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Project Requirements

• 1. Design Project Checklist
• 2. Eligible Building Types for EPA Rating and Project Requirements
• 3. Commercial Real Estate Developer-Owner Property Requirements
• 4. Owner-Occupied Properties Requirements

Eligible Building Types for EPA Rating and Project Requirements

Eligible building types should function as described in Space Type Definitions (see Space Use Information) found in the Help section of Target Finder. The following building types—also referred to as "space types"—are eligible for an EPA energy performance rating or setting an energy target. This listing accounts for about 60 percent of the commercial building square footage across the United States.

If the building's functions and characteristics are not as described in the definition, the results from the tool will provide a rating or target that does not accurately reflect the energy use intensity associated with the project. For example, if "Office" is selected as a representative space type for a higher education classroom/office project, Target Finder will provide an energy use target or rating for an office design. The rating will not accurately reflect energy use required for the higher education building because the function is different from that of a typical office building. Although these two spaces may seem similar in design and function, the energy use patterns and operating characteristics are distinct enough to render an EPA rating that does not accurately reflect the energy use intensity of a higher education project.

Target Finder can either set energy targets or compare estimated design energy use to like-building energy use based on performance data from similar building types. If a space type does not exist in Target Finder, users should not try to "force" the project into one of the building types.

Responsible Parties

The Architect of Record (AOR) is the architect or architecture firm that stamps or seals the project's construction documents before drawings can proceed through the permitting process. By stamping or sealing the drawings, the AOR bears the official responsibility for project design and its oversight during construction.

Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Developer Owners can request that the AOR submit core and shell project properties (envelope and major systems design). However, the design should have an estimate of whole-building energy use. (See Commercial Real Estate Developer-Owner Property Requirements

For owner occupied properties the AOR can submit the projects only after they have completed construction documents and have an estimate of whole-building energy use. (See Owner-Occupied Properties Requirements)

EPA recommends that the AOR specifies the energy use goal for the project in contract documents by including the Statement of Energy Design Intent from Target Finder and the Energy Performance Specification for Designing and Operating Buildings to Achieve ENERGY STAR (43KB).

The building owner can also use the Energy Performance Specification document to request design targets that meet ENERGY STAR criteria.

Building Types Not Eligible for an EPA Rating

Many other building types can be found in the 2003 CBECS National Median Source Energy Use and Performance Comparisons (CBECS) (46KB) table. The table provides national energy performance averages for building types not available for an EPA rating. The results are not normalized for climate, building size, occupancy, or other characteristics that may affect energy use. Nevertheless, the medians offer national targets to use in the design process. Some the targets shown in the table represent a combination of space types and may not reflect the specific energy use for your design project.

Design projects that will share meters with space types that not listed on the Eligible Building Types for EPA Rating are not eligible to receive the Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR certification. The building must have a sub-meter to provide energy use data for the EPA rating. These conditions should be verified with the building owner before submitting an application for Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR.

Building Renovations and Additions Requirements

Major renovations are defined as those projects that affect more than 50 percent of the total building floor area or require relocation of more than 50 percent of the building's pre-renovation occupants. Qualifying additions should increase the total building floor area by more than 50 percent. Target Finder can also establish energy use targets and rate the estimated energy use of major renovations and additions. Retrofits and upgrades to existing buildings are not eligible to receive the Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR certification.

Hospital Additions

The EPA rating for the Hospital space type in Target Finder is based on energy use for an entire campus. Because of the campus-wide requirement for this space type, hospital addition projects are not eligible to receive an EPA rating, so they are not eligible to receive Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR certification.