The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recently announced an updated agreement to develop achievable and cost-effective standards, jointly promote educational programs, and support one another's products and services.

Under the memorandum of understanding, signed June 25 during ASHRAE’s 2011 Annual Conference in Montreal, the DOE and ASHRAE agree to work together to promote and support the development of ASHRAE standards related to energy efficiency, including:

• ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.

• ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.

• ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 100, Energy Conservation in Existing Buildings.

• ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135, BACnet – A Data Communication Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks.

• ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.

• Proposed ASHRAE/NEMA Standard 201, Facility Smart Grid Information Model.      

Additionally, the organizations agree to:

• Support a goal for the 2013 version of Standard 90.1 to be 50 percent more energy-efficient than the 2004 version.

• Promote and support Standard 90.1 through training programs, including self-directed learning, building interaction, and ASHRAE chapter-oriented training.

• Cooperate in promoting the adoption of Standard 90.1 in building codes and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards.

• Collaborate on the accelerated development and distribution of advanced energy-design-guidance publications, such as ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guides.

• Encourage the interoperability of building-related software and the integration of solutions among design disciplines, manufacturers, contractors, building owners, and operators.

• Provide and support the communication of information about interrelationships between mechanical systems and building operating costs to building owners and managers.

• Collaborate to increase the impact of the energy-innovation hubs created as part of the DOE's Energy Efficient Building Systems Regional Innovation Cluster Initiative.

• Support the development and implementation of next-generation refrigerants that achieve low global-warming-potential targets and improve equipment energy efficiency.        

• Implement counterterrorism design features in buildings.           

The agreement previously was signed in 2007.

Acceptable Use Policy blog comments powered by Disqus