Energy & Atmosphere

Good Tuesday Afternoon,

Today's LEED topic for New Construction Rating System V2.2 is Energy & Atmosphere.

This first and prerequisite point for all other Energy & Atmoshpere LEED Points available to a project must meet and exceed the following requirements.

For the LEED points to be awarded the systems installed must reflect the design and callibrated to make sure the system is working as specified.

In other words is it working and really saving energy. The electric bill and fuel consumption bills will be the final and ultimate test.

This section talks about a Commissioning authority a person designated to oversee the documentation specs. and real world results and report his/her findings directly to the owner.

For projects under 50,000 square feet the CA (commisioning authority or person can be someone on the design or construction team over that square footage and someone is required to be working outside the design or construction team.

The best senario is that the owner hire this person.

1. That process starts with the Owner's project requirements.
2. Architects and engineers develop "Basis of design" BOD for a project that meets or exceeds the owners project requirements.
3. Commissioning plan for the elements of design , Heating, Cooling,Mechnical, passive, lighting controls both natural and provided, Domestic hot water, and renewable energy approaches.
4. Commissioning Specifications based on number 3 decisions.
5. Performance verification documentation
6 Then finally Commissioning report

If you think in the early days of LEED that the process used too much paper and be killing some trees you would be right so they have recently offered that all the documentation be filled out electronically right at their site to avoid using so much paper and be shared with the project team.

Remember to tread lightly or less
Be Green
Be Happy

Eric H. Gjerde AIA
Architect