1. Tenant Design Guidelines Part 4: Sustainable Design and Construction Requirements
Updated: 06.10.2026

Tenant Design Guidelines part 4: Sustainable Design and Construction Requirements

  1. Sustainable Design and Construction Requirements
    1. Intent and Overview
      1. These requirements are intended to help tenants understand and make full use of MSP’s high-performance building features and to guide them in designing spaces that align with MAC’s sustainability goals. Tenants must meet or exceed the Sustainable Design and Construction Requirements to ensure their spaces support the broader MSP campus and MAC’s target of achieving LEED Gold certification for new construction.
      2. MAC uses the LEED v5 Interior Design & Construction (LEED v5 ID+C) rating system as the primary framework for sustainable design, construction, and reporting of tenant spaces. Tenants are not required to register or certify their spaces under LEED; however, the LEED prerequisites and credits listed in this section are mandatory. Additional credits may be pursued at the Tenant’s discretion. Simplified compliance paths are provided for select items, while all others must follow standard LEED documentation requirements.
      3. MAC may request documentation demonstrating compliance with required LEED prerequisites or credits to support building-level LEED certification. For some projects, Tenants may choose to utilize the LEED v5 Building Design & Construction (BD+C) rating system if it better suits their scope of work.
      4. For tenant spaces greater than 10,000 square feet, a set of elevated LEED ID+C requirements applies, as outlined in the LEED ID+C Requirements section. These larger projects may alternatively choose to register and certify their space to achieve LEED Silver, which will be accepted in place of meeting the project-specific elevated requirements.
    2. Sustainability Letter of Intent
      1. Prior to the start of construction, Tenant shall submit a signed Sustainability Letter of Intent to MAC confirming the Tenant team’s commitment to implement the approved construction documents in accordance with the Sustainable Design and Construction Requirements of the Tenant Design Guidelines. The letter shall acknowledge that sustainability-related design strategies and specifications will not be materially altered during construction without prior review and approval by MAC, and shall be signed by the Tenant Representative and the Architect or Contractor of Record.
    3. Reporting Requirements
      1. Tenant shall complete and submit the MAC Tenant LEED Scorecard and required documentation at each CPIT milestone. Prior to CPIT #1, the Tenant shall submit an initial Scorecard indicating the plan of action for all required prerequisites and credits, along with any relevant supporting documentation. Prior to CPIT #2, the Tenant shall submit an updated Scorecard and all required documentation reflecting design progress.
      2. At project closeout, the Tenant shall submit the completed Scorecard and final documentation, or earlier if requested by MAC. While tenants are not required to register or certify their spaces with the U.S. Green Building Council, they shall provide any additional documentation requested by MAC to support compliance with sustainability requirements or building-level LEED certification.
    4. LEED v5 ID+C Requirements
      1. ​​​​​​​WEp1 Minimum Water Efficiency
        1. If the tenant space includes restrooms, meet the requirements listed in WEc2 Enhanced Water Efficiency below.
        2. If the tenant space does not include restrooms, then plumbing fixtures, appliances, and commercial kitchen equipment shall meet the requirements below:Water Efficiency Requirement Tables

           

        3. Demonstrate compliance by submitting cut sheets for each applicable plumbing fixture and appliance showing adherence to the requirements above.
      2. WEc2 Enhanced Water Efficiency
        1. If the tenant space includes restrooms, meet the performance threshold required to earn at least 3 points for this credit.
      3. EAp2 Minimum Energy Efficiency
        1. If the tenant space is greater than 10,000 square feet, meet the requirements listed in EAc2 Enhanced Energy Efficiency below. LEED-compliant documentation is required.
        2. If the tenant space is less than 10,000 square feet, meet the prescriptive requirements listed below.
          1. Meet the lighting power density requirements listed in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2022.
          2. Install ENERGY STAR® water heaters, appliances, office equipment, electronics, and commercial food service equipment for all ENERGY STAR® eligible products in the project.
        3. Demonstrate compliance by listing the project’s design lighting power density (LPD) in the MAC Tenant LEED Scorecard Plan of Action section, and by submitting cut sheets for each applicable appliance and piece of equipment.
      4. EAp3 Fundamental Commissioning
        1. Meet the performance threshold required for this prerequisite.
        2. Demonstrate compliance by submitting startup or test and balance (TAB) reports, functional test checklists, or other documentation verifying that systems and equipment have been tested and confirmed to operate as intended.
      5. EAp5 Fundamental Refrigerant Management
        1. Meet the performance threshold required for this prerequisite.
        2. Demonstrate compliance by submitting cut sheets for all refrigerant-containing equipment. Document the evaluation of available alternatives during the design process for any refrigerants with GWP > 700.
        3. Leak check and repair. Prior to substantial completion, check both new and existing refrigerant-containing equipment for refrigerant leaks and repair all leaks identified. For systems with field-assembled joints, perform a leak check, vacuum check, and pressure check prior to charging with refrigerant.
      6. EAc2 Enhanced Energy Efficiency
        1. If the tenant space is greater than 10,000 square feet, meet the performance threshold required to earn at least 3 points for this credit.
      7. EAc4 Enhanced Commissioning
        1. If the tenant space is greater than 10,000 square feet, meet the performance threshold required to earn at least 2 points for this credit.
      8. MRp1 Planning for Zero Waste Operations
        1. Provide back-of-house receptacles for waste, recycling, and organics. Provide front-of-house receptacles for waste and recycling, and allocate space for organics collection in the event that MAC implements a front-of-house organics recycling program.
      9. MRc3 Low-Emitting Materials
        1. If the tenant space is greater than 10,000 square feet, meet the performance threshold required to earn 3 points for this credit. LEED-compliant documentation is required.
        2. ​​​​​​​If the tenant space is less than 10,000 square feet, all building and furniture products must meet LEED low-emitting criteria.
        3. Demonstrate compliance by clearly identifying interior products with valid low-emitting certificates in the finish schedule and specifications.
      10. MRc4 Building Product Selection and Procurement
        1. If the tenant space is greater than 10,000 square feet, meet the performance threshold required to earn at least 3 points for this credit. LEED-compliant documentation is required.
        2. ​​​​​​​If the tenant space is less than 10,000 square feet, specify a minimum of 6 products that demonstrate at least one verified sustainability attribute aligned with the LEED Building Product Selection and Procurement criteria areas (Climate Health, Human Health, Ecosystem Health, Social Health and Equity, and Circularity).
          1. See the MRc4 Guidance tab in the MAC Tenant LEED Scorecard for a list of acceptable sustainability labels and declarations.
        3. Demonstrate compliance by submitting an annotated finish schedule that clearly identifies each qualifying product and its verified sustainability attribute(s).
      11. MRc5 Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion
        1. Meet the performance threshold required to earn at least 2 points for this credit.
        2. ​​​​​​​Demonstrate compliance by implementing jobsite waste separation for recyclables and documenting any materials salvaged for reuse, donation, or repurposing. Provide summary documentation and receipts or photos as evidence.
      12. EQp1 Construction Management
        1. Meet the performance threshold required for this prerequisite.
        2. ​​​​​​​Demonstrate compliance by submitting a Contractor Indoor Air Quality Management Plan that meets LEED requirements.
      13. EQp2 Fundamental Air Quality
        1. Meet the performance threshold required for this prerequisite, as applicable to the scope of the tenant project.
        2. ​​​​​​​Demonstrate compliance by providing a narrative in the MAC Tenant LEED Scorecard Plan of Action section.
      14. EQp3 No Smoking
        1. Commit to abiding by and sharing with all staff the MAC’s Smoking Restrictions policy, located in the MAC Design and Construction Standards.