Learn about building-level energy metering, which involves tracking a building’s total baseline energy consumption, an important concept for the USGBC LEED Green Associate certification exam.
Table of Contents
Question
Tracking of the total building’s baseline energy consumption is an example of
A. green metering
B. site evaluation data
C. energy savings records
D. building-level energy metering
Answer
D. building-level energy metering
Explanation
Building-level energy metering is a prerequisite in LEED that requires the installation of energy meters to track the total energy usage of a building. It helps to monitor and optimize the energy performance of the building and to report the data to USGBC. Green metering, site evaluation data, and energy savings records are not terms used in LEED.
Building-level energy metering involves measuring and tracking the total energy consumption of an entire building over time. This allows building owners and managers to establish a baseline of the building’s typical energy usage. By comparing ongoing energy consumption to this baseline, they can identify changes and trends in the building’s energy performance.
Some key points about building-level energy metering:
- It measures total electricity, natural gas, and other energy sources consumed by the whole building
- Meter data is recorded at regular intervals (e.g. 15 minutes, hourly, daily) to show patterns over time
- Submetering of individual systems and spaces provides more granular data to identify improvement areas
- Metering helps verify that energy efficiency and conservation measures are achieving intended savings
- Building-level metering is a prerequisite for LEED for Existing Buildings certification
The other answer choices do not accurately describe tracking total baseline energy consumption:
A. Green metering generally refers to metering of on-site renewable energy generation, not whole-building consumption
B. Site evaluation data includes characteristics of the building site, but not ongoing energy usage
C. Energy savings records document reductions achieved by efficiency projects, rather than baseline consumption
So in summary, building-level metering to measure and track a building’s total baseline energy consumption is required for LEED and helps facility managers optimize building performance over time. The metered data serves as a key benchmark to gauge the impact of energy improvements and retrocommissioning.
USGBC LEED Green Associate certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the USGBC LEED Green Associate exam and earn USGBC LEED Green Associate certification.