Section 3: Synergistic Credits
Section 3:
Synergistic Credits
Introduction
Within the LEED Cost Study, five synergistic
In many cases, the green building measures used to
credit combinations are defined in the Courthouse
achieve one LEED credit will also apply to a
scenarios, while four synergistic credit
number of additional LEED credits. For instance,
combinations are defined in the Office Building
efforts to restore native or adaptive plantings on a
scenarios. These combinations are not intended to
site (Credit SS-5.1), can also contribute to reduced
represent all of the synergies that may occur on a
water use for irrigation (Credit WE-1). Carbon
LEED project, or all of the opportunities for
dioxide sensors installed for indoor air quality
integrated design. For the purposes of the study,
purposes (Credit EQ-1) may also be part of a
synergistic credits are defined only when: 1) a
demand ventilation control strategy (adjusting the
combination of LEED credits is less expensive than
supply of outside air based on the occupancy of a
the sum of the individual credit costs (i.e., the
space), that saves heating and cooling energy
measures to achieve one credit also help to achieve
(Credit EA-1). Identifying and exploiting the
one or more other credits); or 2) a combination of
synergies among LEED credits is often a key step
LEED credits is more expensive than the sum of the
in achieving successful, cost-effective green
individual credit costs (i.e., the measures to achieve
projects. By using an integrated design approach,
one credit are made more difficult and expensive
multiple project benefits can often be achieved
because of the simultaneous pursuit of another
with reduced or minimized first cost premiums.
LEED credit). Additional credit synergies that
Because of the potential for credit synergies, the
have no overall cost impact are not specifically
costs of a LEED project cannot typically be
identified (e.g., materials that contribute to both
determined by simply adding together the costs for
recycled content and local manufacturing credits,
the individual credits. For the purposes of this
but have no identified cost premium).
study, each of the twelve LEED rating scenarios
The synergistic credits for the Courthouse and
developed in Section 1 was evaluated to determine
Office Building models are reviewed in the
where credit synergies existed. The identified
following pages. Appendices E and F of the study
synergistic credit combinations were then used to
contain the corresponding cost estimates
create new "synergistic credit" cost estimates,
developed for each synergistic combination.
which replaced the individual credit estimates.
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