Date
Inquiry

Applied Biosystems is developing a corporate campus in phases. Building D has been fully built out and it is the project that will soon be submitted for LEED certification. The larger campus site also includes the shell and core of Building C (which includes the central utility plant) and a pre-existing Building F (which is used for construction offices). (Future buildings will be constructed as business needs demand more space; the full build-out of the site will eventually include 7 buildings.) On the roof screens of the Building C shell, we are installing photovoltaic panels that will provide 60kW and interconnect back to the power grid. Power consumption on the site is currently limited to new Building D, the central plant at Building C, the pre-existing Building F, and the site infrastructure. This PV array\'s energy can account for 5% of Building D\'s energy use, so we would like to submit for the renewable energy credit as part of the Building D LEED application. We assume that the PV array should not have to provide 5% of the total energy use for all buildings currently on site in order to achieve the credit, as the other buildings are not part of this LEED application (and Building C is not yet built out or occupied). Please confirm whether we can achieve this credit using Building D\'s loads only. (Under this arrangement, we understand that we could not then apply that same PV energy towards getting the Renewable Energy credit for Building C or any future LEED projects on the campus site.)

Ruling

The inquiry seeks to apply a PV array installed as part of a campus project to a single campus building (Building D). Because Building D is currently the main power consumer on the campus and the PV was installed as part of this initial construction phase, it is acceptable to dedicate the energy generated by the PV array exclusively to Building D. Because Building C houses the central utility plant, the project\'s LEED application should clearly demonstrate that the energy cost for building D includes all of the services provided to building D from the building C plant. The owner should also submit a certification letter acknowledging that this PV energy will not be applied to subsequent buildings for any future LEED applications.

Internationally Applicable
Off
Campus Applicable
Off