For projects that share air handling units with spaces outside of the project boundary (shared VAV systems or shared Dedicated Outside Air Systems), the credit is not cost-effective using monitoring. This leaves prorating of the energy costs for these shared systems as the only option for achieving any points under this credit. Can energy monitoring and payment of energy costs for shared Dedicated outside air systems be excluded from credit compliance? Can energy monitoring and payment of energy costs for shared VAV air handling units be excluded from the requirements for credit compliance? If not, are there any other alternatives besides prorating shared energy costs for central systems for achieving credit compliance?
No, all energy consumption and cost associated with the shared air handling units must be either monitored or the energy costs must be prorated to the project space to achieve credit compliance.
However, for projects that share air handling units with spaces outside of the project boundary, the project may achieve a portion of the total available points for the credit by documenting that both the submetering and payment requirements have been met for all systems except the shared air handling units. If pursuing this option, select the Special Circumstances narrative and reference this LEED Interpretation. Using this path, a maximum of three points is available for projects with shared Dedicated Outside air systems, and a maximum of two points is available for projects with any other shared Air Handling Units.
All credit requirements for both monitoring and payment apply with the exceptions of the shared AHUs as described below:
Projects with shared Dedicated Outside Air Systems (3 points):
To document credit compliance, all energy consumption and cost associated with shared Dedicated Outside Air Systems may be excluded. Shared Dedicated Outside Air systems are air handling units that provide 100% outside air both to systems or spaces within and outside of the project boundary. Any additional cooling and heating energy in the project space (e.g. VAV reheat, or CHW and HHW for fan coils) must be included by monitoring and payment of the associated energy costs OR by prorating of central plant energy costs to the project space.
Projects with any other shared Air Handling Units (2 points):
To document credit compliance, all energy consumption and cost associated with shared air handling units (AHUs that serve both the project space and areas outside of the project space) may be excluded. This applies for both VAV air handling units and Dedicated Outside Air systems. Any additional cooling and heating energy in the project space (e.g. VAV reheat, or CHW and HHW for fan coils) must be included by monitoring and payment of the associated energy costs OR by prorating of central plant energy costs to the project space.