[BLDG-SIM] LEED Building Orientation

Ross-Bain, Jeff jross-bain at smithdalia.com
Thu Nov 29 12:39:34 PST 2007


Here is my question to and response from the USGBC regarding this issue:

 

 

Dear LEED Info,

 

There has been a lot of chat on this item and I wonder if there is a
USGBC position - I found no reference to this in the CIR's:

 

Do existing buildings undergoing renovation require the four-point
compass orientation analysis?

 

 

 

Jeffrey,

 

If the existing building being renovated is pursuing LEED-NC rather than
LEED-EB, then it would indeed be required to undergo the specified
analysis.  This analysis is used to establish the baseline for energy
performance using the ASHRAE standard.  LEED doesn't have any specific
exemptions for existing buildings in this requirement, but if ASHRAE has
some kind of exemption, we will honor that.

 

 

So I guess the question then becomes an interpretation of the Appendix G
(Table G3.1 (f)) comment for existing buildings. Rotate or not?

 

My take has always been that new buildings have the option to consider
orientation but existing buildings cannot be re-oriented so rotating the
model does not really prove anything. 

 

Any 90.1 code committee members or others out there have an
interpretation?

 

Regards,

Jeffrey G. Ross-Bain, PE, LEED 
Smith Dalia Architects 
621 North Ave NE 
Suite C-140 
Atlanta, GA, 30308 
404-892-2443 
www.smithdalia.com <http://www.smithdalia.com>  

P Consider the environment. Please don't print this e-mail unless you
really need to.

________________________________

From: BLDG-SIM at gard.com [mailto:BLDG-SIM at gard.com] On Behalf Of
Neuhauser, Ken
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 2:31 PM
To: BLDG-SIM at gard.com
Cc: keith_lane at g-g-d.com
Subject: [BLDG-SIM] LEED Building Orientation

 

I am not the authority, Keith, but I believe that your interpretation
(that existing buildings do not get rotated in the baseline) is
consistent with the intent of Appendix G.  In new construction, the
decisions regarding building orientation will affect performance and
that performance should be measured against the baseline (although,
there are cases, such as a building that adjoins buildings to either
side, where rotating the baseline through all four orientations does not
make sense).  If you're improving an existing building, the existing
conditions of building enclosure components, including orientation, are
an appropriate baseline.  When we apply Appendix G to existing
buildings, we have also found that "existing building envelopes"
sometimes needs to be parsed into existing building envelope components.
For example, in a mill rehab, the bearing walls may be serviceable and
appropriately modeled "as is" in the baseline, but missing windows or
windows that are clearly not serviceable we model as per the ASHRAE
minimum compliance.

 

You should note, also, that an addendum to the standard has removed the
provision in the table under G3.1, 5c to distribute windows uniformly in
horizontal bands across the four orientations.  That should make all of
our lives easier.

 

Regards,

Ken Neuhauser, M.Arch, MSc.Arch, LEED AP

Architectural Project Manager

Conservation Services Group, Inc.

40 Washington Street

Westborough, MA 01581

Ph. 508 836-9500 ext. 13226

Fax 508 836-3181

www.csgrp.com <http://www.csgrp.com/>    

 

 

 

________________________________

From: BLDG-SIM at gard.com [mailto:BLDG-SIM at gard.com] On Behalf Of Keith
Lane
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 2:40 PM
To: BLDG-SIM at gard.com
Subject: [BLDG-SIM] LEED Building Orientation

 

I am modeling an existing building for Energy & Atmosphere Credit 1:
Optimize Energy Performance. In LEED and table G3.1 No. 5(a) of ASHREA
Standard 90.1-2004, it states that "the baseline building performance
shall be generated by simulating the building with its actual
orientation and again after rotating the entire building 90, 180, 270
degrees, then averaging the results". However table G3.1 No. 5(f) of
ASHREA Standard 90.1-2004 states: "for existing building envelopes, the
baseline building design shall reflect existing conditions prior to any
revisions that are part of the scope of work being evaluated." Would
this mean that you do not need to simulate the building for the four
orientations? It just doesn't seem to make sense to simulate the
building in such a manner if it is existing. I am new energy modeling
for LEED credit and sincerely appreciate any assistance.

 

Thank you,

 

Keith Lane, LEED AP

Mechanical Engineer

Garcia.Galuska.DeSousa

Consulting Engineers                     Inc.                        

370 Faunce Corner Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747 

p.508.998.5700                          f. 508.998.0883

 

 
 
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