LEEDuser’s viewpoint
Explore this LEED credit
Post your questions on this credit in the forum, and click on the credit language tab to review to the LEED requirements.
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Design and install HVAC equipment that is more efficient than the equipment required by the ENERGY STAR for Homes, version 3, prescriptive pathway. Points are awarded according to Table 1. Any piping designed as part of a heat pump system to carry water that is well above (or below) the thermostatic temperature settings in the home must have R-4 or better insulation. Refrigerant piping must be insulated to R-6 or better on the air-conditioning mode suction line or the heat-pump mode discharge line.
Table 1. Points for HVAC equipment that exceeds Energy Star requirements
Climate zones 4–8
|
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Central AC, air source heat pump |
Gas furnace |
Boiler, oil furnace (gas, oil, diesel, propane) |
Ground-source heat pump |
Points |
||||
Open loop | Closed loop | Direct expansion | ||||||
Cooling |
≥ 14 SEER |
|
|
≥ 17.8 EER |
≥ 15.5 EER |
≥ 16.5 EER |
1 |
|
Heating |
≥ 10 HSPF |
≥ 92 AFUE |
≥ 87 AFUE |
≥ 4.0 COP |
≥ 3.6 COP |
≥ 3.9 COP |
1 |
|
Cooling |
≥ 15 SEER |
|
|
≥ 19.4 EER |
≥ 17 EER |
≥ 18 EER |
2 |
|
Heating |
≥ 10.5 HSPF |
≥ 94 AFUE |
≥ 90 AFUE |
≥ 4.3 COP |
≥ 4.0 COP |
≥ 4.2 COP |
2 |
|
Climate zones 1–3
|
||||||||
Central AC, air source heat pump |
Gas furnace |
Boiler, oil furnace (gas, oil, diesel, propane) |
Ground-source heat pump |
Points |
||||
Open loop |
Closed loop |
Direct expansion |
||||||
Cooling |
≥ 15.5 SEER |
|
|
≥ 17.8 EER |
≥ 15.5 EER |
≥ 16.5 EER |
1 |
|
Heating |
≥ 8.6 HSPF |
≥ 90 AFUE |
≥ 85 AFUE |
≥ 4.0 COP |
≥ 3.6 COP |
≥ 3.9 COP |
1 |
|
Cooling |
≥ 16.5 SEER |
|
|
≥ 19.4 EER |
≥ 17 EER |
≥ 18 EER |
2 |
|
Heating |
≥ 9.0 HSPF |
≥ 92 AFUE |
≥ 87 AFUE |
≥ 4.3 COP |
≥ 4.0 COP |
≥ 4.2 COP |
2 |
|
What does it cost?
Cost estimates for this credit
On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.
Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.
This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.
Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »Frequently asked questions
See all forum discussions about this credit »Addenda
When can load sizing calculations be reused on different units?
Requiring every unique iteration of units to have a separate Manual J is burdensome, especially considering the small heating and cooling loads in many multifamily units, and large relative HVAC equipment size. Response: The HVAC designer can use their professional experience when performing load calculations on similar units. A unique Manual J (or equivalent calculation) must be performed on any unit that is expected to have a load difference of at least 25% from other units (based on different sizes or energy efficiency measures), or the next equipment size up, whichever is smaller. Separate calculations must be performed for each similarly sized group of units that have unique orientation and exposure.
Documentation toolkit
The motherlode of cheat sheets
LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Design and install HVAC equipment that is more efficient than the equipment required by the ENERGY STAR for Homes, version 3, prescriptive pathway. Points are awarded according to Table 1. Any piping designed as part of a heat pump system to carry water that is well above (or below) the thermostatic temperature settings in the home must have R-4 or better insulation. Refrigerant piping must be insulated to R-6 or better on the air-conditioning mode suction line or the heat-pump mode discharge line.
Table 1. Points for HVAC equipment that exceeds Energy Star requirements
Climate zones 4–8
|
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Central AC, air source heat pump |
Gas furnace |
Boiler, oil furnace (gas, oil, diesel, propane) |
Ground-source heat pump |
Points |
||||
Open loop | Closed loop | Direct expansion | ||||||
Cooling |
≥ 14 SEER |
|
|
≥ 17.8 EER |
≥ 15.5 EER |
≥ 16.5 EER |
1 |
|
Heating |
≥ 10 HSPF |
≥ 92 AFUE |
≥ 87 AFUE |
≥ 4.0 COP |
≥ 3.6 COP |
≥ 3.9 COP |
1 |
|
Cooling |
≥ 15 SEER |
|
|
≥ 19.4 EER |
≥ 17 EER |
≥ 18 EER |
2 |
|
Heating |
≥ 10.5 HSPF |
≥ 94 AFUE |
≥ 90 AFUE |
≥ 4.3 COP |
≥ 4.0 COP |
≥ 4.2 COP |
2 |
|
Climate zones 1–3
|
||||||||
Central AC, air source heat pump |
Gas furnace |
Boiler, oil furnace (gas, oil, diesel, propane) |
Ground-source heat pump |
Points |
||||
Open loop |
Closed loop |
Direct expansion |
||||||
Cooling |
≥ 15.5 SEER |
|
|
≥ 17.8 EER |
≥ 15.5 EER |
≥ 16.5 EER |
1 |
|
Heating |
≥ 8.6 HSPF |
≥ 90 AFUE |
≥ 85 AFUE |
≥ 4.0 COP |
≥ 3.6 COP |
≥ 3.9 COP |
1 |
|
Cooling |
≥ 16.5 SEER |
|
|
≥ 19.4 EER |
≥ 17 EER |
≥ 18 EER |
2 |
|
Heating |
≥ 9.0 HSPF |
≥ 92 AFUE |
≥ 87 AFUE |
≥ 4.3 COP |
≥ 4.0 COP |
≥ 4.2 COP |
2 |
|
