Backup Systems for Emergency Power
If the programmatic needs of the project require an emergency power system, the use of battery backup power is encouraged. Combustion-based emergency backup power systems are discouraged but may be utilized if not included in the project’s strategy for operation and if any use during the 12-month performance period is compensated for through the project’s renewable energy generation. See EC-014 Emergency Power Systems for additional requirements.
Critical Infrastructure and Life Safety
Critical infrastructure projects or projects in which emergency power is a life safety issue (e.g., hospitals, fire stations, transportation depots) may use combustion for emergency backup power. If combustion must be used, propane generators are preferred; diesel or natural gas backup generators are allowed only in situations where propane backup generators are unable to provide the functionality necessary to the facility, have a significant negative impact due to danger, or have a significant negative environmental impact. Teams may only size the generator to cover the life safety loads defined and mandated by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). To use this Exception, the project team must get preapproval through a Request for Ruling describing their efforts to minimize the amount of backup power required.
Combustion
Bio-based Combustion Sources
The use of biomass is not allowed due to concerns regarding the associated negative impacts to air quality, increasing demand for the non-sustainable production of biomass fuels that compete with food production, and the risk of systems being switched to fossil fuels in the future.
Building Systems, Heating and Cooling
New Building and Building Renovation projects may not have combustion-based heating and/or cooling building systems.
Interior Typology projects may connect to combustion-based heating/cooling systems that are out of the project scope if formal advocacy to the building owner for a phase-out plan for combustion has been documented.
Combustion-based District Energy Systems Electricity (DES)
New Building and Building Renovation projects may not connect to combustion-based district energy systems for heating/cooling.
Interior-only projects may use heating and/or cooling energy from combustion-based DES systems that are out of the project scope if formal advocacy to the building owner for a phase-out plan for combustion has been documented.
All projects may connect to a combustion-based district energy system (DES) for electricity.
Municipal Grid
All projects pursuing Zero Energy are allowed to connect to a combustion-based municipal grid for electricity.
Table ZE-1 Allowance for Connecting to Combustion-Based in Scope Systems
Outdoor Stoves or Grills
Outdoor gas stoves and grills that are not permanently installed or hard-piped are considered furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) and are therefore not governed by this certification. However, the use of non-combustion-based alternatives is encouraged.
Temporary Heat During Construction
There is no restriction on temporary heat sources during construction; however, project teams are encouraged to reduce energy demand as much as possible and to use fuel sources that are in alignment with ILFI’s combustion stance.
Heat Recovery from Adjacent Properties
Waste heat from an adjacent building or a DES may be used to reduce the energy demand of a project if the recovered heat is not from a combustion-based source.
