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Anyone else here concerned about LEED giving legitimacy to RECs through LEED Zero? I sure am.

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Brad Liljequist
Director, Zero Carbon Solutions
McKinstry
LEEDuser Basic Member
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I have been watching LEED Zero for a while, and have appreciated certain things, but one thing I think is an absolute disaster is their allowance of mainline RECs for claiming Zero Energy and Zero Carbon performance.  I just asked this question on the LEED Zero webinar, and the panelist basically said, "it's part of LEED Zero, therefore it is validated", is exactly the concern I have.  We have to bust open the REC myth and eliminate false claims.  Companies that are basing zero carbon claims on the hard work on actual PPAs deserve to be supported - otherwise the market will erode back to no real action.  We are at a real crossroads on this topic.

I am totally disappointed that USGBC is taking this approach - it would be great to work with them to get them to close that option. 

Anyone else?

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Wed, 07/01/2020 - 20:56

LEED has always recognized RECs (since v2.0 at least), and many definitions of net zero (2030 Zero Code for example) allow RECs as a pathway. What's the problem? 

PPAs on the other hand, often sell their RECs, and projects that don't retire RECs cannot claim solar power. What do you think is funding your PPA anyway? RECs are what make many PPAs economically viable.   

Wed, 07/01/2020 - 22:12

REC's in many markets are worth a tiny fraction of what they were.  This is because the market is being flooded with them now that solar/wind have reached parity in many/most locations.  The ILFI requirement for "additionality" ensures that the project is actually making an impact. I'm with you Brad.  I notice that LEED Zero encourages other options such as on-site and PPA first in their hierarchy but I agree it is a problem.  An additional problem is that they also require LEED certification in order to participate in the Zero program.  We have Zero Energy projects which are not eligible for LEED Zero because the owner did not also have funds to document BD+C compliance.  USGBC has held firm on not making exceptions for what I think is obvious but questionable reasoning.
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Penny Cole
Principal, Design Analytics
Introba
LEEDuser Basic Member
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Thu, 07/02/2020 - 17:16

I agree that it is concerning, but also that PPAs have some REC issues too. I appreciate the ILFI additionality requirement. I know that the Denver code group had been having a lot of conversations around this especially since most residential installers keep the RECs and sell them on, at what point are you not able to claim net zero anymore? At the city level you don't want to be double and triple counting renewables.  Brian if your client really wants LEED Zero can you try LEED O&M to achieve the LEED already requirement? Would be a smaller lift than BD+C especially if you are hitting Zero, not sure if that counts

Thu, 07/02/2020 - 18:12

Penny, LEED O+M is what USGBC suggested but it's simply not something that our client is going to pay for (not our fees or LEED's).

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