LEED BD+C Guide Flashcards
What are the goals of LEED
1.To reverse contribution to global climate change
2.To enhance individual human health and well-being
3.To protect and restore water resources
4.To protect, enhance, and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services
5.To promote sustainable and regenerative material resources cycles
6.To build a greener economy
7.To enhance social equity, environmental justice, community health, and quality
of life
The Integrative Design credit is optional for all rating system except?
LEED for healthcare
Integrative Process
The USGBC official definition of the integrative process is ‘an iterative, collaborative
approach that involves a project’s stakeholders in the process from visioning through
completion of construction and throughout building operation.’
Every LEED project is supposed to be guided by what two documents?
The Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) and Basis of Design (BOD), which define the project goals and strategies for meeting them.
What is the basis of design (BOD)
The basis of design is the information necessary to accomplish the owner’s project requirements, including system descriptions, indoor environmental quality criteria, design assumptions, and references to applicable codes, standards, regulations, and guidelines.
When does the integrative process credit need to be completed?
The requirements make it pretty clear - before the completion of schematic design your energy and water analysis budgets need to be completed.
LT Credit 2 Sensitive Land Protection
The first option is to develop on previously developed land. The second option is to develop on previously developed land or land that does not meet the criteria for sensitive land.
LT Water Bodies Regulation?
Do not develop land within 100 feet (30 meters) of a water body such as a stream (including intermittent streams), arroyo, river, canal, lake, estuary, bay, or ocean. It does not include irrigation ditches.
LT:Wetland Regulation?
Do not develop land within 50 feet (15 meters) of any wetlands.
LT: Allows what improvements to be made to sensitive land?
Bicycle and pedestrian pathways no more than 12 feet wide (3.5 meters), of which no more than 8 feet (2.5 meters) may be impervious;
One single-story structure per 300 linear feet (90 linear meters) on average, not exceeding 500 square feet (45 square meters);
Clearings, limited to one per 300 linear feet (90 linear meters) on average, not
exceeding 500 square feet (45 square meters) each;
Removal of the following tree types:
Hazardous trees, up to 75% of dead trees
Trees less than 6 inches (150 millimeters) diameter at breast height
Up to 20% of trees more than 6 inches (150 millimeters) diameter at breast height with a condition rating of 40% or higher.
Trees under 40% condition rating
LT: Surrounding Density & Diversity: DENSITY CALC.
For documentation you’ll need a map of your project site with a 1⁄4 mile or 400 meter radius drawn around the project site. If a building falls halfway within the radius, it is still counted in the calculations. You count the entire building, not just the percentage that falls within the radius.
LT: Surrounding Density & Diversity: DIVERSITY CALC.
The goal is to locate the project within a 1⁄2 mile (800-meters) walking distance of diverse uses.Proximity to four to seven uses earn a project one point, or 2 points for eight or more. No more than two uses in each use type may be counted (e.g. if five restaurants are within walking distance, only two may be counted).
The counted uses must represent at least three of the five categories, exclusive of the building’s primary use.
LT: Access to Quality Transit
This credit has two requirements. First, locate any functional entry of the project within a 1⁄4-mile (400-meter) walking distance of existing or planned bus, streetcar, or rideshare stops, or within a 1⁄2-mile (800-meter) walking distance of existing or planned bus rapid transit stops, light or heavy rail stations, commuter rail stations or ferry terminals. In addition to proximity, the transit services need to meet trip minimums.
LT: Access to Quality Transit/ SCHOOLS
If 50% of students are within walking distance, the project earns 1 point. 2 points for 60%, and 3 points for 70% or more. Students live within no more than a 3⁄4 mile (1200-meter) walking distance (for grades 8 and below, or ages 14 and below), and 1 1/2-mile (2400- meter) walking distance
LT: Bike Facilities
A bicycle network is a continuous network consisting of any combination of the following:physically designated on-street bicycle lanes at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide;
off-street bicycle paths or trails at least 8 feet wide for a two-way path and at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide for a one-way path
streets designed for a target speed of 25 mph (40 kmh)The bicycle network must connect one of the following: ten diverse uses, access to quality transit, or a school or employment center (if 50% or more residential). All destinations must be within three miles of the project
LT: Bike Facilities: BIKE STORAGE COMMERCIAL
Provide short-term bicycle storage for at least 2.5% of all peak visitors, but no fewer than four storage spaces per building.Provide long-term bicycle storage for at least 5% of all regular building occupants, but no fewer than four storage spaces per building. Provide at least one on-site shower with changing facility for the first 100 regular building occupants and one additional shower for every 150 regular building occupants thereafter.
LT: Bike Facilities: BIKE STORAGE RESIDENTIAL
Provide short-term bicycle storage for at least 2.5% of all peak visitors but no fewer than four storage spaces per building.Provide long-term bicycle storage for at least 30% of all regular building occupants, but no less than one storage space per residential unit
LT: Bike Facilities: BIKE STORAGE
Short term storage must be near(100FT) a main entrance, long term storage may be near (100 FT) any functional entry.
LT: Reduced Parking Footprint
To earn the credit, project teams must not exceed local code, and provide parking capacity that is either 20% or 40% less than the baselines adapted from the ITE guidance.projects must provide preferred parking for carpools for 5% of total parking spaces after the reduction.Projects with no off street parking automatically achieve credit compliance and do not require preferred parking spaces.
LT: Reduced Parking Footprint\ EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE
To achieve exemplary performance, triple or double the parking reduction from the baseline capacity. Case 1 must demonstrate a 60% reduction and Case 2 must demonstrate an 80% reduction.
LT: Credit 8 | Green vehicles
A discounted parking rate of at least 20% for green vehicles is an acceptable substitute for preferred parking spaces.Option 1 is electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). Clearly identify and reserve these spaces for the sole use by plug-in electric vehicles.
The EVSE must:
Provide a Level 2 charging capacity (208 to 240 volts) or greater.
Comply with the relevant regional or local standard for electrical connectors
Be networked or internet addressable and be capable of participating in a
demand-response program or time-of-use pricing to encourage off-peak charging.
Install liquid or gas alternative fuel fueling facilities or a battery switching station capable of refueling a number of vehicles per day equal to at least 2% of all parking spaces.
LT: Credit 8 | Green vehicles\ WAREHOUSE
For Warehouse projects there are two different options.
Option 1 is to purchase at least one yard tractor that is powered by electricity, propane, or natural gas, and a refueling station for the tractor. The second option for warehouse projects is to reduce truck idling. Provide outlets for at least 50% of loading dock doors
SS: Preq. Construction Activity Pollution Prevention
More explicitly, erosion of top soil harms ecosystem services, and sedimentation, or silt in stormwater runoff, impairs waterways. To avoid these negative impacts of construction, teams are required to produce and follow an erosion and sedimentation control plan (ESC).If the local jurisdiction requires a construction general permit (CGP) based on National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), then using the CGP is a streamlined path and no additional ESC plan is required.
What is the criteria of erosion and sedimentation control?
Providing natural buffers Installing perimeter controls Minimizing sediment track-out Controlling discharges from stockpiled sediment or soil Minimizing dust Minimizing the disturbance of steep slopes Preserving topsoil Minimizing soil compaction Protecting storm drain inlets Maintaining control measures
What is the criteria for pollution prevention?
Prohibited discharges General maintenance requirements Pollution prevention standards Emergency spill notification Fertilizer discharge restrictions
SS: Preq. School/Healthcare Envi. Site Assesment
The project team will start with a phase one environmental site assessment (ESA). This assessment is superficial and limited and identifies whether contamination is suspected.If contamination is suspected, then a phase two environmental assessment is required, including specific and in-depth analysis of soil and water conditions. If contamination is found or perceived to be on the site, then you are mandated to remediate the site.
Phase I and Phase II Site Assessment compliance is?
The Phase I ESA must comply with ASTM E1527-05 procedures. A Phase II ESA must comply with ASTM E1903-11 procedures.
Tactics used for remediation include?
Pump and treat Solar detoxification Using bioreactors Land farming In-situ remediation On-going monitoring
SS: credit 1 Site Assessment…What are the elements of a site assessment ?
Topography, Hydrology, Climate, Vegetarian, Soils, Human Use, Human Health effects
SS: Credit 2 Site Develop. Protect & Restore
All projects must preserve and protect 40% of the greenfield site condition from development and construction activity.
projects can choose either: restore on-site 30% of previously developed total area, or financial support of a land trust off-site.Projects that achieve a density of 1.5 floor-area ratio may include vegetated roof surfaces in this calculation if the plants are native or adapted, provide habitat, and promote biodiversity.
Project teams must provide financial support equivalent to at least $0.40 per square foot ($4 U.S. per square meter) for the total site area
SS: C3 Open Space
The first requirement is the outdoor space must be greater than or equal 30% of the total site area, including the building footprint.A minimum of 25% of that outdoor space must be vegetated or have overhead vegetated canopy.For projects that achieve a density of 1.5 floor-area ratio (FAR), extensive or intensive vegetated roofs can be used toward the minimum 25% vegetation requirement, if they are physically accessible.It can be a combination of adjacent open space, and other open spaces around the master plan.For multitenant complexes, open space does not have to be adjacent to the building, but must be preserved for the life of the building.
The outdoor space must be physically accessible and be one or more of the following?
a pedestrian-oriented paving or turf area with physical site elements that accommodate outdoor social activities;
a recreation-oriented paving or turf area with physical site elements that encourage physical activity;
a garden space with a diversity of vegetation types and species that provide opportunities for year-round visual interest;
a garden space dedicated to community gardens or urban food production;
preserved or created habitat that meets the criteria of SS Credit Site Development—Protect or Restore Habitat and also includes elements of human interaction.
SS: C4: Rainwater Management Opt1
Path 1, 95th percentile can earn 2 points, except for healthcare which can earn 1 point.
Path 2, 98th percentile can earn 3 points, except for healthcare which can earn 2 points.
Path 3 is for zero lot line projects only. Managing the 85th percentile can earn 3 points except for healthcare which can earn 2 points.
SS: C4 Rainwater Management Opt2
In that case you are looking at pre-development and post-development and managing the difference. The project team is managing the quantity and quality, where the quantity is really just the volume.
SS: C5 Heat Island Reduction
The heat island reduction credit has two options, and project teams may pursue both.
Option 1 Non-roof and Roof, addresses horizontal surfaces and requires reflective hardscape or roof materials.
Option 2 Parking Under Cover, addresses the undesirability of surface parking lots.
SS: C5 Heat Island Reduction Opt1
Your strategies span three types: the area of the non-roof measures, area of high-reflectance roof, and area of vegetated roof, the sum of which needs to be greater than or equal to the total site paving area and total roof area.
Are of non‐roof measures/
0.5 +
Area of high reflectance roof /0.75+
Area of vegetated roof/0.75≥ Total site paving area + Total roof area
SS: C5 Heat Island Reduction Opt2
The second option is to place a minimum of 75% of parking spaces under cover. Parking underground, under deck, or under building complies with the intent. Motorcycle parking counts as a vehicle parking space, while bicycle spaces do not. Any roof used to shade or cover parking must:
Have a three-year aged SRI of at least 32 (if three-year aged value information is not available, use materials with an initial SRI of at least 39 at installation)
Be a vegetated roof
Be covered by energy generation systems, such as solar thermal collectors,
photovoltaics, and wind turbines
SS: C6 Light Pollution Reduction/ Types of Exterior Lighting
This credit addresses three exterior lighting factors: uplighting, light trespass, and internally illuminated signs. Uplighting is any light emitted above the horizontal plane of the fixture. Light trespass is light extending beyond the lighting boundary. Both are considered obtrusive illumination that is unwanted because of quantitative, directional, or spectral attributes.
SS: C6 Light Pollution Reduction
Many projects can achieve the credit by simply selecting luminaires with an appropriate BUG rating.
SS: School : Site Master Plan : 1pt
For this credit your project must achieve at least four out of these six credits: LT Credit: High Priority Site
SS Credit: Site Development—Protect or Restore Habitat
SS Credit: Open Space
SS Credit: Rainwater Management
SS Credit: Heat Island Reduction
SS Credit: Light Pollution Reduction
SS School Credit | Joint Use of Facilities
Option 1 is to make the LEED building space open to the general public
Option 2 is to contract with specific organizations to share space within the
LEED building.
Option 3 is for the LEED building to use shared space owned by other
organizations.
SS School Credit | Joint Use of Facilities Opt1
The school would need to make available at least three of these spaces
Auditorium Gymnasium Cafeteria 1 or more classrooms Playing fields and stadiums Joint parking
SS School Credit | Joint Use of Facilities Opt2: For this option a contract is required that provides at least 2 dedicated-use spaces such as:
Commercial office Health clinic Community service centers Police offices Library / media center Parking lot One or more commercial sector businesses
SS School Credit | Joint Use of Facilities Opt3: Two of the following six spaces are needed?:
Auditorium Gymnasium Cafeteria 1 or more classrooms swimming pools, and Playing fields and stadiums (These require pedestrian access from the school.)
SS Core and Shell Credit | Tenant Design and Construction Guidelines
You must write guidelines specifically referencing LEED and the requirements in this credit. The guidelines only have to be provided to all tenants. The tenants do not actually have to comply with the guidelines, unless you build that into your lease agreement. The guidelines must cover the base building systems:
Water Use
Optimizing Energy Performance Lighting Power
Lighting Controls
HVAC
Energy Use & Metering
SS Healthcare Credit | Places of Respite
Provide places of respite that are accessible to patients and visitors, equal to 5% of the net usable program area of the building.
Provide additional dedicated places of respite for staff, equal to 2% of the net usable program area of the building.
The key here is a dedicated portion just for staff; that’s 7% total.
Such interior spaces may be used to meet up to 30% of the required area, if 90% of each qualifying space’s gross floor area achieves a direct line of sight to unobstructed views of nature.
SS Healthcare Credit | Places of Respite :All areas must be what?
The area is accessible from within the building or located within 200 feet (60
meters) of a building entrance or access point.
The area is located where no medical intervention or direct medical care is delivered.
Options for shade or indirect sun are provided, with at least one seating space per 200 square feet (18.5 square meters) of each respite area, with one wheelchair space per five seating spaces.
Horticulture therapy and other specific clinical or special-use gardens unavailable to all building occupants may account for no more than 50% of the required area.
Universal-access natural trails that are available to visitors, staff, or patients may account for no more than 30% of the required area, provided the trailhead is within 200 feet (60 meters) of a building entrance.
SS Healthcare Credit | Direct Exterior Access
The total size of the space depends on the number of patients the hospital can accommodate and must provide direct access to an exterior courtyard, terrace, garden, or balcony. The space must be at least 5 square feet (0.5 square meters) per patient for 75% of all inpatients and 75% of qualifying outpatients whose clinical length of stay (LOS) exceeds four hours.
WE Prerequisite 1 | Outdoor Water Use Reduction 30%
Opt1 The big idea for option one is to design your landscape to not require permanent irrigation system. This reduces your water demand by 100%. Projects are allowed to install a temporary system for up to 2 years to allow the plants to get established.
Opt2 requires reducing the project’s landscape water requirements by at least 30% from the calculated baseline for the site’s peak watering month. Reductions are calculated using the EPA WaterSense Budget Tool.Reductions can only be achieved through plant species selection and irrigation system efficiency, which reduce total water demand, not just potable water consumption.
WE Credit 1 | Outdoor Water Use Reduction
Opt1 Project teams that show the landscape has no permanent irrigation system, beyond the 2 year maximum for establishment, have met the requirements for both the prerequisite and credit, and can then earn the points for the credit.
Opt2 Project teams that have a 50% reduction can earn one point. Projects that have a 100% reduction of potable water can earn 2 points (The first 30% comes from plant selection and design, beyond that it can be alternative sources of water, like rainwater or graywater, and smart scheduling technologies.When smart irrigation controls are used that meet WaterSense criteria, they automatically result in a 15% reduction from the baseline water use.)
WE Prerequisite 2 | Indoor Water Use Reduction 20%
Specifically, it concerns restroom fixtures inside the building, water heating appliances, as well as cooling towers and condensers. All eligible newly installed toilets, urinals, private lavatory faucets, and showerheads must be WaterSense labeled. As long as each fixture does not exceed the WaterSense maximum levels, your project would comply with the prescriptive requirements.For the calculations of the building water use, fixture selection must demonstrate 20 percent less water use than the baseline. It’s ok if some of the fixtures are over, as long as in total, there is a 20% reduction.
WE Credit 2 | Indoor Water Use Reduction
Remember that the first 20% has to come from using efficient fixtures. Any savings beyond 20% can come from efficient fixtures, or alternative water sources. the highest percent reduction for the credit (50%) can earn 6 points for a New Construction project and 12 points for a Commercial Interiors project.
WE Prerequisite 3 | Building-level Water Metering
whole building level is be required to measure, track, and report total water use.Therefore, meter data must be compiled into (monthly and annual summaries). Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager is a great tool to collect this information in one place, and synergizes with your energy use tracking and reporting.
WE Credit 4 | Water Metering
Projects must include permanent water meters for two or more of the following water subsystems, as applicable to the project: Irrigation, Indoor plumbing fixtures and fittings, Domestic hot water, Boilers, Reclaimed Water, and Other Process uses. Meter water systems serving at least 80% of the above systems
WE Credit 4 | Water Metering: Healthcare
Healthcare projects meter an additional five of the following systems:
purified water systems (reverse-osmosis, de-ionized); filter backwash water;
water use in dietary department;
water use in laundry;
water use in laboratory;
water use in central sterile and processing department;
water use in physiotherapy and hydrotherapy and treatment areas; water use in surgical suite;
closed-looped hydronic system makeup water; and
cold-water makeup for domestic hot water systems.
WE Credit 3 | Cooling Tower Water Use
Projects have to conduct a one-time potable water analysis, in order to optimize cooling tower cycles. The analysis has to measure at least five of the control parameters listed here, verifying they do not exceed the maximum concentrations: Calcium (CaCO3) 1,000 ppm Total alkalinity 1,000 ppm Silicon dioxide 100 ppm Chlorine 250 ppm Conductivity 2,000 S/cm For a project to earn one point, the setup can’t exceed 10 cycles, without exceeding any filtration levels or affecting operation of condenser water systems. For two points, increase the level of treatment or use a minimum of 20% recycled non-potable water. Many systems operate at two to four cycles of concentration, while six cycles or more may be possible. Increasing cycles from three to six reduces cooling tower make-up water by 20% and cooling tower blowdown by 50%.
WE Credit 3 | Cooling Tower Water Use : Alternate Water Surfaces
Water from other equipment within a facility can sometimes be recycled and reused for cooling tower make-up with little or no pre-treatment, including the following:
Air handler condensate (water that collects when warm, moist air passes over the cooling coils in air handler units). This reuse is particularly appropriate because the condensate has a low mineral content, and typically is generated in greatest quantities when cooling tower loads are the highest.
Water used in a once through cooling system.
Pretreated effluent from other processes, provided that any chemicals used are
compatible with the cooling tower system.
High-quality municipal wastewater effluent or recycled water (where available).
Rainwater is most preferred because it has the least amount of dissolved solids
Ice machine condensate
Food steamer discharge water
EA Prerequisite 1 | Fundamental Commissioning and Verification
First, the owner documents their expectations, or project requirements.The Engineers ensure that the OPR is met in their drawings and specifications as they develop the basis of design (BOD).The standards used for the prerequisite is ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005 and ASHRAE Guideline 1.1–2007 for HVAC&R Systems, as they relate to energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability. This is the guide that will be followed when commissioning the required systems.
NIBS Guideline 3-2012 for Exterior Enclosures provides additional guidance on the requirements for exterior closures.The commissioning authority must be engaged by the end of the design development phase.
The commissioning authority (CxA) must do the following:
Review the OPR, BOD, and project design.
Develop and implement a commissioning plan.
Confirm incorporation of commissioning requirements into the construction documents.
Develop construction checklists.
Develop a system test procedure.
Verify system test execution.
Maintain an issues and benefits log throughout the commissioning process.
Prepare a final commissioning process report.
Document all findings and recommendations and report directly to the owner throughout the process.
The CxA, with the help of the project team, must prepare and maintain a current facilities requirements and operations and management plan. What does this include?
a sequence of operations for the building;
the building occupancy schedule;
equipment run-time schedules;
setpoints for all HVAC equipment;
set lighting levels throughout the building;
minimum outside air requirements;
any changes in schedules or setpoints for different seasons, days of the week, and times of day;
a systems narrative describing the mechanical and electrical systems and equipment;
a preventive maintenance plan for building equipment described in the systems narrative; and
a commissioning program that includes periodic commissioning requirements, ongoing commissioning tasks, and continuous tasks for critical facilities.
What elements should be included in the OPR?
Applicable codes required, detailed anticipated occupancy schedule, number of expected occupants, temperature and humidity requirements, specific thermal zoning requirements, HVAC, lighting, plumbing fixture, and water heating system types preferred (if known), controls system requirements for lighting and HVAC, energy savings goals, LEED certification level desired, project schedule, budget considerations, and operations and maintenance requirements.
What is included in the BOD?
Overview of system assemblies
Expectations of systems and performance criteria Descriptions of systems and how they will operate
Codes and standards the design was based off of
Owner’s directives about how the facility will be used
“Concepts, calculations, decisions, and product selections; the specific design methods, techniques, and software used in design; information regarding ambient conditions (climatic, geologic, structural, existing construction) used during design; and specific manufacturer makes and models used as the basis of design for drawings and specifications.”
Revision history of the document
EA Credit 1 | Enhanced Commissioning Opt1
Path 1:The commissioning authority must review and check submittals in accordance with the OPR and BOD. The review must be concurrent with the review of the architect or engineer of record.Verify the systems manual.The big part of Enhanced Commissioning is a 10 month follow-up after substantial completion. The idea behind this being is that it occurs within the warranty period for all of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing fixtures.
Path2:Enhanced and monitoring-based commissioning. Monitoring based commissioning - or MBCx - is the integration of three components: permanent energy monitoring systems, real-time energy analysis, and ongoing commissioning.Path 1 is a one stop process while Path 2 is ongoing.
EA Credit 1 | Enhanced Commissioning Opt2
The Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx) process is utilized to validate that the design and performance of materials, components, assemblies and systems achieve the objectives and requirements of the owner. The BECx process achieves this through experience, expertise, modeling, observation, testing, documenting and verifying materials, components, assemblies and systems to validate that both their use and installation meet the owner’s requirements.
EA Prerequisite 2 | Minimum Energy Performance
Option 1 Whole building energy simulation
Option 2 Prescriptive compliance - ASHRAE 50% advanced energy design guide
Option 3 Prescriptive compliance - Advanced Buildings Core Performance guide
EA Prerequisite 2 | Minimum Energy Performance Opt1
Projects need to achieve a 5% improvement for new buildings, and 3% improvement for renovations, and 2% for core and shell projects based on energy costs.A percentage improvement comes over a baseline building performance rating. The baseline building performance rating is calculated using the updated ASHRAE 90.1-2010 standard.
EA Prerequisite 2 | Minimum Energy Performance Opt2
Option 2 is for the prescriptive compliance path using ASHRAE 50% Advanced Energy Design Guide requires the building type, the square footage, and the climate zone determine what applicable criteria the project must meet.
EA Prerequisite 2 | Minimum Energy Performance Opt3
Option 3 is similar to Option 2, where the project team will first meet the prescriptive requirements of ASHRAE 90.1-2010 for the building envelope, HVAC, service water, heating, and lighting. Then review the prescriptive requirements of the Core Performance Guide. Projects choosing this option can’t earn any points under the credit
EA Credit 2 | Optimize Energy Performance Opt2
To choose this option a project must have done Option 2 in the Minimum Energy Performance Prerequisite.First, reduce demand. Next, harvest free energy.Then, look at your required systems and find ways to increase efficiency.Finally, where available, recover waste energy.
Project teams using energy simulation software should consider the following criteria?
Schedule of operation Building orientation Building envelope Lighting systems HVAC&R systems Process energy Energy rates Hot water systems
EA Prerequisite 3 | Building-level Energy Metering
Install new or use existing building-level energy meters, or submeters that can be aggregated to provide building-level data representing total building energy consumption (electricity, natural gas, chilled water, steam, fuel oil, propane, biomass, etc). Utility- owned meters capable of aggregating building-level resource use are acceptable. The project building must be separately metered from other buildings or structures, even if they are owned by the same party.
EA Credit 3 | Advanced Energy Metering
First, projects must install advanced energy metering for all whole building energy sources used by the building. Whole building systems include: Electricity Natural Gas Propane Steam Chilled water On-site Renewable Geothermal
Secondly, projects must also have advanced energy metering for any individual energy end uses that represent 10% or more of the total annual consumption of the building. These systems include: Primary HVAC systems Secondary HVAC systems Lighting Plug loads Elevators Processes
EA Prerequisite 4 | Fundamental Refrigerant Management
This prerequisite requires zero use of CFC-based refrigerants in HVAC&R systems. If your project is an existing building renovation that has a CFC based system already in it, the project must have a comprehensive phase out conversion to remove the CFC-based refrigerants.
EA Credit 6 | Enhanced Refrigerant Management
Enhanced Refrigerant Management takes it a few steps further and requires project teams to use the least impactful refrigerants to earn points.
Option 1 No refrigerants or low-impact refrigerants can earn one point. Most commonly, projects with natural ventilation can comply with no refrigerants when the building is in a very supportive climate region. To comply with this option, projects may only use refrigerants with 0 ODP and maximum of 50 GWP.
Option 2 Calculations of refrigerant impact can earn one point. Equipment is assumed to have a life of 10 years, a leakage rate of 2% per year and end of life refrigerant loss of 10%. These values along with the refrigerant charge are plugged into some formulas to determine the impact.
EA Credit 4 | Demand Response
Case 1 can earn 2 points and is for projects located in an area where the utility company offers a demand response program. Demand response is still relatively new so it isn’t available everywhere. The key point to remember is shedding at least 10% of the building’s estimated peak electric usage.
Case 2 can earn 1 point and is for projects located in an area without a demand response program available. This option requires the building to install local infrastructure and contact your utility about participation in future programs.
EA Credit 4 | Demand Response Opt1
Case 1 requires a project to participate in a demand response program. There are several activities that have to be completed:
Design a system to provide real-time, fully-automated DR based on external requests by a DR Program Provider. Semi-automated DR may also be used, and those two types of system will be covered later.
Enroll in a minimum one-year DR contract with a qualified DR program provider, for at least 10% of the estimated peak electricity demand (determined under EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance). Have an intention for multi-year renewal.
Develop a plan to achieve the contractual requirements during a Demand Response event.
Include the DR processes in the commissioning plan and perform at least one full test of the DR plan.
EA Credit 4 | Demand Response Opt2
Projects have to install recording meters, develop a load shedding plan, include the system in commissioning, and contact utility representatives to discuss future DR programs.
Types of Demand Response Systems?
Manual demand response does not use a BAS. People manually turn off lights and equipment when asked to do so. This is not an option for LEED.
Semi-automated demand response uses a BAS. A person initiates a control strategy— preprogrammed into the BAS—when a demand response event is called.
Fully automated demand response (“AutoDR”) also uses a BAS. Receipt of an external price, reliability, or event signal automatically triggers a BAS control sequence that switches the building to low- power mode; no human intervention is required.
EA Credit 5 | Renewable Energy Production
Eligible on-site systems for this credit include: Photovoltaic systems
Wind energy systems
Solar thermal systems
Biofuel-based electrical systems
Geothermal heating systems
Geothermal electric systems
Low-impact hydroelectric systems Wave and tidal power systems
Some geothermal systems
It’s important for you to know what onsite systems are eligible. Some biofuels that can’t be included are:
Burning trash
Forest biomass other than mill residue
Wood covered with paints and coatings
Preserved wood, such as pressure treated lumber
The percent of renewable energy cost is calculated by dividing the equivalent cost of usable energy produced by the renewable energy system, by the total estimated building annual energy cost which you will find in EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance.
EA Credit 7 | Green Power and Carbon Offsets
Projects earn one point for a 50% offset, and 2 points for a 100% offset. The percentages are based on the quantity of energy the project consumes, as determined by the project’s annual energy consumption. For the Green Power and Carbon Offset credit, the building owner is looking at a long term commitment to earn this credit – at least 5 years. This credit is not a one-time purchase, it is a yearly purchase for a minimum of 5 years. Project teams may purchase green power directly, where available. For the Green Power calculations you need to know your design energy cost and your default electricity consumption.Here’s a little bit of the math. Let’s say a project uses a million kilowatt hours per year. Multiply that by 50 percent. The project would need to purchase 500,000 kilowatt hours annually for a minimum of 5 years. The provider would multiply that by 0.2 cents per kilowatt hour (or whatever the rate is),
MR Prerequisite 1 | Storage and Collection of Recyclables
Provide an appropriately sized area that serves the entire building for recycling. You must collect the following streams of on-going consumables: paper, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastics, and metals.n addition to the ongoing consumables, the prerequisite requires safe collection, storage, and disposal of two of the following hazardous waste sources: batteries, mercury- containing lamps, and electronic waste.Provide well written signs placed in plain view make it easy for occupants to know what can be recycled, and where the materials should be placed.Retail projects must do a waste stream audit to identify the project’s top five recyclable waste streams.
MR Prerequisite 2 | Construction and Demolition – Waste Management Planning
The prerequisite is simply a plan, not a requirement to meet any thresholds or percentages of diversion rates. Projects need to report the diversion rates at the end of the project.
MR Credit 5 | Construction and Demolition Waste Management Opt1
Path one requires a 50% diversion of at least 3 of the material streams selected from the plan created for the prerequisite.
Path two requires a 75% diversion of at least 4 of the material streams.
MR Credit 5 | Construction and Demolition Waste Management Opt2
Option 2 requires generating no more than 2.5 pounds of construction waste per square foot (12.2 kilograms of waste per square meter) of the building’s floor area. For this option you don’t have to go through the diversion process.
There are some things you can’t include in the calculations. Excavated soil, land-clearing debris, and alternative daily cover are all excluded from the calculations.
MR Credit 1 | Building Life Cycle Impact Reduction Opt2
For this option project teams must maintain at least 50%, by surface area, of the existing building structure, enclosure, and interior structural elements for buildings that meet local criteria of abandoned or are considered blight.The building must be renovated to a state of productive occupancy. Up to 25% of the building surface area may be excluded from credit calculation because of deterioration or damage.
MR Credit 1 | Building Life Cycle Impact Reduction Opt3
Likely the most obvious way to reuse buildings is by retaining the existing structure and renovating it for a new purpose and/or to improve its performance. Include structural elements (e.g., floors, roof decking), enclosure materials (e.g., skin, framing), and permanently installed interior elements (e.g., walls, doors, floor coverings, ceiling systems). Exclude from the calculation window assemblies and any hazardous materials that are remediated as a part of the project.
The minimum percent of completed project surface area reused is 25%, with increasing increments of 50% and 75%.
MR Credit 1 | Building Life Cycle Impact Reduction Opt4
Properly performed, a life-cycle analysis is a detailed calculation of every phase of a product’s manufacturing process and usage over time. Typically, this includes five basic phases: Extraction, Manufacturing, Construction, Use Phase, End of the Life. Assessing the issues and impacts across all five of these phases makes up a full life-cycle assessment (sometimes called a full “cradle to grave” assessment) of a particular product or even a category of products and materials.For this option projects must demonstrate a minimum of 10% reduction compared to the baseline of a building in 3 impact categories
MR Credit 2 | BPDO - Environmental Product Declarations Opt1
Option 1 requires using at least 20 different permanently installed products sourced from at least five different manufacturers with an EPD.
There are 3 types of EPDs, and each is weighted differently by LEED. There is an LCA that’s done by a manufacturer without a product category rule and without a third party review that accounts for a quarter of a full product. You would need four times as many of this weaker document to meet the credit requirement for 20 products.
A stronger EPD is a generic product done by an association – let’s say it’s for floor tile – counts as a half of a product. Teams would have to collect 40 of these to meet credit requirements.
The strongest EPD is created by a particular manufacturer, for a unique product, and counts as a whole product relative to the credit on EPDs.
The important thing to recognize about Option 1 is it says nothing about how good the results are in the EPD, unlike for Option 2 where the products actually demonstrate an impact reduction.
MR Credit 2 | BPDO - Environmental Product Declarations Opt2
As manufacturers, if you can show your product’s life cycle environmental impacts are less than your industry LCA in at least three of the impact categories, you can contribute to earning points within this credit.
MR Credits 3 | BPDO - Sourcing of Raw Materials Opt1
The reporting component of this option rewards the use of at least 20 permanently installed building products from manufacturers that have made information available, such as supplier locations, commitment to long-term ecologically responsible land use, reducing environmental harms and meeting applicable responsible sourcing programs. Similar to EPDs, project teams receive credit depending on the type of report the manufacturer provides. For example, a third-party- verified corporate sustainability report is valued higher than a disclosure report that is not verified.For this option you are looking for five different manufacturers that have publicly released a report on their raw materials and their raw materials suppliers as well as a long-term commitment to good land-use and a commitment to reducing carbon from emissions and in their manufacturing process.
MR Credits 3 | BPDO - Sourcing of Raw Materials Opt2
Option 2: Leadership Extraction Practices rewards the use of products (25 percent of total products, by cost) that come from an extraction process showing leadership in minimizing environmental impact.This option references FSC certification, materials reuse, and recycled content. The biggest change is in bio-based materials: the credit newly requires Rainforest Alliance certification under the umbrella of the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) to certify bio-based materials that may not fall under the wood or bamboo category, such as cotton, wool, straw, soy, or corn-based polymers.
MR Credit 4 | BPDO - Material Ingredients Opt1
Option 1 is again transparency. Material Ingredient Reporting is based on using at least 20 permanently installed products that provide a chemical inventory through one of a variety of third-party programs, such as a Health Product Declaration, a Manufacturer’s Inventory that must meet a number of criteria, or Cradle to Cradle v2 Silver certification. The manufacturer inventory involves publishing Chemical Abstract Service Registration Numbers (CASRN) for all ingredients in the product; some ingredients may be kept proprietary, but their hazard potential based on the GreenScreen benchmarking system must be disclosed.
MR Credit 4 | BPDO - Material Ingredients Opt2
Material Ingredient Optimization involves using at least 25 percent by cost of products that have assessed and optimized their material ingredients against pre-approved USGBC programs such as GreenScreen v1.2 Benchmark, Cradle to Cradle v2 Gold or Platinum Certification. Remember in Option 1 is just revealing what the ingredients are, good or bad. Option 2 you get credit for optimization, and looking for ingredients that meet certain standards.
MR Credit 4 | BPDO - Material Ingredients Opt3
Use new building products for at least 25% at cost of the total value of the permanently installed fixtures that are sourced from manufacturers that engage in validated and robust safety, health hazard and risk programs, which at a minimum document at least 99% by weight the ingredients used to make the material or product.
IEQ Prerequisite 1 | Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance
Determine what type of ventilation your project will use:
Active ventilation is for buildings that use mechanical ventilation
Passive ventilation is for buildings that use natural ventilation
Mixed-mode means a combination of mechanical and natural ventilation
Key for the calculations is using the ventilation rate procedure in the ASHRAE 62.1 guide. The calculations are performed for the worst case scenario which is usually when the supply air flow is at its lowest and the supply air temperature is highest for the critical zone-highest density of people. For prerequisite compliance, document ventilation rates per the Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance Calculator for projects with single-zone or 100% outside air HVAC systems. The calculator includes assumptions for occupancy categories from ASHRAE 62.1-2010. Upload the completed calculator to LEED Online.
IEQ Credit 1 | Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies
This credit improves the air quality beyond the prerequisite basics.
Option 1 Enhanced IAQ strategies can earn one point.
And/or
Option 2 Additional enhanced IAQ strategies can earn one point. For mechanically ventilated spaces, projects must increase outdoor airflow rates by 30%. The minimum rate is set by ASHRAE 62.1-2010. Instead of just meeting the prerequisite, go 30 percent beyond it. For mechanically ventilated spaces, monitor CO2 concentrations in densely occupied spaces. A densely occupied space has 25 people or more per 1,000 square feet.
MERV 13 (F7) filtration
MERV 13 (F7) filtration is required for HVAC systems that supplies outdoor air to occupied spaces.
IEQ Prerequisite 2 | Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control
First however, every project must prohibit smoking inside the building. Outside the building, smoking is prohibited except in designated smoking areas located at least 25 feet (7.5 meters) from all entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows.
At all building entrances, there must be signs indicated the building has a no-smoking policy. The signs must be posted within 10 feet (3 meters) of all building entrances.For residential projects you can meet the prerequisite by having a no smoking policy that meets the requirements just described, that’s Option 1.
Option 2 is compartmentalizing the smoking areas.
For option 2, if you allow smoking within the residence, provide ETS rooms that are separately ventilated and have negative pressure and exhaust.
IEQ Credit 2 | Low Emitting Materials
Option 1 is product category calculations-a prescriptive path for selecting materials that meet the thresholds of compliance. The threshold of compliance varies depending on the product category. The important numbers to remember are 90% and 100%.Option 2 is a budget calculation method for using materials that exceed threshold requirements.At least 50% of the assembly must be compliant to count towards the credit, otherwise it counts as 0% compliant. If 90% of the assembly meets the criteria it can count as 100%
Part of what makes this complicated, is you have to look at the surface area of each layer.
IEQ Credit 3 | Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan
SMACNA guidelines address indoor air quality in 5 major areas:
HVAC protection
Source control
Pathway interruption
Housekeeping
Scheduling
In addition to SMACNA guidelines, LEED adds the following three requirements. Protecting absorptive materials from moisture damage. If you plan to operate air handlers during construction, replace the filters often, because they will get clogged up sooner than under normal operating conditions. The key here is using MERV 8 filtration media (or F5 or higher) during construction. Finally, prohibit smoking inside the building and 25 feet (7.5 meters) from building entrances once the building is enclosed.
IEQ Credit 4 | Indoor Air Quality Assessment Opt1
The first option is a flush out. The goal is to introduce 14,000 cubic feet of 100% outdoor air per square foot (4,267,140 liters per second) of floor area.
The second path for option one allows the spaces to be occupied after flushing out with 3,500 cubic feet per square foot (1,066,260 liters) of air. Once a quarter of the flush out is done, people can occupy the building. LEED requires a minimum rate of 0.3 cubic feet per minute per square foot (or 1.5 liters per second per
square meter) of outside air throughout the day until a total of 14,000 CFM per square foot has been reached. When doing a flush out when the building is occupied, the flush out must begin at least 3 hours prior to occupancy and continue during occupancy.
IEQ Credit 4 | Indoor Air Quality Assessment Opt2
You call an IAQ tester and he or she is going to come in, sit in your site for about four hours, and they are going to check that the air doesn’t exceed maximum concentrations of the listed contaminants. This is done prior to occupancy after interior finishes are installed. The test needs to be conducted during normal occupied hours while the ventilation system is running at the minimum outdoor air flow rate throughout the test. At least one test per floor must be completed, and at least one location per ventilation system for each occupied space type. Testing locations occur in the breathing zone, between 3 and 6 feet (900 and 1,800 millimeters) above the floor.
IEQ Credit 5 | Thermal Comfort
Option 1 is ASHRAE 55-2010
Option 2 is ISO and CEN standards
Some controls and systems to consider are Individual thermostat controls
Individual control of radiant panels Radiant heating
Natural ventilation actuators
Ceiling fans
Under-floor air distribution systems
IEQ Credit 5 | Thermal Comfort Opt1
For option 1, design the HVAC system to meet ASHRAE 55-2010. Thermal comfort is defined by ASHRAE 55-2010 demonstrated by curves of target factors. The measurement includes air temperature, radiant temperature, air speed, humidity and personal factors such as clothing and activity.
IEQ Credit 5 | Thermal Comfort Opt2
For option 2, you’re designing the system to the ISO 7730:2005, Ergonomics of the Thermal Environment or the CEN Standard EN 15251:2007, Indoor Environmental Input Parameters for Design and Assessment of Energy Performance of Buildings. CEN standards are intended for use in international projects.
IEQ Credit 6 | Interior Lighting
Option 1 Lighting control
Option 2 Lighting quality
IEQ Credit 6 | Interior Lighting Opt1
For Option 1, 90 percent of the building occupants must have task lighting, and the building must have three-way lighting controls for all shared multi-occupant spaces.The midlevel must be between 30 to 70 percent of the maximum illumination level.
IEQ Credit 6 | Interior Lighting Opt2
For option 2 lighting quality, projects must meet four of the following strategies: For lighting system strategies, recessed fixtures have to all be glare-free recessed luminaires in regularly occupied spaces
The entire project must have a CRI of greater than 80, except for special uses
For lamp strategies, 75 percent of the connected load must have a lamp life
greater than 24,000 hours
For indirect luminaires only, less than 25 percent of the connected load can be direct-only in regularly occupied spaces. Again - lighting everything up with the same two by four, plugging in, and reflect from the ceiling
For finish strategies for the walls, ceilings, floors, or furniture, reflectance levels should be approximately 80 percent on the ceiling, 50 percent on walls and 20 percent on floors.
If furniture is included in the scope, the average surface reflectance must be 45% for work surfaces and 50% for movable partitions.
For illuminance strategies, for at least 75 percent of regularly occupied floor area, ceilings or walls should have a 1 to 10 threshold to achieve occupant comfort
Only 25% of the lighting can be direct
IEQ Credit 7 | Daylight Opt1
Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) is the percentage of floor space where the required light level can be met completely with daylight for 50% of work hours. Based on the idea that more light is better, this metric indicates quantity of daylight available. A higher sDA yields greater autonomy from electric lighting.
IEQ Credit 7 | Daylight Opt2
This simulation is modeling at 9am and 3pm on the equinox. There is a bit of a difference here but it’s still based on the time of year data. A daylighting consultant will determine the simulation inputs, including the exterior building geometry, site plan, floor and furniture plan, interior finishes, glazing, and local climate data. This data will be input into an illuminance simulation to determine the illuminance values for all regularly occupied floor areas and to verify the project does not exceed the credit requirement values.
IEQ Credit 7 | Daylight Opt3
With Option 3 you can do a physical measurement where you are measuring the daylight illuminance levels in the space at a certain time of year, and then four months later take the measurements again.
IEQ Credit 8 | Quality Views
The requirement is to achieve a direct line of sight to the outdoors via vision glazing for 75% of all regularly occupied floor area.On top of that quantity requirement, 75% of views must meet at least 2 of the following quality requirement:
Multiple lines of sight to vision glazing in different directions at least 90 degrees apart
Views that include at least two of the following: (1) flora, fauna, or sky; (2) movement; and (3) objects at least 25 feet from the exterior of the glazing
Unobstructed views located within the distance of three times the head height of the vision glazing. What that means is if you have a window that is seven feet tall, you have to have views from at least 21 feet inside the building to the outdoors. Unobstructed horizontal distances equal to three times the head height of windows.
Views with a view factor of 3 or greater, as defined in the standard “Windows and Offices; A Study of Office Worker Performance and the Indoor Environment.”
IEQ Prerequisite Schools | Minimum Acoustic Performance
Schools is the only rating system that requires acoustical performance as a prerequisite.HVAC systems may only have a maximum of 40 decibels in classrooms and learning areas.
IEQ Credit 9 | Acoustic Performance
There are four performance areas which must be evaluated for this credit:
HVAC background noise
Sound isolation
Reverberation time
Sound reinforcement and masking
Exterior windows must have an STC rating of at least 35, unless outdoor and indoor noise levels can be verified to justify a lower rating.
For projects that use masking systems, the design levels must not exceed 48 dBA. Ensure that loudspeaker coverage provides uniformity of plus or minus 2dBA and that speech spectra are effectively masked.
For school projects, HVAC background noise must be reduced to 35 decibels.
Innovation Credit
Option 1 is called Innovation, and can earn 1 point. This option rewards projects for achieving significant, measurable environmental performance using a strategy not addressed in the LEED green building rating system. You can think of this as outside- the-box thinking. The goal is to invent an idea that isn’t part of LEED, but has a measurable environmental impact.
Option 2 is to achieve one of the pilot credits from USGBC’s pilot credit library. This option can earn one point. Look at usgbc.org for current pilot credits, as they change regularly.
Option 3 is Additional Strategies. Additional strategies allow project teams to earn 1 to 3 points for Innovation, defined in Option 1, 1 to 3 points for Pilot credits, and 1 to 2 points for Exemplary performance. Project teams can use any combination of innovation, pilot, and exemplary performance strategies.
Innovative strategies must meet three criteria:
The strategy must demonstrate a quantifiable environmental performance benefit
The strategy must be applied comprehensively (i.e. wherever possible on the project). For example, one project used a snow melting system to eliminate the use of chemicals to melt snow. Using the snow melting system on 10% of the walkways and chemicals on the remaining 90% would not be considered comprehensive. The snow melting system would need to be used for 100% of the walkways.
The strategy must be a superior design choice compared to standard building design.
Pilot Credits
To apply for a LEED pilot credit, project teams can register at the USGBC website. Project teams can register for multiple pilot credits. For an effective registration, be sure to have your project ID, project name, rating system, project type, and project administrator’s information.
The lighting boundary can be modified under the following conditions:
When the property line is adjacent to a public area that is a walkway, bikeway, plaza, or parking lot, the lighting boundary may be moved to 5 feet (1.5 meters) beyond the property line.
· When the property line is adjacent to a public street, alley, or transit corridor, the lighting boundary may be moved to the center line of that street, alley, or corridor.
· When there are additional properties owned by the same entity that are contiguous to the property, or properties, that the LEED project is within and have the same or higher MLO lighting zone designation as the LEED project, the lighting boundary may be expanded to include those properties.
Exemplary Performance IN
Purchasing 50%, by cost, of the total value of permanently installed building products meet the responsible extraction criteria.
Sourcing at least 40 products with EPDs from 5 different manufacturers
A LEED reviewer has sent a project team technical advice on one of the design credits that was submitted in a split review. What does the project team need to do?
Respond to the technical advice the LEED reviewer sent
The LEED project boundary may not include land that is owned by a party other than that which owns the LEED project unless:
The only exception to the LEED project boundary of land not owned by the project owner is land that is associated with and supports normal building operations for the LEED project building.
Which project strategy would earn an exemplary performance point under IN Credit Innovation Option 3 Additional Strategies?
EQ Credit Quality Views can earn exemplary performance by providing views for 90% of all regularly occupied areas
LT Credit High-Priority Site For Option 1 Historic District
For Option 1 Historic District, the site must be located on an infill location.In order to be considered an infill site, the percentage of previously developed land has to be at least 75%.
