ATLANTA — Preliminary analysis from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) shows that the ASHRAE/IES’s 2013 energy-efficiency standard contains energy savings over the 2010 standard of 8.5 percent source energy and 7.6 site energy. This is the first step by the DOE in issuing a ruling that could establish the 2013 standard as the commercial building reference standard for state building energy codes.

In an announcement in the May 13 edition of The Federal Register, the DOE attributes the greater energy savings to improvements in ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013, “Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings,” related to better lighting, fans, commercial refrigeration, boilers, and controls.

The DOE is now receiving comments on the preliminary determination. If the preliminary determination is finalized, states would be required to update their codes to meet or exceed the 2013 standard. Currently, states must meet or exceed the 2010 standard, which serves as the commercial building reference standard for state building energy codes under the federal Energy Conservation and Production Act.