ATLANTA - A new book from three leading building industry associations has been published to provide a standardized set of protocols over a range of accuracies and costs that can be applied consistently to the assessment of building performance. Published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and developed in collaboration with the Chartered Institution of Building Service Engineers (CIBSE) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC),Performance Measurement Protocols for Commercial Buildingsidentifies what to measure, how to measure it, and how often it is to be measured for inclusion in buildings’ operation and maintenance plans.
“In an energy conscious world, those who measure and manage the energy use and performance of their buildings will be at an increasing advantage over business as usual energy managers,” said Jeff Haberl, who chaired the committee that wrote the book. Because energy efficiency should not compromise the services provided in the building, the associations noted, the protocols cover indoor environmental quality measures as well as energy and water use.
Protocols are developed at three levels for each of six performance categories: energy, water, thermal comfort, indoor air quality, lighting, and acoustics.
The three specification levels are:
• Basic level, which outlines simple, low-cost measures that provide an initial insight into performance at the annual, whole-building level.
• Intermediate level, which provides additional data on building performance, typically at a monthly frequency and major system level.
• Advanced level, which offers a more detailed and comprehensive analysis for those building owners or managers wishing to gain deeper insights into the performance of a building, typically at a daily or weekly frequency at the system or equipment level.
The cost ofPerformance Measurement Protocols for Commercial Buildingsis $89 ($75 ASHRAE members).
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:06/21/2010
