With the more stringent requirements of ASHRAE 90.1-2010 as the baseline, additional creativity and effort is required to achieve higher levels of energy efficiency under this credit.
Teams will need to take a concerted approach from the early design phase forward to optimize the building massing and envelope, reduce heating and cooling loads, and maximize daylighting opportunities, in order to make the selection and integration of high-efficiency lighting and HVAC systems practical and effective. However, the effort is worth it as this credit can provide long-term operational cost savings, as well as a significant number of points toward your LEED certification goals.
What’s New in the LEED v4.1 beta
- The baseline ratchets up to ASHRAE 2016. This means that LEED is likely now ahead of most local energy codes.
- Points are now awarded in part based on annual energy cost reductions (which has been the case since LEED began, and is also the case for most performance-based codes), but also in part based on annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions.
- Onsite renewable energy may be subtracted from the total annual energy use in the annual energy cost calculation.
- The GHG impacts of new offsite renewable energy may be subtracted.
What’s New in LEED v4
- Refer to EAp2: Minimum Energy Performance, which contains changes from LEED 2009.
- There are now only two options for compliance: whole-building energy simulation or the prescriptive path using applicable ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guides. The Advanced Buildings Core Performance Guide is still allowed for prerequisite compliance, but is no longer an allowable path to earning this credit.
