Lincoln Properties Company

BEPS COMPLIANCE

Our team performed an ASHRAE Level 2 Audit for a Lincoln Properties office building to identify a pathway for compliance with DC’s Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS).

  • The four pathway options include Performance, Standard Target, Prescriptive, or Alternative Compliance.
  • Level 2 Audits involve a rigorous analysis of energy consumption and identification of potential energy efficiency measures (EEMs). We quantified potential energy savings based on detailed data and analysis of the specific equipment and operating conditions applying to each site.
  • While the existing building did not meet the BEPS standard target for office buildings; the site had made improvements in its energy usage since the last reporting deadline. Through comparison of the different pathways available for BEPS compliance, our analysis determined that the current building had reduced its site energy usage by 20% since 2019 and met the Performance Pathway for compliance.
  • Our decarbonization team advised Lincoln Properties to submit using the Performance Pathway and keep their Energy Star Portfolio updated to reflect the current operations.
  • We identified multiple EEMs, which could further reduce the site’s energy consumption and bring the building in compliance with the office building energy performance standard.
  • Examples of the EEMs, our team identified included:

    • Building Management System (BMS). Replace the existing pneumatic control system with a Direct Digital Controlled BMS to control mechanical
      equipment, provide active monitoring, and update sequences of operations to reflect tenant occupancy and HVAC loads.
    • Lighting and Controls Upgrades. Replace existing fluorescent fixtures in the tenant office spaces and in the enclosed parking garage with higher efficacy LED fixtures to reduce the site’s lighting power density. Install fixture with automatic internal controls, like daylight dimming and vacancy sensors, to reduce the annual runtime of the lighting fixtures.
    • Chilled Water Plant Upgrades. Replace the existing constant volume chilled water plant with a variable flow chilled water plant. Install higher performance water cooled chillers with VFDs on their CHW pumps to modulate flow based on cooling load and improve efficiency.
    • Dual Enthalpy Economizer Control. Module the outside air damper position based on the supply air setpoints, outside air enthalpy, and return air enthalpy to reduce the need for mechanical cooling load.
    • Heat Pump Domestic Hot Water (DHW) Heaters. Replace existing electric resistance DHW heaters with higher performance heat