Our project is a golf clubhouse with a kitchen. When we did the energy modeling, we included kitchen loads--refrigerator plug loads, dishwasher loads, icemaker, etc. in both the baseline and the design building. Now, based on some credit interpretations we\'ve seen on the LEED site, we\'re realizing that perhaps we should not have included any of what seem to be "process" loads in the models. This would increase our energy efficiency results significantly. This issue also bears on the water reduction credit. We can achieve a 20% reduction by adding lower flow showerheads and toilets if we don\'t include kitchen uses like sinks, ice makers, dishwashers. These too have been called "process loads" in previous credit interpretations. (Rightfully so--we don\'t want to make less ice in a restaurant, or fill a sink less quickly...) Our question is: can we exclude kitchen energy and water uses from building modeling: we would still included loads from stove hoods, for example, since that is part of the HVAC system, but we would exclude energy and water use from dishwashers, refrigerators, ice machines, disposals.
Only one credit can be interpreted per CIR; therefore, the question pertaining to the EA credit will be addressed. It is correct to consider kitchen equipment as process loads which result in non-regulated process energy consumption; but energy consumed by kitchen exhaust hoods and make-up air systems that serve the kitchen must still be considered part of the regulated building\'s energy consumption, since it results from HVAC systems that maintain comfort (and indoor air quality) for occupants. As a result, ventilation-related kitchen equipment loads should be included in both the Proposed Design and Energy Cost Budget simulation models; but their direct process energy, as non-regulated components, should be deducted from the total energy use of both the Energy Cost Budget and the Proposed Design, following the procedure described in the LEED Reference Guide. Applicable internationally.