There are three compliance paths for CIRRUS Low Carbon verification: the Prescriptive Path, the Performance Path, and the Green Building Certification Path.
The Prescriptive Path is, stated simply, a checklist. It is the most commonly used compliance path for CIRRUS Low Carbon. Under the Prescriptive Path, a project’s design must meet a set of mandatory measures as well as one or two high-efficiency measures (depending on whether the project is a new construction or a renovation). The mandatory and optional measures for new construction projects are outlined in the table below.
For redevelopments and major renovation projects, only two of the Mandatory Measures are required, as well as one Additional Efficiency Option.
In both cases, any updated measures must meet the efficiency requirements laid out by ASHRAE 90.1 – 2019 plus an additional 10% efficiency.
Performance Path
The Performance Path requires a project to demonstrate a minimum reduction in carbon emissions of 8% over the performance of an ASHRAE 90.1 – 2016 Appendix G energy model of your project. There are no mandatory or additional required measures for the Performance Path apart from this reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
This Compliance Path is typically used for large projects with a wide variety of spaces and design selections. A common example is a large hotel with spaces such as conference rooms, pool areas, restaurants, guest rooms, spas, and more.
Green Building Certifications
Owners that are working toward or have already received certifications from the following programs are automatically eligible for the industry’s lowest financing rates through our CIRRUS program.
- LEED Silver & above from USGBC
- Green Globes from GBI
- Journey to Net Zero from GBI
- Zero Energy Ready Homes (ZERH) from the Department of Energy
- Passive House design from Phius
- Passive House design from Passive House Institute
- HERS from RESNET
- Living Building Challenge from Living Future
- Plus some regional certifications
No matter how one qualifies for CIRRUS C-PACE financing, they will receive the industry’s lowest cost of capital from PACE Equity. They are supported by the energy and optimization experts on the PACE Equity in-house engineering team, ensuring projects meet the specification at the lowest possible incremental cost.
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