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NC-2009 EAc1:Optimize Energy Performance

Virtual vs Scaled CEP modeling for LEED EAc1

Hi all, We are modeling a new construction hospital whose cooling loads are met by 3 onsite 1350 ton chillers. A fourth ‘future’ 1350 ton chiller is added to this plant to provide supplementary cooling to an adjacent but future Lab building (the lab also borrows partial cooling from a campus CHW loop). All four chillers will be connected to the same primary chilled water loop, so essentially both the hospital and lab will feed off the same CHW loop. However, the hospital and Lab are being certified as two separate LEED NC projects. For modeling the hospital only, should we 1. Create a virtual plant using Appendix C of the LEED DES guidelines and --model all upstream equipment, add a process load profile of the hospital and the lab to determine the average COP of the plant and then apply it to the hospital; 2. OR make an argument that we should be allowed to scale the plant as per the loads of the hospital since the plant is onsite. This will mean that, I will model the hospital as having only 3 onsite chillers and all related upstream equipment without following the LEED DES guidelines. Any input will be appreciated. Thanks

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Sat, 03/03/2012 - 15:57

If the future chiller is not in your current project scope, I would ignore it. Model what is there now, serving the hospital. For the future lab, use the future DES approach. (i.e. whatever the DES guidance says when you're ready to build the lab.) Also note that the DES doc does have some guidance about what to do when the DES plant is in the building being modeled. See the "Exception" on page 7.

Mon, 04/02/2012 - 06:18

I have almost the same situation for DES that will serve multiple buildings "A","B","C" & "D". Buildings "A" and "B" are xisting but only "C" and "D" are candidates for LEED-NC certification. I am now modeling Building "C", where the new plant is located at. Currently the design of the plant is for Building "A","B" & "C" only and additional chillers will be installed for building "D". Exception on page 7 of DES guidelines says for performance method USGBC recommends that such projects (DES where the plant is located at) use modeling option 2. It seems I cannot model "C" as a regular NC and just ignore future chillers for "D",since the current design includes the load for "A & "B". Were trying not to use Option 2, because of the 6-LEED points minimum. Can I use Option 1 (Stand-alone Scenario) for "C", where the plant is located at? Thank you in advance!

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