ENERGY STAR and LEED for Multifamily Buildings

Both the ENERGY STAR and LEED designations for homes have found increasing uptake among multifamily buildings.

These programs were originally designed for low-rise homes, including units in multifamily buildings with up to three stories, for which the same qualification criteria apply as for single-family homes. Both programs are now also being adopted for mid- and high-rise multifamily buildings, although different procedures may have to be followed for those.

ENERGY STAR Multifamily High Rise

Units in buildings with four to five stories can qualify for ENERGY STAR in the same way as low-rise homes if they each have their own heating, cooling and hot water systems. All other multifamily buildings with more than three stories, including those with central HVAC and up to any height, can now partake in the recently launched ENERGY STAR Multifamily High Rise program. This program performance exceeds ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 by at least 15% for compliance with a prescriptive path that sets requirements for equipment, distribution systems, lighting and the building envelope.

Focus on Windows: Under the ENERGY STAR Multifamily High Rise prescriptive path, windows must be either ENERGY STAR qualified or comply with the requirements of ASHRAE Standard 189.1-2009. All glazing must be double-pane with low-E coatings. The maximum allowable window-to-wall ratio is 30%.

LEED for Homes Multifamily Midrise

Since October 2010, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) offers a variant of LEED for Homes for mid-rise multifamily buildings with four to six stories, while low-rise dwellings are covered by the standard version of LEED for Homes.

Like the ENERGY STAR Multifamily High Rise program, LEED for Homes Multifamily Midrise requires at least 15% energy efficiency beyond 90.1-2007. In addition, points have to be earned in various categories, such as sustainable sites, water efficiency, materials and resources.

Just for Fun: During the Greenbuild Conference and Expo in Toronto on Oct. 4-7, USGBC announced the winner of a Multifamily Midrise Design Competition. Architects competed to design a new sustainable mid-rise building in combination with the gutrehab renovation of an existing building in New Orleans.

For More on Windows

This article was adapted from the Summer 2011 Word on Windows, which is the Efficient Windows Collaborative's newsletter. The Efficient Windows Collaborative is the Alliance’s consortium dedicated to increasing the market share of high-efficiency windows in both the residential and commercial sectors.