Renewable Energy Production – Above Green

(3 points)

Intent

To reduce the environmental and economic harms associated with fossil fuel energy by increasing self-supply of renewable energy.

Requirements

Use tenant renewable energy systems to offset the project’s energy cost. Calculate the project’s percentage of renewable energy by the following equation:

% renewable energy =	Equivalent cost of usable energy produced by the renewable energy system
	Total building annual energy cost

Use the project’s annual energy cost, calculated in EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance, if Option 1 was pursued; otherwise use the U.S. Department of Energy’s Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) database to estimate energy use and cost. The use of solar gardens or community renewable energy systems is allowed if both of the following requirements are met.

The project owns the system or has signed a lease agreement for a period of at least 10 years.
The system is located with the same utility service area as the facility claiming the use.

Credit is based on the percentage of ownership or percentage use assigned in the lease agreement. Points are awarded according to Table 1.

Table 1. Points for renewable energy

Percentage renewable energy	Points (CI, Retail CI, Hospitality)
1%	1
3%	2
5%	3

Pilot ACPs Available

The following pilot alternative compliance path is available for this credit. See the pilot credit library for more information. EApc95: Alternative Energy Performance Metric ACP EApc107 - Energy performance metering path EApc111: Alternative Performance Rating Method