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NC-2009 EAp2:Minimum Energy Performance

Large Process Loads from Data Center in Office building

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Therese Malm
WSP Environmental
LEEDuser Basic Member
6 thumbs up

We are working with a building where 60% of the annual energy use accounts for process energy due to a large data center. According to LEED process loads in baseline building must be identical to the proposed one. That makes it difficult to improve the total savings. Is there a way we can use the ECM in this case? Is there a table with suggested values for data centers that can be used in the baseline case?

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Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow
7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
4454 thumbs up

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 17:52

The next version of LEED - v4 - is attempting to address the establishment of a baseline for data centers so check that out and 90.1-2010 has more guidance on the associated HVAC systems in data centers. Not quite simple yet but we are slowly getting there.
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Amy Boyce
Manager, LEED
USGBC
LEEDuser Premium Member
26 thumbs up

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 18:05

Marcus' comment above is correct. Additionally, check out the LEED Interpretations database for previously submitted ECMs for data centers, as well as the EPA Energy Star website, which also provides information on data centers and equipment efficiencies.
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Therese Malm
WSP Environmental
LEEDuser Basic Member
6 thumbs up

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 15:03

I have checked what is so far available at LEED v4 and ASHRAE 90.1-2010 but it has not been that helpful. I have read some cases in the LEED Interpratations as well but in most cases concerning large process loads the answer was almost the same: use ECM showing your assumptions that the Proposed case uses more effective equipment than the Baseline one. Energy Star seems interesting but it can be tricky on how choosing data center and equipment efficiences for the Proposed and Baseline buildings. Any suggestion?
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Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow
7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
4454 thumbs up

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 15:48

A simple, definitive baseline for data centers does not yet exist. You will need to use the guidance out there and make the case that you are establishing a reasonable baseline in order to claim any savings. As I said not yet simple.

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