Rating System

LEED BD+C: New Construction

Rating System Version

v2 - LEED 2.1

Inquiry

EQ 7.2 requires installation of a permanent temperature and relative humidity monitoring system to provide operators control over thermal comfort performance and the effectiveness of humidification and/or dehumidification systems in the building. The requirements however, do not provide specific guidance on the number or placement of sensors in the building. The building in question is a 13 level healthcare facility located in the northeastern United States with patient rooms making up the upper 5 floors, and hospital ancillary space located on the lower floors. The building will be served by 10 central air handling units (AHUs). Each AHU will be equipped with a steam humidifier to provide humidification during the heating season and dehumidification during the cooling season through the use of the AHU cooling coil. Space temperature will be maintained through individual thermostats located within each defined thermal zone. Relative humidity sensors will be located in the main return air riser of each air-handling unit, providing feedback to building operators through the building control system, and providing control over each AHU humidifier. The AHUs are zoned such that each serves multiple zones that have similar thermal characteristics, particularly in terms of moisture load. For areas or zones that require a wider range of relative humidity conditions (such as operating rooms), supplemental steam humidifiers will be installed in the supply ducts serving these zones. Zone humidifiers will be controlled by sensors located in the zone which they serve and will also provide feedback through the building control system. Does the sequence described above meet the credit requirement for EQ7.2?