Specifying LEED-CS and -CI
for Core & Shell Development and Commercial Interiors

LEED-CS is intended for developer-driven projects where the Core & Shell (CS) includes base building MEP/FP but not tenant fit-out. Along with commercial office buildings, -CS is expected to cover retail, warehouses, and labs that are developed this way. LEED-CI is specifically for office building interiors where the basic building (the core and shell) have either already been built or are not under the control of the tenant or owner of the office space. LEED-CI is designed to interface with LEED-CS for the core and shell but can also be used for fit-out projects for which the base building has not been LEED-certified. The prerequisites and credits for LEED-CS and LEED-CI are practically identical to those for LEED-NC, except for omission of those that exclusively apply to the portions of the building not covered. For -CI, many of the site and water efficiency considerations are combined into a single, multi-point credit related to selection of the building in which to take tenant space.