by jbs100909 j3 — October 12, 2009—The total building sustainability package, addressing everything from design and commissioning to plans for high-performance operation, is covered in a proposed green building standard currently open for public review.
Proposed Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is being developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in conjunction with the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The standard is slated to be the first code-intended commercial green building standard in the U.S. It is expected to be published in early 2010.
The proposed standard is currently open for a fourth public review. It is an “independent substantive change” review, so only changes from the third public review, which ended in June 2009, are open for comment. The public comment period started September 18 and remains open until November 2, 2009.
Among the biggest proposed changes is in the exterior light pollution section, including elimination of the Total Site Lumen approach. The draft of the standard that went out for a third public review earlier this year required users to limit exterior lighting according to one of three methods for determining total initial lamp lumens, or light output, for all outdoor lighting. While site lumen limits are being explored in other model lighting pollution efforts, it complicates application and enforcement significantly, according to Nick Ferzacca, vice chair of the committee and IES representative. The current draft maintains the use of Backlight, Uplight and Glare ratings from the IES Luminaire Classification System for Outdoor Luminaires (IESNA TM-15-07). Also, exterior lighting power densities and lighting zone definitions were modified to align with recent ASHRAE 90.1 addenda.
Another proposed change is in the Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring section. Under the proposal, measurement of outdoor airflow rates at the system level would be required for all spaces ventilated by mechanical systems, except for constant volume systems. The exception allowing CO2 monitoring as an alternative for systems serving only densely occupied spaces has been removed. Also proposed is the removal of all requirements for outdoor airflow monitoring in naturally ventilated spaces.
