We have pursued EAc4, using a combination of on site and off site renewable energy sources. On site sources is not a problem. However, we have a unique circumstance (summarized below) for reporting our off-site renewable energy purchases, which have been rejected by USGBC because we have not documented Green-e equivalency to the USGBC's satisfaction. The problem is, nowhere can I find any references describing the documentation required to "comply with green-e certification standards" or green-e equivalency. My question is what specific documentation, audits, guidelines, forms and/or other information is required by the USGBC to document green-e equivalency? This issue is particularly frustrating, since the USGBC made no mention of any problem with green-e equivalency documentation in their first Technical Advice comments. So we answered the comments they did provide as part of our re-submittal and then they rejected the credit (5 points) based only on a comment they never mentioned originally, requiring us to pay additional fees if we wish to pursue a third review. Our unique circumstance is as follows: We are applying for a LEED-EBOM gold renewal for an 800,000 sf high rise office building with 400 kw of on-site solar. The building is adjacent to a separate, completely independent (separate metered electric account) property, owned by the same Owner as the high rise office building. It also has a 400 kw solar system. Owner wants to sell (allocate) all solar generated by the adjacent structure to the office building at a cost of $0.00/kwh. Since the solar generated by the adjacent property is not logged on the Energy Star SEP, it is treated as off-site. My attempt to comply with the Green-e equivalency documentation requirement was to obtain a letter from Ownership, committing to exclusively allocate all solar generated to the adjacent high rise office building, at a cost of $0.00/kwh, for a period of not less than 5 years. The USGBC’s rejection cited LEED Interpretation 1744 and stated any future submittal must comply with the requirements of 1744. 1744 only states off-site power must be certified Green-e or equivalent, only they do not provide any guidance on what is required to prove green-e equivalency.
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