Leasehold Improvements, also known as tenant improvements (TI), is the customized alterations a building owner makes to rental space as part of a lease agreement, in order to configure the space for the needs of that particular tenant.

What is a TI analysis?

Tenant improvements are fixed improvements to a tenant’s office space. A “green” Tenant Improvement (TI) project looks beyond the readily apparent aspects of the office to create a space that addresses the comfort and health of the occupants, as well as the broader environmental impacts. It increases productivity by making employees more comfortable and healthy. In some cases it is more cost-effective, saving money on utility bills and operating costs.

(Source: City of Portland and Hughes Marino)

Occupant comfort can be controlled by setting the range for the heating and ventilation system (HVAC) to keep inside air at comfortable ranges of temperature and humidity. In cove.tool. these can be changed on the Baseline Page > Usage and Schedules > Heating/Cooling Set-Point and Set back.

This includes designing the interior layout for adequate daylight, without excess glare. Also, the use of efficient artificial lighting associated with the tasks. One can use the Daylight (sDA + ASE) and Quality Views Analysis to understand the role of natural light. The different controls for artificial light include - Lighting Power Density (LPD), Occupancy sensors, and Daylight Sensors - all accessible through the Baseline page.

The HVAC system can be designed to deliver plenty of outdoor air and exhaust odors and emissions. It also includes the use of materials that reduce airborne contaminants including VOCs. The air exchange and ventilation rates can be modified for different energy codes.

The use of natural and sustainably harvested materials can greatly impact the overall embodied carbon of the project. Cove.tool has embodied carbon as an optional property input in the change option tabs as a new column category in the Optimization Tool.

Selecting equipment that uses less energy, conserves fuel resources and reduces the associated greenhouse gas emissions. Energy efficiency is at the core of cove.tool's analysis process. The Baseline page has a number of preset system types to choose from, along with customizing the associated inputs for Integrated Part Load Value (IPLV), coefficient of performance (CoP), heat recovery system, etc.

Water-conserving fixtures reduce the demand on freshwater supplies and additional, new municipal potable water and wastewater infrastructure. Cove.tool's water use page allow optimization of the fixture flow rates, along with managing cooling tower capacity, stormwater management, and irrigation facilities.

This means the physical layout, mechanical systems, and finish materials are

designed to quiet distracting noises. cove.tool does not have any inputs that control acoustics at the moment.