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LEED v4
Data Centers – NC
Integrative Process
Integrative process

LEED CREDIT

Data-Centers-NC-v4 IPc1: Integrative process 1 point

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Credit language

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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Beginning in pre-design and continuing throughout the design phases, identify and use opportunities to achieve synergies across disciplines and building systems described below. Use the analyses to inform the owner’s project requirements (OPR), basis of design (BOD), design documents, and construction documents.

Energy-Related Systems
Discovery:
Perform a preliminary “simple box” energy modeling analysis before the completion of schematic design that explores how to reduce energy loads in the building and accomplish related sustainability goals by questioning default assumptions. Assess at least two potential strategies associated with each of the following:
  • Site conditions. Assess shading, exterior lighting, hardscape, landscaping, and adjacent site conditions.
  • Massing and orientation. Assess massing and orientation affect HVAC sizing, energy consumption, lighting, and renewable energy opportunities.
  • Basic envelope attributes. Assess insulation values, window-to-wall ratios, glazing characteristics, shading, and window operability.
  • Lighting levels. Assess interior surface reflectance values and lighting levels in occupied spaces.
  • Thermal comfort ranges. Assess thermal comfort range options.
  • Plug and process load needs. Assess reducing plug and process loads through programmatic solutions (e.g., equipment and purchasing policies, layout options).
  • Programmatic and operational parameters. Assess multifunctioning spaces, operating schedules, space allotment per person, teleworking, reduction of building area, and anticipated operations and maintenance.
Implementation:
Document how the above analysis informed design and building form decisions in the project’s OPR and BOD and the eventual design of the project, including the following, as applicable:
  • Building and site program;
  • Building form and geometry;
  • Building envelope and façade treatments on different orientations;
  • Elimination and/or significant downsizing of building systems (e.g., HVAC, lighting, controls, Exterior materials, interior finishes, and functional program elements); and
  • Other systems.
AND
Water-Related Systems
Discovery:
Perform a preliminary water budget analysis before the completion of schematic design that explores how to reduce potable water loads in the building and accomplish related sustainability goals. Assess and estimate the project’s potential nonpotable water supply sources and water demand volumes, including the following:
  • Indoor water demand. Assess flow and flush fixture design case demand volumes, calculated in accordance with WE Prerequisite Indoor Water-Use Reduction.
  • Outdoor water demand. Assess landscape irrigation design case demand volume calculated in accordance with WE Credit Outdoor Water-Use Reduction.
  • Process water demand. Assess kitchen, laundry, cooling tower, and other equipment demand volumes, as applicable.
  • Supply sources. Assess all potential nonpotable water supply source volumes, such as on-site rainwater and graywater, municipally supplied nonpotable water, and HVAC equipment condensate.
Implementation:
Document how the above analysis informed building and site design decisions in the project’s OPR and BOD. Demonstrate how at least one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce the burden on municipal supply or wastewater treatment systems by contributing to at least two of the water demand components listed above. Demonstrate how the analysis informed the design of the project, including the following, as applicable:
  • plumbing systems;
  • sewage conveyance and/or on-site treatment systems;
  • rainwater quantity and quality management systems;
  • landscaping, irrigation, and site elements;
  • roofing systems and/or building form and geometry; and
  • other systems.
See all forum discussions about this credit »

What does it cost?

Cost estimates for this credit

On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.

Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.

This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.

Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »

Frequently asked questions

This is the only credit in the IP credit category. Do all teams have to pursue it?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

Do we have to adopt all strategies that improve energy or water performance based on the analysis?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

See all forum discussions about this credit »

Addenda

7/1/2015Updated: 7/1/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
In the first paragraph replace the word "used" with "analyzed," so that the section reads:
Document how the above analysis informed building and site design decisions in the project’s OPR and BOD. Demonstrate how at least one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce the burden on municipal supply or wastewater treatment systems by contributing to at least two of the water demand components listed above. Demonstrate how the analysis informed the design of the project, including the following, as applicable:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
7/1/2015Updated: 6/30/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Under Water-Related Systems, changed "used" to "analyzed" so that text reads, "Explain how one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce municipal supply or wastewater treatment for the demand components listed below."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Add the following sets of second-order bullets.

Under the first first-level bullet, after "as applicable," add:
o Building and site program
o Building form and geometry
o Building envelope and façade treatments on different orientations
o Elimination or significant downsizing of building systems (e.g., HVAC, lighting, controls, exterior materials, interior finishes, and functional program elements)
o Other systems

And under the third first-level bullet, after "as applicable," add:
o Plumbing systems
o Sewage conveyance and/or on-site treatment systems
o Rainwater quantity and quality management systems
o Landscaping, irrigation, and site elements
o Roofing systems and/or building form and geometry
o Other systems
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
See all forum discussions about this credit »

Documentation toolkit

The motherlode of cheat sheets

LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.

LEEDuser expert

Marcus Sheffer

7group / Energy Opportunities
LEED Fellow

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Our editors have written a detailed analysis of nearly every LEED credit, and LEEDuser premium members get full access. We’ll tell you whether the credit is easy to accomplish or better left alone, and we provide insider tips on how to document it successfully.

USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Beginning in pre-design and continuing throughout the design phases, identify and use opportunities to achieve synergies across disciplines and building systems described below. Use the analyses to inform the owner’s project requirements (OPR), basis of design (BOD), design documents, and construction documents.

Energy-Related Systems
Discovery:
Perform a preliminary “simple box” energy modeling analysis before the completion of schematic design that explores how to reduce energy loads in the building and accomplish related sustainability goals by questioning default assumptions. Assess at least two potential strategies associated with each of the following:
  • Site conditions. Assess shading, exterior lighting, hardscape, landscaping, and adjacent site conditions.
  • Massing and orientation. Assess massing and orientation affect HVAC sizing, energy consumption, lighting, and renewable energy opportunities.
  • Basic envelope attributes. Assess insulation values, window-to-wall ratios, glazing characteristics, shading, and window operability.
  • Lighting levels. Assess interior surface reflectance values and lighting levels in occupied spaces.
  • Thermal comfort ranges. Assess thermal comfort range options.
  • Plug and process load needs. Assess reducing plug and process loads through programmatic solutions (e.g., equipment and purchasing policies, layout options).
  • Programmatic and operational parameters. Assess multifunctioning spaces, operating schedules, space allotment per person, teleworking, reduction of building area, and anticipated operations and maintenance.
Implementation:
Document how the above analysis informed design and building form decisions in the project’s OPR and BOD and the eventual design of the project, including the following, as applicable:
  • Building and site program;
  • Building form and geometry;
  • Building envelope and façade treatments on different orientations;
  • Elimination and/or significant downsizing of building systems (e.g., HVAC, lighting, controls, Exterior materials, interior finishes, and functional program elements); and
  • Other systems.
AND
Water-Related Systems
Discovery:
Perform a preliminary water budget analysis before the completion of schematic design that explores how to reduce potable water loads in the building and accomplish related sustainability goals. Assess and estimate the project’s potential nonpotable water supply sources and water demand volumes, including the following:
  • Indoor water demand. Assess flow and flush fixture design case demand volumes, calculated in accordance with WE Prerequisite Indoor Water-Use Reduction.
  • Outdoor water demand. Assess landscape irrigation design case demand volume calculated in accordance with WE Credit Outdoor Water-Use Reduction.
  • Process water demand. Assess kitchen, laundry, cooling tower, and other equipment demand volumes, as applicable.
  • Supply sources. Assess all potential nonpotable water supply source volumes, such as on-site rainwater and graywater, municipally supplied nonpotable water, and HVAC equipment condensate.
Implementation:
Document how the above analysis informed building and site design decisions in the project’s OPR and BOD. Demonstrate how at least one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce the burden on municipal supply or wastewater treatment systems by contributing to at least two of the water demand components listed above. Demonstrate how the analysis informed the design of the project, including the following, as applicable:
  • plumbing systems;
  • sewage conveyance and/or on-site treatment systems;
  • rainwater quantity and quality management systems;
  • landscaping, irrigation, and site elements;
  • roofing systems and/or building form and geometry; and
  • other systems.

Cost estimates for this credit

On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.

Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.

This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.

Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »

In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit, for premium members only, saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:

  • Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
  • Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
  • Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
  • Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
  • Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
  • Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.

This is the only credit in the IP credit category. Do all teams have to pursue it?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

Do we have to adopt all strategies that improve energy or water performance based on the analysis?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

7/1/2015Updated: 7/1/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
In the first paragraph replace the word "used" with "analyzed," so that the section reads:
Document how the above analysis informed building and site design decisions in the project’s OPR and BOD. Demonstrate how at least one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce the burden on municipal supply or wastewater treatment systems by contributing to at least two of the water demand components listed above. Demonstrate how the analysis informed the design of the project, including the following, as applicable:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
7/1/2015Updated: 6/30/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Under Water-Related Systems, changed "used" to "analyzed" so that text reads, "Explain how one on-site nonpotable water supply source was analyzed to reduce municipal supply or wastewater treatment for the demand components listed below."
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Add the following sets of second-order bullets.

Under the first first-level bullet, after "as applicable," add:
o Building and site program
o Building form and geometry
o Building envelope and façade treatments on different orientations
o Elimination or significant downsizing of building systems (e.g., HVAC, lighting, controls, exterior materials, interior finishes, and functional program elements)
o Other systems

And under the third first-level bullet, after "as applicable," add:
o Plumbing systems
o Sewage conveyance and/or on-site treatment systems
o Rainwater quantity and quality management systems
o Landscaping, irrigation, and site elements
o Roofing systems and/or building form and geometry
o Other systems
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes

LEEDuser expert

Marcus Sheffer

7group / Energy Opportunities
LEED Fellow

See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Unsubscribe from discussions about Data-Centers-NC-v4 IPc1 View the LEED v4.1 version of this credit