Core Performance & LEED

The USGBC has adopted Core Performance® as a prescriptive path to meet energy performance requirements of the LEED NC program. Core Performance can be used in lieu of energy modeling to demonstrate achievement of Energy & Atmosphere (EA) Credit 1, Optimize Energy Performance as follows:

Projects using LEED NC version 2.2 (and previous versions)

Core Performance is worth 2 to 5 EAc1 points, depending on project conditions and how the program is used. Any project using Core Performance for LEED must meet all of the requirements in Sections One (Design Process Strategies, including Criteria 1.7 on Measured Performance) and Two (Core Performance Requirements) of the Core Performance Guide. No substitutions or tradeoffs are allowed in meeting these requirements. No project over 100,000sf may use Core Performance to achieve LEED points. Core Performance may work well in buildings over 100,000sf with configurations and uses in line with the prescriptive approach and measures recommended in the Core Performance Guide.

The number of EAc1 points achieved by following program requirements is dependent upon project type. Office, School, Retail, and Public Assembly project types achieve 3 EAc1 points for following the program requirements. All other project types achieve 2 EAc1 points for following the program requirements. Hospital and Lab project types may not use Core Performance to achieve LEED energy points. The USGBC requires all LEED 2.2 projects to achieve at least 2 EAc1 points to receive a LEED rating.

All projects using Core Performance may achieve up to 2 additional EAc1 points in LEED by implementing additional strategies from Section Three (Enhanced Performance Strategies) of the Core Performance Guide. One additional EAc1 point is achieved for every three Enhanced Performance Strategies implemented. However, three of the enhanced strategies are not eligible in LEED and do not count toward additional EAc1 points. These strategies are 3.1 Cool Roofs, 3.8 Night Venting, and 3.13 Additional Commissioning. These measures are addressed elsewhere in the LEED program.

Projects using LEED 2009

The USGBC has modified the point structure for EAc1 in LEED 2009. All projects must exceed ASHRAE 90.1-2007 requirements by at least 10% before any EAc1 points are awarded. Core Performance is still eligible as a prescriptive path for LEED 2009. The guidelines for the program are the same as those listed above, except that in every case the first two ‘points’ are not counted in EAc1 but instead go toward meeting the prerequisite requirements of this credit.

For example, a lodging project that would have achieved two points in LEED NC 2.2 would achieve zero EAc1 points in LEED 2009, but would meet the prerequisite requirements of EAp2, and would therefore not be required to conduct energy modeling. This project could still achieve up to 2 EAc1 points by implementing Core Performance enhanced strategies as described above. Office, School, Retail, and Public Assembly projects that implemented Sections One and Two of the Core Performance Guide would achieve the prerequisite, as well as one EAc1 point. These projects would also be eligible to achieve up to 2 additional EAc1 points by implementing enhanced strategies, as described above.

LEED CI projects may use a subset of Core Performance (sections 1.4, 2.9, and 3.10 to achieve EAc1 points, as described in the LEED Reference Guide.

The USGBC has developed submittal requirements for Core Performance as part of the LEED on-line submittal process. The USGBC may modify the way LEED uses Core Performance, so project teams should check with the USGBC for any modifications to the requirements described here.