WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE national laboratories have released technical support documents that indicate how to achieve 50 percent energy savings in four commercial building sectors: general merchandise, grocery store, lodging, and medium office buildings. The documents were created under the direction of DOE’s Building Technologies Program. They describe the assumptions, methodologies, and analyses used to reach 50 percent energy savings over ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004.

DOE said the technical support documents demonstrate that higher levels of energy performance can be achieved in the commercial building industry. These reports are often the basis for Advanced Energy Design Guides — “how to” guides that target architects, engineers, and other practitioners.

Report data is also shared with members of DOE’s Commercial Building Energy Alliances, which are comprised of commercial building owners and operators. Each alliance works with DOE to reduce its energy use and environmental footprint in the retail, commercial real estate, and hospital sectors, as well as to help disseminate building information within each sector.

The four technical support documents are available for download in PDF format:

• General Merchandise — www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/46100.pdf

• Grocery Store — www.nrel.gov/docs/fy09osti/46101.pdf

• Lodging — www.pnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-18773.pdf

• Medium Office — www.pnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-18774.pdf

Publication date: 11/02/2009