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LEED v4
Homes
Energy and Atmosphere
Annual energy use

LEED CREDIT

Homes-v4 EAc1: Annual energy use 1-29 points

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SPECIAL REPORT

SPECIAL REPORT

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Credit language

USGBC logo

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

Intent

To improve the home’s overall energy performance and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Requirements

Projects with major energy users not included in the HERS Index, including pools, spas, heated driveways, and heated garages, or other major energy users not included in the HERS index must use Option 1.

Option 1. LEED Energy Budget
Design and construct a building whose modeled annual energy usage is lower than the LEED energy budget. The LEED energy budget is based on the ENERGY STAR for Homes, HERS Index Target Procedure for National Program Requirements, version 3, with the following modifications:
  • The size adjustment factor is always 1.
  • The building is a slab-on-grade ranch whose floor area is equal to the ENERGY STAR reference home’s conditioned floor area.
  • There are no floors over unconditioned spaces.
  • The gross exterior wall area is as shown in Table 1.
  • There are two exterior half-lite doors, unshaded, one on the south wall, one on the west wall.
  • Glazing is 15% of the floor area.
  • The ceiling is insulated, and its gross area equals the conditioned floor area.
  • The storage water heater has an energy factor of 0.59 for gas, 0.92 for electric.
  • The thermal distribution system is 100% in the attic, above insulation.
  • The LEED energy budget shall be displayed in MBtu/year, and is based on source energy.
  • Any major energy users not covered by the energy model, including heated driveways, pools, spas, and heated garages, must be added to the annual energy consumption of the Rated Home.
Table 1. Exterior wall area of LEED reference home, by number of bedrooms

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 or more

Area (square feet)

1,300

1,667

1,957

2,200

2,411

2,600

2,773

+ 150 ft2 per additional bedroom

Area (square meters)

120

154

181

204

223

241

257

+ 14 square meters per additional bedroom
Individual units in multifamily buildings are compared to the LEED Reference Homes. Points are awarded according to Table 2.
Table 2. Points for reducing energy usage below LEED energy budget
Percentage reduction Points
1% 1
2% 2
3% 3
4% 4
5% 5
6% 6
7% 7
8% 8
9% 9
10% 10
12% 11
14% 12
16% 13
18% 14
20% 15
22% 16
24% 17
26% 18
28% 19
30% 20
32% 21
34% 22
37% 23
40% 24
50% 25
60% 26
70% 27
80% 28
90% 29

OR

Option 2. HERS Index with Home Size Adjuster
Design and construct a home whose modeled annual energy usage achieves a HERS index rating of 70 or better (or USGBC-approved equivalent for projects outside the U.S.). Points are awarded according to Table 3.
Table 3. Points for achieving HERS index ratings
HERS index Points
70 5
69 6
68 7
67 8
66 9
65 10
64 11
63 12
62 13
60 14
58 15
56 16
54 17
52 18
50 19
45 20
40 21
35 22
30 23
25 24
20 25
15 26
10 27
5 28
0 29
AND Earn 1 point for every 4% decrease in conditioned floor area compared with the ENERGY STAR for Homes, version 3, reference home (Table 4). Buildings that are larger than the reference home lose 1 point for every 4% increase in conditioned floor area. Projects cannot exceed the maximum number of points in the EA section.
Table 4. Conditioned floor area of reference home, by number of bedrooms

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 or more

Floor area (square feet)

1,000

1,600

2,200

2,800

3,400

4,000

4,600

+ 600 ft2 per additional bedroom

Floor area (square meters)

93

148

204

260

315

371

426

+ 55.6 square meters per additional bedroom
For multifamily buildings, home size includes only in-unit space.
Credit only available for projects using the EA performance path
North America ACP: Passive House US
LEED v4 Homes projects that earn the Passive House US (PHIUS) certificate may automatically earn 20 points in LEED v4 Homes EA Credit Annual Energy Use. See all forum discussions about this credit »

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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.

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USGBC logo

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

Intent

To improve the home’s overall energy performance and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Requirements

Projects with major energy users not included in the HERS Index, including pools, spas, heated driveways, and heated garages, or other major energy users not included in the HERS index must use Option 1.

Option 1. LEED Energy Budget
Design and construct a building whose modeled annual energy usage is lower than the LEED energy budget. The LEED energy budget is based on the ENERGY STAR for Homes, HERS Index Target Procedure for National Program Requirements, version 3, with the following modifications:
  • The size adjustment factor is always 1.
  • The building is a slab-on-grade ranch whose floor area is equal to the ENERGY STAR reference home’s conditioned floor area.
  • There are no floors over unconditioned spaces.
  • The gross exterior wall area is as shown in Table 1.
  • There are two exterior half-lite doors, unshaded, one on the south wall, one on the west wall.
  • Glazing is 15% of the floor area.
  • The ceiling is insulated, and its gross area equals the conditioned floor area.
  • The storage water heater has an energy factor of 0.59 for gas, 0.92 for electric.
  • The thermal distribution system is 100% in the attic, above insulation.
  • The LEED energy budget shall be displayed in MBtu/year, and is based on source energy.
  • Any major energy users not covered by the energy model, including heated driveways, pools, spas, and heated garages, must be added to the annual energy consumption of the Rated Home.
Table 1. Exterior wall area of LEED reference home, by number of bedrooms

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 or more

Area (square feet)

1,300

1,667

1,957

2,200

2,411

2,600

2,773

+ 150 ft2 per additional bedroom

Area (square meters)

120

154

181

204

223

241

257

+ 14 square meters per additional bedroom
Individual units in multifamily buildings are compared to the LEED Reference Homes. Points are awarded according to Table 2.
Table 2. Points for reducing energy usage below LEED energy budget
Percentage reduction Points
1% 1
2% 2
3% 3
4% 4
5% 5
6% 6
7% 7
8% 8
9% 9
10% 10
12% 11
14% 12
16% 13
18% 14
20% 15
22% 16
24% 17
26% 18
28% 19
30% 20
32% 21
34% 22
37% 23
40% 24
50% 25
60% 26
70% 27
80% 28
90% 29

OR

Option 2. HERS Index with Home Size Adjuster
Design and construct a home whose modeled annual energy usage achieves a HERS index rating of 70 or better (or USGBC-approved equivalent for projects outside the U.S.). Points are awarded according to Table 3.
Table 3. Points for achieving HERS index ratings
HERS index Points
70 5
69 6
68 7
67 8
66 9
65 10
64 11
63 12
62 13
60 14
58 15
56 16
54 17
52 18
50 19
45 20
40 21
35 22
30 23
25 24
20 25
15 26
10 27
5 28
0 29
AND Earn 1 point for every 4% decrease in conditioned floor area compared with the ENERGY STAR for Homes, version 3, reference home (Table 4). Buildings that are larger than the reference home lose 1 point for every 4% increase in conditioned floor area. Projects cannot exceed the maximum number of points in the EA section.
Table 4. Conditioned floor area of reference home, by number of bedrooms

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 or more

Floor area (square feet)

1,000

1,600

2,200

2,800

3,400

4,000

4,600

+ 600 ft2 per additional bedroom

Floor area (square meters)

93

148

204

260

315

371

426

+ 55.6 square meters per additional bedroom
For multifamily buildings, home size includes only in-unit space.
Credit only available for projects using the EA performance path
North America ACP: Passive House US
LEED v4 Homes projects that earn the Passive House US (PHIUS) certificate may automatically earn 20 points in LEED v4 Homes EA Credit Annual Energy Use.
See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Subscribe to new discussions about Homes-v4 EAc1