LEED® v4 BD&C Credit Guide

The following Guide provides a brief summary of USGBC – LEED_® v4 BD&C* (Building Design and Construction) Credit descriptions and compliance options.

* This Credit Guide, should be used for information-only purposes.. Please consult the official USGBC LEED_® v4 BD&C Reference Guide for a comprehensive listing of Credit descriptions, requirements, etc.

ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERE (EA)
EA Prerequisite: Minimum Energy Performance

This prerequisite applies to:
New Construction Data Centers
Core and Shell Warehouses and Distribution Centers
Schools Hospitality
Retail Healthcare

INTENT: To reduce the environmental and economic harms of excessive energy use by achieving a minimum level of energy efficiency for the building and its systems.

REQUIRMENTS:
OPTION 1: WHOLE-BUILDING ENERGY SIMULATION
Demonstrate an improvement of 5% for new construction, 3% for major renovations, or 2% for core and shell projects proposed building performances rating compared with the baseline building performance rating.
OR
OPTION 2. PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE: ASHRAE 50% ADVANCED ENERGY DESIGN GUIDE
Comply with the mandatory and prescriptive provisions of ANSI/ASHRAE/IENSA Standard 90.1-2010, with errata (or a USGBC-approved equivalent standard for the projects outside the U.S.).
Comply with the HVAC and service water heating requirements, including equipment efficiency, economizers, ventilation, and ducts and dampers, in Chapter4, Design Strategies and Recommendations by Climate Zone, for the appropriate ASHRAE 50% Advanced Energy Design Guide and climate zone.
OR
OPTION 3. PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE: ADVANCED BUILDINGS_™ CORE PERFORMANCE_™
GUIDE
Comply with the mandatory and prescriptive provisions of ANSI/ASHRAE/IENSA Standard 90.1-2010, with errata (or a USGBC-approved equivalent standard for the projects outside the U.S.).
Comply with Section 1: Design Process Strategies, Section 2: Core Performance Requirements, and the following three strategies from Section 3: Enhanced Performance Strategies, as applicable.
Note: Healthcare, Warehouse or Laboratory projects are ineligible for Option 3.

ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERE (EA)
EA Credit: Optimize Energy Performance

This credit applies to:
New Construction Data Centers
Core and Shell Warehouses and Distribution Centers
Schools Hospitality
Retail Healthcare

INTENT: To achieve increasing levels of energy performance beyond the prerequisite standard to reduce environmental and economic harms associated with excessive energy use.

REQUIREMENTS:
OPTION 1. WHOLE-BUILDING ENERGY SIMULATION
Analyze efficiency measures during the design process and account for the results in design decision making. Use energy simulation of efficiency opportunities, past energy simulation analyses for similar buildings, or published data (e.g., Advanced Energy Design Guides) from analyses for similar buildings.
OR
OPTION 2. PRESCRIPTIVE COMPLIANCE: ASHRAE ADVANCED ENERGY DESIGN GUIDE
To be eligible for Option 2, projects must use Option 2 in EA Prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance. Implement and document compliance with the applicable recommendations and standards in Chapter 4, Design Strategies and Recommendations by Climate Zone, for the appropriate ASHRAE 50% Advanced Energy Design Guide and climate zone.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES (MR)
MR Prerequisite: Construction and Demolition Waste Management Planning

This prerequisite applies to:
New Construction Data Centers
Core and Shell Warehouses and Distribution Centers
Schools Hospitality
Retail Healthcare

INTENT: To reduce construction and demolition waste disposed of in landfills and
incineration facilities by recovering, reusing, and recycling materials.

REQUIREMENTS:
Develop and implement a construction and demolition waste management plan:
Establish waste diversion goals for the project by identifying at least five materials targeted for diversion and specify whether materials will be separated or commingled and describe the diversion strategies planned for the project.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES (MR)
MR Credit: Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Sourcing of Raw Materials

This credit applies to:
New Construction Data Centers
Core and Shell Warehouses and Distribution Centers
Schools Hospitality
Retail Healthcare

INTENT: To encourage the use of products and materials for which life cycle information is available and that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life cycle impacts. To reward project teams for selecting products verified to have been extracted or sourced in a responsible manner.

REQUIREMENTS:
OPTION 2. LEADERSHIP EXTRACTION PRACTICES
Use products that meet at least one of the responsible extraction criteria below for at least 25% by cost, of the total value of permanently installed building products in the project.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES (MR)
MR Credit: Construction and Demolition Waste Management

This credit applies to:
New Construction Data Centers
Core and Shell Warehouses and Distribution Centers
Schools Hospitality
Retail Healthcare

INTENT: To reduce construction and demolition waste disposed of in landfills and
incineration facilities by recovering, reusing, and recycling materials.

REQUIREMENTS:
OPTION 1. DIVERSION
Path 1. Divert 50% and Three Materials Stream
Divert at least 50% of the total construction and demolition material; diverted materials must include at least three material streams.
OR
Path 2. Divert 75% and Four Material Streams
Divert at least 75% of the total construction and demolition material; diverted materials must include at least four material streams.

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (EQ)
EQ Credit: Thermal Comfort

This credit applies to:
New Construction Warehouses and Distribution Centers
Schools Hospitality
Retail Healthcare
Data Centers

INTENT: To promote occupants’ productivity, comfort, and well-being by providing quality thermal comfort.

REQUIREMENTS:
OPTION 1. ASHRAE STANDARD 55-2010
Design heating, ventilating, air-conditioning (HVAC) systems and the building envelope to meet the requirements of ASHRAE Standard 55-2010, Thermal Comfort Conditions for Human Occupancy, with errata or a local equivalent.
OR
OPTION 2. ISO AND CEN STANDARDS
Design HVAC systems and the building envelope to meet the requirements of the applicable standard: ISO 7730:2005 and CEN Standard EN 152151:2007.