LEED Questions

In the WEc4 there is a note for "No garbage disposals" included. Are there any changes in LEED V4 regarding disposers?

RY: In LEED V4 there are water requirements and water control requirements for commercial disposers.

With regard to the LEED calculations Richard showed, how are the baseline energy numbers determined?

RY: The baseline energy numbers are derived from a variety of sources including FSTC research, CEC minimum requirements, DOE minimum requirements, CEE tiers and LBNL research.

When quoting a project, if Energy Star-rated equipment is being used can the LEED points or information be listed in the specs?

TS: EAc1.4 Optimize Energy Performance-Equipment and Appliances in the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system awards up to 4 points based upon the percentage of Energy Star-qualified equipment installed and includes commercial foodservice equipment. LEED requires the project team to fill out a spreadsheet to determine how many points are achieved. It is not necessary to include the LEED credit information in the body of the specification, but it can be. Some projects have begun including LEED information for all credits in the front end of the project specifications.

Do any projects fall under multiple LEED categories?

TS: Some projects could fall under multiple LEED categories and it is up to the project team to determine which rating system will offer the best path for achieving LEED certification. For additional information on the different rating systems, please refer to the U.S. Green Building Council website.

What type of documentation is needed for the LEED program on the manufacturers' end? Is there a way we can say that by using our appliances, you can apply for the credit?

TS: Individual pieces of commercial foodservice equipment can help contribute to certain points but there is no one piece of equipment that will earn a credit. Manufacturers can help project teams on the LEED documentation process by including additional information in their cut sheets, and many have already begun to do so. The information that is helpful for the current rating systems includes: Energy Star qualified, water use (in terms of the WE baselines in the reference guides), energy use (in terms of the EA baselines in the LEED for retail baselines), refrigerant type (if applicable), refrigerant charge and refrigerant tonnage.

Tarah, what is your experience with remote refrigeration versus self-contained refrigeration when making a case in regards to LEED?

TS: The way that the EAc4 Enhanced Refrigerant Management credit is currently written creates an inverse relationship between energy and refrigerant quantity, and can be very difficult to achieve when there is commercial foodservice equipment on a project. We look at each project on a case-by-case basis to determine which approach will work best, and have been able to achieve the credit using both strategies as well as a combination of the two on various projects.