Schematic Design

Confirm that your chosen compliance path is the most appropriate for your project, and make any changes now. Following a review with the design team and owner, ensure that everyone is on board with contracting an energy modeler for Option 1 or meeting all the prescriptive requirements under Options 2 or 3.

The OPR and

Develop the basis of design (

Consider a broad range of energy-efficiency strategies and tools, including passive solar, daylighting, cooling-load reduction, and natural ventilation to reduce heating and cooling loads. 

The owner should now have finalized the OPR with the support of the architect, as part of the

Develop a compliant occupant survey or map out your planned survey process (if you’ll be using a third-party survey) prior to submitting your documentation for review. Early on, the primary concern is to meet the requirements of EQc7.1. 

Develop the thermal comfort survey after determining space programming, designing the mechanical system, and confirming compliance with EQc7.1. It is best to customize the occupant survey for the building’s planned HVAC systems. Questions may be structured differently depending on whether you are assessing the performance of an evaporative cooling system, an in-floor radiant heating system, or a natural ventilation system.

Develop an outline of all the EQc5 requirements that apply to your project, and confirm that the schematic design accommodates each one. 

Strategies for space planning may include:

Design an adequate space for six-foot entryway systems at all regularly accessed building entries. Evaluate all other building entrances—such as employee and service doors—for high traffic, which may require entryway systems or roll-out mats.