Energy Modeling, ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED

By Andrew J. Kamnik

The most challenging prerequisite in the LEED for New Construction certification process is the Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite 2: Minimum Energy Performance.

Any project seeking Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum certification must demonstrate a 10 percent improvement above a building designed to comply with ASHRAE 90.1-2007 to as a prerequisite. (For major renovations, the requirement is 5 percent improvement in the building's performance.) The most effective means of earning this credit is through an application variously called the "Energy Model," "LEED Model," or simply the "Model," but officially the "Whole Building Energy Simulation Model." Whatever it's called, when done correctly, it can provide an extraordinary amount of information about a building's potential for energy savings, well before the first brick is even laid.

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