ASHRAE Journal - August 2010 - 71

Energy Bills & 90.1 Targets
By Mark Ames

to achieve a 30% savings, meeting the legislative target, the potential of the federal government to write standards in place f you flip on a news show or open a newspaper, you’re of ASHRAE represents a new ingredient to our standardsbound to come across a story about one of the major energy making process. (sometimes referred to as “climate”) bills in Congress. But To be clear, as a forward-thinking organization, ASHRAE is in all the punditry and debate, one question remains: what does committed to achieving net zero energy buildings. The strength this legislation mean for us? of ASHRAE’s standards is that they are formed through open The short answer: a lot. and transparent consensus, which requires us to take into acSome of these monster bills top out at more than 1,000 count how greater energy efficiency can be achieved and potenpages, and although few pages are devoted to building energy tial barriers to realizing greater savings, including the economic efficiency, several common, key provifeasibility of increased energy efficiencies. Major Energy Bills in Congress sions have set the stage for major change After all, states and local jurisdictions in our industry. American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R.2454) may choose not to adopt standards into In particular, many of the major bills American Clean Energy Leadership Act (S.1462) code if they feel that the standards are not would require ASHRAE’s Standard 90.1 economically viable or realistic. to be able to achieve an overall energy American Power Act (draft/not introduced) savings of at least 30%, followed by a 50% Practical Energy and Climate Plan Act (S.3464) Impact on the States increased savings; with both targets using The comprehensive energy proposals Standard 90.1-2004 as the baseline for comparison. The stan- in the major bills have implications that reach far beyond dards and their subsequent versions that achieve these targets ASHRAE’s doors, and extend into every state. would then be established by the U.S. Department of Energy According to several major bills, once the national building (DOE) as the national model building energy codes. energy codes have been established or revised, all states would The exact dates for these targets vary somewhat by the bill, be required to review and update the provisions of their own but hover around 2012 for 30% and 2017 for 50%. The target codes to meet or exceed the energy targets. States also would be dates that are ultimately chosen are important, but the bigger required to certify that they are enforcing these new standards. headline to keep in mind is that members of Congress—DemoStates that are out of compliance may be at a disadvantage crat and Republican—are forming consensus around these in receiving future federal energy funds. target efficiency increases, as well as the consequences of not This column was written shortly after a major bipartisan meeting them. White House meeting with Senate energy leaders and President According to several of the major bills, the consequences of Barack Obama, at which Republicans and Democrats delibermissing the targets would be rather straightforward. If DOE ated on what compromises were necessary to broaden support determines that subsequent versions of Standard 90.1 do not and pass an energy bill through Congress this year. At this time, meet the energy targets, DOE would provide ASHRAE with no major breakthroughs had occurred. proposed changes that would result in the standard meeting While it’s anyone’s guess what a final energy bill will look the targets. In the unlikely event that ASHRAE does not in- like, building energy provisions have been fairly noncontrocorporate those changes into the standard, DOE would take versial and low profile in Congress, which means that we can the reins and write its own model code or standard that would expect building energy-efficiency targets to be included in the meet these targets. DOE’s standard would become the model final package that emerges. code, and the baseline against which future energy-efficiency To sum it all up, the energy debate in Congress is shaping up targets are compared. to be a game-changing moment for our industry. We’re engaged The implications for these proposals on ASHRAE’s consen- in these discussions, and we hope you are, too. sus-based standards development process are likely significant, if not fully known. Mark Ames is ASHRAE’s manager of government affairs For much of the 35-year history of Standard 90.1, increased in Washington, D.C. Up-to-date information on ASHRAE’s energy percentage savings through the new versions have aver- Government Affairs activities is available at www.ashrae. aged in the single digits. While Standard 90.1-2010 is projected org/advocacy.
ASHRAE Journal 71

August 2010

ASHRAE Journal - August 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal - August 2010