LEED Categories

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• Location and • Sustainable Sites • Water Efficiency • Energy and

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Transportation Atmosphere

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Indoor Innovation Regional
• Material and
Environmental Priority Credits
Resources
Quality
Shadi Abou Samra
Energy and Atmosphere

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Shadi Abou Samra
Fundamental Commissioning and Verification
(Prerequisite)

Intent

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To support the design, construction and eventual

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operation of a project that meets the owner’s

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project requirements for energy, water, indoor

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environmental quality and durability.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Fundamental Commissioning and Verification
(Prerequisite)

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What is Commissioning ?

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The process of verifying and documenting that a building and all its systems &

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assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated & maintained to meet

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the owner’s project requirements

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Benefits of Commissioning?

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- Reduced Energy Use

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- Lower Operating Costs

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- Reduced Contractor Call-backs
- Improved Occupant Productivity

“Successful Implementation of the Commissioning Process often

yields improvements in energy efficiency of 5% to 10 %”
Shadi Abou Samra - LEED Ref. Guide
Minimum Energy Performance prerequisite

Intent

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Reduce the environmental and economic harms of excessive energy

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use by achieving a minimum level of energy efficiency for the building

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and its systems.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Minimum Energy Performance

Requirements

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OPTION 1. Whole building Energy Simulation

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• Demonstrate a 5% improvement in the Proposed

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building performance rating for new buildings

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OPTION 2. Prescriptive Compliance Path:

➢ Comply with the mandatory provisions of ASHRAE Standard 90.1–2010, with

errata (or a USGBC-approved equivalent standard for projects outside the U.S.)
Shadi Abou Samra
Optimize Energy Performance

Intent

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Achieve increasing levels of energy performance above the Baseline

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to reduce environmental & economic impacts associated with

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excessive energy use.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Optimize Energy Performance
Thermal Modeling

• Use Dynamic Thermal Simulations for a

complete thermal analysis of the building

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• Yearly simulations on an hour-by-hour basis.

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Excellent tool for:

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• Assessing the energy performance of

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complex buildings

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• Evaluating building Loads
• Selecting appropriate HVAC equipment &
sizing
• Assessing the performance of the building
envelope, glazing & shading devices
Shadi Abou Samra
Fundamental Refrigerant Management
Prerequisite

Intent

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Reduce atmospheric ozone depletion

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Shadi Abou Samra
Fundamental Refrigerant Management
Prerequisite

What are CFCs?

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CFC stands for Chlorofluorocarbon. This is a type of hydrocarbon that is used

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in most types of refrigerants for building applications such as centrifugal

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chillers, refrigerators, and humidifiers. Most applications were installed prior to

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ozone concerns and they are currently being phased out by the Montreal

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Protocol.

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Release of CFCs destroys the ozone molecules in the stratosphere

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Shadi Abou Samra
Fundamental Refrigerant Management
Prerequisite

Requirements

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Zero use of CFC based refrigerants in new base building heating,

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ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R systems)

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• When reusing existing base building HVAC equipment, complete a

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comprehensive CFC phase out conversion prior to project completion.

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Phase out plans extending beyond the project completion date will

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be considered on their merits.

Shadi Abou Samra

Enhanced Refrigerant Management

Intent

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Reduce ozone depletion and support early compliance with

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the Montreal Protocol while minimizing direct contributions to

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global warming.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Enhanced Refrigerant Management

Montreal Protocol banned production of CFCs and phased

out HCFCs in 2020

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A refrigerant is a working fluid that flows through a machine

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designed to pump heat from a lower temperature to a higher

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temperature.

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Most refrigerant are the halogen family (CFC,HCFC,HFC,

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Halocarbon)

Natural refrigerants (C02, H20,NH3,HC, Air)

Shadi Abou Samra

Enhanced Refrigerant Management

CFC: Stability and long life with greatest ODP

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HCFC: Stable and short life with a high ODP

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HFC: Negligible impact on Ozone but significant GWP

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Shadi Abou Samra
Renewable Energy Production

Intent

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Reduce the environmental & economic harms

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associated with fossil fuel energy by increasing self-

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supply of renewable energy

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Shadi Abou Samra
Renewable Energy Production

Requirements

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• Use on-site renewable energy (RE) systems to offset Points Points

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% RE
building energy cost. (All but CS) (CS)

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1% 1 1

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• Calculate energy produced by the renewable systems 3%

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as a % of the building annual energy cost. 5% 2 3

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10% 3 -

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• Use the building’s annual energy cost calculated in EA
Credit: Optimize Energy Performance or the U.S.
Department of Energy’s Commercial Buildings Energy
Consumption Survey Database to
determine the estimated electricity use.

Shadi Abou Samra

Renewable Energy Production

What biofuels are acceptable as RE?

-Untreated wood waste, mill residue

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-Agricultural crops or waste (corn, etc)

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-Animal waste and other organic waste
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-Landfill gas

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What biofuels are NOT acceptable as RE?

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-Combustion of municipal solid waste
-Forestry biomass other than mill residue
-Wood coated with paints, plastics, or formica
-Wood treated with preservation materials
Shadi Abou Samra
Green Power & Carbon Offsets

Intent

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Encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

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through the use of grid-source, renewable energy

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technologies & carbon mitigation projects.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Green Power & Carbon Offsets

Requirements

• Engage in a Renewable Energy Contract (REC)

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- Provide ≥ 50% of the building’s electricity (1 point) or 100% of the building’s

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electricity (2 points) from green power, carbon offsets, or renewable energy

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certificates (RECs).

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- Renewable sources as per Centre for Resource Solutions Green-e Energy

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Product certification requirements
-Period ≥ 5 years

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Shadi Abou Samra
Practice Questions

On a project with older existing HVAC system that uses CFCs, what can the project team do to earn a LEED

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certification?

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A. Replace the CFCs with natural refrigerants

B.

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Purchase RECs to offset the CFC use
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C. Replace the CFCs with Halons

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D. Purchase carbon credits

Shadi Abou Samra

Practice Questions

On a project with older existing HVAC system that uses CFCs, what can the project team do to earn a LEED

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certification?

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A. Replace the CFCs with natural refrigerants

B.

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Purchase RECs to offset the CFC use
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C. Replace the CFCs with Halons

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D. Purchase carbon credits

Shadi Abou Samra

Practice Questions

What has a long atmospheric life, causing harm to the ozone layer ?

A. CFC

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B. HC

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C. NH3

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D. HCFC

Shadi Abou Samra

Practice Questions

What has a long atmospheric life, causing harm to the ozone layer ?

A. CFC

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B. HC

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C. NH3

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D. HCFC

Shadi Abou Samra

Practice Questions

Developing nations banned chlorofluorocarbons under the :

A. EPA Clean Air Act

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B. Executive Order 95-231

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C. Kyoto Treaty

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D. Montreal Protocol

Shadi Abou Samra

Practice Questions

Developing nations banned chlorofluorocarbons under the :

A. EPA Clean Air Act

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B. Executive Order 95-231

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C. Kyoto Treaty

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D. Montreal Protocol

Shadi Abou Samra

Practice Questions

Which of the following is a type of biofuel?

A. Wind

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B. Solar

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C. Hydro

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D. Corn oil

Shadi Abou Samra

Practice Questions

Which of the following is a type of biofuel?

A. Wind

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B. Solar

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C. Hydro

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D. Corn oil

Shadi Abou Samra

Practice Questions

Which of the following is not a type of biofuel ?

A. Soybean oil

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B. Geothermal

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C. Cow manure

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D. Wood chips

Shadi Abou Samra

Practice Questions

Which of the following is not a type of biofuel ?

A. Soybean oil

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B. Geothermal

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C. Cow manure

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D. Wood chips

Shadi Abou Samra