Energy and Atmosphere Flashcards
Energy and Atmosphere Credit Intent
Promote energy efficiency, then supplementing that reduced energy use with renewable energy, green power, or demand response program.
EA Prereqs
Fundamental Conditioning and Verification - Prerequisite
Minimum Energy Performance - Prerequisite
Building Level Energy Metering - Prerequisite
Fundamental Refrigerant Management - Prerequisite
Fundamental Conditioning and Verification Prerequisite
Purpose: Ensure that the building systems operate according to design and OPRs for energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability.
Check improvement of energy use, operational costs, occupant comfort.
Additional points awarded for completing advanced levels of commissioning and engaging the CxA ASAP in design process.
Requirements: An individual must be appointed Commissioning Authority CxA.
CxA should be unrelated to project design/construction. CxA reviews OPR/BOD and develops a commissioning plan. CxA verifies installation/performance of energy systems and completes commissioning reports.
Commissioned Systems: HVAC&R Electrical Systems Plumbing Systems Renewable Energy Systems
Minimum Energy Performance Prerequisite.
Purpose: Achieve minimum level of energy efficiency.
Requirements: Compare building energy performance to a baseline and demonstrate a 5% improvement in the proposed energy efficiency.
1) Whole building energy simulation - Baseline per ASHRAE/IESNA standard 90.1-2010
2) ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guides (prescriptive)
3) Advanced Buildings Core Performance Guide (prescriptive)
Notes:
ASHRAE/IESNA standard 90.1-2010 for LEED BD+C
Energy Star from Environmental Protection Agency EPA (EBOM) for LEED O+M
American Society for Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Illuminating Energy Society of North America
Building Level Energy Metering Prerequisite
Purpose: Create opportunities for efficiency by monitoring building energy use and report results to USGBC, as necessary.
Requirements: Pursue strategy to install new (use existing building meters or sub meters) that provide data representing total building energy consumption and commit sharing data with USGBC for 5 years or till the building ownership and or/lessee changes.
Fundamental Refrigerant Management Prerequisite
Purpose: Reduce stratospheric ozone deletion.
Requirements:
New building - Zero use of CFC refrigerants in HVAC&R
Existing building - CFC phaseout prior to completion
Notes:
Reference - Montreal Protocol, 2010 Phase out CFCs, 2030 Phase out HCFCs.
Understand that while all synthetic refrigerants are worse than natural refrigerants (such as water, CO2, propane, butane, isopentane, and ammonia) USGBC considers HFCs worse in terms of their impact on global warning.
Fundamental Refrigerant Management Definitions
Choloroflurocarbon - CFC, refrigerant with most impact on Ozone, high ODP and mid GWP.
Hydroflurocarbon - HFC
Hydrocholorofluorocarbon - HCFC, less harmful than CFC low ODP and medium GWP.
Ozone Depleting Potential - ODP
Global Warming Potential - GWP
Types of Refrigerant - FRM
CFCs - High ODP, Medium GWP, Do not use, most harmful
HCFCs - Low ODP, Mid GWP, Second Worst
HFCs - Zero ODP, Highest GWP, Third Worst
Natural Refrigerants - HCs, Zero ODP, Zero to Low GWP, Water, CO2, Amonia, Propane, Butane, Isotope,
Natural Ventilation - Zero ODP/GWP, Best but not always useful.
Newer HFCs are being developed with lower GWPs and have zero ODPs.
ODP is worse than GWP.
Enhanced Commissioning
Purpose/Requirement/Notes
Purpose: Ensure the building systems operate per design for energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability.
Requirements: fulfilled by commission performed by CxA. CxA can be owner, owner’s representative, or engineer/architect consultant.
Cannot be employee of construction or architecture/engineering firms.
Optimize Energy Credit
Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: Achieve incremental levels of energy efficiency beyond prerequisite levels. More points may be gained here than on any other credit. LEED BD+C 18 credits through option 1 and 16-20 points on option 2 for schools and healthcare.
Requirements: 1) Pursue a whole building energy simulation. 2) pursue “prescriptive compliance” whereby project teams comply with ASHRAE 50% Advanced Energy Designs Guides.
O&M Projects use Energy Star to measure compliance with a score of 75 in Energy Star’s Portfolio Tool
International Projects use ASHRAE standard 90.1. Existing projects that are not eligible for Energy Star should benchmark against national data averages or historical data.
Notes: To achieve option 2 project team must pursue option 2 in Minimum Energy Performance prerequisite.
At least 54% savings must be achieved in ( New Construction, Major renovation, and Core and Shell projects.
All LEED certified office building should use lighting sensors and other energy efficient technology to reduce lighting power, such as during off hours unlike conventional buildings.
Advanced Energy Metering
Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: To create incremental opportunities to improve energy efficiency beyond prerequisite levels by monitoring building energy use an report use to USGBC, as necessary.
Requirements: Install advanced metering technologies for 1) all whole-building energy systems and 2) any individual end uses that represent 10% or more of total annual energy consumption.
Demand Response
Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: Participate in Demand Response program to reduce energy consumption during peak times of demand, while increasing grid reliability.
Requirements: 1) Load shedding or 2) Load shifting
Notes: Demand response is a concept related to smart grid whereby utilities may reduce demand ( and buildings may benefit through financial incentives) on the fly during a peak time event.
Using an on-site generator to produce power during and energy load shedding or shifting event is not an eligible strategy for fulfilling this credit. Teams must commit to a DR program with a responsibility to shed or lift 10% of peak electricity demand. If a DR program is not currently available where the building is located, teams may put in place infrastructure to take advantage of future demand response programs or dynamic, real-time pricing programs.
Renewable Energy Production
Purpose/Requirements/Notes
Purpose: Encourage use of renewable energies, solar, photovoltaics, and wind energy, as an alternative to fossil fuels energy.
Requirements: Calculations for determining annual energy costs should use the following:
% renewable energy = Energy Produced Annually by RES/ Total Building Energy Cost
Notes: this credit only uses energy cost as a measure, not energy consumption or production in units of Kwh or therms/other measures.
Renewable energy must account for 15% of total energy costs.
Solar photovoltaic panels can be used to achieve the Renewable Energy Production credit or offsite to generate “Green Power”.
Sources for renewable energy include -REP
Photovoltaic (system owned by building or leased for at least 10 years)
Solar Thermal
Wind
Biofuel (untreated wood waste - including mill residue, agricultural crops, animal or organic waste, landfill gas)
Low impact hydroelectricity
Wave and Tidal Energy
Geothermal Energy
Non acceptable renewable energy-REP
Geo-Exchange Passive Solar Landfill Trash Forestry biomass Wood coated with paints and plastic
