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LEEDuser tip sheets, written by our team of LEED experts, fill gaps in knowledge we’ve observed between the LEED Reference Guide, LEED Online, and LEED Interpretations. We update them regularly so that our members get the most relevant guidance for current issues on their projects.
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Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
The following commissioning process activities must be completed by the project team:
- Designate an individual as the commissioning authority (CxA) to lead, review, and oversee the completion of the commissioning process activities.
- The CxA must have documented commissioning authority experience in at least 2 building projects.
- The individual serving as the CxA must be independent of the project’s design and construction management, though the CxA may be an employee of any firm providing those services. The CxA may be a qualified employee or consultant of the owner.
- The CxA must report results, findings, and recommendations directly to the owner.
- For projects smaller than 50,000 gross square feet (4,600 gross square meters), the CxA may be a qualified person on the design or construction team who has the required experience.
- The owner must document the owner’s project requirements. The design team must develop the basis of design. The CxA must review these documents for clarity and completeness. The owner and design team must be responsible for updates to their respective documents.
- Develop and incorporate commissioning requirements into the construction documents.
- Develop and implement a commissioning plan.
- Verify the installation and performance of the systems to be commissioned.
- Complete a summary commissioning report.
Commissioned Systems
Commissioning process activities must be completed for the following energy-related systems, at a minimum:- Heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems (mechanical and passive) and associated controls.
- Lighting and daylighting controls.
- Domestic hot water systems.
- Renewable energy systems (e.g., photovoltaic, wind, solar).
Credit substitution available
You may use the LEED v4 version of this credit on v2009 projects. For more information check out this article.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.
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LEEDuser tip sheets, written by our team of LEED experts, fill gaps in knowledge we’ve observed between the LEED Reference Guide, LEED Online, and LEED Interpretations. We update them regularly so that our members get the most relevant guidance for current issues on their projects.
( does not provide premium access to LEEDuser)
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Frequently asked questions
See all forum discussions about this credit »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.
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LEEDuser tip sheets, written by our team of LEED experts, fill gaps in knowledge we’ve observed between the LEED Reference Guide, LEED Online, and LEED Interpretations. We update them regularly so that our members get the most relevant guidance for current issues on their projects.
( does not provide premium access to LEEDuser)
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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.
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For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium
LEEDuser tip sheets, written by our team of LEED experts, fill gaps in knowledge we’ve observed between the LEED Reference Guide, LEED Online, and LEED Interpretations. We update them regularly so that our members get the most relevant guidance for current issues on their projects.
( does not provide premium access to LEEDuser)
Go premium for just $19.95 » Go premium for just $15.95 » Firm or campus members – click here »Your 15-day free trial expired on
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
The following commissioning process activities must be completed by the project team:
- Designate an individual as the commissioning authority (CxA) to lead, review, and oversee the completion of the commissioning process activities.
- The CxA must have documented commissioning authority experience in at least 2 building projects.
- The individual serving as the CxA must be independent of the project’s design and construction management, though the CxA may be an employee of any firm providing those services. The CxA may be a qualified employee or consultant of the owner.
- The CxA must report results, findings, and recommendations directly to the owner.
- For projects smaller than 50,000 gross square feet (4,600 gross square meters), the CxA may be a qualified person on the design or construction team who has the required experience.
- The owner must document the owner’s project requirements. The design team must develop the basis of design. The CxA must review these documents for clarity and completeness. The owner and design team must be responsible for updates to their respective documents.
- Develop and incorporate commissioning requirements into the construction documents.
- Develop and implement a commissioning plan.
- Verify the installation and performance of the systems to be commissioned.
- Complete a summary commissioning report.
Commissioned Systems
Commissioning process activities must be completed for the following energy-related systems, at a minimum:- Heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems (mechanical and passive) and associated controls.
- Lighting and daylighting controls.
- Domestic hot water systems.
- Renewable energy systems (e.g., photovoltaic, wind, solar).
