Cost Tip

Check for utility and government incentives, which can make renewable energy systems cost-competitive with other energy infrastructure investments.

Net metering allows the building to sell back any excess electricity produced by renewable energy systems, and is usually an important financial piece. Varying price structures are offered, though, and net metering is not offered in all states. Check with your utility.

Investments in energy efficiency are usually more cost-effective than onsite renewable energy. However, if you’ve picked that “low-hanging fruit” and want to enhance your building’s environmental profile, renewables can be cost-effective.

It is uncommon for buildings to earn this credit due to the cost of either onsite renewable retrofits or off-site RECs and carbon offsets.

There is little to no cost for pursuing this credit if the building has previously received LEED certification for its design and construction. 

Long-life, low-power lamps like fluorescents and LEDs will help keep costs low for operations and maintenance.

The commissioning agent carries out the functional testing for all control sequences and timers if installed for lighting design.

Full-cutoff luminaires should not cost more than conventional fixtures, but other common strategies for meeting this credit may add costs. These include controls, timers, sensors, and  low-power lights like LEDs. Ensure that these features are not eliminated during value-engineering.       

If the project is going for multi-party contractor bid, make sure the bid’s package reflects the fixture specifications and performance. Otherwise the contractor may replace the specification with a similar lower-cost fixture that doesn’t have the same wattage or a cover for cutoff.

Costs for the photometric study can be decreased if manufactures agree to do their own calculations, which is common if you select their fixtures.