Since being introduced eight years ago to encourage energy efficient design, ASHRAE’s Advanced Energy Design Guide series has been purchased or downloaded more than 500,000 times.  

According to ASHRAE, The books provide 30% and 50% energy savings when compared with the minimum code requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1, “Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.”

The series was developed by a committee representing a diverse group of energy professionals drawn from ASHRAE, including the American Institute of Architects, the Illuminating Engineering Society, the United States Green Building Council, and the Department of Energy.

ASHRAE Fellow Don Colliver has overseen the development of the series since it began in 2003. He called for development of the series during his year as president of ASHRAE. During that time, he noted that ASHRAE had found “that a single document such as a code cannot effectively be used for multiple objectives,” and proposed simplification and increased usability by creating a suite of documents related to energy efficiency.

“This is truly a dream come true resulting from a challenge issued during my ASHRAE presidential theme address in June 2002. I knew I wasn't smart enough to do it, but I knew that the team of people with whom I was associated would be able to get it accomplished – and they did,” Colliver said, jokingly.

For more information on the series, visit www.ashrae.org/freeaedg.