What criteria must be met for a project to qualify as a GUT Rehab?

A project qualifies as a GUT (Gut Rehabilitation) Rehab when it involves significant alterations to the building's structure and systems. Specifically, opening up the exterior walls is a key criterion because it directly impacts the building's envelope, allowing for substantial improvements in energy performance, insulation, and overall durability. This process typically facilitates the integration of modern systems and technologies that enable better environmental performance, aligning with LEED standards.

The other criteria, while related to renovation and improvement projects, do not specifically define a GUT Rehab. For example, complete renovation of interior spaces may be part of a broader rehab project, but it does not necessarily require the structural changes that characterize a GUT Rehab. Similarly, while incorporating renewable energy sources is an excellent sustainable practice, it is not a defining feature of a GUT Rehab. Lastly, modification of landscaping features, although beneficial for site sustainability, is not directly related to the structural or internal rehabilitation of a building, which is central to the GUT concept.