The following renovations were finished this month in an existing commercial building: 75 KW solar panel installation, replacement of roof with new high reflectance roof, interior and exterior lighting upgrades to LEDs, installation of aerators in faucets; installation of building automation controls on chiller, Air Handling Unit, and Boiler plant; installation of Variable frequency drives (VFD) on chilled water pumps, installation of new booster pump with VFD, lighting controls, and thermostat installation. No new structural changes or additions were done to the building. The building was occupied the whole time during the renovation and the above changes were done over a period of a few months. (Sept. 2017-July 2018).
- Do we need to wait a few months before being eligible to register our LEED project with USGBC in order to establish a new energy use baseline for the building, if yes, how long?
- Do any other credits in LEED EBOM require us to wait to reestablish a baseline for the building?
- Does this count as a major renovation?
Trista Brown
Project DirectorWSP USA
456 thumbs up
August 1, 2018 - 1:57 pm
Hi Mini,
1. You can register the project with USGBC anytime. Your Energy Star score (EAp2/EAc4) will change as each new month of energy use data overwrites an older month. After 12 months your energy use baseline and Energy Star score will fully reflect the impacts of your upgrades.
2. Nope, but if you pursue EAc7 Renewable Energy and Carbon Offsets, energy use reductions resulting from the upgrades will reduce the amount of green power/offsets you need to purchase.
3. Can you provide more context for this question? The upgrades don't trigger use of the LEED BD+C rating system if that's what you're asking.