Lighting, Equipment Efficiency Changes to Energy Standard Open for Public Comment

ATLANTA – Proposed changes to the ASHRAE/IES energy standard would improve lighting and equipment efficiencies.

Seventeen addenda to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, are currently open for public review. For more information, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.

Among them are five proposed changes related to HVAC&R equipment efficiencies. These include addendum bp, which would add minimum efficiencies for evaporative condensers used in ammonia based refrigeration systems, and updates references to cooling tower standards published by the Cooling Technology Institute.

“The scope of Standard 90.1 was expanded in the 2010 edition to cover many new building types, including supermarkets and cold storage warehouses,” Frank Morrison, committee member, said. “As part of this expanded scope, the 90.1 committee worked with stakeholders to establish minimum efficiencies for evaporative condensers often used in the ammonia refrigeration systems found in these facilities.”

Specifically, the proposed requirements of addendum bp will help users to select energy efficient evaporative condensers as well as encourage manufacturers to develop more energy efficient designs in the future. It is also anticipated that future editions will incorporate requirements for an independent, third-party thermal performance certification program for evaporate condensers, which has proven successful for both open and closed circuit cooling towers.

The other addenda related to equipment efficiencies are:

• Addendum bi, which would harmonize the minimum energy efficiencies of 3-phase air-cooled commercial air conditioners and heat pumps less than 65,000 Btu/h with the efficiencies adopted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for residential central air conditioners.
• Addendum bj, which would re-establish the product class for small duct high velocity air conditioners and heat pumps. The minimum energy efficiency levels proposed are 11 seasonable energy efficiency ratio (SEER) for air conditioners and 11 SEER/6.8 heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) for heat pumps which are identical to the efficiencies established by DOE for single-phase residential small duct, high velocity (SDHV) products.
• Addendum bk, which would amend the minimum energy efficiency requirements for standard-size packaged terminal air conditioners and raises the minimum energy efficiency ratio (EER) to the same level as the packaged terminal heat pumps.  This new minimum efficiency will become effective on Jan. 1, 2015.
• Addendum bo, which would modify service water heating efficiency requirements in Standard 90.1 for electric water heaters, heat pump pool heaters and oil storage water heaters.

Also among the proposed changes to the standard is addendum bh, which would modify the long-standing interior space-by-space lighting power density (LPD) tables for a variety of purposes, according to Eric Richman, chair of the lighting subcommittee.  This includes an adjustment to some of the space type LPDs (some go up and some go down) based on the light level design recommendations found in the new 10th edition Lighting Handbook published by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).

The addendum also introduces a set of LPDs for specific spaces that are predominantly occupied by seniors in permanent living facilities.  These new LPDs will partially address increasing ageing population issues to ensure that these spaces receive appropriate allowances for the needs of the ageing eye.  The revision also adds several new generic space type listings, including copy rooms and computer rooms, to address suggestions from users that some common items were missing.

Other addenda currently open for public review are addenda ac, bg, bl, bn, bq, bt, bu, bv, bw, bx and br.