In the LEED

synergy (syn·er·gy)

1. the interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.
2. cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the acquired subsidiaries or merged parts of a corporation, that creates an enhanced combined effect.
3. the name I would give to an energy drink I invent, but I’d replace the “y” with an “i” and serve it exclusively at high-end clubs for great-tasting jager-bombs.

Synergies in LEED are very important and is an essential ingredient in designing successful green buildings. Plus, they may show up on the test in one form or another - so pay attention.

Understanding synergies in LEED means understanding how different design strategies are interconnected and may contribute to more than one LEED credit. Synergies aren’t always good though, as some strageties can be great for one credit but terrible for another - at the same time. I’ll outline some examples for you:

1. Rainwater Collection
   • Good Synergies
     1. collecting from roof runoff reduces quantity of stormwater to be managed
     2. saves fees associated with handling runoff volumes
     3. resource for landscape irrigation
     4. source of non-potable water for flushing toilets and urinals
     5. provides opportunity to displace potable water use for HVAC (water for cooling towers)
2. Daylighting
   • Good Synergies
     1. can reduce need for electric lighting
     2. capture savings in electricity
     3. capture savings from reduced cooling loads and downsizing cooling equipment
     4. can provide passive solar heating
     5. may permit elimination of perimeter heating
     6. an integrated design effort may include addressing operating costs for both electricity and natural gas, environmental impacts related to energy consumption, initial costs for heating and cooling, the quality of lighting and thermal comfort.
   • Bad Synergies
     1. in cold-climate, skin-load dominated buildings, great daylighting may mean poor insulation (roof, walls and glazing). This could raise overall heating loads for the building.
     2. innapropiate fenestration (the placement of windows on a building’s facade) can also lead to overheating of occupants near windows, glare problems, and higher cooling loads in the summer.
3. Light Colored Pervious Paving
   • Good Synergies
     1. reduces heat-island effects
     2. reduction of stormwater runoff
     3. treatment of stormwater runoff
     4. improved mid-summer microclimate thermal comfort
     5. reduction of cooling loads
     6. possible rainwater collection for irrigation and flushing
   • Bad Synergies
     1. if implemented innapropiately in a winter-dominated climate and/or with insufficient drainage, potential benefits may be reduced and may actually increase overall energy consumption and cause maintainance problems.
        • i.e. having to plow snow that would of melted on black asphalt
        • snow removal equipment may damage the paving
        • cracking and buckling of the paving due to bad drainage and build up of silt
4. Use of Wheatboard
   • Good Synergies
     1. Initially more expensive, but saves money due to it’s durability compared to sheetrock.
        • saves costs on installation and maintainance
     2. The benefits associated with using a renewable agricultural byproduct
   • Bad Synergies
     1. if used with a finish or stain high up on walls, distribution of daylight may be severely constrained (because wheatboard is relatively dark)
        • here, it would absorb light rather than reflect it deeper into spaces.
        • this would result in a reduced displacement of electric lighting and greater energy consumption.
     2. because of the reduced thermal mass of wheatboard, in some cases this may lead to greater fluctuations in interior temperatures
5. Vegetated Roofs (every practice exam I’ve seen involved vegetated roofs in some fashion)
   • Good Synergies
     1. reduction of roof rainwater runoff
     2. reduction of heat-island effects
     3. reduction of cooling loads by buffering roof membrane from sun exposure and through evapotranspiration.
        • this can reduce electric power demand and permit downsizing of cooling equipment and save costs
     4. vegetation and soil also provide an added layer of insulation to prevent escape of winter heating energy from the building
     5. aesthetic appeal
     6. can communicate leadership in sustainability in the community
     7. provide habitat for birds and other wildlife

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