Section 1:
Credit Cost Impacts From the GSA LEED Cost Study
Overview
The GSA LEED Cost Study was commissioned to
1)
GSA mandate (no cost)
review the hard- and soft-cost impacts of achieving
2)
No Cost/Potential Cost Decrease
LEED ratings for two GSA building types, using
3)
Low Cost (< K)
GSA's established design standards as the point of
4)
Moderate Cost (K-0K)
comparison.
5)
High Cost (>0K)
The two building types examined in the study were:
From these individual credit assessments, overall
project cost estimates were developed for 12
1. A new mid-rise federal Courthouse (five
LEED rating "scenarios" (6 for each building
stories, 262,000 GSF, including 15,000 GSF of
type). The scenarios were defined as follows:
underground parking; base construction cost is
approximately 0/GSF)
New Courthouse. Two estimates were developed
at the Certified, Silver, and Gold rating levels.
2. A mid-rise federal Office Building
At each rating level, one "low-cost" and one
modernization (nine stories, 306,600 GSF,
"high-cost" scenario was defined in order to
including 40,700 GSF of underground parking;
bracket the LEED costs.
base construction cost is approximately
0/GSF)
developed at the Certified, Silver, and Gold
These building types reflect a significant percentage
rating levels. At each rating level, one scenario
of GSA's planned capital projects over the next
reflected a "minimal faade renovation"
five to ten years.
(window replacement, minor repairs) and the
other reflected a "full faade renovation" (new
For each of the two building types, baseline
cladding and faade design, new windows, new
construction cost estimates were developed to
insulation). The different faade scenarios
reflect applicable federal design requirements, as
reflect one of the most significant scope
defined in GSA's Facilities Standards for the Public
variations in GSA's modernization projects
Buildings Service (document PBSP100, 2003), and,
and were therefore used as the basis for
for Courthouses, the Administrative Office of the
bracketing the LEED Office Building
United States Courts' U. S. Courts Design Guide. The
Modernization costs.
design standards were also used as the basis for
evaluating each LEED prerequisite and credit. An
analysis was performed to identify green building
measures--above and beyond those included in
GSA's standards--that would likely be
implemented to meet the specific LEED
prerequisite and credit requirements. From these
measures, cost impact estimates were developed
for each prerequisite and credit, with variations
defined for both the Courthouse and Office
Building models. The individual credit costs were
then categorized, using the following key:
Figure 1-1. Social Security Administration Building
Renovation, Woodlawn, Maryland. (LEED Certified Rating)
Architect: Whitman Requardt & Associates
GSA LEED APPLICATIONS GUIDE
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