Living Building Challenge 4.0

Changes to the Energy Petal (Q1 24)

May 2024
Corrections made as needed throughout for grammar, punctuation, nomenclature, typos, and links.

I07 Energy + Carbon Reduction (Core Imperative)

CLARIFICATIONS

  • Embodied Carbon Calculation Clarifications
    • Embodied Carbon Scope
      • Section is now listed first, with additional construction phase information.
    • Approved LCA Tools
      • Approved LCA Tools Table has been updated with modified categorization, the inclusion of One Click LCA, and additional guidance regarding appropriate application of the listed tools.
    • Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Data Accuracy
      • Language improved for clarity and accuracy.
    • Reference Study Period
      • Section relocated from Embodied Carbon Offset Clarifications and retitled from Lifespan.
  • Embodied Carbon Calculation Clarifications
    • Calculation Parameters
      • Section is now listed first, with minor language improvements for clarity and accuracy. Product Assessment subsection has been retitled as Product Baseline and includes updates to the most recent CLF North American Materials Baselines Report.
    • Building or Material Reuse, Reductions
      • Section relocated from Embodied Carbon Calculation Clarifications and retitled from Building or Material Reuse.
    • Biogenic Carbon, Products and Practices
      • Section retitled from Carbon Sequestering Products and Practices. Significant updates made to product claims, accordance with ISO 14025 and ISO 21930, and additional guidance on reporting.
    • Interior Products
      • Section retitled from Interior Materials.
    • Reduction Types
      • Table updated with minor improvements to Example Strategies.
  • Energy Baselining Clarifications
    • Baselining Tools
      • Language improved for clarity and accuracy, including additional clarity on data details needed when entered into the selected baselineing tool.
  • Energy Use Clarifications
    • Combustion
      • Clarity added throughout each subsection, with no change to intent.
      • Temporary Heat During Construction now includes additional clarification on life cycle stage A5 requirements, where applicable.
    • Project Energy Needs
      • Language improved for clarity and accuracy, including cross-Petal reference to Water Petal requirements.
  • Renewable Energy Clarifications
    • Clarity added throughout each subsection, with no change to intent.

EXCEPTIONS

  • AMENDED
    • Language improved for clarity and accuracy to the following Exceptions:
      • EC-002 Specialized Combustion
      • EC-004 Ornamental Fireplace in Transects L1, L2, and L3
      • EC-005 Pre-existing Infrastructure

CALCULATIONS

  • All Calculations
    • Formatting and calculation corrections made for clarity and accuracy.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Clarity added that project teams submitting biogenic embodied carbon reductions must submit and count claimed benefits separately from all other embodied carbon reductions.

CASE STUDIES

  • Example project language improved for clarity and accuracy.

RESOURCES

  • Resources are now aligned across the LBC Energy Petal, Zero Carbon Certification, and Zero Energy Certification libraries. This update includes revised and additional resources to the following sections: Energy Performance Resources, Embodied Carbon Resources, and Fugitive Refrigerant Emissions Resources.
  • Although fugitive emissions requirements are not applicable to this certification version, ILFI encourages reducing operational and embodied carbon of MEP systems, requesting low-GWP refrigerants during projects’ design phases, and requesting EPDs for MEP products.

I08 Net Positive Carbon

  • Embodied Carbon Offset Clarifications
    • Carbon Offsets
      • Section is now listed first, with minor text improvements throughout, including clarity within ‘Scope of Carbon Offset’ which includes new language on reuse as a priority and a clarification for projects using carbon-sequestering material values.
    • Applicable Building Materials
      • Language improved for clarity and accuracy, with addition of RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment reference.
    • Building or Material Reuse, Offsets
      • Section retitled from Building or Material Reuse, with minor language improvements for accuracy.
  • Energy Budget Clarifications
    • Vehicle Charging Energy
      • Option added to track miles driven and convert miles driven into electricity using the rated mileage of the vehicles charged.

EXCEPTIONS

  • AMENDED
    • Language improved for clarity and accuracy to the following Exceptions:
      • EC-022 Zero/Net Positive Energy Performance for Utility Constrained Projects

CALCULATIONS

  • All Calculations
    • Titles, formatting, and calculation corrections made for clarity and accuracy.

SCALE JUMPING

  • Clarity added throughout, including reference to Early Project Guidebook and improvements to Scale Jumping Exceptions, with no change to intent.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Clarity added that project teams submitting biogenic embodied carbon reductions must submit and count claimed benefits separately from all other embodied carbon reductions.

CASE STUDIES

  • Example project language improved for clarity and accuracy.