In ASHRAE 55, Section 5.3 Optional Method for Naturally Conditioned, it mentions that "There must be no mechanical cooling system for the space".
We are working on a residential project where each apartment has its individual conditioning system, it provides heating and cooling, but the ventilation is through operable windows.
Are we not elegible for this credit because of the conditions?
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Christopher Schaffner
CEO & FounderThe Green Engineer
LEEDuser Expert
962 thumbs up
December 1, 2015 - 11:15 am
Your are not eligible to comply using Section 5.3. As the standard states, when a building has no mechanical cooling "occupant's thermal responses...may differ from thermal responses in buildings with centralized HVAC systems". Since your building has cooling, one would not expect this adaptive thermal comfort effect.
You can still show compliance following the mechanical cooling pathway. (i.e. the standard path)
Gabriela Crespo
BECxP, CxA+BE, LEED AP BD+C, O+MRevitaliza Consultores
20 thumbs up
December 1, 2015 - 11:38 am
Thank you Christopher, this helps a lot!