[Equest-users] Why Water Source Heat Pump is not considered as Renewable Energy in LEED rating system?

[Nicholas Caton]

IIRC,  the "intent" language for LEED's on-site renewable energy credit
speaks specifically to rewarding/incentivising the generation of energy
using sources other than fossil fuels (my own paraphrasing).

Any medium of heat transfer (air, ground, evaporation...) can be coined
"free,” but if the associated systems (however efficient) are ultimately
largely powered by traditional fossil fuel sources / existing electric grid
distribution, then the energy savings associated will be isolated to EAc1
credits.

Something like an extreme geothermal system drawing core heat from the
earth would clearly pass that litmus test, as it could be directly reducing
the net energy drawn from traditional, fossil fuel powered, energy
infrastructure.

~Nick
On Dec 30, 2014 10:42 AM, "Sami, Vikram" <vikram.sami at zgf.com> wrote:

>  I agree with Nathan (and the USGBC) on this one. I think that if you are
> using a true geothermal system (i.e. – extracting heat from the earth’s
> core), you could make a case for it being counted as a renewable energy
> system. However – with a traditional ground source heat pump – the ground
> is not a source of renewable energy, but really a heat sink that allows for
> you to be more efficient in your heat exchange. The system still uses
> energy – like any other heat pump.
>
>
>
> *Vikram Sami*
> BEMP, LEED BD+C
> Associate Partner
>
>
>
> ZGF ARCHITECTS LLP
> *T *206.521.3509 *E *vikram.sami at zgf.com
> 925 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2400
> Seattle, WA 98104
>
>
>
> *From:* Equest-users [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] *On
> Behalf Of *Nathan Miller
> *Sent:* Tuesday, December 30, 2014 5:16 AM
> *To:* YangMo; equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
> *Subject:* Re: [Equest-users] Why Water Source Heat Pump is not
> considered as Renewable Energy in LEED rating system?
>
>
>
> I would suggest that a ground-source heat pump is not fundamentally any
> different than an air-source heat pump (you could just as easily say a
> traditional heat pump extracts free heat from the air). Both use
> electricity to run compressors/refrigeration cycles to accept or reject
> heat to the ambient environment. It just so happens that ground-source heat
> pumps utilize a heat sink/source that is much more moderate in temperature
> year-round and thus realize higher efficiencies. At least in my mind that
> makes the GSHP a high-efficiency options, and certainly commendable, but
> not inherently renewable energy.
>
>
>
> That is my best guess at the rationale. It certainly gets a bit fuzzy,
> especially if you start talking about taking advantage of true geothermal
> energy (that is high-temperature geologic features, not just stable ground
> temps).
>
>
>
>
>
> *Nathan Miller, PE, LEED AP BD+C** – **Mechanical Engineer/Senior Energy
> Analyst*
>
> *RUSHING* | *D* 206-788-4577 | *O* 206-285-7100
>
> *www.rushingco.com <http://www.rushingco.com/>*
>
>
>
> *From:* Equest-users [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org
> <equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org>] *On Behalf Of *YangMo
> *Sent:* Monday, December 29, 2014 10:15 PM
> *To:* equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
> *Subject:* [Equest-users] Why Water Source Heat Pump is not considered as
> Renewable Energy in LEED rating system?
>
>
>
> Hi all,
>
> This question is not about eQUEST, but since in this group a lot of people
> are working for LEED consultant projects, I think it is a good place to ask
> this question. I have been working in U.S. for a lot of years and just came
> back to China recently. In China ground source heat pump and water source
> heat pump systems are very very popular, and they are considered as
> renewable energy, since they use free heat from the soil and water. But in
> LEED rating system, heat pump is not considered as renewable energy. Why?
> Is it because those system has side effect to the environment?
>
> Thanks!
> Mo Yang
>
>
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