EA (Energy & Atmosphere)

Question 1

The Cx Plan (by commissioning team) is comprised of:

Answer 1

• Goals and objectives
• General Project Information
• Systems to be commissioned
• Description of team members, roles and responsibilities
• Communication protocol, coordination, meetings and management.
• Cx process: review of OPR, BOD, developing systems functional test procedures, verification of performance, reporting deficiencies and resolution process. Accepting the building systems.

Question 2

The Basis of Design (BOD) (by the design team) explains how the OPR will be executed; there is no required format; an outline might include:

Answer 2

• Systems and Assemblies
• Performance criteria and assumptions
• Descriptions
• Governing codes and standards
• Owner directives
• Design development guidelines
• Revision history

Question 3

Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) (by owner, CxA and project team) ideally should be completed at the early stages of predesign to share the functional requirements of the building’s use and occupation. There is no required format; and outline might include:

Answer 3

• Key project requirements
• Occupant requirements
• Budget considerations and illuminations
• Target goals
• Performance criteria
• Operations and maintenance requirements

Question 4

(Design) Issues Log should have following information:

Answer 4

• Date of the review
• Drawing number or page where the issue was found
• Comments
• Party responsible for addressing the issue
• Response
• Date the issue was closed

Question 5

The Commissioning Authority (CxA) must do the following:

Answer 5

• Review the OPR, BOD, and project design.
• Develop and implement a Cx plan.
• Confirm incorporation of Cx requirements into the construction documents.
• Develop construction checklists.
• Develop a system test procedure.
• Verify system test execution.
• Maintain an issue and benefits log throughout the Cx process.
• Prepare a final Cx process report.
• Document all findings and recommendations and report directly to the owner throughout the process.

Question 6

The Commissioning Authority (CxA) must have the following qualifications:

Answer 6

• CxA must have documented commissioning experience on at least two building, from early design through ten months of occupancy.
• CxA may be employee of owner, independent consultant, uninvolved employee of the design or construction firm.
• To qualify for EA Enhanced Commissioning, CxA must be third party.

Question 7

Current Facilities Requirements (CFR) and Operations and Maintenance Plan (O&M) include the following:

Answer 7

• Sequences of operation for the building
• Building occupancy schedule
• Equipment run-time schedules
• Set points for all HVAC equipment
• Lighting levels throughout the building
• Minimum outside air requirements
• Changes in schedules or set points for different seasons, days of the week, and times of the day.
• Systems narrative describing the mechanical and electrical systems and equipment.
• Preventive maintenance plan for building equipment described in the systems narrative.
• Cx program that includes periodic Cx requirements, ongoing Cx tasks, and continuous tasks for critical facilities.

Question 8

When is an Exceptional Calculation Method (ECM) used?

Answer 8

• Elements or systems that cannot be readily modeled.

- When any savings are claimed for a non-regulated load.

Question 9

The Cx Report (by CxA) is developed after installation inspections and functional performance test verification and comprised of:

Answer 9

• Executive summary of commissioning process and results, system deficiencies identified and resolution, and outstanding issues.
• Project Directory
• Cx process overview
• Owner’s project requirements
• Basis of design
• Submittals
• Design review log
• Cx specifications
• List of systems commissioned
• Installation verification checklists
• Functional performance tests
• Issues log, detailing open and closed issues

Question 10

What document provides the information needed to understand, operate, and maintain the systems and assemblies within a building. It expands the scope of the traditional operating and maintenance documentation and is compiled of multiple documents developed during the commissioning process, such as the owner’s project requirements, operation and maintenance manuals, and sequences of operation.

Answer 10

System Manual

Question 11

District Energy System (DES):

Answer 11

A central energy conversion plant and transmission and distribution system that provides thermal energy to a group of buildings (e.g. a central cooling plant on a university campus). It does not include central energy systems that provide only electricity.

Question 12

While comparing an LCA model to a baseline model, what must be consistent between the two?

Answer 12

Gross floor area
Orientation
Operational energy usage

Question 13

How are green power and carbon offsets measured?

Answer 13

Quantity

Question 14

What are the three criteria for EVRE?

Answer 14

1. A Level 2 or higher charging capacity
2. Compliance with the regional standard. In the U.S., the most common regional standard for these facilities is the Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1772. Outside the U.S., the International Electro Technical Commission Standard 62196 is common.
3. The EVSE must be Internet addressable. That allows for participation in demand response programs or time and use pricing.

Question 15

A project team member is using an LCA tool to compare a baseline 2-story mixed-use retail building to a proposed model. The gross floor area, programmatic function, orientation, climate zone, and LCA scope match between the baseline and proposed model. What else must occur for the LCA assessment?

Answer 15

The following parameters must match in the comparison:

LCA scope
Size
Function
Orientation
Location (climate zone)
Operating energy efficiency

Question 16

A new office building with a retail component on the first floor totals 254,000 sf. The building requires a median electrical intensity of 11.7kWh/sf/year. What amount of green power purchased by the operating company will qualify the project for EA Credit Green Power and Carbon Offsets?

Answer 16

Credit is achieved by purchasing 50% renewable power for a period of five years.

254,000 sf X 11.7 kWh/sf/year X 50% = 1,485,900 kWh / year

1,485,900 kWh X 5 years = 7,429,500 kWh

Question 17

Which building elements have to be commissioned as part of LEED certification for a hotel?

Answer 17

At a minimum, certain specific systems must be commissioned for fundamental commissioning. These systems include:

• Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and HVAC
• Lighting & daylighting controls
• Domestic hot water systems
• Renewable energy systems (wind, solar, etc.)

Question 18

A building operator is designing and selecting the components of a building automation system. Which action should additionally be considered at the same time?

Answer 18

Demand response must be tied into the BAS so the two should be designed together.

Question 19

A Core and Shell project in Nevada has a wind energy system added to the roof. According to the US DOE’s Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey the estimated electricity the project will use will be 1,000,000 kWh/year. Energy costs in the area are $0.08/kWh. What must the wind system produce to earn 3 points for EA Credit Renewable Energy Production?

Answer 19

To earn 3 points, a Core and Shell project must get 5% of the building’s annual energy cost from on-site renewable energy.

On-site renewable energy is calculated as a percent of the building’s annual energy cost. The correct answer is 5% of the cost, not 5% of the total energy.

The estimated energy use is 1,000,000 kWh from the CBECS database. This multiplied by the cost per kilowatt hour gives an annual energy cost of $80,000.

$80,000 X 5% (0.05) = $4,00.00

Question 20

The owner of a new oceanfront museum project wants to use 50% green power, but the direct purchase of Green-e certified power is not available through the local utilities. An energy model was not done for EA Credit Optimize Energy Performance. What information is not required when determining the quantity of RECs to purchase?

Answer 20

The CBECS database uses the building type and total building area to determine the default electricity consumption.

The median electrical intensity will be used to determine the required green power quantity.

Question 21

Which systems need to be metered for individual energy use for EA Credit Advanced Energy Metering?

Answer 21

If a project is pursuing the EA Credit Advanced Energy Metering, all energy end-uses that contribute at least 10% of the total building energy use must be submetered.

Question 22

What minimum time period must a waste stream audit be conducted for a retail project?

Answer 22

24 hours

Question 23

A new 10-story office building will have many tenant spaces. A building owner and engineer are reviewing potential building automation systems for advanced energy metering to allow the owner to educate tenants about the energy use their tenant space is using. The team has found a system that uses a wireless network, will store all meter data for at least 36 months, and can be remotely accessible. What else will need to be included for EA Credit Advanced Energy Metering?

Answer 23

Each tenant must reduce their energy use by at least 10% for any individual energy end use
For the building, any energy end-use that makes up 10% or more of the building whole must be submetered. The credit doesn’t require reducing energy use.

Question 24

A project team has identified enough qualifying products to meet MR Credit Building Product Disclosure and Optimization - Sourcing of Raw Materials, Option 1 Raw Material Source and Extraction Reporting. What must be submitted for documentation of the credit?

Answer 24

The corporate sustainability reports from each manufacturer and the building disclosure and optimization calculator

Question 25

An office project in a cold climate burns natural gas on-site for heating and uses electricity from the grid in warmer seasons for cooling. Which option can be used to mitigate both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions?

Answer 25

Carbon offsets

Only carbon offsets can be used for both emission types - non-electricity and electricity.

Question 26

A project team used the prescriptive requirements to meet EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance. Which statement is true about the project’s ability to participate in a demand response program?

Answer 26

The project team can use space peak-load calculations to calculate the minimum reduction in peak electricity demand.

Question 27

A project design includes an innovative external shading device that cannot be simulated by a modeling program. Which action should the energy modeler take as a result?

Answer 27

Use an exceptional calculation method to cover any savings
Elements or systems that cannot be readily modeled by software require use of the exceptional calculation method (ECM).

The ECM is also used when any savings are claimed for a non-regulated load.

Question 28

A project team has not been able to perform an energy simulation for EA Credit Optimize Energy Performance. For EA Credit On-Site Renewable Energy, where can the project team find information to determine the energy cost supplied by the renewable energy systems?

Answer 28

Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey

Question 29

Which materials are included in a whole-building life-cycle assessment?

Answer 29

This credit requires all that all assessed materials include the complete building envelope and structure elements. These include the following:

Footings
Foundations
Structural walls
Interior wall cladding
Structural floors
Ceilings
Structural parking

Interior finishes, non-structural walls, furniture, and MEP are excluded.

Question 30

They will receive a determination in the review comments at the discretion of the reviewer assigned to the project.
When dealing with an issue not addressed in available LEED guidance material, project teams have the option of submitting a suggested approach during the standard LEED certification process. They will receive a determination in the review comments at the discretion of the reviewer assigned to the project.

Answer 30

A school or new construction project that receives 15% of the building’s annual average energy cost from on-site renewable energy will earn an exemplary performance point in addition to the 3 possible points for the credit, so this project can earn 4 points total.

Question 31

What is a trade-off when using a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system?

Answer 31

Requires a higher refrigerant charge

These systems improve energy efficiency but require a higher refrigerant charge.

Question 32

Building envelope performance is going to look at the following:

Answer 32

Wall and roof insulation
Thermal mass
Window size and orientation
Exterior shading devices
Window performance

Question 33

A project team has not performed an energy model for EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance. If the team wants to submeter a ten-story building’s individual energy end uses, how should this be determined?

Answer 33

By consulting CBECS to estimate the typical end uses to meter
The project team would use an energy model to determine which energy end uses require meters for the credit. If the building is not modeled, historic energy end-use data from similar buildings can be found by using the CBECS End-Use Consumption Tables for Non-Mall Buildings or the End-Use Consumption Tables for All Buildings.