Section 4: LEED-Related Soft Costs
2. Extended Time Schedules/Project Phasing. If the
achieve Credit EA-3 are estimated to add another
construction schedule for a GSA project is
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.10 -
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.15/GSF to projects of this scale. GSA'sparticularly long (e.g., over three years), as in
total building commissioning fees are assumed to
the case of some of the phased office
be slightly higher than these estimates, as GSA's
modernization projects, the LEED soft cost
commissioning scope is more comprehensive than
fees may rise particularly in the Expert
the LEED requirements.
Consultant approach. The extended schedule
potentially complicates the tracking of LEED
Energy Modeling
submittals and the assembly of a complete
documentation submission.
Another significant soft cost that is already included
in GSA projects is computer energy modeling. The
3. Separation of Base Building and Tenant Improvement
level of soft cost associated with energy modeling
Projects. If a GSA project involves separate base
for buildings of the size and complexity of the
building and tenant improvement projects, with
Courthouse and Office building models ranges
different design teams involved, the LEED
from
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.15 to
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.30 GSF.process will become more complicated and soft
costs will likely rise. To manage these scenarios,
Additional Factors That Can Influence Soft Costs
close information transfer between the design
teams is required, which can be difficult. In
While the estimates defined for the Courthouse and
many of these situations, it may be preferable
Office Building models provide a useful indicator
to manage the project using the separate LEED
of expected soft costs, a range of factors can
Core and Shell and LEED Commercial
potentially influence the numbers and should be
Interiors systems, rather than using LEED
considered when assessing soft cost impacts for
New Construction system.
other projects. These factors include:
1. Project Scale. LEED soft costs are expected to be
Supporting Information
similar to other architectural and engineering
fees; i.e., fees will tend to scale up for small
The following supporting documents are included
projects and down for larger buildings where
as part of the LEED-related Soft Costs study:
there are economies of scale. The soft cost
Appendix G: Soft Cost Estimate Summaries
estimates in this study were based on mid-rise
(for the Twelve LEED Scenarios)
buildings that are approximately 250,000
- Table G-1: Expert Consultant Model
300,000 GSF in size. In small projects, the
- Table G-2: Experienced Design Team
potential increase in construction cost for
Model
"green" features, and resulting fee increase,
may not be in line with the amount of LEED-
Appendix H: Detailed Soft Cost Estimates (for
specific work required of the design team. The
Credit-Specific Tasks and Multiple
design team may pursue additional fees in these
Credit/LEED Process Tasks)
scenarios, or propose a higher base design fee
- Table H-1: Expert Consultant Model
percentage. Conversely, with larger projects it is
- Table H-2: Experienced Design Team
expected that the LEED-related soft costs will
Model
level off rapidly. This is because the "LEED
Process" tasks generally require the same (or
similar) levels of effort, even as a project
increases in size.
An additional
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.15 -
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.20/GSF is estimated for1
commissioning-related premiums from HVAC
contractors. For the purposes of this study, these costs
are considered hard costs, since they are typically
included in the contractor's construction bids.
GSA LEED COST STUDY
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