The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently published a final rule updating its energy-efficiency standards for new federal buildings from ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2007 to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010. The standard, which will apply to federal buildings for which the design for construction begins on or after July 9, 2014, is expected to save 18.2 percent more energy than the 2007 standard.
While updating to Standard 90.1-2010 will save energy and taxpayer money, it also has the potential to drum up more work for some HVAC contractors — especially those who aren’t afraid to embrace new energy-efficient products and technology.