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LEED Pilot Credits
LEED Pilot Credit Library
Energy-Related Pilot Credits
Renewable energy - distributed generation

LEED CREDIT

Pilot-Credits EApc56: Renewable energy - distributed generation 1 point

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Aaron Binkley

Digital Realty
Director, Sustainability Programs

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Credit language

USGBC logo

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

Requirements

Obtain structural engineer verification that the design and constructing of the building is capable of supporting planned photovoltaic technologies on the roof.

AND
Enter into a rooftop lease agreement committing to provide renewable, solar energy for distributed generation1that meets the following requirements:

Solar facility capacity

Points

250 kW

 

500 kW

 

1,000 kW

 
The agreement must specify an expected commercial operation date for the solar facility that is within 18 months of building construction completion. Capacity of the solar facility shall be determined by summing the photovoltaic module (PV) power listed on the nameplates of the PV modules in units of watt and then dividing by 1,000 to convert to kilowatt (kW). The PV module power ratings are for Standard Test Conditions (STC) of 1000 W/sq. meters solar irradiance and 25oC PV module temperature. While projects may use electricity from the solar facility, the facility cannot count towards the achievement of EAc2: On-site Renewable Energy (BD&C rating systems) and EAc4 On-site and Off-site Renewable Energy (O&M rating systems). The building is prohibited from receiving or claiming ownership of environmental attributes generated by the on-site renewable energy facility. Environmental attributes shall include, without limitation, any and all carbon credits, renewable energy credits, emissions reductions, reporting rights, offsets and allowances attributable to the electric energy produced by the solar facility. 1Distributed generation is the use of small-scale power generation technologies located close to the load being served. These systems reduce the amount of energy lost in transmitting electricity because the electricity is generated very near where it is used. Distributed generation systems are typically smaller than 10,000 kW. For purposes of this credit, distributed generation systems must deliver power to the utility distribution grid rather than to an individual building. 2As a pilot credit, project teams will earn one point regardless of the threshold achieved. USGBC is indicating multiple thresholds to display the credit’s intended structure.

General Pilot Documentation Requirements

Register for the pilot credit Credits 1-14 Credits 15-27 Credits 28-42 Credits 43-56 Credits 57-67 Credits 68-82 Credits 83--96 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 »

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.

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Aaron Binkley

Digital Realty
Director, Sustainability Programs

Get the inside scoop

Our editors have written a detailed analysis of nearly every LEED credit, and LEEDuser premium members get full access. We’ll tell you whether the credit is easy to accomplish or better left alone, and we provide insider tips on how to document it successfully.

USGBC logo

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

Requirements

Obtain structural engineer verification that the design and constructing of the building is capable of supporting planned photovoltaic technologies on the roof.

AND
Enter into a rooftop lease agreement committing to provide renewable, solar energy for distributed generation1that meets the following requirements:

Solar facility capacity

Points

250 kW

 

500 kW

 

1,000 kW

 
The agreement must specify an expected commercial operation date for the solar facility that is within 18 months of building construction completion. Capacity of the solar facility shall be determined by summing the photovoltaic module (PV) power listed on the nameplates of the PV modules in units of watt and then dividing by 1,000 to convert to kilowatt (kW). The PV module power ratings are for Standard Test Conditions (STC) of 1000 W/sq. meters solar irradiance and 25oC PV module temperature. While projects may use electricity from the solar facility, the facility cannot count towards the achievement of EAc2: On-site Renewable Energy (BD&C rating systems) and EAc4 On-site and Off-site Renewable Energy (O&M rating systems). The building is prohibited from receiving or claiming ownership of environmental attributes generated by the on-site renewable energy facility. Environmental attributes shall include, without limitation, any and all carbon credits, renewable energy credits, emissions reductions, reporting rights, offsets and allowances attributable to the electric energy produced by the solar facility. 1Distributed generation is the use of small-scale power generation technologies located close to the load being served. These systems reduce the amount of energy lost in transmitting electricity because the electricity is generated very near where it is used. Distributed generation systems are typically smaller than 10,000 kW. For purposes of this credit, distributed generation systems must deliver power to the utility distribution grid rather than to an individual building. 2As a pilot credit, project teams will earn one point regardless of the threshold achieved. USGBC is indicating multiple thresholds to display the credit’s intended structure.

General Pilot Documentation Requirements

Register for the pilot credit Credits 1-14 Credits 15-27 Credits 28-42 Credits 43-56 Credits 57-67 Credits 68-82 Credits 83--96

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.

LEEDuser expert

headshot

Aaron Binkley

Digital Realty
Director, Sustainability Programs

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