Under Requirements, Option 3. Pressure Balancing, replace “difference of more than 3 Pa” with “difference of less than 3 Pa”
LEEDuser’s viewpoint
Explore this LEED credit
Post your questions on this credit in the forum, and click on the credit language tab to review to the LEED requirements.
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Case 1. Forced-Air Systems
Option 1. Multiple Zones (1 point)
Install a system with at least two space-conditioning zones with independent thermostatic controls. In houses with both a heating system and a cooling system, each must have at least two zones. Single-family houses with less than 800 square feet (74 square meters) of conditioned floor area and multifamily buildings whose average unit size is less than 1,200 square feet (110 square meters) automatically meet the requirements of this credit.AND/OR
Option 2. Supply Air-Flow Testing (1 point)
Have the total supply air-flow rates in each room tested using a flow hood with doors closed, or another acceptable method, per RESNET or ACCA Quality Installation Specifications. Supply air-flow rates must be within +/- 20% (or +/- 25 cfm or 11 lps) of calculated values from ACCA Manual J. Test multirate or multispeed HVAC systems at the rate for which they were designed. Supply air-flow requirements must meet the higher of the cooling or heating designed air flow for each room. Ductless systems qualify for this credit.Option 3. Pressure Balancing (1 point)
For each bedroom, demonstrate a pressure difference of less than 3 Pa (0.012 inch w.c.) with respect to the main body of the house when doors are closed and the air handler is operating on highest speed.Case 2. Radiative Systems
Option 1. Multiple Zones (1 point)
Install an HVAC system with at least two zones with independent thermostat controls. Each zone must have a separate loop and separate pump controlled automatically by a thermostat control. For HVAC systems with radiators, see Option 2. Houses with less than 800 square feet (74 square meters) of conditioned floor area and multifamily buildings whose average unit size is less than 1,200 square feet (110 square meters) automatically meet the requirements of this credit.AND/OR
Option 2. Room-by-Room Controls (2 points)
Design the HVAC system with room-by-room thermostatic controls, such as flow-control valves on every radiator.
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
See all forum discussions about this credit »Addenda
10/5/2018 – Updated: 10/5/2018
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/2/2017 – Updated: 10/20/2017
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Remove 9 instances of references to qualified energy rater in LEED v4 Homes and Midrise rating system requirements, as indicated below.
(Instances 1 and 2) EA PREREQUISITE: MINIMUM ENERGY PERFORMANCE (MIDRISE), Option 2. Commissioning using Prescriptive Path:
Requirement 1. Reduced Heating and Cooling Distribution System Losses for In-unit HVAC: remove the phrase "verified by a qualified energy rater." at the end of the second sentence under 1.
Requirement 4. Multifamily Midrise Thermal Enclosure Inspection Checklist: replace the first sentence under 2 with the following text: "Inspect and verify each item on the checklist."
(Instance 3 & 4 ) EA CREDIT: AIR INFILTRATION (HOMES): Delete sentence in both Case 1 and Case 2 "The rate of air leakage to outside must be tested and verified by a qualified energy rater" from credit language.
Instance 5) EA CREDIT: ENVELOPE INSULATION (HOMES): Delete sentence "Installation must be verified by a qualified energy rater conducting a pre-drywall thermal enclosure inspection" from credit language.
(Instance 6 and 7) EA CREDIT: HEATING AND COOLING DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
Option 2. Ductwork in Unconditioned Space: Delete the phrase ", verified by the qualified energy rater." after the sentence that begins with "for each installed system" under requirements for both Large Homes or Multifamily Units and under requirements for Small Homes or Multifamily Units.
(Instances 8 and 9) EQ CREDIT: BALANCING HEATING AND COOLING DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
Option 2. Supply Air-Flow Testing: Delete the phrase "by a qualified energy rater" from the sentence that begins "Have the total supply air-flow rates in each room tested ."
Option 3. Pressure Balancing: Delete the sentence "The testing must be verified by a qualified energy rater."
(Instances 1 and 2) EA PREREQUISITE: MINIMUM ENERGY PERFORMANCE (MIDRISE), Option 2. Commissioning using Prescriptive Path:
Requirement 1. Reduced Heating and Cooling Distribution System Losses for In-unit HVAC: remove the phrase "verified by a qualified energy rater." at the end of the second sentence under 1.
Requirement 4. Multifamily Midrise Thermal Enclosure Inspection Checklist: replace the first sentence under 2 with the following text: "Inspect and verify each item on the checklist."
(Instance 3 & 4 ) EA CREDIT: AIR INFILTRATION (HOMES): Delete sentence in both Case 1 and Case 2 "The rate of air leakage to outside must be tested and verified by a qualified energy rater" from credit language.
Instance 5) EA CREDIT: ENVELOPE INSULATION (HOMES): Delete sentence "Installation must be verified by a qualified energy rater conducting a pre-drywall thermal enclosure inspection" from credit language.
(Instance 6 and 7) EA CREDIT: HEATING AND COOLING DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
Option 2. Ductwork in Unconditioned Space: Delete the phrase ", verified by the qualified energy rater." after the sentence that begins with "for each installed system" under requirements for both Large Homes or Multifamily Units and under requirements for Small Homes or Multifamily Units.
(Instances 8 and 9) EQ CREDIT: BALANCING HEATING AND COOLING DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
Option 2. Supply Air-Flow Testing: Delete the phrase "by a qualified energy rater" from the sentence that begins "Have the total supply air-flow rates in each room tested ."
Option 3. Pressure Balancing: Delete the sentence "The testing must be verified by a qualified energy rater."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
4/5/2016
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
Will USGBC allow projects located in mild climates that do not install heating and cooling systems to use the prescriptive path in EA?
Ruling:
LEED for Homes projects in mild climates that do not install mechanical heating and cooling may use the prescriptive Energy & Atmosphere (EA) pathway for scoring, as well as automatically earn heating and cooling related credits. In addition, they do not need to contract with an energy rater.
In order to use this approach, projects must:
1) Be located in a mild climate, defined as those where each mean monthly temperatures falls within 21 degree C and 27 degree C, and
2) Not install a heating or cooling system, and
3) Use LEED for Homes and Multifamily Lowrise. This approach is not valid for LEED Midrise, and
4) Receive explicit approval from USGBC/GBCI after a formal request is submitted and reviewed. Formal requests must be submitted to homestechnical@gbci.org and must include information on the mean monthly temperatures and relative humidity of the project’s location, as well as details on the project, such as size, envelope features, and ventilation strategy.
If a project is approved, the Energy & Atmosphere prescriptive pathway may be used, and EA prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance is automatically met.
Points within EA HVAC Start-Up Credentialing, EA Building Orientation for Passive Solar, EA Air Infiltration, EA Envelope Insulation, EA Windows, EA Space Heating & Cooling Equipment, and EA Heating & Cooling Distribution Systems may be awarded automatically, with the following limitation:
The number of points awarded in the above credits cannot exceed the number of points earned and awarded in EA Efficient Hot Water Distribution System, EA Advanced Utility Tracking, EA Efficient Domestic Hot Water Equipment, EA Lighting, EA High-Efficiency Appliances, and EA Renewable Energy. For example, if a project earns 7 points in the non-space conditioning related EA credits (such as Efficient Hot Water Distribution System, Lighting, and High-Efficiency Appliances), they are awarded 7 additional points total in the space conditioning credits – for a total of 14 points in the EA category.
In Indoor Environmental Quality, projects may automatically earn 3 points in EQ Balancing of Heating & Cooling Distribution Systems.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
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.
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Case 1. Forced-Air Systems
Option 1. Multiple Zones (1 point)
Install a system with at least two space-conditioning zones with independent thermostatic controls. In houses with both a heating system and a cooling system, each must have at least two zones. Single-family houses with less than 800 square feet (74 square meters) of conditioned floor area and multifamily buildings whose average unit size is less than 1,200 square feet (110 square meters) automatically meet the requirements of this credit.AND/OR
Option 2. Supply Air-Flow Testing (1 point)
Have the total supply air-flow rates in each room tested using a flow hood with doors closed, or another acceptable method, per RESNET or ACCA Quality Installation Specifications. Supply air-flow rates must be within +/- 20% (or +/- 25 cfm or 11 lps) of calculated values from ACCA Manual J. Test multirate or multispeed HVAC systems at the rate for which they were designed. Supply air-flow requirements must meet the higher of the cooling or heating designed air flow for each room. Ductless systems qualify for this credit.Option 3. Pressure Balancing (1 point)
For each bedroom, demonstrate a pressure difference of less than 3 Pa (0.012 inch w.c.) with respect to the main body of the house when doors are closed and the air handler is operating on highest speed.Case 2. Radiative Systems
Option 1. Multiple Zones (1 point)
Install an HVAC system with at least two zones with independent thermostat controls. Each zone must have a separate loop and separate pump controlled automatically by a thermostat control. For HVAC systems with radiators, see Option 2. Houses with less than 800 square feet (74 square meters) of conditioned floor area and multifamily buildings whose average unit size is less than 1,200 square feet (110 square meters) automatically meet the requirements of this credit.AND/OR
