined as buildings completed five years prior to
the new addition) may certify as independent structures even if the additions do not
meet the above requirements for attached buildings. This is to encourage owners as
they move forward with new developments where existing structures limit design
approaches.
Additional Clarifications
• Moveable buildings
o Structures not compliant with this MPR include cars, motor homes, trains, boats,
ships, planes, and transient exhibits of any kind.
o If, for any reason, a LEED Canada NC (or CS) 2009 certified building is moved
from the location cited at the time of LEED certification, it will no longer be in
compliance with this MPR.
• No exceptions for projects with IEQ Prerequisite 2 conflicts
o Some project buildings, such as casinos, typically have difficulty achieving
LEED certification due to a smoking policy that conflicts with IEQ Prerequisite
2 (Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control). There will be no exceptions to this
MPR to allow for partial building certification of such buildings. Project teams
are encouraged to carefully review option 2 in IEQ Prerequisite 2 to explore
opportunities to achieve LEED certification despite a smoking room located within
a project.
3. THE PROJECT MUST USE A REASONABLE SITE BOUNDARY.

The LEED project site boundary must include all contiguous land that is associated with and
supports normal building operations for the LEED project building, including all land that was
or will be disturbed for the purpose of undertaking the LEED project.
The LEED project site boundary may not include land that is owned by a party other than that
which owns the LEED project unless that land is associated with and supports normal building
operations for the LEED project building.
LEED projects located on a campus must have project boundaries reasonable to that project
(e.g., the construction boundaries of the project).
Gerrymandering of a LEED project boundary is prohibited: the boundary may not unreasonably
exclude sections of land to create boundaries in unreasonable shapes for the sole purpose of
complying with prerequisites or credits.
Intent:
• In order to ensure fair and consistent evaluation for all projects under the Sustainable
Sites credit category, it is necessary to have guidelines for an acceptable LEED project
boundary.
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xxvii
Exceptions:
• Non-contiguous parcels may be included in the LEED project site boundary if the
following conditions are met:
o The parcels are separated only by land that is owned and operated by an entity
different than the owner of the land that the LEED project building sits on.
o All parcels separate from the parcel that the LEED building sits on must directly
support or be associated with normal building operations.
o Non-contiguous parcels are no more than 0.40 kilometres (1/4 mile) walking
distance apart.
o There is a clear walking path between the parcels.
o The site boundary is consistent for the application of all credits.
o All land within the LEED project site boundary is governed by a common
regulatory jurisdiction and is owned, leased, or managed by the same
organizational entity.
o A description is provided of the non-contiguous parcels of land within the LEED
project site boundary, the land between them, and compliance with the above
points.
• Land needed to demonstrate compliance with stormwater management need not be
part of the LEED project site boundary but see SS Credit 6 for further details.
• Facilities needed to show compliance to a LEED credit but that exist offsite are
individually handled within specific credits. However, the offsite facilities do not need to
be within the LEED project site boundary.
• Land that the LEED project owner leases or has an easement on may be included
within the LEED project site boundary.
• For projects with multiple phases of the same building, or buildings located on land
that is part of an already certified LEED project, overlapping LEED project boundaries is
inevitable and thus allowed. Note that the purpose of this exception is to protect the
integrity of certified LEED projects while allowing the future projects to successfully
pursue LEED certification. An example of protecting the integrity of an earlier LEED
project is that the green space preserved under SS Credit 5 (Site Development) for the
first project cannot be used for the second as it was already allocated to achieve this
credit.
• Land which is covered by a city easement may be included in the LEED project site
boundary.
• If a LEED project building shares use of a parking lot, parking garage, or other amenity
with another building, then those amenities must be allocated according to the
percentage of use for each building.
• Infrastructure supporting the LEED project building may be omitted from the LEED
project boundary if it is not owned by the LEED project owner AND if it is not included
in the scope of construction work for the LEED project. This omittance must be done
consistently throughout the submission.
xxviii C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L
• Projects may exclude land used for construction staging areas that will not be used
to support the LEED project building once operational. However, these areas must
be included in the requirements for SS Prerequisite 1 (Construction Activity Pollution
Prevention).
• Associated service buildings that do not meet the minimum project size noted in
requirement #4 below do not need to be included in the LEED project site boundary.
4. THE LEED PROJECT MUST INCLUDE A MINIMUM OF 93 SQUARE METERS (1000

SQUARE FEET) OF BUILDING FLOOR AREA.
Intent:
• The thresholds and calculations that make up the system of evaluation in LEED
begin to break down and lose meaning once the building or space being evaluated
reaches relatively diminutive proportions. A building or space that is too small would
compromise the integrity of the LEED certification system.
5. THE LEED PROJECT MUST COMPLY WITH MINIMUM OCCUPANCY RATES.

Full Time Equivalent Occupancy - The LEED project must serve 1 or more Full Time Equivalent
(FTE) occupant(s), calculated as an annual average, in order to use LEED in its entirety. If the
project serves less than 1 annualized FTE, optional credits from the Indoor Environmental
Quality category may not be earned (the prerequisites must still be earned).
Intent:
• Many credits and prerequisites throughout the LEED rating systems evaluate the
impact of the LEED project building on the building users, particularly those in the
Indoor Environmental Quality credit category. CaGBC believes it is appropriate and
necessary to require that a minimum number of people benefit from the strategies
implemented in order to earn the credits.
Exceptions:
• This requirement does not apply to leased space not yet tenanted, but intended for
occupancy.
6. MUST ALLOW CAGBC ACCESS TO WHOLE BUILDING ENERGY AND WATER USAGE
DATA.
At this time, the CaGBC does not require projects to provide the CaGBC with access to actual
whole building energy and water usage data. However, the CaGBC recognizes that the goal
of decreased energy and water use consumption is a major component of LEED certification.
Tracking actual building consumption and comparing it to the usage proposed in design cases,
is essential to the individual success of each LEED certified building and the ongoing evaluation
and development of the LEED program. The CaGBC encourages project teams to consider
monitoring building performance through the use of industry benchmarking databases.
7. MUST COMPLY WITH A MINIMUM BUILDING AREA TO SITE AREA RATIO.
The building floor area of the LEED project building must be no less than 2% of the gross land
area (site area including building footprint) within the LEED project boundary.
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xxix
Intent:
• Because LEED is a rating system for buildings, it is appropriate to restrict the amount of
land associated with a LEED certified project. While it is recognized that large sections
of real estate may be affected by human activity generated by a building as well as an
owner’s general land use decisions, this stipulation has been put into place to ensure
that an overabundance of land associated with a LEED certification does not occur and
certain Sustainable Sites credits are awarded fairly.
Additional Clarifications:
• Calculation method for determining gross floor area to site area ratio
[Building Floor Area (m2) / Site Area (m2)] x 100
V. LEED DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

All LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations, and Core and Shell Development,
certification applications must include the required LEED Letter Templates and all supporting
documentation as noted on those templates.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
LEED certification application requires the submission of an overall project narrative with the
completed LEED Letter Template documentation requirements. The project narrative describes
the applicant’s organization, project, site, and program, as well as key green features of the project.
This narrative helps CaGBC staff and the LEED review team understand the major elements of the
project and building performance.
The LEED Letter Templates workbook also includes additional submission requirements beyond
the specific prerequisite and credits. This information includes the basic details pertaining to
project site conditions, construction scope and timeline, occupant and usage data, and project
team identification. Project teams must address all the elements in the general documentation
requirements, providing details and clarifications where appropriate, and they may include any
optional elements that are helpful in describing the project. Requirements for photos and drawings
are also noted in the LEED Letter Templates, as well as confirmation that the Minimum Program
Requirements are met. In addition, see the CaGBC website (www.cagbc.org) for further guidance.
Where a project team is applying for a prerequisite or credit with special circumstances (through
a Credit Interpretation Request or an Interpretation of this reference guide) applications must
provide additional documentation to demonstrate credit achievement. Project teams must provide
narratives to cover these special allowances and any supporting documentation that would assist
in demonstrating achievement.
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL EXEMPTION

The Licensed Professional Exemptions can be used by a project team’s registered professional
engineer or registered architect as a streamlined path for documenting certain credits, or bypassing
otherwise-required submittals. License information and an Exemption Signature in the LEED Letter
Templates are required to document each exemption the project team wishes to claim. Credits
eligible for exemption are noted in the LEED Letter Templates.
xxx C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L
CREDIT SUBSTITUTION
Projects registering under the LEED Canada 2009 rating systems are not allowed to substitute
prerequisites or credits from another version. However, projects registered under previous LEED
Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations or Core and Shell Development versions may
be able to substitute LEED 2009 credits (generally where the whole credit change is adopted).
Due to changes in the credit weighting, only select compliance paths may be substituted. See
the allowance table on the CaGBC website (www.cagbc.org) for a list of acceptable substitutions.
Note that this pathway is not encouraged due to the confusion added in maintaining multiple
LEED versions of requirements and documentation. It is being allowed out of recognition of the
improved requirements in LEED 2009 that previous project teams may be eager to use even
though they are prevented from fully adopting LEED 2009 due to the project’s current stage of
development. However, if a project is able to, it can switch to the new version in its entirety.
VI. CERTIFICATION APPLICATION

LEED CANADA FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS AND CORE AND
SHELL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATION APPLICATION
To earn LEED certification, the applicant project must satisfy all the prerequisites and qualify for
a minimum number of points to attain the established project ratings as listed below. Having
satisfied the basic prerequisites of the program, applicant projects are then rated according to their
degree of compliance within the rating system. (Note: Projects must meet all prerequisites and
achieve 40 points from other credits before they may earn any points from Regional Priority credits.)
After registration, the project design team should begin to collect information and perform
calculations to satisfy the prerequisite and credit documentation requirements. Because
documentation should be gathered throughout design and construction, it is helpful to designate
a LEED team leader (generally a LEED Consultant) who will be responsible for managing its
compilation.
At the completion of construction, the project team submits all attempted credits for review. Upon
receipt of the full certification application and fee, a screening review (completeness check) will be
conducted to ensure the application is complete. Following the screening review, a first review is
conducted by a contracted LEED review team, overseen by the CaGBC. A project team receives a
formal first review response from the CaGBC; this review report designates prerequisites and credits
as Prerequisite / Credit Achievement Anticipated, Prerequisite / Credit Pending, or Prerequisite /
Credit Denied. The reviewer may ask clarifying questions of the applicant or request a Data Check of
select items.
The concept of Data Check was implemented to streamline applications. For the majority of credits
all required documentation is submitted with the initial submission. For several credits, however,
the volume of documentation required makes this undesirable. For these credits, a Data Check may
be performed to verify select items at the reviewer’s discretion. The LEED Letter Templates indicate
which credits are subject to a Data Check and the documentation that needs to be provided.
Project teams must not claim credit performance for products and materials that cannot be verified
in the supporting documentation reserved for a Data Check.
In the final (second) submission, the applicant provides responses to all prerequisites and credits
pending additional information, either to respond to the reviewer’s clarifying questions or to
provide the requested Data Check materials. For credits denied in this first review, applicants are
welcomed to respond to the denial with additional documentation. A final review is conducted
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xxxi
and sent from the CaGBC to the applicant. All credits will be designated as either awarded or
denied. If any prerequisites are denied or if insufficient credits are awarded, the project fails the
certification review and no LEED rating will be awarded.
Project teams have an opportunity to appeal denied prerequisites and credits at this stage. See the
CaGBC website (www.cagbc.org) for additional details on the appeal process.
PREREQUISITES AND CREDITS

Prerequisites and credits are the core criteria of LEED rating systems, and define requirements that
must be met to be eligible for certification:
• Prerequisites define the minimum requirements in a particular LEED category.
• Meeting the requirements of a prerequisite does not contribute points to a project’s score.
• All prerequisite requirements must be met for a project to be eligible to receive LEED
Canada certification.
• Credits are the fundamental LEED criteria that describe practices deemed to reduce the
project’s environmental, health and resource impacts. Each credit has a defined number
of possible points that may be awarded upon successful review of submittal documents
demonstrating the credits’ requirements were followed. Documented achievement of
the requirements in each credit is rewarded by a number of points that contribute to
the overall rating for the project. Credits and available points in each credit are shown in
section XIII below.
• A credit can consist of several “sub-credits,” each of which adds further requirements that,
with documented submittals, may be rewarded with additional points.
• Application of any particular credit to the defined LEED project is at the discretion of the
project’s design and construction team responding to the project’s unique constraints and
opportunities.
• Projects must meet all prerequisites and achieve 40 points from other credits before they
may earn any points from Regional Priority credits.
Points are earned by implementing the requirements laid out in each credit, and documenting
that implementation with that credit’s defined submittals noted in the LEED Letter Templates. The
total number of points awarded across all credits and categories determines the overall rating of
Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. The table below outlines the point thresholds for each LEED
Certification rating. Project ratings are certified by the CaGBC based on the total point score,
following an independent review of the documentation submitted by a design and construction
team. With four possible levels of certification, LEED is flexible enough to accommodate a wide
range of green building strategies that best fit the constraints and goals of particular projects.
LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations and Core and Shell Development
certifications are awarded according to the following scale:
LEED® Canada Certification Levels Number of LEED® Canada Points Required

Certified 40 – 49 points
Silver 50 – 59 points
Gold 60 – 79 points
Platinum 80+ points
xxxii C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L
The CaGBC recognizes projects that achieve a specific rating level with a final review report,
final scorecard, formal certificate of recognition and a LEED Canada plaque. Projects are further
recognized on the CaGBC website (www.cagbc.org).
VII. CERTIFICATION STRATEGY

TIMELINE AND PROJECT DESIGN PHASES
Project teams should study the principles and objectives of LEED as early in the site selection and
design process as possible. The project design phases mentioned throughout this reference guide
correspond to the architectural design and planning steps commonly used in the construction
industry:
1. Predesign entails gathering information, recognizing stakeholder needs, and establishing
project goals.
2. Schematic design explores several design options and alternatives, with the intent to establish
an agreed-upon project layout and scope of work.
3. Design development begins the process of spatial refinement and usually involves the first
design of a project’s energy systems.
4. Construction documents carry the design into the level of details for all spaces and systems
and materials so that construction can take place.
5. Construction.
6. Substantial completion is a contractual benchmark that usually corresponds to the point at
which a client could occupy a nearly completed space.
7. Final completion.
8. Certificate of occupancy is the official recognition by a local building department that a
building conforms to applicable building and safety codes.
RELATED CREDITS
When pursuing LEED certification, it is important to consider how credits are interconnected and
how their synergies and trade-offs will ultimately affect both the project and the other credits the
team may consider pursuing. Consult the Related Credits section of each prerequisite and credit to
help inform design and construction decisions leading to certification.
CONSISTENT DOCUMENTATION ACROSS CREDITS

Several kinds of project information are required for consistent LEED documentation across
various credits. Pay special attention to overlapping project data; doing so will help the application
and review process go smoothly. The most common inconsistency is with occupancy numbers.
However, take note of where there are different methodologies for calculating occupancy. For
example, peak transient users is employed in SS Credit 4.2 (Alternative Transportation: Bicycle
Storage and Changing Rooms) but transients can be calculated in the same way as Full Time
Equivalents under WE Prerequisite 1 (Water Use Reduction).
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xxxiii
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE IN LEED CANADA FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND

MAJOR RENOVATIONS AND CORE AND SHELL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFIED BUILDINGS
The LEED Canada Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction contains information
on operations and maintenance to help project teams streamline green O&M practices once
the LEED design and construction project has been completed. Although not required as part of
the LEED certification process, upfront planning for green operations and maintenance can help
building owners, operators, and maintenance staff ensure that the building continues to operate in
a sustainable manner.
VIII. EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE STRATEGIES

Exemplary performance strategies result in performance that greatly exceeds the performance
level or expands the scope required by an existing LEED Canada for New Construction and Major
Renovations or Core and Shell Development credit. To earn exemplary performance credits, teams
must meet the performance level defined by the next step in the threshold progression.
The credits for which exemplary performance points are available through expanded performance
are noted throughout this reference guide.
IX. REGIONAL PRIORITY CREDITS

To provide incentive to address geographically specific environmental issues, CaGBC is providing an
opportunity for LEED Canada project teams to propose existing credits as Regional Priority credits.
For a list of eligible credits and guidance regarding Regional Priority, refer to the CaGBC website
(www.cagbc.org).
X. LEASED TENANT SPACE APPENDIXES

Appendix 1
Default Occupancy Counts: presents default occupancy counts for Core and Shell projects.
Because of the nature of core and shell development, the project team may not know the
tenant makeup and occupancy during the building’s design phase. For some credits, the team
will need to refer to the default occupancy count table to determine credit compliance. The
occupancy counts must be consistent across all credits. LEED Canada for New Construction and
Major Renovations projects with leased tenant space may also find this information useful for
determining occupancy.
Appendix 2
Leased Tenant Space Energy Modelling Guidelines: gives guidelines for energy modelling
for projects with leased tenant space. These guidelines are intended to ensure that projects
in different markets approach the energy modelling requirements in a similar manner and
to establish a minimum benchmark for energy optimization. Consult this appendix when
modelling both the designed core and shell spaces and the tenant spaces that are not part of
the project design and construction scope.
Appendix 3
Core and Shell Project Scope Checklist: contains a checklist for tenant interiors to help Core
xxxiv C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L
and Shell teams define the owner-tenant division in the project design and certification review
process. LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations projects with leased tenant
space may also find this information useful for determining scope.
Appendix 4
Tenant Lease or Sales Agreement: offers a way for projects with leased tenant space to earn
points by making prerequisite / credit requirements part of a binding sales agreement or tenant
lease (e.g., mandatory lease agreement). This expands the area of project owner and design
team “control” from design and construction to tenant sales and lease agreement negotiation,
and is designed to give projects with a limited scope of work the ability to achieve credits
that would otherwise be beyond their control, by committing the tenant(s) to green building
practices in the tenant’s scope of work.
XI. TOOLS FOR REGISTERED PROJECTS

LEED offers additional resources for LEED project teams on the CaGBC website, at www.cagbc.org.
The CaGBC website provides resources for starting the project, including a LEED project checklist,
the LEED Letter Templates, Credit Interpretation Request rulings, certification methodology and
rating system errata and addenda.
XII. HOW TO USE THIS REFERENCE GUIDE

The LEED Canada for Green Building Design and Construction Reference Guide is a supporting
document to the LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations and Core and Shell
Development rating systems. The guide helps project teams understand the criteria, the reasons
behind them, strategies for implementation, and general documentation requirements (the
LEED Letter Templates contain the full documentation requirements). It includes examples of
strategies that can be used in each category, case studies of buildings that have implemented
these strategies successfully, and additional resources. It does not provide an exhaustive list of
strategies for meeting the criteria or all the information that a project team needs to determine the
applicability of a credit to the project.
RATING SYSTEM PAGES

The rating system, published in its entirety on the CaGBC website, is imbedded in this reference
guide. Each prerequisite and credit discussion begins with a page that mirrors the rating system’s
Intent and Requirements. This reference guide addresses the Intents and Requirements for the
following Rating Systems: LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations 2009 and LEED
Canada for Core and Shell Development 2009. These rating systems were also released in a combined
rating system document.
In instances where a particular rating system has a unique intent and/or requirements, the
rating system pages will highlight the requirements, noting if the requirement is solely for New
Construction and Major Renovations (NC) projects or for Core and Shell Development (CS).
PREREQUISITE AND CREDIT FORMAT

Each prerequisite or credit is organized in a standardized format for simplicity and quick reference.
The first section summarizes the main points regarding the green measure and includes the intent,
requirements, required submittals for certification, and a summary of any referenced industry
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xxxv
standard. Subsequent sections provide supporting information to help interpret the measure and
offer links to resources and examples. The sections for each credit are described in the following
paragraphs.
Intent identifies the main sustainability goal or benefit of the prerequisite or credit.
Requirements specifies the criteria that satisfy the prerequisite or credit and the number of points
available. The prerequisites must be achieved; the credits are optional, but each contributes to the
overall project score. Some credits have 2 or more paths from which the project team must choose.
For example, Energy & Atmosphere Credit 1, Optimize Energy Efficiency Performance, has 3 options,
but a project can apply for only 1, depending on the type of building.
Interpretations are unique to LEED Canada. Interpretations incorporate previous LEED Canada
for New Construction and Major Renovations version 1.0 Credit Interpretation Requests which were
deemed useful to users of this new version. Interpretations also include pathways from previous
LEED Canada application guides developed through market experience generally unique to
Canada. Interpretations also highlight key technical issues that needed further clarification from the
requirements.
Benefits and Issues to Consider addresses the environmental benefits of the activity encouraged
by the prerequisite or credit, and economic considerations related to first costs, life-cycle costs, and
estimated savings.
Related Credits acknowledges the trade-offs and synergies within the LEED rating system credit
categories. Achieving a particular credit may make it worthwhile and comparatively easy to pursue
related credits; the converse is also possible.
The Summary of Referenced Standards, where applicable, introduces the required standards
used to measure achievement of the credit intent. Teams are strongly encouraged to review the full
standard and not rely on the summary.
Implementation discusses specific methods or assemblies that facilitate achievement of the
requirements.
Timeline and Team guides the project team by identifying who should lead an effort and when
the tasks should begin.
Calculations offers sample formulas or computations that determine achievement of a particular
prerequisite or credit. Most calculations are facilitated in the LEED Letter Templates.
The Documentation Guidance section provides the first steps in preparing to complete the LEED
Letter Templates documentation requirements.
Examples illustrates strategies for credit achievement.
Exemplary Performance, if applicable, details the level of performance needed for the award of
points in addition to those for credit achievement.
Regional Variations outlines concerns specific to the geographic location of the building.
Resources offers suggestions for further research and provides examples or illustrations, detailed
technical information, or other information relevant to the prerequisite or credit. The resources
include websites, online materials, and printed books and articles that can be obtained directly
from the organizations listed.
xxxvi C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L
Definitions clarifies the meaning of certain terms relevant to the prerequisite or credit. These may
be general terms or terms specific to LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations and
Core and Shell Development. A complete glossary is found at the end of this reference guide.
Case Studies are only available for select credits. They provide information on how past certified
projects achieved the credit under a previous rating system (generally LEED Canada NC, version 1.0
with or without addendum).
Throughout these sections, the rating system specific information is called out; the relevant rating
systems are identified by NC (New Construction and Major Renovations), or CS (Core and Shell
Development). This method provides clarity to the credit discussions and provides the relevant
information needed for different project types where necessary. Finally, certain credits are specific
to each rating system and are identified by the point-weighting table on the first page of each
credit.
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xxxvii
XIII. REFERENCE TABLES

LEED CANADA FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS 2009
PROJECT CHECKLIST
SUSTAINABLE SITES 26 POSSIBLE POINTS

Prereq 1 Construction Activity Pollution Prevention Required
Credit 1 Site Selection 1
Credit 2 Development Density and Community Connectivity 3, 5
Credit 3 Brownfield Redevelopment 1
Credit 4.1 Alternative Transportation: Public Transportation Access 3, 6
Credit 4.2 Alternative Transportation: Bicycle Storage and Changing Rooms 1
Credit 4.3 Alternative Transportation: Low-Emitting and Fuel-Efficient Vehicles 3
Credit 4.4 Alternative Transportation: Parking Capacity 2
Credit 5.1 Site Development: Protect and Restore Habitat 1
Credit 5.2 Site Development: Maximize Open Space 1
Credit 6.1 Stormwater Design: Quantity Control 1
Credit 6.2 Stormwater Design: Quality Control 1
Credit 7.1 Heat Island Effect: Non-Roof 1
Credit 7.2 Heat Island Effect: Roof 1
Credit 8 Light Pollution Reduction 1
WATER EFFICIENCY 10 POSSIBLE POINTS

Prereq 1 Water Use Reduction Required
Credit 1 Water Efficient Landscaping 2, 4
Credit 2 Innovative Wastewater Technologies 2
Credit 3 Water Use Reduction 2-4
ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERE 35 POSSIBLE POINTS

Prereq 1 Fundamental Commissioning of Building Energy Systems Required
Prereq 2 Minimum Energy Performance Required
Prereq 3 Fundamental Refrigerant Management Required
Credit 1 Optimize Energy Performance 1-19
Credit 2 On-Site Renewable Energy 1-7
Credit 3 Enhanced Commissioning 2
Credit 4 Enhanced Refrigerant Management 2
Credit 5 Measurement and Verification 3
Credit 6 Green Power 2
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES 14 POSSIBLE POINTS

Prereq 1 Storage and Collection of Recyclables Required
Credit 1.1 Building Reuse: Maintain Existing Walls, Floors, and Roof 1-3
Credit 1.2 Building Reuse: Maintain Interior Non-Structural Elements 1
Credit 2 Construction Waste Management 1-2
Credit 3 Materials Reuse 1-2
Credit 4 Recycled Content 1-2
Credit 5 Regional Materials 1-2
Credit 6 Rapidly Renewable Materials 1
Credit 7 Certified Wood 1
xxxviii C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L
INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 15 POSSIBLE POINTS

Prereq 1 Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance Required
Prereq 2 Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control Required
Credit 1 Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring 1
Credit 2 Increased Ventilation 1
Credit 3.1 Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan: During Construction 1
Credit 3.2 Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan: Before Occupancy 1
Credit 4.1 Low-Emitting Materials: Adhesives and Sealants 1
Credit 4.2 Low-Emitting Materials: Paints and Coatings 1
Credit 4.3 Low-Emitting Materials: Flooring Systems 1
Credit 4.4 Low-Emitting Materials: Composite Wood and Agrifibre Products 1
Credit 5 Indoor Chemical and Pollutant Source Control 1
Credit 6.1 Controllability of System: Lighting 1
Credit 6.2 Controllability of System: Thermal Comfort 1
Credit 7.1 Thermal Comfort: Design 1
Credit 7.2 Thermal Comfort: Verification 1
Credit 8.1 Daylight and Views: Daylight 1
Credit 8.2 Daylight and Views: Views 1
INNOVATION IN DESIGN 6 POSSIBLE POINTS

Credit 1 Innovation in Design 1-5
Credit 2 LEED® Accredited Professional 1
REGIONAL PRIORITY 4 POSSIBLE POINTS

Credit 1 Durable Building 1
Credit 2 Regional Priority Credit 1-3
LEED CANADA FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS 2009

100 base points, plus 6 possible Innovation in Design points and 4 possible Regional Priority points
Certified 40–49 points
Silver 50–59 points
Gold 60–79 points
Platinum 80 points and above
Note that projects must meet all prerequisites and achieve 40 points from other credits before they
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xxxix
LEED CANADA FOR CORE AND SHELL DEVELOPMENT 2009 PROJECT CHECKLIST
SUSTAINABLE SITES 28 POSSIBLE POINTS
Prereq 1 Construction Activity Pollution Prevention Required
Credit 1 Site Selection 1
Credit 2 Development Density and Community Connectivity 3, 5
Credit 3 Brownfield Redevelopment 1
Credit 4.1 Alternative Transportation: Public Transportation Access 3, 6
Credit 4.2 Alternative Transportation: Bicycle Storage and Changing Rooms 2
Credit 4.3 Alternative Transportation: Low-Emitting and Fuel-Efficient Vehicles 3
Credit 4.4 Alternative Transportation: Parking Capacity 2
Credit 5.1 Site Development: Protect and Restore Habitat 1
Credit 5.2 Site Development: Maximize Open Space 1
Credit 6.1 Stormwater Design: Quantity Control 1
Credit 6.2 Stormwater Design: Quality Control 1
Credit 7.1 Heat Island Effect: Non-Roof 1
Credit 7.2 Heat Island Effect: Roof 1
Credit 8 Light Pollution Reduction 1
Credit 9 Tenant Design and Construction Guidelines 1
WATER EFFICIENCY 10 POSSIBLE POINTS

Prereq 1 Water Use Reduction Required
Credit 1 Water Efficient Landscaping 2, 4
Credit 2 Innovative Wastewater Technologies 2
Credit 3 Water Use Reduction 2-4
ENERGY & ATMOSPHERE 37 POSSIBLE POINTS

Prereq 1 Fundamental Commissioning of Building Energy Systems Required
Prereq 2 Minimum Energy Performance Required
Prereq 3 Fundamental Refrigerant Management Required
Credit 1 Optimize Energy Performance 3-21
Credit 2 On-Site Renewable Energy 2, 4
Credit 3 Enhanced Commissioning 2
Credit 4 Enhanced Refrigerant Management 2
Credit 5.1 Measurement and Verification: Base Building 3
Credit 5.2 Measurement and Verification: Tenant Submetering 3
Credit 6 Green Power 2
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES 13 POSSIBLE POINTS

Prereq 1 Storage and Collection of Recyclables Required
Credit 1 Building Reuse: Maintain Existing Walls, Floors, and Roof 1-5
Credit 2 Construction Waste Management 1-2
Credit 3 Materials Reuse 1
Credit 4 Recycled Content 1-2
Credit 5 Regional Materials 1-2
Credit 6 Certified Wood 1
xl C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L
INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 12 POSSIBLE POINTS

Prereq 1 Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance Required
Prereq 2 Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control Required
Credit 1 Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring 1
Credit 2 Increased Ventilation 1
Credit 3 Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan: During Construction 1
Credit 4.1 Low-Emitting Materials: Adhesives and Sealants 1
Credit 4.2 Low-Emitting Materials: Paints and Coatings 1
Credit 4.3 Low-Emitting Materials: Flooring Systems 1
Credit 4.4 Low-Emitting Materials: Composite Wood and Agrifibre Products 1
Credit 5 Indoor Chemical and Pollutant Source Control 1
Credit 6 Controllability of System: Thermal Comfort 1
Credit 7 Thermal Comfort: Design 1
Credit 8.1 Daylight and Views: Daylight 1
Credit 8.2 Daylight and Views: Views 1
INNOVATION IN DESIGN 6 POSSIBLE POINTS

Credit 1 Innovation in Design 1-5
Credit 2 LEED® Accredited Professional 1
REGIONAL PRIORITY 4 POSSIBLE POINTS

Credit 1 Durable Building 1
Credit 2 Regional Priority Credit 1-3
LEED CANADA FOR CORE AND SHELL DEVELOPMENT 2009

100 base points, plus 6 possible Innovation in Design points and 4 possible Regional Priority points
Certified 40–49 points
Silver 50–59 points
Gold 60–79 points
Platinum 80 points and above
Note that projects must meet all prerequisites and achieve 40 points from other credits before they
C A N A D A G R E E N B U I L D I N G C O U N C I L xli

LEED Canada Ref Guide NCCS 2009 Intro en

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The following document is the Introduction section of the LEED Canada Reference Guide for Green

BENEFITS OF GREEN BUILDINGS

II. LEED® GREEN BUILDING RATING SYSTEM

THE LEED CREDIT WEIGHTINGS

III. OVERVIEW AND PROCESS

MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Maintenance is more appropriate because it addresses operational and maintenance issues of

WHEN TO USE LEED CANADA FOR CORE AND SHELL DEVELOPMENT

HOW TO APPLY AS A MAJOR RENOVATION UNDER LEED CANADA FOR NEW

HOW TO APPLY AS A LEED MULTIPLE BUILDING PROJECT

HOW TO APPLY USING THE CAMPUS APPROACH

CERTIFICATION SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTATION

LEED LETTER TEMPLATES

CREDIT INTERPRETATION REQUESTS AND RULINGS

REVIEW AND CERTIFICATION

UPDATES AND ADDENDA

USES OF SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTATION AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION

IV. MINIMUM PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS (MPRS)

2. MUST BE A COMPLETE, PERMANENT BUILDING OR SPACE.

• Permanency is an important requirement because a significant percentage of LEED

is to be sub-metered, exceptions will be made for buildings served by a

3. THE PROJECT MUST USE A REASONABLE SITE BOUNDARY.

4. THE LEED PROJECT MUST INCLUDE A MINIMUM OF 93 SQUARE METERS (1000

5. THE LEED PROJECT MUST COMPLY WITH MINIMUM OCCUPANCY RATES.

V. LEED DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL EXEMPTION

VI. CERTIFICATION APPLICATION

PREREQUISITES AND CREDITS

LEED® Canada Certification Levels Number of LEED® Canada Points Required

VII. CERTIFICATION STRATEGY

CONSISTENT DOCUMENTATION ACROSS CREDITS

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE IN LEED CANADA FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND

VIII. EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE STRATEGIES

IX. REGIONAL PRIORITY CREDITS

X. LEASED TENANT SPACE APPENDIXES

XI. TOOLS FOR REGISTERED PROJECTS

XII. HOW TO USE THIS REFERENCE GUIDE

RATING SYSTEM PAGES

PREREQUISITE AND CREDIT FORMAT

XIII. REFERENCE TABLES

SUSTAINABLE SITES 26 POSSIBLE POINTS

WATER EFFICIENCY 10 POSSIBLE POINTS

ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERE 35 POSSIBLE POINTS

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES 14 POSSIBLE POINTS

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 15 POSSIBLE POINTS

INNOVATION IN DESIGN 6 POSSIBLE POINTS

REGIONAL PRIORITY 4 POSSIBLE POINTS

LEED CANADA FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS 2009

WATER EFFICIENCY 10 POSSIBLE POINTS

ENERGY & ATMOSPHERE 37 POSSIBLE POINTS

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES 13 POSSIBLE POINTS

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 12 POSSIBLE POINTS

INNOVATION IN DESIGN 6 POSSIBLE POINTS

REGIONAL PRIORITY 4 POSSIBLE POINTS

LEED CANADA FOR CORE AND SHELL DEVELOPMENT 2009

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