We're looking at a project where we do meet all the conditions for enhanced commissioning that would indicate we need to commission the district energy plant (third party, local CHP plant), but we've opted to model the district steam as purchased, and not include its efficiency impact in modeling. If this is the case, it would seem that we could also exclude it from the Cx scope. Have any of you run into this?
Also, it would be great to see an example of an existing CHP plant protocol for commissioning to share with the plant operators.
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Chris Ladner
PartnerViridian
261 thumbs up
April 26, 2011 - 8:37 am
There is specific guidance on Cx of central energy plants in the updated "Treatment of District or Campus Thermal Energy in LEED V2 and LEED 2009 - Design & Construction". Section 2.3.2 gives specific guidance but, in general, if your building is bigger than 50,000 sf, your district system supplies more than 20% of the buildings annual energy cost, and you are doing an energy model for EA C1, then all upstream (district plant) equipment is included in EA C3.
Note that you only have to Cx the equipment associated with the utility you are using. If you are only using steam from the plant, you only need to Cx the steam producing equipment.
Your Cx agent should provide you with a CHP commissioning protocol.