"Also input your weighted occupancy, weighted operating hours, and gross floor area (see How it Works step 4. Get started) via the USGBC calculator."
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To support energy management and reduce environmental and economic harms associated with excessive energy use by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving higher levels of operating energy performance.
Requirements
Have permanently installed energy meters or submeters that measure total building energy consumption (electricity, natural gas, chilled water, steam, fuel oil, propane, etc). Utility-owned meters capable of aggregating total project energy use are acceptable.
For Interiors projects, have permanently installed sub-meters that measure all electricity and fossil fuels for equipment within the project scope. Alternately, interiors projects may pro-rate energy use, using occupancy and base building energy use over twelve consecutive months.
Calibrate meters within the manufacturer’s recommended interval if the project owner, management organization, or tenant owns the meter. Meters owned by third parties (e.g., utilities or governments) are exempt.
Measure the project’s energy use on a monthly basis for twelve consecutive months (one full year). Use the twelve months of energy use data to obtain an energy performance score.
LEED points are based on project energy performance across two metrics: greenhouse gas emissions and source energy. For each metric, obtain a minimum performance score of 40 and associated minimum points in order to meet the prerequisite.
Table 1. LEED Points for GHG Emissions Score
GHG Emissions Score | LEED Points |
---|---|
40 (Required) | 6.5 (Required) |
41 | 7 |
44 | 7.5 |
47 | 8 |
50 | 8.5 |
54 | 9 |
57 | 9.5 |
60 | 10 |
63 | 10.5 |
66 | 11 |
69 | 11.5 |
72 | 12 |
75 | 12.5 |
78 | 13 |
81 | 13.5 |
84 | 14 |
87 | 14.5 |
90 | 15 |
93 | 15.5 |
96 | 16 |
99 | 16.5 |
AND
Table 2. LEED Points for Source Energy Score
Source Energy Score | LEED Points |
---|---|
40 (Required) | 6.5 (Required) |
41 | 7 |
44 | 7.5 |
47 | 8 |
50 | 8.5 |
54 | 9 |
57 | 9.5 |
60 | 10 |
63 | 10.5 |
66 | 11 |
69 | 11.5 |
72 | 12 |
75 | 12.5 |
78 | 13 |
81 | 13.5 |
84 | 14 |
87 | 14.5 |
90 | 15 |
93 | 15.5 |
96 | 16 |
99 | 16.5 |
LEED points are calculated based on the project score for each metric; the GHG emissions score and source energy score are each weighted 50% of the energy performance score. LEED points are rounded up to the nearest whole number and awarded according to Table 3.
Table 3. LEED Points for Energy Performance Score
Energy Performance Score | LEED Points |
---|---|
40 (Required) | 13 (Required) |
41 | 14 |
44 | 15 |
47 | 16 |
50 | 17 |
54 | 18 |
57 | 19 |
60 | 20 |
63 | 21 |
66 | 22 |
69 | 23 |
72 | 24 |
75 | 25 |
78 | 26 |
81 | 27 |
84 | 28 |
87 | 29 |
90 | 30 |
93 | 31 |
96 | 32 |
99 | 33 |
GHG Emissions Score:
The GHG emissions score rates the building’s total greenhouse gas emissions against the total greenhouse gas emissions of comparable high-performing buildings.
The score is a value from 1-100 based on the project’s GHG emissions per occupant and GHG emissions per floor area.
GHG Emissions Score calculation
To calculate a GHG emissions score, the following data is required:
- Annual Energy consumption (kBtu), with monthly or daily totals and distinguished by fuel type
- Gross floor area (sq. ft. or sq. m.)
- Weighted occupancy
- Weighted operating hours
- Outside air temperature
- Location
The energy consumption is converted into equivalent GHG emissions, using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regional grid mix coefficients for U.S. and Canadian projects, and national grid mix coefficients from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) C02 Emissions from Fuel Combustion 2013 report. The grid mix coefficient values are kept up to date with U.S. EPA and IEA release updates.
This is the Annual Emissions (mTCO2e)
GHG emissions are adjusted for weighted operating hours and outside temperature and converted into daily GHG emissions using Equation 1.
Equation 1: adjusted GHG emissions = (GHG emissions * outside temperature adjustment factor * operating hours adjustment factor) / 365 days
The outside temperature adjustment factor is determined using the following equation.
Equation 2:
The operating hours adjustment factor is determined using Table X. The adjustment factor accounts for typical LEED buildings operations of 50 hours a week.
Table 4. Operating hours adjustment factor
GHG emissions per occupant is calculated by dividing the adjusted GHG emissions by the weighted occupancy
Equation 3. GHG emissions per occupant = adjusted GHG emissions / weighted occupancy
GHG emissions per floor area is calculated by dividing the adjusted GHG emissions by the gross floor area.
Equation 4: GHG emissions per floor area = adjusted GHG emissions / gross floor area
The project’s calculated GHG emissions per occupant and GHG emissions per floor area are input into the energy scoring function for the specific project type.
The energy scoring function was developed using energy consumption data from high-performing buildings. The data set includes LEED buildings that shared their energy consumption data with USGBC as part of the whole-building energy and water usage requirement.
Source Energy Score:
The source energy score rates the building’s total energy consumption against the total energy consumption of comparable high-performing buildings.
The score is a value from 1-100 based on the project’s source energy consumption per occupant and per floor area.
Source Energy Score calculation
To calculate a source energy score, the following data is required:
- Annual Energy consumption, with monthly or daily totals and distinguished by fuel type
- Gross floor area (sq. ft. or sq. m.)
- Weighted occupancy
- Weighted operating hours
- Outside temperature
- Location
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
See all forum discussions about this credit »Addenda
"Also input your weighted occupancy, weighted operating hours, and gross floor area (see How it Works step 4. Get started) via the USGBC calculator."
LT prerequisite Transportation Performance
"Note: at this time, the transportation performance score calculated is only based on one-way, one-day survey information. USGBC is in the process of updating the survey platform and scoring to include two-way one-week information."
EA prerequisite Energy Performance
"Note: at this time, the energy performance score calculated is only based on GHG emissions. USGBC is in the process of updating the scoring to include source energy. In the meantime, projects are eligible to earn up to the full 33 points based GHG emissions score."
EQ prerequisite Indoor Environmental Quality Performance
"Note: at this time, the Human Experience score is calculated as one-third occupant satisfaction score, one-third CO2 score, and one-third TVOC score. USGBC is in the process of updating the scoring to be half occupant satisfaction, one-quarter CO2 score, and one-quarter TVOC score (as specified in the rating system language)."
Documentation toolkit
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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.

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To support energy management and reduce environmental and economic harms associated with excessive energy use by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving higher levels of operating energy performance.
Requirements
Have permanently installed energy meters or submeters that measure total building energy consumption (electricity, natural gas, chilled water, steam, fuel oil, propane, etc). Utility-owned meters capable of aggregating total project energy use are acceptable.
For Interiors projects, have permanently installed sub-meters that measure all electricity and fossil fuels for equipment within the project scope. Alternately, interiors projects may pro-rate energy use, using occupancy and base building energy use over twelve consecutive months.
Calibrate meters within the manufacturer’s recommended interval if the project owner, management organization, or tenant owns the meter. Meters owned by third parties (e.g., utilities or governments) are exempt.
Measure the project’s energy use on a monthly basis for twelve consecutive months (one full year). Use the twelve months of energy use data to obtain an energy performance score.
LEED points are based on project energy performance across two metrics: greenhouse gas emissions and source energy. For each metric, obtain a minimum performance score of 40 and associated minimum points in order to meet the prerequisite.
Table 1. LEED Points for GHG Emissions Score
GHG Emissions Score | LEED Points |
---|---|
40 (Required) | 6.5 (Required) |
41 | 7 |
44 | 7.5 |
47 | 8 |
50 | 8.5 |
54 | 9 |
57 | 9.5 |
60 | 10 |
63 | 10.5 |
66 | 11 |
69 | 11.5 |
72 | 12 |
75 | 12.5 |
78 | 13 |
81 | 13.5 |
84 | 14 |
87 | 14.5 |
90 | 15 |
93 | 15.5 |
96 | 16 |
99 | 16.5 |
AND
Table 2. LEED Points for Source Energy Score
Source Energy Score | LEED Points |
---|---|
40 (Required) | 6.5 (Required) |
41 | 7 |
44 | 7.5 |
47 | 8 |
50 | 8.5 |
54 | 9 |
57 | 9.5 |
60 | 10 |
63 | 10.5 |
66 | 11 |
69 | 11.5 |
72 | 12 |
75 | 12.5 |
78 | 13 |
81 | 13.5 |
84 | 14 |
87 | 14.5 |
90 | 15 |
93 | 15.5 |
96 | 16 |
99 | 16.5 |
LEED points are calculated based on the project score for each metric; the GHG emissions score and source energy score are each weighted 50% of the energy performance score. LEED points are rounded up to the nearest whole number and awarded according to Table 3.
Table 3. LEED Points for Energy Performance Score
Energy Performance Score | LEED Points |
---|---|
40 (Required) | 13 (Required) |
41 | 14 |
44 | 15 |
47 | 16 |
50 | 17 |
54 | 18 |
57 | 19 |
60 | 20 |
63 | 21 |
66 | 22 |
69 | 23 |
72 | 24 |
75 | 25 |
78 | 26 |
81 | 27 |
84 | 28 |
87 | 29 |
90 | 30 |
93 | 31 |
96 | 32 |
99 | 33 |
GHG Emissions Score:
The GHG emissions score rates the building’s total greenhouse gas emissions against the total greenhouse gas emissions of comparable high-performing buildings.
The score is a value from 1-100 based on the project’s GHG emissions per occupant and GHG emissions per floor area.
GHG Emissions Score calculation
To calculate a GHG emissions score, the following data is required:
- Annual Energy consumption (kBtu), with monthly or daily totals and distinguished by fuel type
- Gross floor area (sq. ft. or sq. m.)
- Weighted occupancy
- Weighted operating hours
- Outside air temperature
- Location
The energy consumption is converted into equivalent GHG emissions, using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regional grid mix coefficients for U.S. and Canadian projects, and national grid mix coefficients from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) C02 Emissions from Fuel Combustion 2013 report. The grid mix coefficient values are kept up to date with U.S. EPA and IEA release updates.
This is the Annual Emissions (mTCO2e)
GHG emissions are adjusted for weighted operating hours and outside temperature and converted into daily GHG emissions using Equation 1.
Equation 1: adjusted GHG emissions = (GHG emissions * outside temperature adjustment factor * operating hours adjustment factor) / 365 days
The outside temperature adjustment factor is determined using the following equation.
Equation 2:
The operating hours adjustment factor is determined using Table X. The adjustment factor accounts for typical LEED buildings operations of 50 hours a week.
Table 4. Operating hours adjustment factor
GHG emissions per occupant is calculated by dividing the adjusted GHG emissions by the weighted occupancy
Equation 3. GHG emissions per occupant = adjusted GHG emissions / weighted occupancy
GHG emissions per floor area is calculated by dividing the adjusted GHG emissions by the gross floor area.
Equation 4: GHG emissions per floor area = adjusted GHG emissions / gross floor area
The project’s calculated GHG emissions per occupant and GHG emissions per floor area are input into the energy scoring function for the specific project type.
The energy scoring function was developed using energy consumption data from high-performing buildings. The data set includes LEED buildings that shared their energy consumption data with USGBC as part of the whole-building energy and water usage requirement.
Source Energy Score:
The source energy score rates the building’s total energy consumption against the total energy consumption of comparable high-performing buildings.
The score is a value from 1-100 based on the project’s source energy consumption per occupant and per floor area.
Source Energy Score calculation
To calculate a source energy score, the following data is required:
- Annual Energy consumption, with monthly or daily totals and distinguished by fuel type
- Gross floor area (sq. ft. or sq. m.)
- Weighted occupancy
- Weighted operating hours
- Outside temperature
- Location
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.