Print this page Enhanced Refrigerant Management and LEED-NC V4 EA Credit 6
John M. Rattenbury, P.E., LEED AP
Course Outline
The anthropogenic release of refrigerants and other ozone depleting and greenhouse causing compounds in the atmosphere is a global concern. The total contribution of ozone depleting chemicals by the United States is estimated to be 1.27 x 107 pounds CFC-11 equivalent. The estimated U. S. direct emission of greenhouse gases is 2.52 x 1012 pounds CO2 equivalent. The LEED-NC rating system for the certification of buildings attempts to provide a methodology to manage the tradeoff between ozone depletion and global warming due to leakage and losses from HVAC refrigeration equipment and gaseous fire suppression systems. This course will enable the designer to understand the background and intent of LEED EAP4 and EAC6 and have a deeper understanding of the efficacy of what this LEED metric is trying to accomplish.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Understand the background of the Enhanced Refrigerant Management LEED Credit;
- Be able to recognize the significance of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer;
- Be able to recognize the significance of the Kyoto Protocol sponsored by the UNFCCC;
- Be able to understand the evolution of the LEED AE credit from its initial conception to the latest version in V4;
- Be familiar with the LEED Steering Committee Technical & Scientific Advisory Committee (TSAC) report on refrigerant environmental impact;
- Be familiar with the life cycle ozone depletion and global warming potential factors defined by the TSAC report;
- Be familiar with the equation for the combined threshold of GWP and ODP factors defined by the TSAC report;
- Be familiar with the baseline data provided by LEED for the calculations required to define compliance; and
- Be familiar with the various public comments leading to the latest version of the credit in LEED-NC V4.
Intended Audience
This course is intended for HVAC engineers and contractors.
Benefit for Attendee
Attendee of this course will be able to understand the overall intent and the evolution of the LEED-NC V4 EA P4 prerequisite and EA C6 credit.
Course Introduction
The purpose of this course is to familiarize you with the background of the Fundamental Refrigerant Management Prerequisite and Enhanced Refrigerant Management Credit (previously called the “Ozone Protection” credit) in the LEED-NC rating system Energy and Atmosphere category. This course reviews the evolution of this credit from its first introduction in the pilot LEED-NC rating system through to the latest form in the most recent V4 edition. This topic has evolved over time since LEED-NC’s first introduction in 2000 as concerns emerged about the anthropogenic accumulation of ozone depleting and global warming compounds in the atmosphere. As the course title implies, this content scope is limited to LEED-NC (for new construction and major renovations). At the end, a sample calculation will be provided to help further understand the framework of the credit.
Course Content
The course content is contained in the following PDF file:
Enhanced Refrigerant Management and LEED-NC V4 EA Credit 6
The Treatment by LEEDŽ of the Environmental Impact of HVAC Refrigerants
Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you still experience any difficulty in downloading or opening this file, you may need to close some applications or reboot your computer to free up some memory.
Related Links
http://www.usgbc.com/credits/new-construction/v4
http://en.wikipedia.com/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
sentation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
