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.
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.
Introduce the M&V program into the design early in the process, because it can affect the design of the mechanical and electrical systems as well as the BMS. There is also inherent value in having the design teams think about how the building will be operated.
Talk to the facility operations staff about the financial benefits and operational requirements of the M&V plan. Any energy savings achieved through M&V will depend on their participation.
Discuss as a team whether M&V will contribute to your project’s goals for energy reduction and system monitoring. Consider your project’s size, its complexity, your tenants’ needs, and whether or not to run a whole-building energy model. Also think about how the building will be operated. If the M&V program is not likely to be fully utilized by the owner, it may not be an appropriate investment.
Depending on which of the two options you choose for this credit (see Schematic Design), you should start to consider the following two things during predesign:
