Module 4: Energy and Atmosphere
Goals
 Familiarize the class with general green
building concepts and practices specific to
Green Advantage® and LEED® Green
Associate tests
 Acquaint you with green building and
construction vocabulary
 Instruct you on test taking strategies for the
Green Advantage® and LEED® Green
Associate tests
Why do green buildings matter?
 The cumulative impact of design, construction,
and operation of built environments effect:
human health, environmental health, and the
economy.
 Specifically:
 Clearing land destroys wildlife habitat
 Raw materials are extracted, manufactured, and
transported, contributing to pollution of air and
water/greenhouse gases
 Operating a building requires water and energy
consumption
 Waste from construction, operation
 Everyday transportation during construction and
operation
How are green buildings different?
 Integrative Design
 Clear set goals
 Sustainable buildings are in the process of
continual improvement
 Productivity = $
 Inhabitants are more comfortable, spend more
time working; less energy (or embodied
energy) loss
 More valuable space
Energy & Atmosphere
 What is it?
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Reducing the energy demand in a space
Ensure energy efficiency in areas that require demand
Generate renewable energy (on and off site)
Monitor and commission for to ensure good energy
performance within the building and occupants
 What does that really mean?
Making sure you omit the unnecessary energy
demands, use high efficiency systems and products to
ensure the building is using the energy it requires
efficiently, and buy or produce renewable energy
when available. Then, continually monitor the building
for flaws, changes in the systems, and create
incentives for occupants to continue to reduce energy
demand and use energy efficiently.
Energy and Atmosphere
What does it mean to construction?
• Basis of Design (BOD)
• Owner’s project requirements (OPR)
• All project submittals
• Developing and implementing a Commissioning
Plan
• Documentation
• Verification of installation and performance
systems including HVAC&R systems (mechanical
and passive), lighting and daylighting controls,
hot-water systems, and renewable energy
systems
• Completing a summary commissioning report
Energy and Atmosphere
What does it mean to design?
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Daylighting
Interior Lighting
Reflectance Values of finishes
Reflectance Values of Furniture, Fixtures and
Equipment
Window Treatments
Impact of water on energy including water
saving fixtures such as low flow lavatories,
composting toilets, waterless urinals, and
energy efficient equipment.
Energy & Atmosphere:
Energy Demand Reduction
 Strategies:
 Establish goals
 Building size
 Meet needs, but don’t
exceed!
 Passive solar
 Day lighting, natural
ventilation
 Insulate
 Monitor energy
consumption
Energy & Atmosphere:
Energy Efficiency
 Strategies:
 Identify passive design opportunities
 Day lighting
 Building envelope
 Install high-performance building systems
 Specify high-efficiency appliances
 Energy modeling
 Thermal energy
 Efficiencies of scale
 Multiple buildings heat and cooled by district
system
Renewable
Energy Strategies
 Generate on-site
renewable energy
 Purchase off-site
renewable energy
Ongoing Energy
Performance
Strategies
 Follow owner’s
project
requirements
 Use as benchmark
 Train the occupants
 Conduct
maintenance
 Create incentives
Examples
Pop Quiz!
Please put away all books, papers, and notes
for this 7 question pop quiz.
This quiz is meant to test your fundamental
knowledge of green buildings and
sustainability.
You have 10-15 minutes to complete this
assessment.
Pop Quiz
1. What does the Energy and Atmosphere LEED
credit address?
2. What does Energy and Atmosphere mean to
design?
3. What are some energy and atmosphere
strategies?
4. What are some energy demand reduction
strategies?
5. What are some energy efficiency strategies?
6. What are renewable energy strategies or
examples?
7. What are ongoing energy performance
strategies?
Example LEED Exam questions
1.
A project team is evaluating opportunities to downsize the
building mechanical system. Which strategies should be
considered? (Select two.)
a)Install a high-performance chiller.
b)Decrease lighting power density
c)Increase the building mass
d)Negotiate lower energy rates
2.
Which systems contribute to achievement of Optimizing
Energy Performance, and On-Site Renewable Energy?
(Select two.)
a)Biofuel systems powered by combustion of municipal solid
waste.
b)Biofuel systems powered by animal waste
c)Geo-exchange systems
d)Biofuel systems powered by landfill gas
e)Biofuel systems powered by unrestricted wood waste
f)daylighting
Exam LEED Exam Questions
3.
The Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO) has established what
standard to describe best practice techniques for measurement
and verification?
a)International Performance Measurement & Verification Protocol
b)Green-e Product Certification Requirements
c)The Montreal Protocol for Measurement and Verification
d)Standards and Measures for Performance Verification of Building
Systems
e)Measurement and Performance Verification Practices
4.
A LEED for Schools project is finishing schematic design, and the
owner just selected a commissioning authority for the project. The
owner contracted with the commissioning authority to complete
all of the necessary steps for EA Fundamental Commissioning, and
Enhanced Commissioning. Once the owner’s project requirements
have been documented, what is the next step in the
commissioning process?
a)Develop the functional testing procedures
b)Complete the systems manual
c)Document the basis of design
d)Review the submittals
e)Complete the design review
Example LEED Exam Questions
5.
The design team for a LEED Core and Shell project is
creating a measurement and verification plan that will
comply with the requirements for EA Measurement and
Verification, Tenant Submetering. In order to meet the
requirements, what should the team include in the tenant
measurement and verification plan to address energy use
within the tenant space?
a)Documentation and advice for future tenants regarding core
and shell infrastructure that will support tenant measurement
and verification
b)Requirements that tenants will be responsible for their
individual energy costs through the lease agreement
c)A methodology for calculating energy performance risk to
the tenants for the first year of occupancy
Additional Practice Questions
1. What are some on site renewable energy
systems that are eligible for energy and
atmosphere credit?
2. What are the elements of commissioning?
3. List some important strategies to reduce
energy costs.
4. What factors should be considered when
selecting the HVAC system?
5. The Efficiency Valuation Organization (EVO)
has established what standard to describe
best practice techniques for measurement
and verification?