Committee chaired by Haberl writes first-ever
book of building energy performance standards

A book that for the first time provides a standard set of protocols for assessing the energy performance of buildings was recently written by a committee of industry experts chaired by Jeff Haberl, professor of architecture at Texas A&M.

“Although many buildings claim to be 'green' or high performance, it’s rare that evidence or data is presented to verify these claims,” said Haberl.

The book’s authors are members of three leading building industry associations: the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, the Chartered Institution of Building Service Engineers, and the U.S. Green Building Council.

Prior to the book, "Performance Measurement Protocols for Commercial Buildings," there was no single report, standard or guideline that was all inclusive in measuring a building's energy performance, he said.

"In the past, you would have to reference a dozen different documents, probably a dozen more specifications regarding what equipment to use — how to calibrate the equipment, where to put the equipment, how frequently to make measurements, what to compare the measurements against — to tell you whether or not your space is performing normally, below normal or above normal," he said.

If claims of high performance are to be credible, Haberl said, it is essential that a common set of measurements be used and that the results be reported against meaningful and consistent benchmarks.

"Reliable and reproducible protocols are also needed to give usable feedback to designers and operators when measured performance does not match design intent and expectations," he said.

The book contains protocols developed at three levels for each of six performance categories: energy, water, thermal comfort, indoor air quality, lighting and acoustics:

• basic, which outlines simple, low-cost measures providing an initial insight into performance at the annual, whole-building level;
• intermediate, providing additional data on the building's performance, typically at a monthly frequency and major system level; and
• advanced, offering a more detailed and comprehensive analysis for building owners or managers wishing to gain deeper insights into the performance of a building, typically at a daily or weekly frequency at the system or equipment level.

“In an energy-conscious world, those who measure and manage the energy use and performance of their buildings will be at an increasing advantage over business-as-usual energy managers,” said Haberl.

"This book will change architecture, I'm convinced of it," he continued. "There will be a day when architects are held responsible for making sure the building's energy performance meets the expectations of the client."

"Performance Measurement Protocols for Commercial Buildings" is available for $89, $75 for ASHRAE members, at www.ashrae.org/bookstore, or ASHRAE customer service, 800.527.4723 in the U.S. and Canada, or 404.636.8400 worldwide.

- Posted: June 21, 2010 -