Firstly, I’d like to say that I’m very glad to finally see decarbonization planning explicitly addressed within the LEED framework, it feels like a long time coming and absolutely necessary to address climate change. In fact, perhaps this Decarbonization and Efficiency Plans credit should be a prerequisite.
Beyond that initial point, what I’m seeing is the work related to decarbonization happening across team members at all levels of stakeholders, and while charrettes continue to be important, in 2024 and beyond the use of online tools is surely critical for accounting, tracking and planning. The credit should encourage and identify online tools to facilitate the achievement of this credit.
simon fowell
May 16, 2024 - 10:56 am
Yes - agree on the identification of useful and affordable tools that support project teams to meet this credit easily and at scale
Katelyn Lawson
May 17, 2024 - 12:24 am
Agreed, and building on the aforementioned, for the LEED O+M: Existing Buildings, Decarbonization and Efficiency Plans credit language, in the section on "Charrette and Project Team", the language suggests that you must create a project team as well as hold a charrette. The process for decision making on plans is a complex one and will not always look the same, and will definitely not always need a charette, especially depending on the size of the project/investment. Therefore, this requirement should only really be a requirement for when deep retrofits are part of the plan. The work related to decarbonization planning is happening across team members at all levels of stakeholders for portfolios of buildings, and not necessarily for single buildings in isolation, and therefore what we’re seeing is the use of software for accounting, tracking and planning for broader portfolio decision making that effects individual buildings. Therefore, the process of doing a charrette may not be all encompassing as a reflection for stakeholder decision making. Take the example of retrofitting many buildings for mechanical equipment upgrades - you do not necessarily need the full project team or a charette as described in the language to have plans made for those decisions.