WASHINGTON - The U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Agriculture (USDA) would be required to meet energy efficiency requirements in ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1 under the new energy bill signed into law by President Bush.

Under existing law, HUD and the USDA are required to write energy-efficient standards for public and assisted housing and housing with federally insured mortgages. Such standards have to be at least as stringent as ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1989, Energy Standard for Existing Buildings Except Residential, and Council of American Building Officials (CABO)-1992. When either 90.1 or CABO is updated, the agencies have a year to revise their standards, but this has rarely taken place.

Under the new law, HUD and USDA will be required to implement standards at least as stringent as Standard 90.1-2004 or the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for all new construction and rehabilitation of public and assisted housing and housing with federally insured mortgages. Upon revision of 90.1 or IECC, HUD and the USDA have one year to update their standard to meet or exceed the revised requirements. If they do not do so within a year, all new construction and rehabilitation of housing covered by the federal standard will need to meet the revised IECC or 90.1, following a positive determination by the U.S. Department of Energy and HUD/USDA determination that it would not negatively impact availability or affordability of housing.

“This provides additional validation of the importance of energy savings in Standard 90.1 and also provides a baseline for all public and assisted housing and federally insured mortgage property in all states,” said Doug Read, ASHRAE director of government affairs.

Publication date: 01/01/2008