Changes Proposed to Standard 90.1 Requirements Available for Public Review

Eighteen (18) addenda have been proposed to ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, which provides minimum requirements for the energy-efficient design of buildings. The proposed changes, which are designed to further improve the energy efficiency of buildings covered by the standard, are now open for public review.

“As we move toward publication of the 2010 standard, the 90.1 committee is considering many changes to reduce building energy use and cost,” say Mick Schwedler, chair of the committee. “The proposed addenda that are out for review move toward our goal of 30 percent energy cost savings.”

Among the proposed changes are a requirement for supply air temperature reset in multiple-zone HVAC systems, requirements for continuous air barriers, a requirement for the allowance of a number of paths to reduce building roof load, a reduction in additional lighting power allowances by reducing both lighting energy and the energy needed to cool a space, and a requirement for the orientation of fenestration to be considered to reduce thermal loads.

Each of these addenda can have a significant impact in increasing the energy efficiency of buildings. According to Schwedler, balancing the supply air temperature reset with an increase in fan energy can substantially reduce the HVAC system’s energy use; the energy savings resulting from that requirement alone can be as much as 2.5 to 3 percent.

“A working group comprised of many interested parties developed an energy saving proposal that we hope will lead to acceptance and adoption,” says Schwedler of the proposed changes.

The proposed addenda to ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1 are available during their public review period at www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.