Credit achievement rate
XX%
Upgrade to LEEDuser Premium to see how many projects achieved this credit. Try it free »
LEEDuser expert
Michael Opitz
Cadmus Group
Director, Energy Conservation Services
LEEDuser’s viewpoint
Frank advice from LEED experts
LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To achieve increasing levels of operating energy performance relative to typical buildings of similar type to reduce environmental and economic impacts associated with excessive energy use.
Requirements
Case 1. Projects eligible for Energy Star rating
For buildings eligible to receive an energy performance rating using the EPA’s ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager tool, achieve an energy performance rating of at least 71. If the building is eligible for an energy performance rating using Portfolio Manager, Option 1 must be used.
Achieve energy efficiency performance better than the minimum requirements listed above; points are awarded according to the table below.
The minimum energy cost savings percentage for each ENERGY STAR threshold is as follows:
|
EPA ENERGY STAR Energy Performance Rating |
Points |
| 71 |
1 |
| 73 |
2 |
| 74 |
3 |
| 75 |
4 |
| 76 |
5 |
| 77 |
6 |
| 78 |
7 |
| 79 |
8 |
| 80 |
9 |
| 81 |
10 |
| 82 |
11 |
| 83 |
12 |
| 85 |
13 |
| 87 |
14 |
| 89 |
15 |
| 91 |
16 |
| 93 |
17 |
| 95 |
18 |
Have energy meters that measure all energy use throughout the performance period of buildings to be certified. Each building’s energy performance must be based on actual metered energy consumption for the LEED project. A full 12 months of continuous measured energy data is required.
Calibrate meters within the manufacturer’s recommended interval if the building owner, management organization or tenant owns the meter. Meters owned by third parties (e.g., utilities or governments) are exempt.
Case 2. Projects not eligible for Energy Star rating
For buildings with a primary space type not eligible to receive an energy performance rating using Portfolio Manager, comply with 1 of the following:
Option 1
Demonstrate energy efficiency performance that is better than 71% of similar buildings (71st percentile or better) by benchmarking against national source energy data provided in the Portfolio Manager tool as an alternative to energy performance ratings. Projects outside the U.S. may use a local benchmark based on source energy from their country's national or regional energy agency. Follow the detailed instructions in the LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Operations & Maintenance, 2009 Edition.
OR
Option 2
For buildings not suited for Case 2, Option 1, demonstrate energy efficiency performance by determining an alternative rating score using the Portfolio Manager tool to report the building's energy use data from the performance period. Follow the detailed instructions in the LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Operations & Maintenance, 2009 Edition.
Option 2a. Streamlined baseline (EAp2 only – 0 points)
This option is only available through EAp2. Enter energy use data during the performance period for at least 1 year into Portfolio Manager to determine the “weather-normalized source energy intensity”. Use this value in the offline calculator to determine the percent reduction from the streamlined baseline.
Option 2b. Energy baseline including historical data (up to 9 points)
Enter at least 3 consecutive years of historical energy use data into Portfolio Manager in addition to the current year’s data to determine the “weather-normalized source energy intensity” for each year. Use these values in the offline calculator to determine a baseline using the historical energy use data of the project building.
Option 2c. Energy baseline including historical data plus comparable buildings (up to 18 points)
In addition to the historical data used in Option 2b, provide energy use data for at least 3 other buildings with similar uses over at least a 2-year period to determine the “average energy performance of a similar building” in Portfolio Manager. Enter this data into the offline calculator.
AND
Achieve energy efficiency performance better than the minimum requirements listed above; points are awarded according to the table below.
Have energy meters that measure all energy use throughout the performance period of all buildings to be certified. Each building’s energy performance must be based on actual metered energy consumption for both the LEED project and all comparable buildings used for the benchmark. A full 12 months of continuous measured energy data is required.
Calibrate meters within the manufacturer’s recommended interval if the building owner, management organization or tenant owns the meter. Meters owned by third parties (e.g., utilities or governments) are exempt.
Use the Portfolio Manager tool available on the ENERGY STAR website to benchmark the project even if it is not eligible for an EPA rating: http://www.energystar.gov/benchmark.
|
Percentile level above the national median (for buildings not eligible for ENERGY STAR energy performance rating |
Points |
| 21 |
1 |
| 23 |
2 |
| 24 |
3 |
| 25 |
4 |
| 26 |
5 |
| 27 |
6 |
| 28 |
7 |
| 29 |
8 |
| 30 |
9 |
| 31 |
10 |
| 32 |
11 |
| 33 |
12 |
| 35 |
13 |
| 37 |
14 |
| 39 |
15 |
| 41 |
16 |
| 43 |
17 |
| 45 |
18 |
Pilot Alternative Compliance Path Available
This credit has an alternative compliance path available for the use of ISO 50001: Energy Management Systems. For more information see Pilot ACP 86: LEED 2009 EBOM ACPs for ISO 50001.
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 »Checklists
Step by step to LEED certification
LEEDuser’s checklists walk you through the key action steps you need to earn a credit, including how to avoid common pitfalls and save money.
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.
Get the inside scoop
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.
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To achieve increasing levels of operating energy performance relative to typical buildings of similar type to reduce environmental and economic impacts associated with excessive energy use.
Requirements
Case 1. Projects eligible for Energy Star rating
For buildings eligible to receive an energy performance rating using the EPA’s ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager tool, achieve an energy performance rating of at least 71. If the building is eligible for an energy performance rating using Portfolio Manager, Option 1 must be used.
Achieve energy efficiency performance better than the minimum requirements listed above; points are awarded according to the table below.
The minimum energy cost savings percentage for each ENERGY STAR threshold is as follows:
|
EPA ENERGY STAR Energy Performance Rating |
Points |
| 71 |
1 |
| 73 |
2 |
| 74 |
3 |
| 75 |
4 |
| 76 |
5 |
| 77 |
6 |
| 78 |
7 |
| 79 |
8 |
| 80 |
9 |
| 81 |
10 |
| 82 |
11 |
| 83 |
12 |
| 85 |
13 |
| 87 |
14 |
| 89 |
15 |
| 91 |
16 |
| 93 |
17 |
| 95 |
18 |
Have energy meters that measure all energy use throughout the performance period of buildings to be certified. Each building’s energy performance must be based on actual metered energy consumption for the LEED project. A full 12 months of continuous measured energy data is required.
Calibrate meters within the manufacturer’s recommended interval if the building owner, management organization or tenant owns the meter. Meters owned by third parties (e.g., utilities or governments) are exempt.
Case 2. Projects not eligible for Energy Star rating
For buildings with a primary space type not eligible to receive an energy performance rating using Portfolio Manager, comply with 1 of the following:
Option 1
Demonstrate energy efficiency performance that is better than 71% of similar buildings (71st percentile or better) by benchmarking against national source energy data provided in the Portfolio Manager tool as an alternative to energy performance ratings. Projects outside the U.S. may use a local benchmark based on source energy from their country's national or regional energy agency. Follow the detailed instructions in the LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Operations & Maintenance, 2009 Edition.
OR
Option 2
For buildings not suited for Case 2, Option 1, demonstrate energy efficiency performance by determining an alternative rating score using the Portfolio Manager tool to report the building's energy use data from the performance period. Follow the detailed instructions in the LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Operations & Maintenance, 2009 Edition.
Option 2a. Streamlined baseline (EAp2 only – 0 points)
This option is only available through EAp2. Enter energy use data during the performance period for at least 1 year into Portfolio Manager to determine the “weather-normalized source energy intensity”. Use this value in the offline calculator to determine the percent reduction from the streamlined baseline.
Option 2b. Energy baseline including historical data (up to 9 points)
Enter at least 3 consecutive years of historical energy use data into Portfolio Manager in addition to the current year’s data to determine the “weather-normalized source energy intensity” for each year. Use these values in the offline calculator to determine a baseline using the historical energy use data of the project building.
Option 2c. Energy baseline including historical data plus comparable buildings (up to 18 points)
In addition to the historical data used in Option 2b, provide energy use data for at least 3 other buildings with similar uses over at least a 2-year period to determine the “average energy performance of a similar building” in Portfolio Manager. Enter this data into the offline calculator.
AND
Achieve energy efficiency performance better than the minimum requirements listed above; points are awarded according to the table below.
Have energy meters that measure all energy use throughout the performance period of all buildings to be certified. Each building’s energy performance must be based on actual metered energy consumption for both the LEED project and all comparable buildings used for the benchmark. A full 12 months of continuous measured energy data is required.
Calibrate meters within the manufacturer’s recommended interval if the building owner, management organization or tenant owns the meter. Meters owned by third parties (e.g., utilities or governments) are exempt.
Use the Portfolio Manager tool available on the ENERGY STAR website to benchmark the project even if it is not eligible for an EPA rating: http://www.energystar.gov/benchmark.
|
Percentile level above the national median (for buildings not eligible for ENERGY STAR energy performance rating |
Points |
| 21 |
1 |
| 23 |
2 |
| 24 |
3 |
| 25 |
4 |
| 26 |
5 |
| 27 |
6 |
| 28 |
7 |
| 29 |
8 |
| 30 |
9 |
| 31 |
10 |
| 32 |
11 |
| 33 |
12 |
| 35 |
13 |
| 37 |
14 |
| 39 |
15 |
| 41 |
16 |
| 43 |
17 |
| 45 |
18 |
Pilot Alternative Compliance Path Available
This credit has an alternative compliance path available for the use of ISO 50001: Energy Management Systems. For more information see Pilot ACP 86: LEED 2009 EBOM ACPs for ISO 50001.
XX%
Upgrade to LEEDuser Premium to see how many projects achieved this credit. Try it free »
Got the gist of EAc1 but not sure how to actually achieve it? LEEDuser gives step-by-step help. Premium members get:
- Checklists covering all the key action steps you'll need to earn the credit.
- Hot tips to give you shortcuts and avoid pitfalls.
- Cost tips to assess what a credit will actually cost, and how to make it affordable.
- Ideas for going beyond LEED with best practices.
- All checklists organized by project phase.
- On-the-fly suggestions of useful items from the Documentation Toolkit and Credit Language.
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.
LEEDuser expert
Michael Opitz
Cadmus Group
Director, Energy Conservation Services