ID Credit 1: Innovation in Design - Load, System Size and Energy Conservation Studies As part of the Project Scope Definition for our new building (Phase II), our A/E firms were required to investigate alternative criteria, confirm resulting loads especially in comparison to our Phase I site, evaluate energy conservation options and estimate energy use for the HVAC systems. These requirements were defined generally as "Design Goals" which can be summarized as follows: "Alternative systems must be evaluated to determine which one(s) have the lowest life cycle cost. This evaluation must include energy use under realistic operating conditions, equipment costs, installation costs, and maintenance costs
It is unlikely that the team\'s efforts, as described in the inquiry, would qualify for an Innovation Credit. Although laudable, these efforts aimed at "right-sizing" equipment (by evaluating alternative systems in order to optimize building systems selection and performance) typically are part of the normal integrated design process that teams utilize for earning points under EAc1, among other existing LEED credits.