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NC-2009 EAc1:Optimize Energy Performance

Modeling District Cooling / Heating

Dear All, I've been reading through the details of modeling a district heating / cooling plant, and it seems rather complicated! Two options, many methods.. The project is a new build school on a campus. The campus plant initially had 1 building with chillers & boilers installed (1 year ago only), and now with the proposed new building, additional chillers & boilers will be installed, and so the campus plant will then serve both buildings (and probably more buildings in the future). It seems that I will have to model district cooling & heating as per LEED requirements. 1) Which option is better to use in my case: Option 1 (streamlined) or Option 2 (full accounting)? 2) Under option 1, I read in the additional guidance that the energy source is modeled as purchased energy. What is meant by "purchased energy"? Will I be able to at least input the upstream district plant equipment efficiencies (we are proposing high efficiency heating boiler and high COP chillers)? 3) What would actually differ if I didn't model the whole district plant and assumed we have normal dedicated chiller / boiler to the building? Since the purpose of a district plant is to reduce initial & operating costs, will the USGBC accept the "more conservative approach" (higher energy consumption for the Proposed) of a dedicated plant to the proposed building? Thanks!

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Wed, 04/03/2013 - 13:20

If you want to capture any savings related to the central plant you will need to use option 2. Option 1 treats the incoming hot and chilled water as if it were a utility serving the building only. Only the building systems are modeled under option 1 so you do not capture the upstream plant efficiencies. The difference would be primarily related to the load on the plant.

Wed, 04/03/2013 - 13:30

Thanks Marcus, So if I am aiming to get points under EAc1, and I use Option 1, then I can only do so by mainly focusing on saving energy related to lighting, since the HVAC equipments aren't modeled under this option. Am I right? Does this mean that if a LEED NC project would like to gain 3-4 points (16-20% improvement) under EA Credit 1, the only choice is to go with Option 2? Thanks!

Wed, 04/03/2013 - 14:02

You could also claim HVAC savings related to fans and pumps inside the building under option 1. There is a point floor (minimum) for option 2 of 6 points and a point ceiling (maximum) for option 1 of 10 points. See page 10 of the DES. For 3 or 4 points you could only use option 1.

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