Hi all,

I am looking for clarification of what the reference building?s heating plant should be in accordance with MNECB 1997 for LEED Canada NC compliance.

The proposed building?s heating plant is a central GSHP system, supplying hot water to heating coils in individual constant volume AHUs and also zone reheat coils. The GSHP system will also have auxiliary electric back-up boilers when the GSHP system is unable to provide 100% heating capacity.

According to the ?Performance Compliance for Buildings? document, ?Table 5.4.1.B Reference Case: System AHU2-Multiple Zone? states:

1) If the proposed design is electric heat, then electric resistance heat (see Article 5.4.7.1)
2) If the proposed design is a heat pump, then see Article 5.4.7.2
3) If the proposed design is fuel fired and not hydronic, then fuel fired furnace (see Article 5.4.7.3)
4) If the proposed design is hydronic, then hot water boiler (see Article 5.4.7.2)

My initial thought process is that it will be (2), so according to Article 5.4.7.2:

?If, for the proposed design, the secondary system is an electric heat pump and none of the heating capacity for auxiliary heating or terminal heating in thermal blocks served by the secondary system is from a source having an energy source adjustment factor (from Appendix D of the code) less than that for ?heat pump?, then the corresponding secondary system for the reference case shall be electric heat pump having a constant COP equal to the reciprocal of the energy source adjustment factor for heat pump?.

However ?secondary system? to me implies terminal heat pumps which the proposed design is not. So according to (4) hydronic hot water boiler, Article 5.4.7.2 states:

?If, for the proposed design, the secondary system heating or terminal heating in thermal blocks served by the secondary system includes capacity that is hydronic, except in the case of an air-to-air heat pump, then the corresponding secondary system for the reference case shall be hydronic with a fuel fired heating plant with the fuel for the reference system heating plant being the same as the proposed design.

So the reference building?s heating plant should be hydronic with electric boilers. Would this be the correct assumption?

Thanks in advance for any comments.

D?nal