Green building standard open for comment

The nation’s first standard for high-performance green

buildings began its third public review period on May 1. The proposed ” Standard

189.1, Standard for the Design of High Performance, Green Buildings except

Low-Rise Residential Buildings ” is being developed by ASHRAE , the Illuminating

Engineering Society of North America , and the U.S. Green Building Council . This

will be the first such green building standard in the United States. Comments

on the draft standard will be accepted through June 15.

 “Standard 189.1 is essential for the further promotion of

high-performance green buildings in the United States and for reaching

net-zero-energy goals,” says Kent Peterson, chair of the committee. “The

committee is confident that this standard, with its increased energy savings

over Standard 90.1, will help building owners and operators as well as local

jurisdictions meet their sustainability targets.”

The third public review draft has been reorganized to be

more user-friendly; while focusing on delivering and maintaining energy and

water efficiency performance over the life of the building. In comparison to

the previous draft, the most recent draft provides increased energy savings

over ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low

Rise Residential Buildings .

Eliminated in this version is the requirement for 30%

additional ventilation beyond Standard 62.1 in classrooms and office spaces; instead

an emphasis was placed on source contaminant control to improve indoor air

quality.

Meant to provide minimum criteria for green building

practices, the standard is applicable to new commercial buildings and major

renovation projects. When completed, it will address energy efficiency, a

building’s impact on the atmosphere, sustainable sites, water use efficiency,

materials and resources, and IAQ.

The committee was expanded late last year to 34 voting

members after an open call for members to broaden the expertise from a variety

of interested categories. The proposed standard has generated substantial

public interest, with more than 900 comments received during each of two

previous public reviews.

To view a copy of the public review draft, visit here .

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