A newly published high-performance green standard would provide a solid foundation on which the federal government could build its efforts to make its buildings more sustainable, according to testimony from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) held a hearing Wednesday, July 27, on the notice of proposed rulemaking on energy efficiency and sustainable design standards for new federal buildings and major renovations of federal buildings.
Testifying at the hearing, ASHRAE Vice President Ross Montgomery encouraged the DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program to reference ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, compliance option of the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) as a means of meeting the requirements in the rule-making.
“Standard 189.1 represents a revolutionary new step for building standards, as it provides a long-needed green-building foundation for those who strive to design, build, and operate green buildings,” Montgomery said. “From site location to energy use and recycling, this standard will set the foundation for green buildings through its adoption into local codes. ASHRAE strongly believes that Standard 189.1 can help meet many of the federal government’s building needs.”
Standard 189.1 was published in January 2010 and serves as a jurisdictional compliance option of the IGCC being developed by the International Code Council, the American Institute of Architects and ASTM International. ASHRAE’s partners in developing 189.1 are the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America and the U.S. Green Building Council. For complete information on the standard, including a readable copy, visit www.ashrae.org/greenstandard.