Which of the following is required to earn Energy and Atmosphere Credit, Renewable Energy Production if using a Solar Photovoltaic System?

Which of the following is required to earn Energy and Atmosphere Credit, Renewable Energy Production if using a Solar Photovoltaic System?
A . Carbon offsets
B . Daylighting strategies
C . Passive solar strategies
D . Produced electricity consumed on-site

View Answer

Answer: D

Explanation:

The Energy and Atmosphere Credit, Renewable Energy Production rewards projects that use renewable energy systems to offset building energy costs1. According to the LEED Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction2, the credit has two options: Option 1. On-Site Renewable Energy and Option 2. Off-Site Renewable Energy. Option 1 requires the project to use renewable energy systems that are located on the project site and that produce electricity or thermal energy for the project. The amount of renewable energy production is calculated based on the percentage of the annual energy cost that is offset by the renewable energy systems. Option 2 requires the project to use renewable energy systems that are located off the project site and that are owned by the project or have a long-term contract with the project. The amount of renewable energy production is calculated based on the percentage of the annual energy use that is offset by the renewable energy systems.

Therefore, among the given options, only Option D is relevant to the credit requirements, as it implies that the solar photovoltaic system is located on the project site and that the produced electricity is consumed by the project. The other options, such as carbon offsets, daylighting strategies, and passive solar strategies, are not directly related to the credit requirements, although they may have other benefits for the project.

References:

Renewable Energy Production | U.S. Green Building Council

LEED Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction v4

Solar Photovoltaic Technology Basics | Department of Energy

Photovoltaic system – Wikipedia