Minimum Benefit to Achieve ID Credits

Aaron Smith

Mechanical Engineer

M & R Engineering

LEEDuser Basic Member

1 thumbs up

Project location :

Canada

February 8, 2016

Hello, It seems to me I read at some point in time that the CaGBC wanted to see a minimum measurable benefit for Innovative Strategies. (Note: I'm not asking about Exemplary Performance where you are achieving the next incremental threshold.) I'm thinking, for example if you were incorporating an innovative waste heat recovery system then they may require (or at least suggest) that it achieve at least the equivalent of one EAc1 point in energy savings. This is a LEED 2009 project. The Reference Guide simply says that strategies are to have "significant, measurable environmental benefits...".

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Keith Robertson

President

Solterre Inc.

LEEDuser Premium Member

47 thumbs up

Mon, 02/08/2016 - 20:32

Hi Aaron, I am not aware of any written guidance on what comprises a "significant measurable environmental benefit". Speaking as an applicant, and not a reviewer, my understanding is similar to yours that demonstrating equivalence with an existing credit is useful. It should also be for a measure that is not accounted for in the system - in the case of your waste heat recovery example, if your energy model is already rewarding you for that measure, then the ID is not likely to be awarded. The CaGBC did issue an ID credit catalogue for version 1.0. https://www.cagbc.org/cagbcdocs/ID_Strategies_2012_10_15.pdf These might not apply to version 2009, but give a reasonable idea of precedent ID credits.

Aaron Smith

Mechanical Engineer

M & R Engineering

LEEDuser Basic Member

1 thumbs up

Mon, 02/08/2016 - 21:18

Hi Keith, Thanks for your feedback. I think I've found what I was looking for and answered my question. Page 208 of the v1.0 Reference Guide said that for strategies that cannot be used to achieve EAc1 credits (e.g. not allowed by ASHRAE 90.1 or MNECB), you can submit for an innovation point if the savings meet the 1 point threshold. With that being said, I'm aware of the ID credit list but some of the energy savings ones could be quantified and (probably) counted directly towards EAc1 so I wonder if they were able to "double-dip" and get an innovation credit for it as well?