NC-v4.1 EAc4: Grid Harmonization 1-2 points

Under Case 3, delete the text: "for a maximum of up to two points" from the third paragraph.

Delete bullet 2 and 4 from the Load Flexibility and Management Strategies

Under Step by Step Guidance, Replace Case 2 with the following:
"Case 2. Demand Response Capable Building
Refer to the LEED v4 reference guide, Case 2. Demand Response Program Not Available, with the following change:

Under the LEED v4.1 update, project eligibility for Case 2 is no longer restricted to applications where a demand response program is not available. However, the project team must still contact the utility service provider to discuss potential participation in a current or future DR program."

Revise language under Step 3 to read as:
"Implement one or both of the strategies identified during step 2.
Eligible strategies include peak load optimization achieved by reducing on-peak load by at least 10% compared to peak electrical demand, or installation of on-site thermal energy storage for heating and cooling and/or electricity storage capable of reducing on-peak load by at least 10% as compared to peak electrical demand. On-site storage enables the building to store energy and use it during peak demand times, increasing annual energy savings and reducing strain on the grid.

Under Further Explanation, delete the Load Flexibility and Management Strategies section

Revise Peak Demand Reduction section title to "On-site Thermal and/or Electricity Storage" and revise the paragraph under it to: "The reference case for demonstrating peak demand reduction via the On-site thermal and/or electricity storage strategy is the Proposed design from the Optimize Energy Performance energy model without the thermal and/or electricity storage strategy in place.

Delete the "Flexible Operating Scenarios" and "Grid Resilience Technologies" sections.

Revise the second sentence in the Single Strategy, Multiple Points section to read as: "For example, a set of demand reduction strategies used to achieve Case 2. Demand Response Capable Building may also meet the criteria for Case 3. Load Flexibility and Management Strategies for Peak Load Optimization.

Revise Exemplary Performance to read as: "Achieve Case 1 with the capability for at least a 20% peak demand savings, or achieve at least three points under Case 1 and Case 3, or achieve at least three points under Case 2 and Case 3."

EA credit Grid Harmonization:
- revise credit intent to "To increase participation in demand response technologies and programs that make energy generation and distribution systems more affordable and more efficient, increase grid reliability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

Step-by-Step Guidance

1. Case 3. Load Flexibility and Management Strategies - Step 1 Analyze building load shape: In the second sentence, delete "Use", capitalize the t in "The", and add the word "hourly" before "regional grid emissions data"

Further Explanation

2. Insert new section above the "Grid Harmonization" section titled "On-Peak Electricity Demand" and insert the following text:
"On-peak electricity demand can be determined as one of the following for the purposes of credit compliance:
1. Building peak electricity demand
2. Building demand load coinciding with regional grid peak demand
3. Building demand load coinciding with regional grid peak carbon emissions"

3. In the "Grid Harmonization" section:
- In the sentence that begins "Savings to building owners accrue...", replace "increased building resilience" with "increased grid resilience"
- Insert the following text: "There are a number of methods by which projects can comply with the requirement in Case 2 and Case 3 to install equipment capable of responding to an external signal. External signals can be sent from a variety of sources such as the electric utility, the electricity Independent System Operator (ISO), or a third-party automation organization. The signal can be used to indicate specific events such as a critical price peaks, grid reliability events, high grid demand, or high grid GHG emissions factors; or a continuous signal reporting price, reliability, GHG emissions, or other factors. This equipment may be part of a building automation system, stand-alone equipment, or equipment that is directly integrated with the building system(s) used to achieve the credit, e.g. a packaged rooftop HVAC system."

4. Insert new section after the "Grid Harmonization" section titled "Load Flexibility and Management Strategies" and insert the following text:
"The reference case for demonstrating peak demand reduction via the Flexible Operating Scenarios strategy and the On-site thermal and/or electricity storage strategy is the Proposed design from the Optimize Energy Performance energy model without the peak demand reduction strategy in place."

5. Insert new section after the new "Load Flexibility and Management Strategies" section titled "Peak Load Optimization" and insert the following text:
"To demonstrate that the peak load optimization strategy reduces on-peak load by at least 10% as compared to peak electrical demand, the baseline should be referenced to the ASHRAE 90.1-2016 compliant case. The “Performance Demand Index Target” and “Performance Demand Index” shall be calculated using the same methodology as the PCIT and PCI calculated per ASHRAE 90.1-2016 Appendix G:
Performance Demand Index Target = [Baseline Building Unregulated Electric Demand + (BPF x Baseline Building Regulated Electric Demand)] / Baseline Building Demand

For example, if the ASHRAE 90.1-2016 Building Performance Factor is 0.58, the Baseline regulated demand is 75 kW, and the Baseline unregulated demand is 25 kW for an Office building in climate zone 4A, the Performance Demand Index Target would be calculated as:

Performance Demand Index Target = [25 + (0.58 x 75)]/(25+75) = 0.69

The proposed demand would need to show a 10% improvement beyond this Performance Demand Target. Therefore, for this application:
Proposed demand
In cases where the proposed case incorporates electrification of space heating and/or service water heating compared to the baseline case, project teams have two options for demonstrating peak load optimization:
 If able to demonstrate 10% on-peak load reduction with fuel switching, the project team may complete the calculation without applying corrections to the baseline.
 If unable to demonstrate 10% on-peak load reduction with fuel switching, the project team may increase the baseline building demand by the baseline case fossil fuel heating and service water heating demand divided by 2.0."

6. Insert new section after the new "Peak Load Optimization" section titled "Peak Demand Reduction" and insert the following text:
"The reference case for demonstrating peak demand reduction via the Flexible Operating Scenarios strategy and the On-site thermal and/or electricity storage strategy is the Proposed design from the Optimize Energy Performance energy model without the peak demand reduction strategy in place."

7. Insert new section after the new "Peak Demand Reduction" section titled "Flexible Operating Scenarios" and insert the following text:
"A flexible operating scenario is a strategy that changes a building’s operational schedule in order to reduce peak electricity demand and strain on the grid. Examples of strategies eligible for credit may include:
 Operational changes such as Flexible Work arrangements that are designed to reduce office occupancy during peak operation,
 Shifting laundry hours in a building with high laundry demand to off-peak operation;
 In a manufacturing facility, moving demand-intensive activities to a night shift when demand on the grid is lower."

8. Insert new section after the new "Flexible Operating Scenarios" section titled "Grid Resilience Technologies" and insert the following text:
"This strategy rewards grid islanding or other similar microgrid capability of the LEED project. In some locations, utilities implement Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events, shutting off power due to the potential for natural disasters such as forest fires. A LEED project’s islanding capability provides resiliency if the grid should go down or power quality is compromised from the grid.

To document grid resilience technologies, the project must provide confirmation of the building’s islanding capability in the event the grid goes offline. Islanding capability must come from renewable power and storage systems; fossil fuel power systems such as gas generators or co-generation systems do not quality for this strategy.

Alternatively, the project may provide documentation confirming participation in a utility resilience plan that is currently in place, e.g. documentation confirms that the project is connected to a microgrid that has been operationalized as part of a utility’s natural disaster mitigation plan. Utility resilience programs and commitments that are planned to be implemented in the future do not qualify for credit."

9. Insert new section after the new "Grid Resilience Technologies" section titled "Single Strategy, Multiple Points" and insert the following text:
"In some cases, a single design or operational strategy may meet the criteria for more than one strategy. For example, under Case 3. Load Flexibility and Management Strategies, a thermal energy storage system may meet the criteria for On-site thermal and/or electric storage and Peak Load Optimization. Similarly, a set of demand reduction strategies used to achieve Case 2. Demand Response Capable Building may also meet the criteria for Case 3. Load Flexibility and Management Strategies for Peak Load Optimization."

10. Insert new section "Project Type Variations" and insert the following text:
"District Energy Systems
When district energy is modeled for credit in EA credit Optimize Energy Performance, the district energy system (DES) electric demand modeled there must be included in the total demand reported for this credit. When the DES system is included in the EA credit Optimize Energy Performance model, grid harmonization strategies applied to the DES system may be used to document achievement at the building level.

The interval recording meter and building automation system communications may be located in the DES – and not in the building – if strategies in the DES are used to demonstrate full achievement of the credit requirements at the building level."

Grid Harmonization
"Exemplary Performance:
Achieve Case 1 and earn at least 1 point under Case 3 by implementing an eligible load flexibility and management strategy."