Could someone please confirm the guidance and documentation for projects connected to a third party district chilled water loop? Does the utility (chilled water provider) have to provide any information? These two sources seem to contradict themselves
Guidance from LEED District Energy Addendum
"Scenario 2 – Third Party DES
EAp3 and EAc5 requirements apply to the downstream equipment but not the upstream equipment."
Guidance from 2009 EBOM Reference Guide
"For buildings connected to an existing chilled water system, the chilled water supplier must perform the required calculation and submit a letter showing compliance with the requirements."
Thank you!
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11477 thumbs up
March 11, 2011 - 3:08 pm
Since the district energy document came out more recently than the Reference Guide, and since the Reference Guide implementation guidance is not as strictly upheld as actual credit language, I would think that that DES guidance trumps the Reference Guide.Does that make sense? If that's not enough to go on, there is an email address in the DES document where feedback is invited—I would send a note there, and also to GBCI.
Alexa Stone
ecoPreserve: Building Sustainability134 thumbs up
March 25, 2011 - 4:37 pm
FYI for those who were confused about the two sources from USGBC related to DES. This is a response from GBCI....
The guidance on page 4 in the more recent document, Treatment of District or Thermal Energy in LEED for Existing Buildings Operations & Maintenance, should take precedence in this case, although following the original approach from page 218 of the LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Operations & Maintenance, 2009 Edition, would also be acceptable and would better respond to the intent of the credit, especially in the case where no other base building systems use refrigerants.
If you are attempting this credit prior to clarification of this matter, you should include this correspondence with your submittal.