Spaces that do not fit clearly within any available categories should be designated as "other". Other may be used to designate any space not listed in Target Finder, this could include restaurants, laboratories, penitentiaries, or manufacturing facilities. If an entire facility is classified as Other, it is not eligible to receive a national energy performance rating; however, if a portion of a facility is classified as Other, you may be able to receive a National energy performance rating. To be eligible, the gross floor area of the facility must be comprised of more than 50% of an eligible space type and the floor area of an Other space type cannot be more than 10% of the facility's gross floor area.
The following information is required for Other Spaces:
Gross floor area
Guidance if a facility is comprised entirely of space types that are not eligible to receive a rating.
If a facility is comprised entirely of non-eligible space types, it should not be entered into Target Finder. Spaces types not available in Target Finder can be found in the 2003 CBECS National Average Source Energy Use and Performance Comparisons table. The results are not normalized for climate, building size, occupancy, or other activities that may affect energy use.
EPA is continually working to expand the available space types. As new space types become available, you will be able to use Target Finder to receive a rating for those design projects.
Guidance if Other is used in combination with another space type
If an Other space type accounts for more than 10% of your facility's gross floor area, you will not be eligible to receive the national energy performance rating.
Please note that the purpose of the national energy performance rating is to compare a design facility's estimated energy use to that of its peers. Again, this peer group is identified through a nationally representative data set, typically the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), which is conducted every four years by the Department of Energy. Target Finder defines these peer groups according to the Space Type Definitions:
Other should only be used in combination with one of these spaces to identify a space if its function is inherently different from the rest of your facility, and is not expected to be characteristic of your peer group. For example, spaces such as gymnasiums, greenhouses, or small landscaping garages are inherently part of a school; they should not be classified as Other. Likewise, conference rooms, storage closets, and atria are inherently part of office buildings and their functions; they should not be classified as Other. However, if your school or office contains a small restaurant or library (as on the first floor in an urban setting), that should be classified as Other.
If the use of a facility is characterized by one of the eligible space types, it is probably not necessary for you to use Other. We suggest that you read the list of supporting functions included with each space type definition before you classify a space as Other.
Examples of spaces that should be classified as Other:
A movie theater on the first floor of an office building
A public works garage that shares space on public land with a school
Laboratory space (except for high school laboratory space and hospital laboratory space)
Manufacturing space