We are submitting under LEED for Schools, V2.0 two additions of 54,000 sf and 55,000 sf, to an existing high school of 150,000 sf in the City of Chicago. The two additions will be submitted for LEED certification as one project; the existing building will not be included in the LEED submission. The additions, which are separate from the existing building, are connected to the existing building by an interior pedestrian link. These links are designed as entrance vestibules between the existing building and the additions. A central plant in the existing building generates hot water via boilers and chilled water via air-cooled chillers. This central plant will be upgraded to provide cooling and heating for the new additions and the existing building. The existing heating and cooling plant equipment will be upgraded. Two additional condensing boilers will be added to the boiler plant. The existing chillers are near the end of their service life, and they will be replaced. The existing AHU\'s in the existing building will remain and will serve the existing building only. Seven new air handling units will be added with the new additions and will serve the new additions only. Therefore, given that the two new additions are satellite buildings served by the central plant located in the existing building, we will model the energy use of the new additions according to the USGBC\'s document " Required Treatment of District Thermal Energy in LEED for Schools", version1, dated May 28, 2008. We are proposing to upgrade the upstream equipment to make it more efficient and to install high efficiency downstream terminal equipment in the new additions. All new work, including replacement of plant equipment and distribution will meet or exceed the HVAC system prescriptive requirements of ASHRAE 90.1-2004, and the "Required Treatment of District Thermal Energy in LEED for Schools". Given the above information, is it acceptable to do the EAp2 and EAc1 energy model and all other EA prerequisites and credits following the District Thermal Energy reference document for compliance with the EA prerequisites and credits?
Given the above project information, this LEED for Schools project contains a District Energy system (DES) and is required to follow t he requirements and direction of the document "Required Treatment of District thermal Energy in LEED for Schools." As stated in the document, "This document defines requirements that apply to all such district energy systems, whether new or pre-existing, or whether owned by the project building\'s owner or another entity." Following the requirements of the District Thermal Energy document for this project is an acceptable and required approach. Applicable internationally.