Schools-NC-v4.1 EAp2: Minimum Energy Performance Required

RATING SYSTEM:
1. For projects using Normative Appendix G Performance Rating Method, under the subheading "International", revise the first bullet point to read as follows:

International:
o use the latest national grid mix coefficients from the International Energy Agency to calculate GHG emissions by energy source

REFERENCE GUIDE:

2. Further Explanation > Greenhouse Gas Emissions section

In the Greenhouse Gas Emissions section, revise the first sentence in the 4th paragraph to read as follows:
"International projects may use the latest national coefficients from the International Energy Agency to calculate GHG emissions by energy source, or determine greenhouse gas emissions factors for each building energy source based on ISO 52000-1:2017 Energy Performance of Buildings."


3. Further Explanation > International Tips section

In the International Tips section, under Option 1. Tenant-Level Energy Performance Compliance, below the paragraph that begins "Canada: Use the Provincial emissions factors..." add the following paragraph:

"Europe: The Europe ACP for ASHRAE 90.1 Mandatory Provisions Table provides further guidance for project teams in Europe wishing to use European standards in lieu of certain ASHRAE 90.1-2016 mandatory provisions in LEED v4.1. The guidance covers ASHRAE 90.1-2016 Mandatory Provision Sections 5.4, 6.4, 7.4, 8.4, 9.4 and 10. Column 1 of the table references the specific subsection used in ASHRAE 90.1-2016. Column 2 displays the requirement as written in ASHRAE 90.1-2016. Column 3 outlines the compliance pathway available for European projects. Column 4 includes, in some cases, further information about the proposal, differences between the proposal and the ASHRAE requirement, or a reference to further documentation.

Additionally, for projects using the Performance Option for compliance with EA prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance and EA credit Optimize Energy Performance, the documentation must also use the calculated U-factor for fenestration products including windows and skylights based on either the LBNL Windows 6 program, or a simulation software program that approximates the NFRC rating methodologies. Alternatively, a narrative shall be provided supporting the claim that the fenestration U-factor used in the model is similar to the values that would be achieved using the NFRC rating. The CE-marked fenestration does not account for thermal bridging and seasonal performance in the same way as the NFRC rating, and when accounted for in the energy model, has been observed to lead to savings that exceed those claimed for the same fenestration rated under the NFRC ratings."

Before the section "Referenced Standards" add a new section that reads as follows:

"International Tips

Option 1. Energy Performance Compliance

Canada:
Use the Provincial (where available) emissions factors reported in the National Inventory Report, submitted by Canada to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to calculate GHG emissions by energy source; these emissions factors are readily found in the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager Greenhouse Gas Emissions Technical Reference (https://portfoliomanager.energystar.gov/pdf/reference/Emissions.pdf)."

Step-by-Step Guidance:

1. Under Step 2. Review and address ASHRAE mandatory requirements, add the below text as a new bullet point below the bullet point "Confirm that compliant components are included in the final construction documents.":
"Projects are encouraged to design the project to comply with the mandatory energy monitoring provisions defined in Section 6.4.3.11.1 Monitoring and Section 8.4.3 electrical energy monitoring. However, since these requirements are separately addressed in EA Prerequisite Building-Level Energy Metering and EA Credit Advanced Energy Metering, projects are not required to comply with the mandatory provisions from these two sections."

2. In the first sentence under Step 3. Identify energy use target for building, replace both instances of "EA credit Optimize Energy Performance" with "IP credit Integrative Process"

3. Under Step 4. Select option for credit compliance, in the first sentence in the last bullet point in the list, remove the word "also" so that the sentence reads as follows: " If the project is not pursuing any points under EA credit Optimize Energy Performance, the project may demonstrate EA prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance compliance using ASHRAE 90.1-2016 Section 11 Energy Cost Budget. "

4. Under Step 5. Develop preliminary energy model or alternate energy analysis, revise the second half of the first sentence "To achieve EA credit Optimize Energy Performance, project teams must analyze efficiency measures during the design process," so that it reads as follows:
"focusing on load reduction and HVAC-related strategies or passive measures appropriate for the facility, and account for the results during design decision making."

5. Under Step 6. below the sentence that reads "Once the HVAC system and other design parameters are established, build or update the proposed building energy model to reflect the anticipated design", before the final 2 bullet points that start "Energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions offset by on-site or on-campus renewable energy systems..." and "Energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions offset..." adda new section header titled "Renewable Energy in the Energy Model." Beneath the new section header add the following 2 bullet points:
" Energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions offset by on-site or on-campus renewable energy systems count towards energy savings for compliance with the prerequisite when these systems are included on the building permit or on a master site permit including the building for a contiguous campus consistent with ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2016 Section G2.4.1 requirements, and associated environmental attributes are retained by the building owner. ASHRAE 90.1-2016 defines on-site renewable energy as “energy generated from renewable sources produced at the building site”, which includes on-site photovoltaics systems, wind generators, or thermal or electric generation from methane capture or qualifying biofuel sourced from the project or campus site, but does not include electric generation or thermal generation from off-site renewable sources.
 Greenhouse gas emissions offset by New Tier 2 off-site renewable energy systems qualifying under EA credit Renewable Energy may be included in the model for achievement of points using the greenhouse gas emissions calculation under EA credit Optimize Energy Performance, but may not be included in the model for prerequisite compliance. Modeled building GHG emissions and avoided GHG emissions from Tier 2 off-site renewable energy can be modeled using the hourly generation profile from the project’s grid region and the renewable generation grid region in locations where hourly emissions factors are available."

6. Revise the final two sentences at the bottom of Step 6 so that they read as follows: "Use the results from the baseline and proposed models and the Building Performance Factor to determine the anticipated energy cost and greenhouse gas emissions savings (see Further Explanation, Energy Savings). Either the cost or the GHG emissions metric may be used to show prerequisite compliance."

Further Explanation:

7. Climate Zone Determination: add the following sentence to the end of the second paragraph, after the sentence "For locations outside of the U.S. and Canada, refer to the closest or most similar location in Table Annex 1-3.":
"International projects may also refer to ASHRAE Standard 169-2013 to determine the project’s climate zone based on historical weather data for the project’s location."

8. Performance Path: In the final paragraph in the "Performance Path" section:
- In the first sentence of the paragraph, add "and all mandatory measures from each Section" after the "Appendix G" so that the parentheses appear as follows: "(Appendix G and all mandatory measures from each Section in particular)"
- Revise the last sentence in the paragraph so that it reads as follows: "The energy modeler should also consider reading the ASHRAE 90.1–2016 User’s Manual, which provides examples and further guidance relevant to Appendix G."

9. Prescriptive Paths: In the sentence that begins "Although the prescriptive paths are applicable to some large or complex projects," strike the words "schools and".

10. Schedules: Delete the sentence "Refer to the LEED v4 reference guide". Add the following text:
"If anticipated operating schedules are unknown, helpful guidance for determining model inputs for occupancy, lighting, HVAC system, receptacle power, and service hot water consumption values can be found in the ASHRAE 90.1–2016 User’s Manual, Appendix G.

Align the time steps used in the modeled schedules with the time steps used for determining peak demand. For elevators, the modeled peak power for the elevator motors must either be scaled down from the instantaneous peak by an equal factor in the baseline and proposed design to represent the hourly peak, or the fractional schedule modeled for elevators shall have a peak operating percentage that aligns with the peak hourly demand as a fraction of the peak instantaneous demand. For example, if the peak elevator motor power for the proposed design is 100 kW, the peak elevator motor power for the baseline design is 120 kW, and the peak hourly demand for the proposed elevators is 5 kW, the elevator motor power shall either be modeled as: hourly schedules that peak at 100% of design power, and peak hourly demand modeled as 5 kW in the Proposed Design and 6 kW in the Baseline design; or hourly schedules that peak at 5% (including for Baseline HVAC system sizing), and peak hourly demand modeled as 100 kW in the Proposed Design and 120 kW in the Baseline design.

Similar schedule or peak hourly load adjustments apply for receptacle power (with maximum connected load versus peak hourly demand) and service water heating (with maximum instantaneous flow versus peak hourly demand).

Schedules must be identical in both the baseline and the proposed cases unless documented in an exceptional calculation or specifically allowed by ASHRAE 90.1–2016 Appendix G (see Further Explanation, Exceptional Calculation Method).

Certain space types may require specific schedules based on anticipated operation and may vary by space type. For example, a server room may have different temperature schedules than an occupied space. Exceptions to Section G3.1.1 may require modeling of a different baseline HVAC system type in spaces with schedules that vary significantly from the rest of the building.

Different lighting schedules should be used for a project with both office and retail occupancy when the space-by-space method is used, or when the building area method is used with multiple building type classifications. Different schedules cannot be used, however, if an average lighting power density is applied to the whole project."

11. Energy Cost: In the sentence that begins "Per ASHRAE 90.1-2016, to qualify as an on-site system, the renewable energy must be generated on-site from renewable sources produced at the building..." in the second paragraph, strike the "and" after "at the building", and add the following text after the phrase "the system must be part of the project scope of work": ", and the renewable attributes must be retained for the project building."

12. Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
- Delete the sentence "For projects that are using biofuels to generate electricity or heat within the building, contact USGBC to discuss the appropriate method for deriving Greenhouse Gas Emission factors. "
- in the final sentence that begins "For Optimize Energy Performance credit compliance..." replace the phrase "new off-site" with "Tier 2 off-site"
- after the sentence that begins "For Optimize Energy Performance credit compliance..." add the following sentence: "For projects claiming credit for GHG emissions reductions associated with Tier 2 off-site renewable energy in EA credit Optimize Energy Performance, building GHG emissions and avoided GHG emissions from Tier 2 off-site renewable energy can be modeled using the hourly generation profile from the project’s grid region and the renewable generation grid region in locations where hourly emissions factors are available."

13. In Table 3. Changes in ASHRAE 90.1 Performance Rating Method Requirements, 2010 to 2016, under HVAC & Refrigeration Equipment, in the row "HVAC System Type (G3.1.1, Table G3.1#10, Table G3.1.1-3, Table G3.1.1-4)", revise the text in the column "ASHRAE 90.1-2016 Appendix G": move the sentence that begins "Baseline system heating type is dependent on climate zone rather..." and the sentence that begins "Baseline fossil fuel heating systems shall always be modeled using natural gas..." so that they appear before the sentences that begin "Further clarity is provided for identifying the order of priority..." and "Additional HVAC system type categorizations added..."

Rating System Variations

14. Retail: Add the phrase "except for refrigeration equipment and kitchen hood requirements specifically addressed by ASHRAE 90.1-2016." to the end of the bullet point that reads " Refer to Appendix 3. Table 1 for energy consumption values of equipment and refrigeration"

Project Type Variations

15. Option 1. Canada: add "Provincial" before "emissions factors" and "(where available)" after "emissions factors" to the sentence so that it reads: "Use the Provincial emissions factors (where available) reported in the National Inventory Report, submitted by Canada to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change..."

Changes made:
• Improved general functionality and formatting
• Bug fixes for the General Info, Schedules, Multifamily Details, Shading and Fenestration, Lighting Counts, Process Loads, General HVAC, Baseline Air-side HVAC, Proposed Air-side HVAC, and Water-Side HVAC tabs
• Updates to Performance Output tabs to reflect v4.1 rating system updates

Add the following reference to the list of Referenced Standards, including the direct link to the resource:

Developing Performance Cost Index Targets for ASHRAE Standard 90.1 Appendix G - Performance Rating Method
https://www.pnnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-2...