If the performance period calendar year is 2022, which of the following is an acceptable historical baseline?

A project is ineligible for an ENERGY STAR® Rating and will document Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite, Minimum Energy Performance by benchmarking against historical data.

If the performance period calendar year is 2022, which of the following is an acceptable historical baseline?
A . Average of calendar years 2020 and 2021
B . Average of calendar years 2015, 2016 and 2017
C . Average of calendar years 2017, 2019 and 2021
D . Average of calendar years 2017, 2018 and 2019

Answer: D

Explanation:

The correct answer is D because the historical baseline must be the average of the most recent three consecutive years of energy data available prior to the performance period1. Since the performance period calendar year is 2022, the most recent three consecutive years of energy data available are 2017, 2018 and 2019. The other options are incorrect because they either include years that are not consecutive or not prior to the performance period.

Reference: LEED v4.1 O+M Reference Guide, page 139

Guide to the LEED AP Operations and Maintenance (O+M) Exam, page 89 LEED v4 AP O+M Mock Exam, page 85

When a project is ineligible for an ENERGY STAR® Rating and opts to document Energy and Atmosphere Prerequisite, Minimum Energy Performance by benchmarking against historical data, the selected baseline must be representative of the building’s typical performance. The average of calendar years 2017, 2018, and 2019 serves as a relevant baseline because it provides recent, consecutive annual data that reflects the building’s energy performance before any significant changes or improvements made for LEED certification. This approach ensures that the performance period (in this case, the calendar year 2022) is compared against a stable and accurate representation of the building’s typical energy use, allowing for a meaningful assessment of energy performance improvements.

Reference: LEED v4 for Building Operations and Maintenance Guide, U.S. Green Building Council.