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Credit language

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To support the design, construction, and eventual operation of a project that meets the owner’s project requirements for energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability.
Requirements
Commissioning Process Scope
Complete the following commissioning (Cx) process activities for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and renewable energy systems and assemblies, in accordance with ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005 and ASHRAE Guideline 1.1–2007 for HVAC&R Systems, as they relate to energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability.
Requirements for exterior enclosures are limited to inclusion in the owner’s project requirements (OPR) and basis of design (BOD), as well as the review of the OPR, BOD and project design. NIBS Guideline 3-2012 for Exterior Enclosures provides additional guidance.
The commissioning authority (CxA) must do the following:
- Review the OPR, BOD, and project design.
- Develop and implement a Cx plan.
- Confirm incorporation of Cx requirements into the construction documents.
- Develop construction checklists.
- Develop a system test procedure.
- Verify system test execution.
- Maintain an issues and benefits log throughout the Cx process.
- Prepare a final Cx process report.
- Document all findings and recommendations and report directly to the owner throughout the process.
The review of the exterior enclosure design may be performed by a qualified member of the design or construction team (or an employee of that firm) who is not directly responsible for design of the building envelope.
Commissioning Authority
By the end of the design development phase, engage a commissioning authority with the following qualifications.
- The CxA must have documented commissioning process experience on at least two building projects with a similar scope of work. The experience must extend from early design phase through at least 10 months of occupancy;
- The CxA may be a qualified employee of the owner, an independent consultant, or an employee of the design or construction firm who is not part of the project’s design or construction team, or a disinterested subcontractor of the design or construction team.
Project teams that intend to pursue EA Credit Enhanced Commissioning should note a difference in the CxA qualifications: for the credit, the CxA may not be an employee of the design or construction firm nor a subcontractor to the construction firm.
Current Facilities Requirements and Operations and Maintenance Plan
Prepare and maintain a current facilities requirements and operations and maintenance plan that contains the information necessary to operate the building efficiently. The plan must include the following:
- a sequence of operations for the building;
- the building occupancy schedule;
- equipment run-time schedules;
- setpoints for all HVAC equipment;
- set lighting levels throughout the building;
- minimum outside air requirements;
- any changes in schedules or setpoints for different seasons, days of the week, and times of day;
- a systems narrative describing the mechanical and electrical systems and equipment;
- a preventive maintenance plan for building equipment described in the systems narrative; and
- a commissioning program that includes periodic commissioning requirements, ongoing commissioning tasks, and continuous tasks for critical facilities.
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 »Frequently asked questions
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To support the design, construction, and eventual operation of a project that meets the owner’s project requirements for energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability.
Requirements
Commissioning Process Scope
Complete the following commissioning (Cx) process activities for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and renewable energy systems and assemblies, in accordance with ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005 and ASHRAE Guideline 1.1–2007 for HVAC&R Systems, as they relate to energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and durability.
Requirements for exterior enclosures are limited to inclusion in the owner’s project requirements (OPR) and basis of design (BOD), as well as the review of the OPR, BOD and project design. NIBS Guideline 3-2012 for Exterior Enclosures provides additional guidance.
The commissioning authority (CxA) must do the following:
- Review the OPR, BOD, and project design.
- Develop and implement a Cx plan.
- Confirm incorporation of Cx requirements into the construction documents.
- Develop construction checklists.
- Develop a system test procedure.
- Verify system test execution.
- Maintain an issues and benefits log throughout the Cx process.
- Prepare a final Cx process report.
- Document all findings and recommendations and report directly to the owner throughout the process.
The review of the exterior enclosure design may be performed by a qualified member of the design or construction team (or an employee of that firm) who is not directly responsible for design of the building envelope.
Commissioning Authority
By the end of the design development phase, engage a commissioning authority with the following qualifications.
- The CxA must have documented commissioning process experience on at least two building projects with a similar scope of work. The experience must extend from early design phase through at least 10 months of occupancy;
- The CxA may be a qualified employee of the owner, an independent consultant, or an employee of the design or construction firm who is not part of the project’s design or construction team, or a disinterested subcontractor of the design or construction team.
Project teams that intend to pursue EA Credit Enhanced Commissioning should note a difference in the CxA qualifications: for the credit, the CxA may not be an employee of the design or construction firm nor a subcontractor to the construction firm.
Current Facilities Requirements and Operations and Maintenance Plan
Prepare and maintain a current facilities requirements and operations and maintenance plan that contains the information necessary to operate the building efficiently. The plan must include the following:
- a sequence of operations for the building;
- the building occupancy schedule;
- equipment run-time schedules;
- setpoints for all HVAC equipment;
- set lighting levels throughout the building;
- minimum outside air requirements;
- any changes in schedules or setpoints for different seasons, days of the week, and times of day;
- a systems narrative describing the mechanical and electrical systems and equipment;
- a preventive maintenance plan for building equipment described in the systems narrative; and
- a commissioning program that includes periodic commissioning requirements, ongoing commissioning tasks, and continuous tasks for critical facilities.
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 »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.