Feedback on the LEED 2009 ACPs for Projects Outside the U.S.

Deon,
Welcome to the international market. It's great to hear there will be a feedback form for us to provide input on the ACP's. For the most part the items I have reviewed are a good step forward.

Thanks a lot for sharing the information.

Many users will love to here that they are being heard. I know Jean and I have had many headaches applying an US rating system to projects in another country.
I personally will be more than happy to share experiences, suggestions and improvement idea from past and future projects.
Please also feel free to ask us questions. Many user here are dealing with the LEED documentation of international project every day and know what will or will not help them.

Hello Deon Glaser & welcome to International World of LEED!
Do you know of any equivalencies for the NFRC 100,200,300 & 400 procedures for International / European projects?
Regards,
Ian

Ian,
Your energy modeler should be able to confirm the proposed envelope elements meet/exceed the NFRC procedures.

As an energy modeller, I would say the manufacturer should supply this information. The NFRC norms contain more than just how to deturmine the rating values.

Now if the manufacturer won't supply this information, I can painstakingly construct the frame and window in THERM and WINDOW and produce the NFRC rating values, but I would still require engineering drawings in dxf/dwg and sections in the same of the element. As I don't do this often, it's probably going to take 1-2 days for me to do it and like I said, I'll need quite a bit of info on the individual elements constituting the assembly.

A little old but perhaps helpful-IEA-Issues paper for Policy pathway for windows and other glazed areas
This voluntary program has over 21,000 approved projects; however, limited NFRC ratings exist for commercial projects. This implies LEED applicants are using alternative methods to comply with the LEED energy and atmosphere requirement.
The USGBC’s LEED program requires numerous measures to ensure good environmental and energy performance. Window energy policy is embedded in the energy and atmosphere requirement by referencing ASHRAE 90.1-2004. As described in this document, ASHRAE 90.1 references NFRC 100/200 for window energy performance rating and requires maximum U-factors and SHGCs by climate zone. This is a mandatory requirement and the user may also achieve a higher LEED rating or score by exceeding the ASHRAE 90.1 minimum criteria.

Thank-you for your comments.
From what I understand to date is that the alternative methods are acceptable for NFRC 100, 200 & 300 if they comply with the LEED requirements.

The procedure that I am most "concerned" with the is NFRC 400 "Procedure for Determining Fenestration Product Air Leakage".

In France we do air leak tests but they are quite different (temperature, pressure, flow rates etc..) from the NFRC 400.

Are there any instances where we can use the standard European / France air-leak tests?

Regards,

You could try Bureau Veritas? I believe EU air leakage standards are generally much harder than US requirements.

Unfortunately I have a feeling that many international projects just "bluff" their way through the LEED quality assurance reviews for certain credits; notably credits that involve electronic signatures and that are never reviewed by the USGBC a second time in the construction review.
EAp2 is a perfect example; a design stage electronic signature and no review at the construction as we say is pretty "easy-peasy".

If someone wants to cheat (or cut corners) in any system it can be done (See many real world examples beyond green building certifications). Maybe I've been lucky but every project I've worked on the people involved really wanted to create a more sustainable project and do it the right way, that's one of the great things about working in this space.