The project building includes a significant amount of process lighting. Do these lamps need to be included?
Yes, all lamps in the project building and site need to be included. This credit may be challenging to achieve on this type of project.
I can’t find mean lumens on the manufacturer documentation. What should I do?
In the case where manufacturer documentation does not identify the mean lumens, subtract 20% from the initial lumen value.
Do lamps purchased for task lighting need to be included in my calculations?
Yes, portable task lighting is covered by this credit.
How should I account for LED purchases? Do I have to show that the LEDs are as energy efficient as similar mercury-containing lamps?
LEDs and other mercury-free lamps can be included in your calculations if they are as efficient as comparable mercury-containing lamps. You can confirm this by looking at the lumens per watt for both lamps (and remember, more lumens per watt is more efficient). For documentation purposes, checking the box on the credit form should be sufficient to demonstrate that this requirement is met.
Our building average is over 70 picograms per lumen hour for installed lamps. Do we have to replace lamps before they’ve reached the end of their useful life in order to reach the credit threshold?
No, compliance for this credit is based on the purchases made during the performance period. You'll need to use the USGBC Purchasing Calculator to document that on average, the mercury content of purchased lamps was 70 picograms/lumen-hour or less. You don't have to submit anything related to your installed lamps for this credit, which is a change from EBOM 2009. It’s different, though, if zero lamps were purchased during the performance period. See the related FAQ for advice on how to document this credit when no lamp purchases are made.
Do we have to complete an ASHRAE Level 2 audit in order to identify energy end uses and achieve this credit?
No, a Level 2 audit is not required for this credit. You can determine the energy end uses that must be permanently metered based on energy measurements from utility meters, the building automation system (BAS), or temporary spot metering. Alternatively, if that type of data isn’t available, you can use the energy-use breakdown developed through the ASHRAE Level 1 audit (which all projects must complete for EAp1).
Do manually read meters meet the credit requirements?
No, manually read meters are not compliant under this credit. Remember that meters must be permanently installed, record at intervals of one hour or less, and transmit data to a remote location.
Do we need to separately meter our onsite renewable energy system? If so, do the meters need to meet the advanced metering requirements?
Yes, and yes.
When identifying all of the energy sources that serve your building, you must include both renewable and nonrenewable sources. Renewable sources include wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, solar thermal panels, and geothermal. If any of these energy sources serve your project, they must be metered separately at the building level.
Do we have to meter plug loads separately? Based on our energy end-use breakdown, plug loads account for more than 20% of my building’s total annual energy consumption.
No. Plug loads do not need to be metered separately, even if they represent 20% or more of the building’s total annual energy use.
What’s the difference between a commuter rail, light rail, and heavy rail transit system? I’m having trouble figuring out how to categorize the different types of transit serving my project.
USGBC provided some guidance in January 2018 (via a LEED Coach request) to help clarify this question. For heavy and commuter rail stations, teams should use their best judgment in determining whether a rail system falls within these categories, since the terms aren’t defined in the Reference Guide. To help with this determination, keep the following in mind: