This question is an updated version of my original question posted here: https://unmethours.com/question/99416/district-cooling-in-ashrae-energy-cost-budget-method/. There have been changes in the proposed system design which affected the choice of the baseline system.
I'm working on a baseline building energy model in IES VE 2024 following ASHRAE 90.1-2019 Energy Cost Budget Method. Per ECB guidelines, my baseline system should be System 2 (chilled water, hot-water fossil fuel boiler). The proposed model includes district cooling (water-cooled chillers + cooling towers + pumps). What are ECB guidelines regarding district cooling in this case? Do I need to model the baseline cooling plant same as in the proposed model (use the same efficiency)? For example, a virtual chiller? All I could find is the footnote under Table 11.5.2-1 which refers to Section 11.4.3 which only talks about purchased energy rates.
