Schools-2009 EAc1: Optimize Energy Performance 1-19 points

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Requirements

Select 1 of the 3 compliance path options described below. Project teams documenting achievement using any of the 3 options are assumed to be in compliance with EA Prerequisite 2: Minimum Energy Performance.

Option 1. Whole building energy simulation (1-19 points)

Demonstrate a percentage improvement in the proposed building performance rating compared with the baseline building performance rating. Calculate the baseline building performance according to Appendix G of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 (with errata but without addenda¹) using a computer simulation model for the whole building project. Projects outside the U.S. may use a USGBC approved equivalent standard². The minimum energy cost savings percentage for each point threshold is as follows:

New Buildings	Existing Building Renovations	Points
12%	8%	1
14%	10%	2
16%	12%	3
18%	14%	4
20%	16%	5
22%	18%	6
24%	20%	7
26%	22%	8
28%	24%	9
30%	26%	10
32%	28%	11
34%	30%	12
36%	32%	13
38%	34%	14
40%	36%	15
42%	38%	16
44%	40%	17
46%	42%	18
48%	44%	19

Appendix G of Standard 90.1-2007 requires that the energy analysis done for the building performance rating method include all the energy costs associated with the building project. To achieve points under this credit, the proposed design must meet the following criteria:

• Compliance with the mandatory provisions (Sections 5.4, 6.4, 7.4, 8.4, 9.4 and 10.4) in Standard 90.1-2007 (with errata but without addenda) or USGBC approved equivalent.
• Inclusion of all the energy costs within and associated with the building project.
• Comparison against a baseline building that complies with Appendix G of Standard 90.1-2007 (with errata but without addenda) or USGBC approved equivalent. The default process energy cost is 25% of the total energy cost for the baseline building. If the building’s process energy cost is less than 25% of the baseline building energy cost, the LEED submittal must include documentation substantiating that process energy inputs are appropriate.

For the purpose of this analysis, process energy is considered to include, but is not limited to, office and general miscellaneous equipment, computers, elevators and escalators, kitchen cooking and refrigeration, laundry washing and drying, lighting exempt from the lighting power allowance (e.g., lighting integral to medical equipment) and other (e.g., waterfall pumps). Regulated (non-process) energy includes lighting (e.g., for the interior, parking garage, surface parking, façade, or building grounds, etc. except as noted above), heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) (e.g., for space heating, space cooling, fans, pumps, toilet exhaust, parking garage ventilation, kitchen hood exhaust, etc.), and service water heating for domestic or space heating purposes. For this credit, process loads must be identical for both the baseline building performance rating and the proposed building performance rating. However, project teams may follow the exceptional calculation method (ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 G2.5) or USGBC approved equivalent to document measures that reduce process loads. Documentation of process load energy savings must include a list of the assumptions made for both the base and proposed design, and theoretical or empirical information supporting these assumptions. Projects in California may use Title 24-2005, Part 6 in place of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 for Option 1.

OR

Option 2. Prescriptive compliance path: Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings (1 point)

Comply with all the prescriptive measures identified in the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School buildings. Project teams must comply with all applicable criteria as established in the Advanced Energy Design Guide for the climate zone in which the building is located. Projects outside the U.S. may use ASHRAE/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 Appendices B and D to determine the appropriate climate zone.

• Projects using Option 2 must be less than 200,000 square feet (18,000 square meters).

OR

Option 3. Prescriptive compliance path: Advanced Buildings™ Core Performance™ Guide (1-3 points)

Comply with the prescriptive measures identified in the Advanced Buildings™ Core Performance™ Guide developed by the New Buildings Institute. The building must meet the following requirements:

• Less than 100,000 square feet (9,300 square meters).
• Comply with Section 1: Design Process Strategies, and Section 2: Core Performance Requirements.
• Health care, warehouse or laboratory projects are ineligible for this path (for NC & CS Projects).

Points achieved under Option 3 (1 point):

• 1 point is available for all projects (office, school, public assembly, and retail projects) less than 100,000 square feet (9,300 square meters) that comply with Sections 1 and 2 of the Core Performance Guide.
• Up to 2 additional points are available to projects that implement performance strategies listed in Section 3: Enhanced Performance. For every 3 strategies implemented from this section, 1 point is available.
• The following strategies are addressed by other aspects of LEED and are not eligible for additional points under EA Credit 1:
  • 3.1 — Cool Roofs
  • 3.8 — Night Venting
  • 3.13 — Additional Commissioning

Projects outside the U.S. may use ASHRAE/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 Appendices B and D to determine the appropriate climate zone. See all forum discussions about this credit »

What does it cost?

Cost estimates for this credit

On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.

Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.

This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.

Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »

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