When constructing buildings, it is crucial for a designer to know and truly understand the proper energy standards to respect. Today’s topic is exactly about that: energy standards.

You should know that ASHRAE and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) have joined their efforts in order to develop a new energy Standard 90.2 expected to reduce energy consumption by more than 30%.

The previous version, i.e. the 2010 Standard 90.1, provided guidance for reducing energy consumption by more than 20%. It was geared towards buildings other than low-rise residential.

The Standard 90.1 requirements were meant to lighten up energy use and costs through fenestration, parking lot lighting and other proposed measures. For the outdoor lighting industry, the 2010 version requires active exterior control rather than just the simple control capability; add bi-level control for general all-night applications, such as required active exterior control rather than just the required control capability; add bi-level control for general all-night applications, such as parking lots to reduce lighting when not needed; and also add control for façade and landscaping lighting not needed after midnight.

Studies from the California Lighting Technology Center at the University of California at Davis found that control strategies reduce lighting energy use by significant amounts during nighttime hours. Also, a study by Polytechnic State University showed that parking lot lighting operates in a low mode 68 percent of the time.

Additional information from a study by Navigant Consulting reveals that parking lots account for 22 TWh out of a total of 57 TWh used for outdoor lighting annually nationwide. While this estimation includes all lit parking areas, the potential for energy savings in parking areas that are directly associated with specific building projects are significant and should be supported by the standard.

The Standard 90.2 which is now being developed targets home builders and code officials. The focus is on the residential market, whose 107 million housing units consume 22 percent of the primary energy in the U.S. The main objectives are to identify ways for this major market to reduce energy use and costs.

Rita M. Harrold, IES director of technology, declared: ‘‘IES will contribute expertise in providing ways to achieve energy savings through lighting in this important market segment that consumes approximately 212 billion kWh per year or approximately 15 percent of residential electricity consumption. The challenge here will be to achieve savings while still providing a quality environment to satisfy occupant needs.’’

The Standard 90.2 which has been in development for the past few months is now ready for public review. Note that you have until June 5^th to check it out and share your comments. To submit your thoughts on this proposed addendum, go to the AHSRAE website at http://www.ashrae.org/technology/page/331 and access the online comment database.

After reading through the proposed addendum, I must say that I especially agree with using motion sensors for outdoor residential lighting. But these sensors need to be aimed properly otherwise we will end up with an ON and OFF flashing neighborhood.

I installed a motion sensor that controls all my outdoor fixtures. It works great for my family and we are totally satisfied. I estimate that my outdoor lighting is ON only 1 or 2% of the night which saves a lot of power compared to my next door neighbor. He leaves the outdoor lighting ON all night long. That is a total waist of energy.

So having a new energy standard is definitely a good thing but we need to get the people around us to change their mentality. And that my friends will not be an easy job.

The addendum Standard 90.2 should be released in the next few months. I’ll make sure to keep you posted on further developments.