Paul Swierc
CEM, CPMP, BECxP, CxA+BE, EIT, LEED GA
Senior Commissioning Agent
EBOM-2009 EAp3: Fundamental refrigerant management Required
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Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To reduce stratospheric ozone depletion.Requirements
Zero use of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-based refrigerants in heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) base building systems unless a third-party audit (as defined in the LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Operations & Maintenance, 2009 Edition) shows that system replacement or conversion is not economically feasible or it is demonstrated that a phase-out plan for CFC-based refrigerants is in place. Required economic analysis: The replacement of a chiller is considered not economically feasible if the simple payback of the replacement is greater than 10 years. To determine the simple payback, divide the cost of implementing the replacement by the annual cost avoidance for energy that results from the replacement and any difference in maintenance costs. If CFC-based refrigerants are maintained in the building, reduce annual leakage to 5% or less using EPA Clean Air Act, Title VI, Rule 608 procedures governing refrigerant management and reporting, and reduce the total leakage over the remaining life of the unit to less than 30% of its refrigerant charge. Small HVAC&R units (defined as containing less than 0.5 pounds of refrigerant), standard refrigerators, small water coolers and any other cooling equipment that contains less than 0.5 pounds of refrigerant are not considered part of the base building system and are exempt.Credit substitution available
You may use the LEED v4 version of this credit on v2009 projects. For more information check out this article.Frequently asked questions
Do small appliances (such as refrigerators and water coolers) that have greater than 0.5 pounds of refrigerant have to be included in order to achieve EAp3?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
If a project’s base-building systems do use CFCs, and an economic analysis is required, is it necessary to analyze both the conversion AND replacement of those building systems?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
The LEED Reference Guide states that if CFCs are maintained in the building, the project building must reduce annual leakage to 5% or less, and total leakage over the remaining life to less than 30%. However, the EAp3 credit form does not request informatThe answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
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Cost estimates for this credit
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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.
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LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.
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LEEDuser overview
Frank advice from LEED experts
LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.
For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium
Already a premium member? Log in now
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To reduce stratospheric ozone depletion.Requirements
Zero use of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-based refrigerants in heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) base building systems unless a third-party audit (as defined in the LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Operations & Maintenance, 2009 Edition) shows that system replacement or conversion is not economically feasible or it is demonstrated that a phase-out plan for CFC-based refrigerants is in place. Required economic analysis: The replacement of a chiller is considered not economically feasible if the simple payback of the replacement is greater than 10 years. To determine the simple payback, divide the cost of implementing the replacement by the annual cost avoidance for energy that results from the replacement and any difference in maintenance costs. If CFC-based refrigerants are maintained in the building, reduce annual leakage to 5% or less using EPA Clean Air Act, Title VI, Rule 608 procedures governing refrigerant management and reporting, and reduce the total leakage over the remaining life of the unit to less than 30% of its refrigerant charge. Small HVAC&R units (defined as containing less than 0.5 pounds of refrigerant), standard refrigerators, small water coolers and any other cooling equipment that contains less than 0.5 pounds of refrigerant are not considered part of the base building system and are exempt.Credit substitution available
You may use the LEED v4 version of this credit on v2009 projects. For more information check out this article.Checklists
Step by step to LEED certification
LEEDuser’s checklists walk you through the key action steps you need to earn a credit, including how to avoid common pitfalls and save money.
For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium
Already a premium member? Log in now
Documentation toolkit
The motherlode of cheat sheets
LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.
For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium
Already a premium member? Log in now
Frequently asked questions
Do small appliances (such as refrigerators and water coolers) that have greater than 0.5 pounds of refrigerant have to be included in order to achieve EAp3?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
If a project’s base-building systems do use CFCs, and an economic analysis is required, is it necessary to analyze both the conversion AND replacement of those building systems?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
The LEED Reference Guide states that if CFCs are maintained in the building, the project building must reduce annual leakage to 5% or less, and total leakage over the remaining life to less than 30%. However, the EAp3 credit form does not request informatThe answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Guest expert
Paul Swierc
CEM, CPMP, BECxP, CxA+BE, EIT, LEED GA
Senior Commissioning Agent