-
Got a BAS?
To earn this credit, your project building must have a Building Automation System (BAS)A building automation system (BAS) uses computer-based monitoring to coordinate, organize, and optimize building control subsystems, including lighting, equipment scheduling, and alarm reporting. that monitors and controls HVAC and lighting systems.
The minimum BAS functions for HVAC include monitoring the status of sensors and controlled devices, scheduling equipment off when not in use, scheduling set points and setbacks, and trending equipment status.
The minimum BAS functions for lighting includes scheduling lights to turn off during unoccupied times...
Step-by-step credit help
Got the gist of the LEED credit but not sure how to actually achieve it? LEEDuser gives step-by-step help. Members get:
- Checklists covering all the key action steps you'll need to earn the credit.
- Hot tips to give you shortcuts and avoid pitfalls.
- Cost tips to assess what a credit will actually cost, and how to make it affordable.
- Ideas for going beyond LEED with best practices.
- All checklists organized by project phase.
- On-the-fly suggestions on useful items from the Documentation Toolkit, Resources, and Credit Language.
-
Credit language straight from USGBC
Need to check up on the exact LEED credit language from the LEED Rating System on the fly? LEEDuser includes the verbatim language. Members get:
- Easy access to the official LEED credit language with just a couple of clicks.
- On the jobsite without your bulky LEED Reference Guide? Check up on the credit language details here.
- Credit language content is used by permission of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Your credit-by-credit reference library
Why waste time chasing down referenced standards and supporting resources when LEEDuser links you directly to the ones you need? LEEDuser has gathered all the best tools out there and organized them by credit for easy reference. Members get links to:
- Organizations that can give information or help on a credit.
- Standards or studies that are key reference points for credits and prerequisites.
- Articles that help explain important topics.
- Key documents or references for credit inputs.
- Software tools you can use to run calculations or simulations.
10 Comments
BAS Lighting Controls
What level of lighting controls are acceptable for LEED? Do a certain percent of building lights have to be controlled by the BAS or is there some other measure? Maybe this requirement could be met if the BAS controlled only lights in common areas?
Ben Stanley replied LEED Consultant, YRG sustainability Jun 14 2010
It seems like BAS control for only the common areas wouldn't qualify. However, local automatic controls like occupancy sensors would work for areas not controlled by the BAS.
Nell Boyle replied Jun 14 2010
What percentage of the lights in the building need to be either BAS controlled or occupancy sensor controlled? Is there a definite number for this?
Ben Stanley replied LEED Consultant, YRG sustainability Jun 14 2010
Excluding task lighting, you will need 100%.
From our experience, if you have less than 100% tie-in to the BAS you will either need to expand BAS control, use local automatic sensors, or contact the project's review team to see if your level of control will work.
BAS- Lighitng Control for Hotel Spaces
Is it necessary to integrate the entire lighting to BMS such as Hotel lobby lighting, corridor lighting which is always ON (24*7)?
Also should guest rooms lighting integrate to BMS or not? however rooms have control key for ON and OFF.
Pierce Holstrom replied Director of Engineering, Environmental Building Strategies Jul 21 2010
That's a good question Ashu. I couldn't find anything of consequence in the Credit Interpretation Rulings so I think this is one of those we have to dig a little deeper into the intent of the credit which reads:
"To provide information to support the ongoing accountability and optimization of building
energy performance and identify opportunities for additional energy-saving investments." LEED EB: O&M 2009
Given this, I would encourage your project to incorporate the lighting systems into the BAS. It seems the metering itself is important to the guide and in this case requires any energy use no matter the frequency, 24/7 or intermittent.
Could the hotel benefit from knowing that some number of guests leave their lights on when they check out? It is common in Italy for hotels to shut off the electricity to a room when the key is at the front desk. That would make this seem like a step in the right direction.
Fan Coil Units
We have 500 Fan coil units in our project but they are not on BMS. Chiller, boiler, AHUs and other HVAC units are on BMS. So my question is should we integrate the FCUs on BMS to achieve this point or not?
Pierce Holstrom replied Director of Engineering, Environmental Building Strategies Jul 28 2010
If this is a typical office space, the credit requires all of the Fan Coils to be at least scheduled and monitored by the BMS. The intent off this credit:
"To provide information to support the ongoing accountability and optimization of building energy performance and identify opportunities for additional energy-saving investments."
The 500 fans in these fan coils certainly fall within an opportunity for "energy-saving investments".
Ashu Gupta replied Project Engineer Jul 30 2010
Thanks Holstrom!
our entity is hotel in which rooms having a master control key. In this condition BMS would required for rooms or not?
Pierce Holstrom replied Director of Engineering, Environmental Building Strategies Jul 30 2010
Again, I think this is the same as the light questions before, if the AC is running it's using energy. Since this is a hospitality application we don't want to take control from the geusts, but it is valuable to know if the AC is running while the key is at the front desk and no one is using the room.
I know the Trane PTAC has a "Front Desk Contact Point" for low voltage on/off capability. Maybe something like this?
Please register to use the forum.