Addenda to ASHRAE 90.1 open for comment

ASHRAE 90.1-2013, scheduled for publication later this year, has changes being proposed to strengthen its requirements.

March 28, 2013

Twenty-six proposed addenda to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, are open for public comment.

Twenty-two proposed addenda are open for public comment until April 21, 2013. They include:

  • Addendum bo adds requirements for use of gas condensing service water heaters in newly constructed buildings.
  • Addendum bs reduces the occupancy threshold for demand controlled ventilation from greater than 40 people per 1000 square feet, with exemptions for certain occupancies, to equal to or greater than 25 people per 1000 square feet, expanding the occupancies where demand controlled ventilation is required.
  • Addendum df replaces current minimum performance requirements for packaged Computer Room Air Conditioners shown in Table 6.8.1k with a new table based on Standard 127-2012. 
  • Addendum di prohibits use of fossil fuels and electricity for humidification above 30 percent RH and dehumidification to 60 percent RH, except in special circumstances.  Where control is required within the 30-60 percent region, a deadband is required. Where even tighter control is mandated, the system is exempted.
  • Addendum dj offers an increase in electrical/mechanical rooms in cases where the current proposed allowance of 0.42 W/sqft is not considered sufficient to provide needed vertical and horizontal illuminance given the varied configuration of electrical/mechanical rooms.  The additional allowance would have to have separate control and could not be traded off to other spaces in the building.

Three addenda under review that received public comments in earlier reviews have been revised and are open for public comment until May 6, 2013. They are:

  • Addendum ac provides for two compliance paths with regard to utilizing air spaces in conjunction with reflective surfaces.
  • Addendum bm makes the baseline building in Appendix G equivalent to 90.1-2004 for interior lighting design.
  • Addendum cl modifies IEER requirements for the air cooled air conditioners ≥65,000 Btu/hr and < 135,000 Bu/hr to increase the IEER from 12.8 to 12.9 for electric resistance heating units and 12.6 to 12.7 for gas fired units. It also revises air cooled heat pumps ≥65,000 Btu/hr and < 135,000 Bu/hr for electric resistance heating units from 12.0 to 12.2 and from 11.8 to 12.0 for gas fired units.

One addendum will close on April 28.

  • Addendum cv develops baseline energy use guidance for public assembly spaces toward assessing energy performance achievement of a proposed building. Public assembly spaces are typically designed and operated differently than surrounding spaces.

For more information on the proposed addendums and what changes they address, visit ASHRAE’s public reviews page.