A new pilot program launched by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) will provide both design and operational ratings for all building types, except residential buildings; the ratings will be posted on the buildings themselves.
The “Building EQ” program is designed to give building owners, designers and potential buyers a more realistic sense of how buildings are actually performing in terms of energy use, ASHRAE officials said at the launch of the program in Washington, D.C., at the Dec. 7-11 Ecobuild conference, sponsored by the National Institute of Building Sciences. Initially, volunteer ASHRAE members will conduct the assessments on about 20 buildings, but ASHRAE plans to launch a program to certify assessors as the program is expanded.