Dear Kudos,
One of our LEED V4 ID+C: CI projects has been registered following the new energy update (effective after April 2024). As per the updated requirements, we are required to demonstrate the percentage improvement in energy performance beyond ASHRAE 90.1-2010 Appendix G, based on either cost or source energy. Additionally, we must show the percentage improvement in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions beyond the same standard.
Our project utilizes two energy sources: electricity and purchased chilled water. To calculate the percentage improvement in GHG emissions, I would appreciate your guidance on how to accurately calculate the GHG emissions for the purchased chilled water.
Please note that our purchased chilled water consumption is measured in "Therm" Would the conversion factor of "1 TR = 3.56 Therm" be applicable in determining the GHG emissions?
Your prompt assistance is greatly appreciated, as we are working under critical client deadlines and need to proceed without delay.
Thank you in advance for your support.
- United States or Canada:
- Continental US
- Electricity hourly emissions factors: Use hourly Cambium Levelized Long-Run Marginal Emission Rates published by NREL for the project’s Generation and Emission Assessment (GEA) region with characteristics as defined in the LEED Hourly Cambium, Demand Adjusted Energy Metrics Calculator. The hourly electricity consumption is multiplied by the hourly CO2e emissions factor to determine the hourly CO2e emissions.
- Other Fuels: Use the total CO2e emissions factors that include both direct and indirect CO2e referenced in the LEED Hourly Cambium, Demand Adjusted Energy Metrics Calculator.
- Note: These references account for both indirect and direct emissions (i.e. combustion + pre-combustion), leading to higher reported GHG emissions for fossil fuel and for the portion of eGRID electricity generated by fossil fuel).
- European Union:
- European Environment Agency (EEA) – National emissions reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and complete energy balances from Eurostat. (https://www.eea.europa.eu).
- All other locations, and EU countries without EEA data reporting
- Climate Transparency - Enerdata national emissions factors (https://www.climate-transparency.orghttps://www.enerdata.net/).
For references above that report only electricity emissions factors, use the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) direct GHG emissions per fuel source published in the Energy Star Portfolio Manager Technical Reference: Greenhouse Gas Emissions for non-electric fuel sources. Derivation of DES purchased energy rates or conversion factors when unpublished:- Use U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) GHG factors for the most recently available year (see Energy Star Portfolio Manager Technical Reference: Greenhouse Gas Emissions or https://www.epa.gov/egrid/data-explorer).
- For electricity, use indirect GHG factors per eGRID region in the U.S., and indirect GHG factors per province in Canada.
- For fuel (including biomass), use direct GHG emissions factors per fuel source, as applicable.
- For purchased heating or purchased chilled water, use indirect GHG emissions factors per fuel source.
ORIf purchased energy rates, source energy conversion factors, and/or GHG Emissions factors are not published for the district energy sources serving the project, derive these purchased energy rates and/or conversion factors leveraging the electricity or fossil fuel data. For fossil fuel, use natural gas if the building does not receive fossil fuel and the district energy fuel source is unknown.
CHWFactor = ElectricityFactor x 0.24
HHWFactor = FossilFuelFactor x 1.65
SteamFactor = FossilFuelFactor x 1.85