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. If backup systems are not utilized for standard building operations, they may be excluded from the scope. Thus, combustion-based emergency backup power systems are discouraged but may be utilized.
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 construction projects may not have combustion-based heating and/or cooling building systems.
Interior-only 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.
See Table ZE-1 for specific limits and requirements.
District Energy Systems Electricity
All projects may connect to a combustion-based district energy system (DES) for electricity.
District Energy Systems, Heating/Cooling
New projects may not connect to combustion-based district energy systems for heating/cooling.
Existing projects may only use heating and cooling energy from combustion-based DES heating/cooling systems if a phase-out plan is established. Plans should provide a detailed timeline for the phase-out, how changes will be implemented, and how the plan will be funded. The project team must meter the kWhs or BTUs derived from the system and include that energy in the Energy Production and Demand Table and show that the total energy use is offset by installed or procured renewable energy. For projects which contribute thermal resources to a district system, the project must meter the amount of offsite thermal benefit and extrapolate the proportionate reduction in electrical usage from the contributing project system.
See Table ZE-1 for specific limits and requirements.
Municipal Grid
All projects are allowed to connect to a combustion-based municipal grid for electricity.
Table ZE-1 Allowance for Connecting to Combustion-Based Systems by Typology
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
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.
