ATLANTA - Energy reduction through new requirements related to façades and mechanical systems is achievable in the latest energy efficiency standard from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The newly published 2007 version of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, provides minimum requirements for the energy-efficient design of buildings except low-rise residential buildings. The standard contains changes made through 47 addenda to the 2004 standard.

“One of the best ways to reduce building energy consumption is to reduce, or eliminate, the cooling or heating loads,” stated Mick Schwedler, chair of the Standard 90.1 committee. “By doing so, the systems installed in buildings become smaller and use less energy. For example, on a hot, sunny day, having more insulation in the roof and better glass on the southern and western façades of a building reduce the air conditioning necessary as well as its resultant energy use. Two of the addenda do this by enhancing the insulation and fenestration (or window) requirements for the building exterior.”

Schwedler cited forewords from three approved mechanical addenda to quantify a portion of the energy savings:

• Addendum an: “…would save about 18 trillion Btu of gas and oil annually once the existing boiler stock turns over.”

• Addendum g: “will save an estimated 1.05 Quads of cumulative primary energy by 2035.”

• Addendum f: “will save an estimated 2.3 Quads of cumulative primary energy by 2035.”

“These substantial savings are credited to the work of past Standard 90.1 Chair Jerry White, the Standard 90.1 committee, and those that aided in the rigorous public review process,” Schwedler said. “We know that many projects are achieving considerable energy savings at reasonable costs and ask the entire design, operation, and owner communities to share these project ideas and contribute toward future energy and energy cost savings.”

The cost of the I-P version of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is $119 ($95, ASHRAE members). The SI version will be available later this spring. The standard is co-sponsored by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA).

To order, contact ASHRAE Customer Service at 800-527-4723 (United States and Canada) or 404-636-8400 (worldwide), fax 404-321-5478, or visit www.ashrae.org/bookstore.

Publication date:02/04/2008