Core & Shell

EAc1

1-8 Points

Optimize Energy Performance

Intent: Achieve increasing levels of energy performance above the baseline in the prerequisite standard to reduce environmental and economic impacts associated with excessive energy use.

Toolbox

Lighting Controls

TER Values of ABL Products

Search for Fixtures by Required Efficiency

RT5 Energy Story

I-BEAM Energy Story

Free Software

USGBC Home Site

Select one of the three compliance path options described below. Project teams documenting achievement using any of the three options are assumed to be in compliance with EA Prerequisite 2.

NOTE: All LEED projects registered after June 26th, 2007 are required to achieve at least two (2) points under EAc1.

OPTION 1 — WHOLE BUILDING ENERGY SIMULATION (1–8 Points)

Demonstrate a percentage improvement in the proposed building performance rating compared to the baseline building performance rating per ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004 (without amendments) by a whole building project simulation using the Building Performance Rating Method in Appendix G of the Standard. The minimum energy cost savings percentage for each point threshold is as follows:

Appendix G of Standard 90.1-2004 requires that the energy analysis done for the Building Performance Rating Method include ALL of the energy costs within and associated with the building project. To achieve points using this credit, the proposed design—

• must comply with the mandatory provisions (Sections 5.4, 6.4, 7.4, 8.4, 9.4 and 10.4) in Standard 90.1-2004 (without addenda);
   
• must include all the energy costs within and associated with the building project; and
   
• must be compared against a baseline building that complies with Appendix G to Standard 90.1-2004 (without addenda). The default process energy cost is 25% of the total energy cost for the baseline building. For buildings where the process energy cost is less than 25% of the baseline building energy cost, the LEED submittal must include supporting 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 (such as for the interior, parking garage, surface parking, façade, or building grounds, except as noted above), HVAC (such as 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 EA Credit 1, process loads shall be identical for both the baseline building performance rating and for the proposed building performance rating. However, project teams may follow the Exceptional Calculation Method (ASHRAE 90.1-2004 G2.5) to document measures that reduce process loads. Documentation of process load energy savings shall include a list of the assumptions made for both the base and proposed design, and theoretical or empirical information supporting these assumptions.  OR

** OPTION 2 — PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE PATH (3 Points possible)

Comply with the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Office Buildings recommendations.

Project teams must fully comply with all applicable criteria as established in the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Office Buildings for the climate zone in which the building is located. It should be noted that this compliance path may only be used for office buildings up to 20,000 ft2.

(Note: the envelope, lighting and HVAC & SWH requirements vary by climate. For each climate there is a table that lists recommended levels for each “system”.)

**All LEED projects registered after June 26th, 2007 are required to achieve at least two (2) points under EAc1

Envelope Performance: (1 point possible)

Install envelope systems which comply with all the envelope recommendations in the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Office Buildings table for the climate zone in which the building is located.

Lighting Systems: (1 additional point possible)

Install lighting systems which comply with all the lighting recommendations in the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Office Buildings table for the climate zone in which the building is located.

All such systems shall be included in systems commissioned under EA P1, Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning.

HVAC and Service Water Heater Systems: (1 additional point possible)

Install HVAC and Service Water Heating (SWH) systems which comply with all the HVAC & SWH recommendations in the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Office Buildings table for the climate zone in which the building is located.

All such systems shall be included in systems commissioned under EA P1, Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning.  OR

*** OPTION 3 — PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE PATH (1 Point)

Comply with the Basic Criteria and Prescriptive Measures of the NBI Advanced Buildings Benchmark™ Version 1.1 with the exception of the following sections: 1.1 Design Certification, 1.2 Construction Certification, 1.3 Operations Certification, 1.4 Energy Code Compliance, 1.7 Monitoring and Trend-logging, 1.11 Indoor Air Quality, 1.13 Refrigeration Equipment Efficiency Requirements, 1.14 Networked Computer Monitor Control, and 2.3 Cool Roofs and EcoRoofs (Zones 1 through 5). The following restrictions apply:

• Project teams must fully comply with all applicable criteria as established in Advanced Buildings Benchmark for the climate zone in which the building is located.
   
• Project teams must show compliance with all applicable criteria for all systems that are part of the core and shell work.

*** ADVANCED BUILDINGS™ CORE PERFORMANCE™

Note: Option 3 is currently under revision to provide a prescriptive path for projects registered after June 26, 2007 to meet the new 2 point Optimize Energy Performance mandate. Option 3 will be updated to provide guidance for projects when this new path is available. Please check the CIR page on the USGBC Web site for updates.