ASHRAE Journal - June 2011 - 60

Measurement and Verification
There is a need for increased measurement and verification so that we fully understand how and where energy is being used. Information is a key to our success and additional metering and submetering of systems will be essential. Graphical displays have also proven helpful in raising occupant awareness of the impact of their actions. Experience in Europe, Japan and Australia has shown that, ultimately, we need to accurately monitor and display the actual building energy use on a building by building basis. Building energy labeling can address many of the issues raised. ASHRAE has developed a two part building energy labeling program, ASHRAE Building Energy Quotient (bEQ),13 designed to identify A) The building potential energy performance at the design stage and B) Actual building energy use in full operation (Figure 3). The scale of the label ranges from A+, which demonstrates net zero energy performance, down to F, which would indicate unsatisfactory performance. The scale is based on CBECS and other building performance data for reflecting different building types in different climate zones. This allows for peer to peer building performance comparison. The real benefit of the program lies in the supporting documentation that gives owners the tools and understanding to control and improve energy performance. The program has recently completed a robust pilot phase, measuring 23 buildings in a range from 25,000 ft2 to 750,000 ft2 (2323 m2 to 69 677 m2) in different climate zones. The full program is expected to be rolled out, for public use, shortly. Initially, this will be a voluntary program and the pilot has had an enthusiastic reception. Ultimately, it is expected that many jurisdictions will make building energy labeling mandatory. ASHRAE has developed new certification programs for Energy Assessors and for Building Energy Modeling to support the bEQ program.

• An integrated building design approach; • Federal, state and utility rebates and incentives; • Benchmarking, measurement and verification; • Metering and sub-metering; • Addressing all significant end users including all currently unregulated loads; • Commissioning and retrocommissioning; • Operator training; • Consumer awareness and behavioral changes; and • Performance measurement and tracking. There are no “easy” solutions. The answers are not simply technical, since we largely know the technology needed to achieve net zero energy. And, no one issue is going to produce the kind of results that we need, though elements like code application and enforcement can go a long way. This country has always been driven by economic sticks and carrots. Much can be done to stimulate change through the combination of energy taxes and parallel incentive programs, if we have the political and public will to implements these. Whether driven by economic or environmental concerns, changes to current codes and standards practices will be needed if we are to achieve our high performance building goals. The movement from prescriptive standards, to performance standards, and eventually to outcome based standards, will be just one essential step on the path to success. Regulation of performance in the post-occupancy phase may be inevitable. The question is “are we ready to not only stipulate building energy performance but to actually control consumption?”

References
1. Hunn, et al. 2010. “35 Years of Standard 90.1.” ASHRAE Journal 52(3). 2. U.S. Department of Energy. 2010. “Measuring State Energy Code Compliance.” Building Energy Codes Program. 3. Building Codes Assistance Project. 2009. Second Roundtable on Energy Code Compliance and Evaluation.” 4. DOE/NREL. 2010. “Cutting Energy Use in Half in Commercial Buildings.” http://tinyurl.com/3azlygs. 5. McKinsey and Company. 2009. “Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the U.S. Economy.” http://tinyurl.com/3cmovt9. 6. ASHRAE. 2011. “Final Energy Savings Figures Announced for 2010 Energy Standard.” ASHRAE News Release. 7. Long, et al. 2010. “Evaluation of ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1-2009.” NREL/TP-550-47906. 8. ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005, The Commissioning Process. 9. ASHRAE Guideline 1.1-2007, The HVAC Commissioning Process. 10. ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180-2008, Standard Practices for Inspection and Maintenance of Commercial Building HVAC Systems. 11. ASHRAE Guideline 4-2008, Preparation of Operating and Maintenance Documentation for Building Systems. 12. AIA California Council. 2007. “Integrated Project Delivery—A Working Definition,” Version 2. www.Engage360.com. 13. ASHRAE. 2011. ASHRAE Building Energy Quotient. www. buildingEQ.com. ashrae.org June 2011

Conclusions
Much is being done to improve the application and adoption of building codes leading to higher energy efficiency. Much has yet to be done with compliance and enforcements of those same codes and such actions could lead to dramatic reductions in current energy use. But these should be regarded as just the first steps. Reaching high performance buildings goals and significantly reducing energy use in both new and existing buildings does present very significant challenges and goes far beyond codes and standards as we know them today. With net zero energy buildings as the ultimate goal it will take a comprehensive and aggressive approach that addresses all the major elements, including: • Further advancements in code intended standards; • Improvements to building energy codes; • More rigorous application and enforcement of building codes;
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ASHRAE Journal - June 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal - June 2011