I have a large high rise with a data center in it. It's last Energy Star rating was September 2010. This year, I am not going to qualify for an Energy Star rating for two reasons: (1) we have had a hellish summer and our kWh is off the charts, and (2) new Energy Star requirements do not allow me to consider my server room as IT energy unless it is sub-metered. So I am about to lose my Energy Star rating. What do you recommend I do if I want to LEED Certify the building? What are my options?
You rely on LEEDuser. Can we rely on you?
LEEDuser is supported by our premium members, not by advertisers.
Go premium for
Michael Opitz
Director of SustainabilityIconergy
60 thumbs up
August 12, 2011 - 7:12 pm
Nena:
Can you clarify what's about to happen? Is your ENERGY STAR label (plaque) about to expire, or is your ENERGY STAR score about to drop below 69 (the LEED minimum)?
Mike
Nelina Loiselle
Above Green239 thumbs up
August 15, 2011 - 9:54 am
Both. The label is expiring and we will not be able to renew it because the building will not score as well this year.
Hannah Bronfman
Senior Associate99 thumbs up
October 5, 2011 - 11:26 am
Nena
There are a couple of things going on here, but the bigger hurdle is the IT space. Have you determined if the space meets the definition of a Data Center in ENERGY STAR? A Data Center space applies to spaces specifically designed and equipped to meet the needs of high density computing equipment such as server racks used for data storage and processing. These facilities have uninterruptible power supplies, designated HVAC, and raised floor space.
If your room does not meet the definition of a data center but also has separate cooling systems and different operating hours than rest of the building, the room can be entered as a separate space in Portfolio Manager using the Office space type. In the space details, enter the weekly operating hours, zero workers, and a number of PCs that approximates the number of servers in the space. AND you won't need to worry about submetering.
As for the bad summer, it is important to remember that ENERGY STAR takes into account your building's energy performance by location and climate, so an increase in cooling demands for your building will be normalized according to similar buildings in similar climate zones. Therefore, I'd encourage you to continue to update your Portfolio Manager account monthly and track your progress if you haven't continued to do so.
But the bottom line is if your building is below a 69, it's a no-go for LEED-EBOM.
I hope this helps.
Hannah