The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers are suggesting some revisions to one of its best-known standards.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers are suggesting some revisions to one of its best-known standards.

The public is currently able to comment on changes to Standard 90.1, “Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings,” which covers the energy-efficient design of most structures. Among the changes proposed by the society cover requirements for laboratories, data center cooling and kitchen exhaust systems.

It would also permit the standard committee to tackle technologies such as computer equipment and refrigerated casework, and would extend existing requirements for building “envelopes,” space cooling and lighting to more spaces where energy is consumed.

“ASHRAE is committed to substantially reducing energy use in buildings,” said Mark Hydeman, vice chairman of the committee. “This addendum is a critical step toward achieving that goal. For example, it requires all cooling and heating equipment that operates under standard conditions to comply with the existing minimum efficiencies of the standard regardless of the facility that they are in. Manufacturing and process environments often operate at much longer hours than office buildings and retail facilities, which served as the basis for the life-cycle cost analysis of the minimum efficiencies.”

Changes are open for public review until Feb. 2. To preview the standard, gohere.