Hi there,
My project wishes to calculate the GWh of green power required for compliance via the company's standard calculation procedure. It is based on their IT procurement and roll out procedure. The facility will not be fully operational for years to come, and thus the calculation from the EAp2 & c1 model will grossly overestimate the 35% total amount.
Can this calculation, together with the basis of the calculation, be acceptable?
Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
5912 thumbs up
March 21, 2016 - 10:33 am
It is impossible to say for sure. This purchase is typically based on the energy modeling results. Even if it overestimates the initial energy use it is the conservative approach. Anything else would require some significant level of justification.
Jordan Kirrane
AssociateHurley Palmer Flatt
6 thumbs up
March 21, 2016 - 11:15 am
Thank you very much for your response Marcus. The issue is that the facility will be initially fitted out to 10% of its eventual energy consumption, so while the ASHRAE 90.1 energy model calculation is perhaps conservative, it is based on 100% of the facility's capacity. This will clearly determine an energy consumption rate way over the 35% minimum requirement.
When you say "significant level of justification" could this be the IT procurement and roll-out strategy provided by the client, which will provide further justification over the basic calculation sheet?
Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
5912 thumbs up
March 21, 2016 - 11:31 am
As I said it is impossible to tell without seeing the calculation. Even then you will still be relying on trying to convince an individual reviewer with the inherit potential variability of an individual's opinion. I am not aware of any precedent for what you would be submitting. You would be asking to buy less than is required. The energy model is already a rough estimate. Roll out strategies change over time. There are numerous additional variables you would be introducing to the determination of what is acceptable.
My initial impression without seeing the calculations is - no you can't justify buying less because the facility will not be fully fitted out initially. The calculations require you to do the EAp2 calculations with a full fit out. The EAc6 calculations require you to buy 35% of that total. So I think it would be very difficult if not impossible to justify buying less because it goes counter to the requirements. That said you certainly can try. If you do i would be prepared to increase your green power purchase if your justification is not accepted.
Jean Marais
b.i.g. Bechtold DesignBuilder Expert832 thumbs up
March 21, 2016 - 12:51 pm
Surely you could run the energy model for say four years or whatever and stage in the equipment and loads as required?