I am living in a country where the highest energy costs are heating, not cooling, our buildings. And where we enjoy the few days in a year, when the sun is warming up courtyards or sidewalks so that you can sit and have a cold beer or a cup of coffee outside.
The efforts to pursue points in this credit does not really make sense.
Does anyone have experience with how this credit is handled in colder parts of the world?
emily reese moody
Sustainability Director, Certifications & ComplianceJacobs
LEEDuser Expert
476 thumbs up
March 16, 2023 - 11:32 am
Not that I know of, or at least, not that's published. You could propose a logical strategy via a LEED Interpretation. I asked the same question for a project I have in Alaska back in 2018. Here it is for reference:
Question:
"Our project is located in Alaska. The client has insisted that a white or "cool" roof is not appropriate for their location, and can cause inefficiencies because of their climate and weather. They intend on installing a darker shade of roofing which they state helps reduce their heating needs, which are much greater than their cooling needs. I have searched through the LIs and couldn't find any related rulings. Is there anything available for projects in cold climates where a cool roof might not be appropriate? Similarly, the non-roof hardscape is planned to be darker in nature to help deal with snow melting. The client must also install a snow-melt system in a large area of the project to help with the issue. Similar to the above question, is there anything they can do to illustrate that they are acting in the best interest of their environment by installing more location-specific appropriate materials?"
Response:
"It is understandable that not every credit is applicable to all projects. If the project conditions dictate a certain type of roof and/or non-roof material that does not meet the credit requirements, than this credit is likely not achievable. A vegetated roof is another possible option, though understandable if that is not appropriate either for the project conditions.
It is laudable to minimize the amount of energy use for the building which will help with points in other credits; however, the intent of this credit is more about the immediate effect the selected roof system has on the 'heat island'. The Behind the Intent section of the v4 BD+C Reference Guide reads in part as follows:
"Dark, nonreflective surfaces used for parking, roads, roofs, walkways, and other hardscapes absorb the sun’s warmth and radiate heat, creating heat islands."
If it helps any, there IS an approved ACP for the Daylight credit: https://www.usgbc.org/leedaddenda/100002554