Determine whether IPMVP Option B or Option D is most appropriate for your project design:

Option B is based on engineering calculations using metered data and is generally more appropriate for buildings with non-interactive loads only.

Option D uses calibrated, whole-building energy simulations for both the baseline and design case and is generally more appropriate for larger, more complex building projects using an energy model. 

More tips on Option B versus Option D are below, at the end of Schematic Design.

General Considerations

EAc5.1 focuses on electricity-using systems and projects that do not use electrical systems are not eligible for this credit. 

Discuss the potential scope of your M&V plan. Will you meter natural gas, water consumption, or other variables? You will be required to meter all electricity-using systems, but should also consider expanding the scope to include natural gas too. Some projects find it helpful to incorporate water meters in an effort to verify water-reduction goals. 

EAc5.1 for LEED-CS buildings is similar to the requirements for LEED-NC EAc5, but with an additional emphasis on including information on tenant sub-metering in the M&V plan. However, your project is not required to separately meter each tenant space for EAc5.1. The focus of your M&V plan should be on electricity-using systems in the core-and-shell base building. 

Contract with the M&V provider early in the process so that system components and recommendations can be implemented seamlessly rather than becoming add-ons. Trying to implement an M&V plan later in the process can lead to increased cost for extra wiring, output configuration, and monitoring equipment. 

The “M&V provider” develops the M&V plan. This role can be filled by the commissioning agent, energy modeler, mechanical engineer, project engineer, or a facilities manager. 

Consider the impact of an M&V program on mechanical system design requirements.  Keep in mind whether or not your mechanical system is capable of providing the necessary outputs for the BMS or metering system. The energy usage outputs are typically listed as kW, BTU, or therms over a given period of time. An automated record on a BMS or a metered reading on the equipment may be manually carried out at regular intervals. The specifics of the output metric and duration need to be determined in your M&V program and depend on the systems installed. 

Consider incorporating a building management system (BMS) into the building. A BMS will streamline implementation of this credit, but might not be appropriate or affordable for small projects. A BMS allows you to collect data over time, to identify trends, and to diagnose issues that would not be apparent from simply reviewing whole building energy data. A meter simply tells you there is a problem where as a BMS can tell you why.

Determine whether attempting EAc5.1, EAc5.2, or both is best for your project. Achieving both will earn your project a total of six points. You can attempt one or both—neither is dependent on the other.