SPECIAL REPORT
LEEDuser expert
Ben Stanley
WSP - Built Ecology
Senior Sustainability Manager
SPECIAL REPORT
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.
Requirements
Establishment
None.Performance
Demonstrate increased energy efficiency or efficiency improvement beyond EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance as described below. Each building must provide actual metered energy data. A full 12 months of continuous energy data is required.Case 1. ENERGY STAR Rating (3–20 points)
For buildings eligible to receive an energy performance rating using the EPA ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager tool, points are awarded for ENERGY STAR scores above 75, according to Table 1. For projects outside the U.S., consult ASHRAE/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1–2010, Appendixes B and D, to determine the appropriate climate zone.Table 1. Points for ENERGY STAR performance ratings
ENERGY STAR rating |
Points |
|---|---|
76 |
3 |
77 |
4 |
78 |
5 |
79 |
6 |
80 |
7 |
81 |
8 |
82 |
9 |
83 |
10 |
84 |
11 |
85 |
12 |
86 |
13 |
87 |
14 |
88 |
15 |
89 |
16 |
90 |
17 |
91 |
18 |
93 |
19 |
95 |
20 |
Case 2. Projects not eligible for ENERGY STAR Rating
Projects not eligible to use EPA’s rating system may compare their buildings’ energy performance with that of comparable buildings, using national averages or actual buildings, or with the previous performance of the project building.Option 1. Benchmark against typical buildings (1–20 points)
Path 1. National average data available (1–20 points)
Demonstrate energy efficiency performance that is at least 26% better than the median energy performance for typical buildings of similar type by benchmarking against national average source energy data provided in the Portfolio Manager tool. Points are awarded according to Table 2.Table 2. Points for percentage improvement over national average (Option 1, Path 1) or comparable buildings and historical data (Option 3)
Percentage improvement |
Points |
|---|---|
26 |
1 |
27 |
2 |
28 |
3 |
29 |
4 |
30 |
5 |
31 |
6 |
32 |
7 |
33 |
8 |
34 |
9 |
35 |
10 |
36 |
11 |
37 |
12 |
38 |
13 |
39 |
14 |
40 |
15 |
41 |
16 |
42 |
17 |
43 |
18 |
44 |
19 |
45 |
20 |
Path 2. National Average Data Not Available (2–14 points)
If national average source energy data are unavailable for buildings of similar type, benchmark against the building site energy data of at least three similar buildings, normalized for climate, building use, and occupancy. Points are awarded according to Table 3.OR
Option 2. Benchmark against historical data
If national average source energy data are unavailable, compare the building’s site energy data for the previous 12 months with the data from three contiguous years of the previous five, normalized for climate, building use, and occupancy. Use Table 3 to determine points.Table 3. Points for percentage improvement over comparable buildings (Option 1, Path 2) or historical data (Option 2)
Percentage improvement |
Points |
|---|---|
27 |
2 |
30 |
4 |
33 |
6 |
36 |
8 |
39 |
10 |
42 |
12 |
45 |
14 |
Option 3. Benchmark against both similar buildings and historical data
Follow the requirements of both Option 1, Path 2, and Option 2 to benchmark against the site energy data for the three similar buildings and the building’s historic data. Use Table 2 to determine points.Pilot Credits Available
The following pilots are available as an alternative to the requirements listed above: EApc67: Energy JumpstartWhat 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
Is it possible to apply estimated energy consumption for a portion of the building or performance period?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.) |
Addenda
As stated on the ENERGY STAR website (https://www.energystar.gov/buildings/facility-owners-managers/existing-b...), the EPA is in the process of updating the Portfolio Manager tool to incorporate CBECS data from the results of the 2012 survey. At this time, EPA will also update: source energy conversion factors used in all ENERGY STAR score models; the underlying ENERGY STAR models for a number of property types; and benchmarking options for data centers. The EPA has indicated that there is no way to forecast the change in score for any particular property or property type. Is there an alternative approach project teams registered to pursue certification under LEED EB O+M v2009 and v4 can take in order to not be penalized by these updates under EA prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance and EA credit Optimize Energy Performance?
Projects meeting the requirements below may optionally assess performance of EA prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance and EA credit Optimize Energy Performance based on the current Portfolio Manager tool and the performance of the building prior to the August 2018 updates. In order to pursue this approach, project teams must download the necessary documentation from Portfolio Manager (e.g., Data Verification Checklist, proof of weather normalized source EUI, etc.) before the updates go into effect (scheduled for August 2018). After the update, previous scores, including all historical scores, will no longer be accessible.
This approach is available to projects that started the last 12-months of the initial certification or recertification performance period prior to the date that Portfolio Manager was temporarily shut down to incorporate the planned updates (scheduled for August 2018), meaning that the project’s certification performance period ends on or before August 2019.
• For buildings eligible to receive an ENERGY STAR score, performance is determined based on the ENERGY STAR score achieved prior to the August, 2018 updates. The ENERGY STAR score must be demonstrated through information printed from Portfolio Manager prior to the updates (e.g., Data Verification Checklist).
• For buildings not eligible to receive an ENERGY STAR score under LEED EB O+M v2009, performance is determined based on the weather-normalized source EUI achieved prior to the August 2018 updates compared to the national average source EUI data provided in the current EAp2/EAc1 Case 2 Calculator for v2009 projects. The project’s weather-normalized source EUI must be demonstrated through information printed from Portfolio Manager prior to the updates: a screen shot from the Portfolio Manager website documenting the weather normalized source EUI value; or a custom output report including the weather-normalized source EUI). This information, along with the Data Verification Checklist and Case 2 Calculator, is required.
• For buildings not eligible to receive an ENERGY STAR score under LEED O+M v4, performance is determined based on the weather-normalized source EUI achieved prior to the August 2018 updates compared to the national median source EUI data provided in the Portfolio Manager tool. The Data Verification Checklist documenting the “% Diff from National Median Source EUI" is sufficient to document performance.
• In all cases, the 12-month energy performance period used for this allowance must end within the 60 days prior to the scheduled update. All space attributes (floor area, space types, occupancy, etc.) must be up to date and accurate at the time.
• Sufficient information that aligns with the 12-month performance period used for this allowance must be provided. If information for the 12-month performance period used for this allowance differs from that for the remainder of the submittal (i.e., number of workers, operating hours, changes in space use such as vacancy and space type, etc.) a narrative justifying these differences must be provided.
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Establishment
None.Performance
Demonstrate increased energy efficiency or efficiency improvement beyond EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance as described below. Each building must provide actual metered energy data. A full 12 months of continuous energy data is required.Case 1. ENERGY STAR Rating (3–20 points)
For buildings eligible to receive an energy performance rating using the EPA ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager tool, points are awarded for ENERGY STAR scores above 75, according to Table 1. For projects outside the U.S., consult ASHRAE/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1–2010, Appendixes B and D, to determine the appropriate climate zone.Table 1. Points for ENERGY STAR performance ratings
ENERGY STAR rating |
Points |
|---|---|
76 |
3 |
77 |
4 |
78 |
5 |
79 |
6 |
80 |
7 |
81 |
8 |
82 |
9 |
83 |
10 |
84 |
11 |
85 |
12 |
86 |
13 |
87 |
14 |
88 |
15 |
89 |
16 |
90 |
17 |
91 |
18 |
93 |
19 |
95 |
20 |
Case 2. Projects not eligible for ENERGY STAR Rating
Projects not eligible to use EPA’s rating system may compare their buildings’ energy performance with that of comparable buildings, using national averages or actual buildings, or with the previous performance of the project building.Option 1. Benchmark against typical buildings (1–20 points)
Path 1. National average data available (1–20 points)
Demonstrate energy efficiency performance that is at least 26% better than the median energy performance for typical buildings of similar type by benchmarking against national average source energy data provided in the Portfolio Manager tool. Points are awarded according to Table 2.Table 2. Points for percentage improvement over national average (Option 1, Path 1) or comparable buildings and historical data (Option 3)
Percentage improvement |
Points |
|---|---|
26 |
1 |
27 |
2 |
28 |
3 |
29 |
4 |
30 |
5 |
31 |
6 |
32 |
7 |
33 |
8 |
34 |
9 |
35 |
10 |
36 |
11 |
37 |
12 |
38 |
13 |
39 |
14 |
40 |
15 |
41 |
16 |
42 |
17 |
43 |
18 |
44 |
19 |
45 |
20 |
Path 2. National Average Data Not Available (2–14 points)
If national average source energy data are unavailable for buildings of similar type, benchmark against the building site energy data of at least three similar buildings, normalized for climate, building use, and occupancy. Points are awarded according to Table 3.OR
Option 2. Benchmark against historical data
If national average source energy data are unavailable, compare the building’s site energy data for the previous 12 months with the data from three contiguous years of the previous five, normalized for climate, building use, and occupancy. Use Table 3 to determine points.Table 3. Points for percentage improvement over comparable buildings (Option 1, Path 2) or historical data (Option 2)
Percentage improvement |
Points |
|---|---|
27 |
2 |
30 |
4 |
33 |
6 |
36 |
8 |
39 |
10 |
42 |
12 |
45 |
14 |
Option 3. Benchmark against both similar buildings and historical data
Follow the requirements of both Option 1, Path 2, and Option 2 to benchmark against the site energy data for the three similar buildings and the building’s historic data. Use Table 2 to determine points.Pilot Credits Available
The following pilots are available as an alternative to the requirements listed above: EApc67: Energy JumpstartCost 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.
Is it possible to apply estimated energy consumption for a portion of the building or performance period?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.) |
As stated on the ENERGY STAR website (https://www.energystar.gov/buildings/facility-owners-managers/existing-b...), the EPA is in the process of updating the Portfolio Manager tool to incorporate CBECS data from the results of the 2012 survey. At this time, EPA will also update: source energy conversion factors used in all ENERGY STAR score models; the underlying ENERGY STAR models for a number of property types; and benchmarking options for data centers. The EPA has indicated that there is no way to forecast the change in score for any particular property or property type. Is there an alternative approach project teams registered to pursue certification under LEED EB O+M v2009 and v4 can take in order to not be penalized by these updates under EA prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance and EA credit Optimize Energy Performance?
Projects meeting the requirements below may optionally assess performance of EA prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance and EA credit Optimize Energy Performance based on the current Portfolio Manager tool and the performance of the building prior to the August 2018 updates. In order to pursue this approach, project teams must download the necessary documentation from Portfolio Manager (e.g., Data Verification Checklist, proof of weather normalized source EUI, etc.) before the updates go into effect (scheduled for August 2018). After the update, previous scores, including all historical scores, will no longer be accessible.
This approach is available to projects that started the last 12-months of the initial certification or recertification performance period prior to the date that Portfolio Manager was temporarily shut down to incorporate the planned updates (scheduled for August 2018), meaning that the project’s certification performance period ends on or before August 2019.
• For buildings eligible to receive an ENERGY STAR score, performance is determined based on the ENERGY STAR score achieved prior to the August, 2018 updates. The ENERGY STAR score must be demonstrated through information printed from Portfolio Manager prior to the updates (e.g., Data Verification Checklist).
• For buildings not eligible to receive an ENERGY STAR score under LEED EB O+M v2009, performance is determined based on the weather-normalized source EUI achieved prior to the August 2018 updates compared to the national average source EUI data provided in the current EAp2/EAc1 Case 2 Calculator for v2009 projects. The project’s weather-normalized source EUI must be demonstrated through information printed from Portfolio Manager prior to the updates: a screen shot from the Portfolio Manager website documenting the weather normalized source EUI value; or a custom output report including the weather-normalized source EUI). This information, along with the Data Verification Checklist and Case 2 Calculator, is required.
• For buildings not eligible to receive an ENERGY STAR score under LEED O+M v4, performance is determined based on the weather-normalized source EUI achieved prior to the August 2018 updates compared to the national median source EUI data provided in the Portfolio Manager tool. The Data Verification Checklist documenting the “% Diff from National Median Source EUI" is sufficient to document performance.
• In all cases, the 12-month energy performance period used for this allowance must end within the 60 days prior to the scheduled update. All space attributes (floor area, space types, occupancy, etc.) must be up to date and accurate at the time.
• Sufficient information that aligns with the 12-month performance period used for this allowance must be provided. If information for the 12-month performance period used for this allowance differs from that for the remainder of the submittal (i.e., number of workers, operating hours, changes in space use such as vacancy and space type, etc.) a narrative justifying these differences must be provided.
LEEDuser expert
Ben Stanley
WSP - Built Ecology
Senior Sustainability Manager
