EAc1: Energy Performance – Above Green

(33 points)

Intent

To support energy management and reduce environmental and economic harms associated with excessive energy use by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving higher levels of operating energy performance.

Requirements

Have permanently installed energy meters or submeters that measure total building energy consumption (electricity, natural gas, chilled water, steam, fuel oil, propane, etc). Utility-owned meters capable of aggregating total project energy use are acceptable.

For Interiors projects, have permanently installed sub-meters that measure all electricity and fossil fuels for equipment within the project scope. Alternately, interiors projects may pro-rate energy use, using occupancy and base building energy use over twelve consecutive months.

Calibrate meters within the manufacturer’s recommended interval if the project owner, management organization, or tenant owns the meter. Meters owned by third parties (e.g., utilities or governments) are exempt.

Measure the project’s energy use on a monthly basis for twelve consecutive months (one full year). Use the twelve months of energy use data to obtain an energy performance score.

LEED points are based on project energy performance across two metrics: greenhouse gas emissions and source energy. For each metric, obtain a minimum performance score of 40 and associated minimum points in order to meet the prerequisite.

Table 1. LEED Points for GHG Emissions Score

GHG Emissions Score	LEED Points
40 (Required)	6.5 (Required)
41	7
44	7.5
47	8
50	8.5
54	9
57	9.5
60	10
63	10.5
66	11
69	11.5
72	12
75	12.5
78	13
81	13.5
84	14
87	14.5
90	15
93	15.5
96	16
99	16.5

AND

Table 2. LEED Points for Source Energy Score

Source Energy Score	LEED Points
40 (Required)	6.5 (Required)
41	7
44	7.5
47	8
50	8.5
54	9
57	9.5
60	10
63	10.5
66	11
69	11.5
72	12
75	12.5
78	13
81	13.5
84	14
87	14.5
90	15
93	15.5
96	16
99	16.5

LEED points are calculated based on the project score for each metric; the GHG emissions score and source energy score are each weighted 50% of the energy performance score. LEED points are rounded up to the nearest whole number and awarded according to Table 3.

Table 3. LEED Points for Energy Performance Score

Energy Performance Score	LEED Points
40 (Required)	13 (Required)
41	14
44	15
47	16
50	17
54	18
57	19
60	20
63	21
66	22
69	23
72	24
75	25
78	26
81	27
84	28
87	29
90	30
93	31
96	32
99	33

GHG Emissions Score:

The GHG emissions score rates the building’s total greenhouse gas emissions against the total greenhouse gas emissions of comparable high-performing buildings.

The score is a value from 1-100 based on the project’s GHG emissions per occupant and GHG emissions per floor area.

GHG Emissions Score calculation

To calculate a GHG emissions score, the following data is required:

Annual Energy consumption (kBtu), with monthly or daily totals and distinguished by fuel type
Gross floor area (sq. ft. or sq. m.)
Weighted occupancy
Weighted operating hours
Outside air temperature
Location

The energy consumption is converted into equivalent GHG emissions, using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regional grid mix coefficients for U.S. and Canadian projects, and national grid mix coefficients from the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) C02 Emissions from Fuel Combustion 2013 report. The grid mix coefficient values are kept up to date with U.S. EPA and IEA release updates.

This is the Annual Emissions (mTCO2e)

GHG emissions are adjusted for weighted operating hours and outside temperature and converted into daily GHG emissions using Equation 1.

Equation 1: adjusted GHG emissions = (GHG emissions * outside temperature adjustment factor * operating hours adjustment factor) / 365 days

The outside temperature adjustment factor is determined using the following equation.

Equation 2:
The operating hours adjustment factor is determined using Table X. The adjustment factor accounts for typical LEED buildings operations of 50 hours a week.

Table 4. Operating hours adjustment factor

GHG emissions per occupant is calculated by dividing the adjusted GHG emissions by the weighted occupancy

Equation 3. GHG emissions per occupant = adjusted GHG emissions / weighted occupancy

GHG emissions per floor area is calculated by dividing the adjusted GHG emissions by the gross floor area.

Equation 4: GHG emissions per floor area = adjusted GHG emissions / gross floor area

The project’s calculated GHG emissions per occupant and GHG emissions per floor area are input into the energy scoring function for the specific project type.

The energy scoring function was developed using energy consumption data from high-performing buildings. The data set includes LEED buildings that shared their energy consumption data with USGBC as part of the whole-building energy and water usage requirement.

Source Energy Score:

The source energy score rates the building’s total energy consumption against the total energy consumption of comparable high-performing buildings.

The score is a value from 1-100 based on the project’s source energy consumption per occupant and per floor area.

Source Energy Score calculation
To calculate a source energy score, the following data is required:

Annual Energy consumption, with monthly or daily totals and distinguished by fuel type
Gross floor area (sq. ft. or sq. m.)
Weighted occupancy
Weighted operating hours
Outside temperature
Location