855773520-LEED-v5-ID-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition-1 - Page 018

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PROJECTS WITH INCOMPLETE SPACE

Projects with incomplete space (future fit-out) may still pursue certification as long as the following criteria are met:

• Incomplete space is less than 40% of the gross floor area.

• Occupancy is counted for the incomplete space using projected values or, if unknown, the LEED default occupancy.

• A letter of commitment from the owner is provided, attesting that the incomplete spaces will satisfy the requirements of each prerequisite and credit achieved by the project.

• A description of the incomplete space is provided, identifying the scope that remains, the entity responsible for the remaining scope, and the reason the building is incomplete at the time of final application.

• Prerequisite calculations must include the completed scope only. Credit calculations must include the completed and incomplete scopes, with the incomplete scope held equivalent to the baseline.

• Contact USGBC prior to application submission for any attempted credits in which an adaptation for the incomplete space is not clear.

PROJECT OCCUPANCY

Occupancy counts for the project that will be used consistently throughout the application are important to establish early and share with the whole project team. Whenever possible, use actual or predicted occupancies. LEED requires occupancy to be assessed and reported for two groups: regular building occupants and visitors.

REGULAR BUILDING OCCUPANTS

Regular building occupants are routine users of a project (full- and part- time), such as:

• Employees, daily volunteers, support staff (e.g., janitors)

• Residents (e.g., dormitory, apartment, condo), overnight hotel guests, medical inpatients

• K–12 students

VISITORS

Visitors are intermittent users of a project, such as:

• Retail customers

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Interior Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 7