State building energy codes are getting an update – the DOE recently announced that ASHRAE 90.1-2013 Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings will replace 90.1-2010 as the commercial building reference standard. This means that states will be required to change their building energy codes to meet or exceed the updated standards within two years.
The DOE estimates national savings of 8.7% on energy costs, 8.5% for source energy, and 7.6% on site energy from the update and mentions eight specific changes that will have a big impact on commercial building energy performance:
1) Control requirements for lighting alterations
2) New efficiency requirements for individual fans
3) Improved energy usage for large boilers
4) A reduction of fan energy usage and improvement of economizer effectiveness
5) Increased energy efficiency requirements for building envelopes
6) New efficiency requirements for commercial refrigeration
7) Additional lighting controls in more spaces and a reduction time to dim or shut off
8) A reduction of lighting power density in most building types
