Energy & Atmosphere Flashcards
How many total points can be earned max for the Energy & Atmosphere category?
33
How many prerequisites does the Energy & Atmosphere category have?
4 -
- Fundamental commissioning and verification
- Minimum energy performance
- Build level energy metering
- Fundamental refrigerant management
What are the credit categorizes for Energy & Atmosphere?
- enhanced commissioning ✍🏻
- optimize energy performance 🏃♀️💨
- advanced energy metering 🎛
- demand response 💡
- renewable energy production ☀️
- enhanced refrigerant management ❄️
- green power & carbon offsets ♻️
What is the biggest contributing factor to global warming?
Burning fossil fuels
According to the study of New Buildings Institute, LEED projects use __% less energy than regular buildings
24%
What is the energy star portfolio manager?
An interactive online management tool that enables the tracking and assessment of energy and water consumption
What is the energy star target finder?
Allows projects to set target goals for a building’s energy demands
With _______, projects cannot compare their design performance with the actual energy usage, as they can do this with _____.
Energy star Target finder;
Energy star Portfolio manager
What are some strategies that can help reduce energy demand of buildings?
Building orientation Community planning Adjacent buildings Passive strategies Efficient insulation Educating occupants 3D computer modeling Conducting energy audits Rightsizing
What has the biggest effect on energy demand?
Building orientation
By maximizing a building’s ____ exposure to the sun, buildings can have increased daylight & passive solar heating
Southern
How can an energy audit help reduce energy demand?
Highlight building systems that aren’t operating efficiently
Who was Home Energy Saver developed by?
US department of energy
What is Home Energy Saver used for?
DIY energy audit
In the LEED for Homes rating system, points are adjusted in all the categories according to the sq footage of the home, which is called ______
Home size adjustment (HSA)
Where are refrigerants mostly used?
AC & refrigeration systems
What/who banned the production of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants & is also phasing out hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants?
1987 Montreal protocol
How are CFCs and HCFCs measured?
Their ozone depletion potential (ODP) & global warming potential (GWP)
BD+C projects aiming for LEED certification cannot use ____ & existing buildings should complete a ____ prior to project completion
CFC refrigerants;
CFC phase out (clear completely)
What are the natural refrigerants?
Carbon dioxide Water Ammonia Air Hydrocarbons (propane, ethane, butane)
Cooling a building with a natural refrigerant results in ___ energy consumption than with an HCFC refrigerant
More
In 2005, the US department of energy estimated that 40% of the energy used to heat & cool the average building was lost to what?
Air leaks in building envelopes
What can building envelope problems lead to?
High operating costs Uneven building temperatures Poor indoor air quality Building deterioration Noise
In the US, HVACS account for __% of the energy used in commercial buildings & nearly __% of energy used in residential buildings
30%;
50%
Increasing the ____ of a building is a strategy for downsizing HVAC equipment
Thermal mass
What is thermal mass?
The ability of a material to absorb and store energy
What materials can be used for the building envelope to reduce energy usage from HVAC systems? Why?
Thicker brick or similar exterior building layers;
They absorb & store heat during the day while keeping the inside temp the same
What is an energy saving strategy used that also provides fresh air to building occupants?
Natural ventilation
Why do filters need to be checked regularly for dust and debris in mechanically ventilated buildings?
HVAC equipment uses more energy to move through ducts when filters are dirty
What is efficiencies of scale?
Buildings share one HVAC system
Why is lighting considered the biggest contributor to a building’s energy use in some buildings?
Energy is used to power lights & to offset cooling from heat put off by lighting
What kind of lights consume more energy and release more heat than other lights?
Incandescent lights
What kinds of lights can produce more light with less electricity?
Compact fluorescents
High intensity discharge lamps
LEDs
What kind of lighting controls can be controlled by individual users & cut lighting costs?
Photosensors
Timers
Occupancy sensors
Advanced lighting controls
What is recommissioning?
Re-commissioning occurs when a building was previously commissioned. This maybe a scheduled re-commissioning as part of an ongoing commissioning process or it may be triggered by facility use change, operational problems, or an addition or renovation that impacts major systems
Computer based monitoring system that can monitor, coordinate & control every individual building system, helps reduce energy usage by identifying faulty systems or equipment or can track the energy use of all individual items
Building Automation System (BAS)
What kinds of renewable energy are there?
Solar Wind Wave Biomass Geothermal Hydropower
What are some nonrenewable fuels?
Coal
Nuclear power
Oil
Natural gas
Off-site renewable energy
“Green power”
Purchased power at a premium price per kilowatt-hour from utility or a provider of renewable energy certificates (RECs)
How is off-site renewable energy purchased? (Measurement)
Kilowatt-hour
When a utility company doesn’t sell green power, a project team can pay an extra fee (called ____ ) to the local utility company to buy a set of green power instead of buying electricity produced by nonrenewable energy sources
Green pricing
Lead certification program for power generation in the US. LEED requires this certification to earn the EA credit.
Green-e
A reduction in carbon dioxide made in order to compensate or offset an equivalent carbon dioxide emission made elsewhere
Carbon offsets
Carbon neutrality
To emit no more carbon emissions than can realistically be offset
For a carbon offset to qualify in LEED, it needs to be ____
Green-e certified
Active solar power
Solar power that converts sunlight into light, heat or electricity
_____ can convert solar energy to electricity
PV panels
What uses solar energy for heating air or water that can then be used in the underfloor heating or AC for buildings - or even to heat a swimming pool?
Solar thermal collectors
Passive solar
A system that both collects the sunlight using static and non moving items such as windows, glass doors, some skylights, light tubes & light sleeves
What is a geothermal heat pump?
“Geoexchange” or “ground source heat pump”
Central heating &/or cooling systems that transfer heat to or from the ground
Where is geothermal power available?
Areas with volcanic activity closer to the earth’s surface, typ 20 ft under ground
What do geothermal pipes do?
Use earth’s heat in the winter
Transfer building heat to earth in summer
Don’t need cooking towers, chillers or boilers
Wind energy
Converting energy of wind to electricity
Ex: wind turbines
Hydro energy
Uses the downward running water from lakes or streams to convert water flow energy into electricity
Requires building a hydroelectric dam
Biofuel electrical system
Create electricity from biofuels
What are typical biofuels?
Untreated wood waste Landfill gas Agricultural crops or waste Animal waste Other types organic waste
Wave power
Converting energy of waves to electricity
Ex: Wave energy converters
Tidal power
Hydropower that converts energy of tides into electricity
What is building commissioning?
Systematic investigation by skilled personnel that compares building performance with the project goals, design specs & owners requirements
____ is one of the most cost effective solutions for improving building performance & in cutting down operating costs
Commissioning
Retrocommissioning is basically the same process as commissioning applied to _____
Existing buildings
By the end of the design development phase, the qualified commissioning authority (CxA) will put together a commissioning Cx plan & final Cx report. They should report directly to who?
Owner
A Cx plan will contain what?
Goals & objectives Systems to be commissioned Team member roles/responsibilities OPR reviews BOD reviews Development of functional tests Verification of system performance Reporting deficiencies
To assist the building operations phase, the CxA will prepare what?
Current facilities requirements (CFR) & O&M plan that will contain all info to operate the building efficiently
What are the elements included in the CxA O&M plan?
Equipment run time schedules Building occupancy schedules Lighting levels Minimum outside air requirements Sequences of operations
Which ASHRAE guidelines are used for commissioning?
ASHRAE 0-2005 & ASHRAE 1.1-2007 (HVAC&R)
In the fundamental commissioning, the CxA can be what?
- Independent consultant
- Owner’s employee
- Disinterested subcontractor
- Employee of design/construction team who isn’t part of the project if > 20,000 sq ft
The qualified CxA should have completed commissioning for at least ___ similar projects from the early design phase to the minimum 10 months of occupancy
2
What guidelines provide additional guidance on building envelope commissioning?
NIBS 3-2012 for exterior enclosures
For the building envelope, the requirements are limited to review of what?
OPR, BOD & project design
What % reduction in energy costs is required for the minimum energy performance EA pre req - if the project team chooses to perform a whole building energy simulation?
5%
ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2010 appendix G with errata deals with what?
Entire building energy simulation
In option 2 of the minimum energy performance pre req- instead of performing a whole building simulation & establishing 5% reduction - teams can choose to achieve prescriptive compliance to what?
ASHRAE 50% advanced energy design guide
In addition to ASHRAE standard 90.1-2010 with errata, projects trying to achieve the minimum energy performance pre req can choose option 3, which uses what guide?
Advanced building core performance guide
When doing a whole building simulation, the calculations should take into account what 2 things?
Process energy (unregulated energy) & non process energy (regulated energy)
What are some examples of process energy or unregulated energy?
(Connected to a plug) Computers Office equipment Kitchen stoves Kitchen refrigerators Cooking & food prep equip. Washers & dryers Elevators & escalators
What is a plug load?
Receptacle load
Represent electrical use by all equipment connected to the electrical system via outlet
What are some examples of non process or regulated energy?
(condition spaces & maintain comfort & amenities for building occupants)
HVAC Interior & exterior lighting Hot water heating Toilet exhaust Parking garage ventilation
With the consumption of process energy in the building, ____ loads occur; with the consumption of nonprocess energy, ____ loads occur
Building process loads
Building nonprocess loads
What guidelines can be used to implement measures for reducing unregulated loads?
COMNET modeling guidelines & procedures
To be able to pursue option 3 of the minimum energy performance pre req, using the advanced buildings core performance guide, the project should be less than _____ sq ft
100,000
In option 3 of the minimum energy performance pre req, energy performance target should be established using ____, and a minimum score of 90 should be achieved
Energy star’s target finder
In order to pursue the max # of points in the optimize energy performance credit, the project team will need to choose option 1 because it contains the most points (___)
18
Installing new or using existing building level energy meters/submeters can provide data on total building energy consumption from various sources such as what?
Electricity ⚡️ Natural gas 🗿🪨 Chilled water🧊 Steam 😤 Fuel oil ⛽️ Propane 🍔 Biomass 💩
The total building energy consumption & electrical demand data should be shared with USGBC at a minimum of ____ intervals for __ years or until the building changes ownership or lessee, & starting from the LEED cert date
One month;
5 years
What are 2 reasons USGBC collects water data usage?
Identify common traits amount high & low performers
Share findings with project teams to improve performance
What is the primary cause of ozone depletion?
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)
If a project is reusing an existing HVAC&R system, the project team should complete what before project completion?
CFC phase out conversion
What are halons?
Chemicals used in fire suppression systems
Existing HVAC&R or other equipment - such as standard refrigerators & small water cooler units containing less than ___ lb of refrigerant - are exempt from LEED requirements
0.5 lb
CFC production was phased out before ____ in the countries that signed the 1987 Montreal protocol. Before _____,CFC production was phased out in most of the other countries
1995;
2010
Monitor-Based Commissioning (MBCx)
The process of utilizing a software that will monitor real time data from the building automation system and building meters
Building Envelope Commissioning (BECx)
A process that ensures the building envelope is tested and verified to achieve the target building performance with respect to energy, water, indoor environmental quality & durability
___ increases the occupants’ comfort levels through infiltration testing, reduced solar heat gain & glare control
Building envelope commissioning
Building envelope commissioning should start in which phase?
Design phase
A qualified CxA should have completed commissioning for at least two similar projects from the early design phase to the minimum ____ months of occupancy
10 months
ASHRAE guideline 0-2005 deals with what?
Commissioning essentials
ASHRAE guideline 1.1-2007 deals with what?
HVAC&R technical requirements for commissioning
ASHRAE 90.1 deals with what?
Energy standards for buildings, also used to identify project’s climate zone
Who develops lighting specifications?
Illuminating engineering society of North America (IESNA)
What is National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) Guideline 3-2012, Exterior Technical Requirements for the Cx process used for?
Envelope commissioning
What is the US department of energy’s commercial buildings energy consumption survey (CBECS)?
Database used to eliminate a building’s total energy cost
Reviewing the building operations 10 months after project completion is called what?
Post construction verification
What steps does the CxA take in the enhanced commissioning process?
- review contractor submittals
- verify operator and occupant trainings’ delivery and effectiveness
- conduct a post construction verification 10 months after project completion
- develop ongoing commissioning plan
What credit contains the most points in the EA category?
Optimize energy performance (1-18)
Projects will be awarded points under the optimize energy performance credit according to their % of annual energy cost savings. Projects that make a reduction of 6% will get __ point & projects that make a reduction of 50% will get ___ points.
1 point;
18 points
Percentage of energy improvement is calculated by using ________ not energy use
Energy cost savings
In LEED, any individual energy end uses that consume __% or more of the total consumption of the building should be tracked SEPARATELY for advanced energy metering
10%
What is demand response?
Intensional reduction in the electricity usage in response to a demand response event or changes in the price of electricity
Demand response event/curtailment event
The period the utility company asks for a reduction in electricity usage from its program participants
To promote participation in demand response technologies and programs that enable more efficient energy generation & distraction systems, what 2 things should be done?
Reduce green house gases
Increase grid availability
Project teams need to design the building and equipment to allow participation in demand response programs through what?
Load shedding or shifting
What happens if a demand response program is not available in a project’s location?
Projects can still provide infrastructure for future demand response programs to earn the credit
What is load shedding?
Intentional action by the power utility to reduce the load in the power system in order to prevent a total failure of the system
What is load shifting?
Storing the energy generated during off-peak hours to use it during peak-demand hours
In the renewable energy production credit, projects can still earn the credit as long as what?
Renewable energy provider sells green power in the same utility service area
What is the formula for how the percentage of renewable energy can be calculated?
% renewable energy =
equivalent cost of usable energy produced by the renewable energy system
————————————————-
Total building energy cost
If the project owns a system for at least 10 years & is located within the same utility service area, what other 2 things are allowed?
Solar garden, renewable energy systems
To earn the enhanced refrigerant management credit, what two things must be achieved?
Use no refrigerants
Or
Only use refrigerants with zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) & global warming potential (GWP) of less than 50
In LEED, enhanced refrigerant management addresses what 2 factors?
ODP & GWP
What are the common building applications for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)?
Chillers, refrigerators, humidifiers
What are the common building applications for hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)?
Air conditioning, CFC-11 replacement
What is the replacement for HCFC-123?
CFC-11
What are the common building applications of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
Ultra low & low temp refrigeration
Insulation agent
AC
What is a replacement for CFC-12 or HCFC-22?
HFC-134a
What is the replacement for HFC-22?
HFC-407c
Natural refrigerants have ____ ozone depletion & HFC’s ozone depletion potentials are very close to ____
0;
0
In order to get the green power & carbon offsets credit, the project must engage in a contract for a minimum of how many years?
5
A green power/carbon offset contract should specify the provision of at least ___% or ___% of the project’s energy from green power, carbon offsets or renewable energy certificates
50%,
100%
Carbon offsets may be used to mitigate what scope(s) emissions on a metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent basis?
Scope 1 or 2
ReNewable energy certificates (RECs) can only be used to mitigate the effects of scope ___, electricity use
Scope 2
For projects in the US, carbon offsets must be from what?
Green house gas emission reduction projects within the US
Define carbon offset
Reduction of CO2 made in order to compensate or offset an equivalent CO2 emission made elsewhere
In LEED, the US department of energy’s commercial buildings energy consumption survey is always used to estimate what if the project teams did not choose to create a building energy model?
Energy use/cost
What is the most environmentally friendly refrigerant?
HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons)
ASHRAE 0-2005 - what is it a pre req & credit for?
Pre req - fundamental commissioning & verification
Credit - enhanced commissioning
ASHRAE 1.1-2007 - pre req & credit for what categories?
Pre req - fundamental commissioning & verification
Credit - enhanced commissioning
ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2010, Appendix G with errata is a pre req for what category?
Minimum energy performance
ASHRAE advanced energy design guide is a pre req & credit for what categories?
Pre req - minimum energy performance
Credit - optimize energy performance
ASHRAE 62.1-2010 - pre req for what category?
Minimum air quality performance
ASHRAE 52.2-2007 - credit for what category?
Enhanced indoor air quality strategies
ASHRAE 55-2010 - credit for what category?
Thermal comfort
2011 ASHRAE handbook - credit for what category?
Acoustic performance
What does the 2011 ASHRAE handbook relate to?
HVAC applications & HVAC background noise
What is the Green-e Climate program used for?
Carbon offset certification program
What does NIBS stand for?
National institute of building sciences
NIBS Guideline 3-2012, exterior enclosure technical requirements for the CX process is used for what?
Envelope commissioning
What does CBECS stand for?
Commercial buildings energy consumption survey
What does the US Department of Energy’s CBECS database do?
Estimate a buildings total energy cost
What is a district energy system (DES)?
Central energy conversion plant that provides thermal energy, shared by a group of buildings
Define energy use intensity (EUI)
Measurement unit that describes the building’s energy use relative to its size
What is radon?
A radioactive gas that is naturally found in soil, rocks, water bodies that is harmful to human health
Define scope 1 energy
direct energy from owned or controlled sources
Define scope 2 energy
Purchased energy
Define scope 3 energy
Energy that is not directly owned or controlled
For energy star, a score of __ is average building performance, a score of __ is required to become energy star certified
50;
75
According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, commissioning of existing buildings has what average cost per square ft?
27¢
What is the average ENERGY STAR portfolio manager rating that LEED certified buildings usually receive?
68
Which two standards should LEED project teams consult first when conducting an LCA?
ISO 14040 & 14044
What does ASHRAE 189.1 do?
Alternative compliance path for energy performance
What standard is used in LEED to measure the actual energy performance of buildings?
ENERGY STAR
Is ENERGY STAR building performance rating a pre req to achieve credits under energy & atmosphere?
Yes, for eligible projects seeking O+M: existing buildings
Performance rating method & energy cost budget method are analysis procedures based on which standard?
ASHRAE 90.1
What are the 3 low impact refrigerants?
HCFCs, HFCs & natural refrigerants
