Earning this credit is easy for most projects. Make sure you have 10 feet worth of entryway system at main building entrances and keep them clean.

Entryway systems may be mats, grilles, or grates. Most buildings that don’t already have entryway systems purchase mats because that’s typically far easier than installing grilles or grates retroactively.

Regular building carpeting does not count under this credit. Entryway mats are specially designed to capture and hold dirt and particulates, which standard carpeting is unable to do.

Capturing useful energy from natural energy flows like sunshine, wind, moving water is a great concept. The technologies to capture this energy aren’t cheap, however, nor do they work equally well in all locations. Typically, it’s hard to generate a significant fraction of total electricity we use onsite.

All multi-occupant spaces (like classrooms or auditoriums) must have at least one occupant comfort control. Multifamily housing must also have one control per unit.

For individual spaces or open-plan offices, at least 50% of occupants must be able to control their individual comfort conditions.

You won’t meet the requirements for this credit with conventional building design. You’re likely to need additional insulation, increased wall mass, adjust wall assemblies and layout, and make changes to the mechanical system design.

Pick up the phone, call the local utility and a couple of green power providers—companies that sell renewable energy credits (RECs), which provide funding to renewable energy generation, supporting its development. Give them your project’s estimated energy consumption. Sit back and receive estimates.