Which energy metering aspect is essential as a prerequisite in LEED?

Building-Level Energy Metering is crucial as a prerequisite in LEED because it establishes the need for comprehensive tracking of energy use within a building. This requirement is designed to ensure that energy consumption is monitored at the building level, allowing project teams to analyze energy performance, identify savings opportunities, and enhance operational efficiency over time.

By implementing building-level energy metering, projects can gather valuable data across various energy systems, contributing to improved energy management and decision-making. This aligns with LEED's broader objective of promoting sustainable building practices and reducing overall energy consumption, ultimately leading to lower environmental impact and operational costs.

Other aspects mentioned, such as energy simulation modeling or energy efficiency assessments, serve important roles in the design and evaluation processes but do not serve as prerequisites in the same direct manner as building-level energy metering. They may be utilized for analysis or design optimization, but without the foundational capability to track and measure actual energy usage, the overall goals of investment in energy efficiency cannot be effectively assessed.