LEED v4 Energy Credit Updates

USGBC is introducing a mid-cycle update to the LEED v4 Energy Credits. Since LEED v4 was initially released in 2014, codes and standards worldwide have evolved and adapted moving towards higher efficiency across the board. Before the release of LEED v5 in 2025, USGBC wants to raise the bar for energy performance and introduce additional mechanisms for evaluating and incentivizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions. Recognizing the urgency of meeting climate imperatives, LEED is striving to continue driving the industry forward in climate, energy, and decarbonization. Let’s go over some of the main changes.

The update will affect the following Energy and Atmosphere (EA) prerequisites and credits for all new projects registered on or after March 1, 2024:

• EA prerequisite: Minimum Energy Performance (BD+C, ID+C, BD+C: Multifamily Midrise)

• EA credit: Optimize Energy Performance (BD+C, ID+C)

• EA credit: Annual Energy Use (BD+C: Homes/Multifamily Midrise)

Energy and Atmosphere (EA) prerequisite: Minimum Energy Performance

For the prerequisite: Minimum Energy Performance, the thresholds for improvement of proposed building performance rating compared with the baseline building performance rating will increase to 10% for most BD+C rating systems, versus the current 5% threshold. BD+C Core + Shell, Data Center, and High Process projects will require 8%; and Healthcare 5%. ID+C projects will require 6% for projects with new construction envelope and 8% for existing envelope. Projects with high process loads exceeding 50% of total building energy or projects with more than 40% restaurant area can use the threshold for Core + Shell. These improvements can now be documented using either a cost metric, a source energy metric, or a GHG emissions metric. Also, onsite renewable energy can now count toward the prerequisite thresholds with this update, a change from the previous requirements. 

EA credit: Optimize Energy Performance

The Optimize Energy Performance credit for LEED BD+C and ID+C is introducing a dual metric structure, awarding points for both high energy performance and greenhouse gas emissions savings. Like the prerequisite, energy improvements can be documented with a source energy metric or a cost metric. Previously points were based solely on energy performance using a cost metric. See tables 1 and 2 below for a breakdown of how points will be awarded for each.

Source: LEED v4 BD+C Energy Ballot clean 07-10-23

Overall, you can see the comparison between existing v4 thresholds and the updated v4 thresholds in the graph below for BD+C projects. While the values may seem high, they are now more achievable due to the new metrics, especially for projects emphasizing electrification and reducing GHG emissions. These new thresholds were determined based on 2030 climate goals.

This chart assumes an equal savings for the cost and greenhouse gas emissions metrics.

Source: LEED v4 Energy Update FAQ

EA credit: Annual Energy Use

For LEED BD+C Homes and Multifamily Midrise projects, the Minimum Energy Performance prerequisite and Annual Energy Use credit will also use new thresholds for energy performance. Additionally, the impact of the Home Size Adjustment credit will be limited to focus effort on reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions.

Alternative Compliance Pathways

In addition to the new energy credit structure, pilot Alternative Compliance Pathways (ACPs) with an emphasis on electrification are available for the Optimize Energy Performance credit. Electrification ACP: Prescriptive Path (EApc160) provides a prescriptive pathway for new buildings to document goals of running without onsite combustion, having low peak heating and cooling loads, reducing other energy loads, and investing in renewable power without requiring an energy model. This option could be appealing for projects under the California 2022 Energy Code. Electrification ACP: Energy Simulation Performance Path (EApc161) provides metrics to meet those same goals using building energy simulation.

This covers the main LEED v4 energy updates. For more information and a deeper dive into additional resources, check out USGBC’s Rating System Documents and LEED v4 Energy Update FAQ.

Batteries, Energy Codes, Embodied Carbon and More!

A New Year – A new lineup of Free Courses!

As we all settle into 2024, here at In Balance Green Consulting we are ramping up for new course offerings. We continue to serve as a proud partner of the Tri-County Regional Energy Network (3C-REN) to provide online and in-person courses on building performance, energy efficiency and Title 24 energy code compliance. All courses are free, thanks to 3C-REN, which is funded through public utility fees.

Online classes that are coming up:

Batteries: Options and implementation

Wednesday, 1/24, 10-11am

Whether you’re interested in resiliency and cost savings for a home or simply meeting energy codes for new construction, understanding battery storage is increasingly important for the building industry. In this course, we’ll go over battery types, what’s currently available and what’s on the horizon, how to size a battery for code compliance or other goals, and what to look for in implementation.

Register HERE.

Using HERS Measures

Wednesday 1/31 and 3/20, 9:30-11am

Third-party verification through HERS measures is a great way to improve energy performance and, more to the point, meet the Title 24 Energy code. In this two-part course, we’ll cover what architects and builders need to know to successfully integrate HERS measures into residential design and construction.

Register for Part 1 and Part 2

Energy Code Implementation: Single Family New

Wednesday, 2/14, 9:30-11am

Since the energy code update took effect in January 2023, the industry is adjusting design, detailing and construction to meet compliance. In this series, we’ll review the code requirements with a focus on what to include in construction documents to streamline the permitting process and tips for construction to ease sign-offs and occupancy. Separate courses over the next few months will cover Single Family New Construction; Single Family Additions and Alterations; ADUs; Multi-Family; and Non-Residential construction.

Register HERE.

Practical Ways to Address Embodied Carbon

Tuesday, 2/20, 10-11am

Embodied Carbon, the term that identifies the collective impacts of extracting, manufacturing and transporting building materials, is appearing on everything from requests for proposals to the next round of the building code. In this course we’ll provide practical approaches to reducing embodied carbon in residential and commercial projects.

Register HERE.

For lots more classes, both live and on-demand, go to 3C-REN.org.

Is your firm, department or organization interested in a particular topic? We’ll come to you! Reach out to us for scheduling.

Energy Use at Home and on the Road!

With new data provided by Southern California Edison (SCE), we are noting changes in both energy source and energy cost for our homes and, importantly, on the road.  According to Edison International’s Countdown to 2045: “Although electric bills will increase, savings from reduced or eliminated fossil fuel expenses will more than offset the increase for households that adopt electrified technologies.”

A few key observations:

Less Energy Use Overall, and More Electric.

Californian are using much less total energy than in the past, with an increasing trend toward lowering use of natural gas and increasing use of electricity. This trend aligns with California’s effort to reduce carbon emissions by requiring that electricity in the grid is generated through clean alternative energy like solar and wind.

New Construction Leads the trend

Newer buildings continue to use less gas and more electricity. New homes use a third less natural gas but 50% more electricity. Onsite renewable energy is required for almost all new construction, bringing energy savings to homes with installed PVs. Use of energy storage systems such as batteries will increase due to the public interest in resiliency and in mitigating power outages, as well as building code requirements for commercial and high-rise multifamily occupancies.

Personal Transportation Makes a Difference

The adoption of electric vehicle technology is increasing more rapidly than projected. Charging a car at home increases the owner’s electric bill, but the cost increase is more than offset by their savings on gasoline.

A Bumpy Road but Results will be Long-term Savings

Reviewing the chart below, we see that today, the combined energy cost for gasoline, electricity and natural gas is over $6,600 per year for the average SCE customer.

www.edison.com/countdownto2045

As we transition to electric vehicles and home equipment, electric bills (either to the grid or to pay for onsite PVs) will increase substantially, but use of any fossil fuel will drop dramatically, so the total energy costs will fall below $3,900 per year by 2045. That reduces the “energy burden” of an average household to less than 3% of their income. The cost savings is not a straight line, however, as the costs savings of electric vehicles are not yet available to everyone, nor are the savings from renewable energy and battery storage.

In the long run, households throughout California are projected to save money, including personal transportation costs, after the transition from fossil fuels.

Building a Foundation for Future Green Builders

In Balance Green Consulting is delighted to be partnering with 3C-REN’s Guest Speaker program to deliver green building education for students in high school, community college and centers for employment training (CETs) throughout the tri-county region. In the past year, we’ve been able to present in over 40 classrooms, with a focus on two core “101”- level green building lessons.

The first, Green Building 101, introduces typical materials in construction, their sources, and relative impacts on the environment and carbon emissions. We explore solutions through efficient resource use and implementation of green building design strategies such as daylighting, natural ventilation and passive solar.

Our Green Careers 101 helps students survey the broad range of jobs related to the construction industry, including a range of trades, planning, inspections, and maintenance. Students are encouraged to think about the skills needed for different career paths and work environments that appeal to them.

Building on these successes, we look forward to offering three new presentations in 2024.

·      Introduction to Zero Net Carbon Design for community colleges

·      All-Electric HVAC and DHW for CTEs

·      Hands-on Green Building for high schools

If you’d like to have our speakers at your school, contact us!