High-Performance Building Standard Provides the Foundation for Green Building Codes
(11/13/2009)
Posted by: Chris Gaerig, Online Editor
A proposed high-performance building standard and a stronger version of Standard 90.1, both being released next year, together will provide a total green resource for local and state governments looking to set building code requirements to reduce energy use.
Proposed Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is being developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in conjunction with the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The standard is slated to be the first code-intended commercial green building standard in the United States when published early in 2010.
It covers key topic areas typically included in green building rating systems: site sustainability, water use efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and the building’s impact on the atmosphere, materials, and resources.
ASHRAE and IES also are working to strengthen the requirements in ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, which provides minimum requirements for the energy-efficient design of buildings except low-rise residential buildings. It is estimated that the 2010 standard will result in 25 to 30% energy savings over the 2004 version. The 2010 standard is expected to be released in mid-2010.
An update on the development of Standard 189.1P will be given this week at the USGBC GreenBuild Expo at a press conference on Thursday.
The technical requirements in the standard also are supported by input from the building industry during the public review process. The standard recently completed a fourth public review, in which 109 comments were received. The comments are being reviewed by working groups of the committee developing the standard. The full committee meets this week in conjunction with the Greenbuild Expo to act on the suggested comments.
