855773520-LEED-v5-ID-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition-1 - Page 316

Extracted Content

REQUIREMENTS EXPLAINED

This prerequisite requires locating the project in a building with smoking restrictions and prohibiting smoking inside the project spaces and near building openings.

Smoke-free policies effectively reduce tobacco use, protect people from secondhand smoke exposure, prevent tobacco-related illnesses and deaths, and help more people successfully quit smoking.

Smoking is prohibited for conventional cigarettes (cigarettes, cigars, pipes), cannabis (medical or recreational), and electronic smoking devices (e-cigarettes). The intent is to keep the air inside the building free from pollutants and contaminants associated with smoking.

Exclusions This prerequisite is not intended to prohibit or deter indigenous or other cultural ceremonial practices (e.g., smudging) which may include the combustion of tobacco and other ceremonial materials. LEED projects that accommodate cultural ceremonial practices may still pursue this prerequisite.

Option 1. Locations with Smoking Prohibitions

INDOOR SMOKING

Smoking must be strictly prohibited inside the building at all times. Evidence of this prohibition can be obtained via a policy from the owner, facility manager, or smoke-free indoor air law.

OUTDOOR SMOKING

Smoking must be prohibited on the project site except in areas specifically designated for smoking. No smoking is permitted within 25 feet (7.5 meters) of all building openings, such as doors, windows, and ventilation intakes, to minimize the likelihood of smoke entering the building. Exterior spaces used by any tenants in the building must be no-smoking. For example, if the LEED project occupies second-floor space in a building with multiple tenants, smoking is not allowed within 25 feet (7.5 meters) of any opening for the entire building.

Emergency exits do not qualify as building openings if the doors are alarmed, as alarmed doors will rarely be opened. Emergency exits without alarms qualify as building openings.

Smoking is not allowed in programmable spaces (e.g., outdoor cigar lounges or casino areas, courtyards, outdoor cafes or sidewalk seating, or space used for business purposes).

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Interior Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 305