NC 2009 IEQc6.2: Controllability of Systems—Thermal Comfort

Thanks for sharing this information Susann!

Hi Sung Su,

I haven't seen this done before but I do think you could meet the credit requirements in this way especially if your project is in a location with high humidity. You would just need to make sure that at least 50% of your individual workstations have access to these controls. Also, don't forget the multi-occupant spacesConference rooms, classrooms and other indoor spaces used as a place of congregation for presentations, trainings, etc. Individuals using these spaces share the lighting and temperature controls and they should have, at a minimum, a separate zone with accessible thermostat and an air-flow control. Group multi-occupant spaces do not include open office plans that contain individual workstations.. Those spaces would need to have general thermal comfort criteriaComfort criteria are specific design conditions that take into account temperature, humidity, air speed, outdoor temperature, outdoor humidity, seasonal clothing, and expected activity. (ASHRAE 55–2004) controls.

Just for my edification, what is the name of the individual humidifier that you're specifying? How is it installed, etc?

Lauren

I mean that the most common humidifier, an "evaporative", "cool mist", or "wick humidifier", consists of just a few basic parts: a reservoir, wick and fan.

I think it can be installed by putting on the indivisual desk.

Please refer to this link --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humidifier

Thank you Lauren~~~

Thanks for sharing Sung Su!

This is a very good question, Udana. Looks like this question has been addressed on the IEQc6.1 forum (http://www.leeduser.com/credit/NC-v2.2/EQc6.1#comment-2652). Quick answer is to pursue the alternative compliance path, and clearly state how your project is meeting the intent of the credit.

Hi Sandy, I see what you're pointing out. It's likely another glitch with the credit form. Probably worth sending a message to GBCI. Good luck!

Hi Sandy,

When I reviewed the latest table on LEED Online (updated 2/14/11), EQc6.2 was not listed as an option for the LPE path.

More discussion on LEEDuser can be found here: http://www.leeduser.com/topic/licensed-professional-exemption

More information on LPEs is available in the Help section of LEED Online: Navigating Projects in LOv3 > During: Tools & Resources > Licensed Professional Exemptions.

Kyra,

This is a tricky one because I haven't seen any great guidance in the Reference Guide or through CIRs to answer your question. I would agree that I think it makes the most sense to consider the common study areas as multi-occupant spacesConference rooms, classrooms and other indoor spaces used as a place of congregation for presentations, trainings, etc. Individuals using these spaces share the lighting and temperature controls and they should have, at a minimum, a separate zone with accessible thermostat and an air-flow control. Group multi-occupant spaces do not include open office plans that contain individual workstations., with one control needed for that zone. This is because an academic library setting appears to meet the definition of a shared multi-occupant space, as a place "where transient groups share spaces, such as conference rooms, break rooms, and lecture halls."

It might make sense to also review LEED for Schools, even if your application will be through LEED-NC.

However, I believe that any "reception desk" like areas in the library should be treated as "individual workstations".

Lauren

Another library (community) related question: how would one define open reading or study areas (either desks or lounge chars/sofas) that normally surround the book stacks? They fit the definition of regularly occupied spacesRegularly occupied spaces are areas where one or more individuals normally spend time (more than one hour per person per day on average) seated or standing as they work, study, or perform other focused activities inside a building. though the same users might not occupy the same spaces regularly.

The major areas of a community library interior would be open to the stacks & therefore public and not subject to individualisation. Is it safe to assume that these public areas can be removed from the calculations? Can this thinking apply to the other Controllability of Systems credit, IEQc6.1?

It seems to me that these spaces would be considered multi-occupant spacesConference rooms, classrooms and other indoor spaces used as a place of congregation for presentations, trainings, etc. Individuals using these spaces share the lighting and temperature controls and they should have, at a minimum, a separate zone with accessible thermostat and an air-flow control. Group multi-occupant spaces do not include open office plans that contain individual workstations. but not individual workstations.

Therefore, users should be able to have some controllability with light settings.

Alternatively, I think that you could try to make a case for why it might not be reasonable for all public occupants to be able to alter their settings and instead you could argue for a mechanism toward occupants communicating their requests to a building manager or front desk information center or something of that nature.

You could also reference LEED for Retail which states that you can just provide controllability for FTEFull-time equivalent (FTE) represents a regular building occupant who spends 8 hours a day (40 hours a week) in the project building. Part-time or overtime occupants have FTE values based on their hours per day divided by 8 (or hours per week divided by 40). Transient Occupants can be reported as either daily totals or as part of the FTE. Residential occupancy should be estimated based on the number and size of units. Core and Shell projects should refer to the default occupancy table in the Reference Guide appendix. All occupant assumptions must be consistent across all credits in all categories. and not transients. Obviously, you aren't using a retail scenario here but I often reference that system when I have slightly different circumstances.

Anyone else have experience with community spaces and controllability? Meeting credit intent of controllability while also finding a reasonable solution for your project function are of utmost importance.

Thanks for your recommendations. Occupant comfort is a very important factor in a library experience, but your reasoning in referencing retail is sound - the library is providing a service and transient occupants might expect not to have direct control of building systems that affect a large group of unrelated users. Communicating needs with an authorized user seems to make this situation similar to communicating with a teacher or monitor in a classroom before any changes can occur.

Does anyone have experience with presenting such an interpretation for a community space?

Hi Mohammed, I'd check out this previous thread: http://www.leeduser.com/credit/NC-2009/IEQc6.1#comment-10468

I have taken this approach for a community center before and the concepts applied can often be used across both EQc6.1 and EQc6.2.

An important thing to note is that -- although my approach has been successful on one attempt -- I did not submit a formal CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide for this approach and so please take this advice with a grain of salt.

Generally speaking, I think it is good to assume that a strong argument that shows real reasoning and protocols established will be taken seriously by your reviewer. You have to be thorough in showing how you are meeting the true intent of the credit.

Good luck.

Hi Dewain,

If there would be one thing I would stress to all teams pursuing EQc6.2, it would be to write a good narrative for your reviewer. If you describe to a reviewer that the stations are not each run by one employee but are instead populated by many occupants throughout the day (or whatever the case may be), I think the reviewer will be amenable to your case.

This credit can really confusing for teams that don't have a traditional office space layout. However, it's still achievable if you make a good case for your project matching the intent of controllability.

I'd also stress to project teams to make sure that if you do have a traditional office space in your auto service garage, that that space be a great example of traditionally meeting the credit for your reviewer. In other words, in the more straightforward situations, do a great job of showing perfect documentation for those. That way the reviewer knows you're on top of it. If the main office desk has its own thermostat and/or operable window, then you'll show you understand the credit.

You are allowed to mix control types. Ideally they should be matched, in proximity, to your designations of "workstations". If some workstations are close to heaters and some to operable doors, then you should make a case for different workstations "owning" certain controls.

Make sure that your operable doors meet the requirements of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007.

Thank you! In this case, there is a large amount of office area also associated with the project, and about 90% of those spaces have their own individual vavVariable Air Volume (VAV) is an HVAC conservation feature that supplies varying quantities of conditioned (heated or cooled) air to different parts of a building according to the heating and cooling needs of those specific areas. box and thermostat, which is helping greatly with the overall average of the project.

Dewain—yes, air speed is one of the controls that you can use to go after this credit.

Hi Scott,

Where in the Reference Guide does it say that you need to provide one thermal comfort control per residential unit? I was trying to find language like this but couldn't find it.

Depending on how many bedrooms you have in your residential units I think it could be argued that you would need more than one control to meet the needs of the occupants. In past projects I've worked on, I've included one thermal comfort control per bedroom I have (or at least controls for 50% of bedrooms) to meet the credit requirements.

Does your apartment have operable windows or are they fixed? Windows could also assist.

You may also need to provide controls for the multi-occupant spacesConference rooms, classrooms and other indoor spaces used as a place of congregation for presentations, trainings, etc. Individuals using these spaces share the lighting and temperature controls and they should have, at a minimum, a separate zone with accessible thermostat and an air-flow control. Group multi-occupant spaces do not include open office plans that contain individual workstations. like Living Rooms, etc.

Of course, if you intend to have the apartments for one person than I think you could make the case to the reviewer that the space truly requires one set of controls.

Lauren in the 2009 Ed. GBD+C, on pg 529, 4th paragraph down.
I understand I can use the windows for the bedrooms as additional control, but that would seem to be waste of energy if the heating or cooling equipmentThe equipment used for cooling room air in a building for human comfort. was running and someone opens a window.

Would it be more appropriate to call a residential unit a 'Shared Multi-Occupant' space?

We are working on a hotel project where there are 200 rooms. each room is to be occupied by two occupants. each room will be mechanically conditioned and thermal comfort system control will be facilitated. can we count this measure as providing controlability to both occupants? for example if we provide the facility to control thermal comfort in all 200 rooms can we take it as providing control for 400 individuals? thanx in advance.

Scott, one residential unit cannot be called a multi-occupant space. Bedrooms need individual controls and living room-like spaces needs multi-occupant controls.

Udana, I believe that if you have rooms with two occupants then you need to have controls for those individual occupants. In total 50% of those occupants would need controls. Another way to say is that you would need one control per bedroom (for instance, one thermostat). I don't know exactly what is meant by "thermal comfort system control will be facilitated". Can the occupants control their own temperature or is it still controlled remotely by a building manager or building system? The important part of this credit is that the individual occupants have controllability.

No - that does not allow 12 users (50%) to control their thermal comfort conditions independently of other users. This is a fairly common misunderstanding of the credit language.

Individual controls for workstation areas has always been interpreted by reviewers as: the number of controls (thermostats, in this case) needs to be 50% of the number of occupants. The most common way we've seen this provided in open offices is with underfloor air (UFAD) systems where there is one adjustable floor diffuser for every two workstations. This is not an easy or common credit to achieve in large offices.

Hi Vishnu,

If you have three workstations in one office and you have a thermostat and a diffuser than you should be covered for the 50% requirement. Do you have more than one office in your project? You would have to include your entire project space.

LEED hasn't provided too much clarity regarding part time employees or building occupants. Generally speaking, it's best to provide controls for both part time employees and full time employees if at all possible. The credit is based off of workstation layout more than anything else, rather than the duration of time at a workstation.

It looks like you'll be good to meet the requirements in the scenario you described.

Lauren

You can submit a representative floor plan denoting the thermal controls with a narrative rather than all the plans.
When following this route select the "A different docuement is better suited to satisfy this requirement" tab.

I think the LEED plan reveiwer will have a hard time approving this strategy. What is the response time to make the adjustment? What happen when this person is unavailable? Vacation? Sick??

Calling a person to make an adjustment might not be considered "individual comfort control" by the LEED reviewer.

I have an example where the temperature and air speed is changed using a remote control. Each plan has access to three controls, which the users bring to their room to control the thermal comfort. Does this seem like a solution that would pass?

This control is directly operable by the occupant so I would belive this will achieve the credit, as long as at least 50% of the occpants have access to the type of control you described.

Hi Shannon,

Yes, it should. EQc6.2 doesn't specify different requirements for mixed mode systems. You just need to have individual thermal comfort controls to cover at least 50% of your "individual workstations". You would have to list out all of your workstation and attribute certain windows to certain workstations. For the limits of the credit (i.e. an area of 20 feet by 20 feet per window), the opening size would need to be 16 square feet.

There are no requirements for window contact switches they just have to be openable by the occupants.

Hope I answered your question. Let me know if I didn't.

This credit is not easily achieved under NC. In an office setting, the most common strategies to earn the credit are to have 50% or more of the occupants within a perimeter zone that has many operable windows, or a raised floor/ underfloor ventilation system (UFAD) with one floor vent per every two occupants.

It's hard for me to imagine how this credit could be achieved in a retail setting with the NC requirements - half the occupants of individual workstations need access to their own individual thermal control. For the "multi-occupant spacesConference rooms, classrooms and other indoor spaces used as a place of congregation for presentations, trainings, etc. Individuals using these spaces share the lighting and temperature controls and they should have, at a minimum, a separate zone with accessible thermostat and an air-flow control. Group multi-occupant spaces do not include open office plans that contain individual workstations." each group would need to be able to adjust the temp or ventilation of their particular area.

You'll probably want to look at the EQc6.2 requirements under LEED for Retail NC which addresses primarily the office and administrative areas. It is expected to be available late in 2010: http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1734

Hi Shannon,

I believe that this is an acceptable means to exhibit thermal comfort control. You must be able to control at least one of the following: air temperature, radiant temperature, air speed and humidity. In this case you're controlling air speed.
Controls are defined as "operating mechanisms that enable a person to turn on or off devices or adjust systems within a a range." Though I've never personally seen it done, it seems like a table top fan meets those requirements.
Lauren

I just came across a 3/27/07 CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide that states:
"......intent of this credit is to make thermal comfort controllability an integral part of the building design for occupants. Therefore, unless the fans/air-purifiers are hard-wired in the building system, they will not satisfy the requirement of this credit. Similarly, plug-in desktop fans will not satisfy the requirement of this credit which deals with providing thermal comfort control as an integral part of the building design.

Hi Laura,

That's an interesting CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide. I've never seen fans hard wired in the building system so it'd be very hard to get the credit by following that CIR. It also seems strange to me that the requirement would be for the individual controls in EQc6.2 be hard wired when you can satisfy EQc6.1 with simple task lights. In my mind, EQc6.1 and EQc6.2 are similar in their intent and guidelines.

I'd say that if this project is pre-LEED 2009 then you'd need to follow this CIR. If it's a LEED-2009 project then I'd not necessarily worry about the CIR.

Guidance on using CIRs from the USGBC:
http://www.gbci.org/Certification/Resources/cirs.aspx
"THE CIR DATABASE THAT WAS CREATED FOR PRE-LEED 2009 RATING SYSTEMS MAY NOT BE REFERENCED OR RELIED UPON BY PROJECT TEAMS PURSUING CERTIFICATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH LEED 2009 RATING SYSTEMS."

Also, if the company supplied the desk fans to employees that'd also seem more viable then employee supplied desk fans.

Hi Mike,

I think, technically speaking, you'd comply. You must be able to control at least one of the following: air temperature, radiant temperature, air speed and humidity. In this case you're controlling air speed.
Make sure to document the specifications of the diffusersIn an HVAC context, diffusers disperse heating, cooling, or ventilation air as it enters a room, ideally preventing uncomfortable direct currents and in many cases, reducing energy costs and improving indoor air quality (IAQ). In light fixtures, diffusers filter and disperse light. and give examples of air speeds and reduced air speeds acheiveable.
How does one actually reach up and control a ceiling diffuser?

Lauren

Under NCv2.2, Thermafusers were an acceptable type of diffuser which achieved this credit. However, what you mention on your project only provides directional control and OBDs, which I do not believe would comply. The intent of the credit is to provide controllability to the occupants. The diffusersIn an HVAC context, diffusers disperse heating, cooling, or ventilation air as it enters a room, ideally preventing uncomfortable direct currents and in many cases, reducing energy costs and improving indoor air quality (IAQ). In light fixtures, diffusers filter and disperse light. you have in place would not necessarily provide controllability to the occupants. The OBDs are used for minor tweaks during balancing of the system and are not accessible once the diffusers are installed and covered. The directional control does not allow the user to control any of the following: air temperature, radiant temperature, air speed or humidity, which are the requirements for controllability. Based on these two items, I do not believe you would be able to meet the requirements of this credit. You do have the quantity of diffusers, the problem is that the diffuser type selected does not meet the controllability requirements.

That was my initial thought also but isn't he technically providing air speed control?

He is providing air speed control, but not at the occupant level which is what counts. Unless he shows some way that the occupant will have that control, then I do not believe the project would comply with the requirements.

I agree. You'd need to clarify how the occupants have control over ceiling diffusersIn an HVAC context, diffusers disperse heating, cooling, or ventilation air as it enters a room, ideally preventing uncomfortable direct currents and in many cases, reducing energy costs and improving indoor air quality (IAQ). In light fixtures, diffusers filter and disperse light.. "Overhead" controls are noted throughout the Reference Guide under EQc6.2.

Hi James,

I think your approach is commendable though I'm not sure it will pass because it's atypical. You could try submitting a project specific CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide to the GBCI.

The technology sounds good, but since the controls, while accessible by all, adjust conditions for 4-6 people there is actual control available for 1/4 or 1/6 of people rather than 1/2.

You could always try to submit with your approach and a very clear narrative but I would provide no guarantee that it'd pass.

Lauren

Hi Michael,

Just so I am clear: are you talking about using the operable fire house doors as operable windows for EQc2 or EQc6.1 or both? I believe in either case you'd need to see if the fire truck doors meet the technical requirements of ASHRAE 62.1-2004, paragraph 5.1., Natural Ventilation. I'd see if ASHRAE 62.1-2004 has a definition of an operable window or something of that nature.

On a sort-of unrelated note, I've been able to call fire truck doors as windows for EQc8 before by stating that they were open at a high frequency with a written letter from the owner of the fire house. I think it's another case where the situation may or may not be accepted by your reviewer.

George, I suggest reviewing the diagram and summary above in the Bird's Eye View, and the steps in the Checklists tab. Open office spaces are considered individually occupied.

George, the open offices with work desks implies each occupant is working there for 4 hours or more. Each desk is assumed to be individually occupied space. You are right in interpreting it, 50% of cubicle occupants must have acces to toehri dedicated thermal control which can be a diffuser, operable window, thermostat or another strategy. As Tristan pointed out, the details are in the Checklists section of this credit.

The credit requirements are to the monitor CO2Carbon dioxide, temperature, and humidity daily. If the intent is to regularly document that appropriate indoor environmental requirements are being met, would developing a program where building staff sample selected rooms and spaces, record this information into log book, and develop appropriate procedures solve problems when the requirements are not met, be sufficient to meet the credit requirements? And would regular changes of Humidifier Filters be a consideration in the requirements?