GB5: District Heating/Cooling

(5-11 points)

Purpose

Promote efficient heating and cooling of multiple residential and commercial uses.

Criteria

Install a district heating and/or cooling system which provides the full heating and cooling capacity for a percentage of the total project square footage of conditioned space.

The strategy must provide a community-wide system. Any systems localized to individual homes/units will be awarded through the appropriate EarthCraft building program (ECH or ECMF).

A variable speed motor and drives should be used throughout as well as individual meters for each unit in the system.

Qualifying systems: 

• Geothermal (ground loop) heating/cooling
• Combined heat and power (CHP) 
• Solar heat 
• Solar cooling using absorption chillers 
• Condensing boiler

Percent of Condition Building Square Footage Supplied by District Heating/Cooling:	Points
25%	5
50%	7
75%	9
100%	11

Projects may earn a maximum of 20 points from the District Heating/Cooling, Renewable Electric Generation and Alternative Thermal Production credits.

Verification 

• Calculation of the total conditioned building square footage for all structures within the project and total conditioned building square footage served by the district system. 
• Utility installation plans detailing the district energy plan.