Hello,

I'm modelling for LEED C&S 2009. The project has 26 floor type of mixed-use offices. My question is about the Minimum Energy Perfomance credit (EAp2) and equivalent standards for Brazil. In USGBC website, I read the following about this credit:

"Projects in Brazil that are certified at the “A” level under the Regulation for Energy Efficiency Labeling (PBE Edifica) program for all attributes (Envelope, Lighting, HVAC) achieve this prerequisite."

also in USGBC website, there is the following about Optimize Energy Perfomance credit (EAc1) :

"Projects outside the U.S. may use a USGBC approved equivalent standard"

I would like to know if "A" level under PBE Edifica can be used as equivalent standard in EAc1 and substitute the ANSI / ASHRAE / IESNA Standard 90.1-2007. If so, the 2 water-cooled centrifugal chillers specified in the ANSI / ASHRAE / IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 for projects >= 600 tons (Table G3.1.3.7), with 6.1 COP and 6.4 IPLV (Table 6.8.1.C), can be replaced with VRF systems described at Tables 5.4 of PBE Edifica Manual for RTQ-C or split systems that ensure "A" level under PBE Edifica? The values described at Tables 5.4 and the value that guarantee "A" level with split systems are the following:

VRF without reverse cicle (project >= 70 kW): COP = 2,93
VRF with reverse cicle (project >= 70 kW): COP = 2,78
Split system: COP > 3,23

The COP value specified for centrigual chillers at Table 6.8.1C is high compared to COP values of VRF or split systems. Hence, energy simulation results are much smaller. Most commercial buildings in Brazil do not use centrifugal chillers for air conditioning systems, because this technology usually is much more expensive than others; instead, they usually use VRF or split systems. Therefore, using centrifugal chiller as air conditioning system baseline do not reflect the real situation on Brazil.

Regarding the energy certifications over the world, in Brazil we use the PROCEL certification, where HVAC systems are treated specifically and follow Brazilian technical standards, the NBRs. In this way, the NBRs take into account climate regionalization, available environmental and technological conditions, being more applicable to our situation. Therefore, we find more appropriate comparisons with NBRs and we would like to ask if these standard can be applied in our case.