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Providing navigation for a sustainable future is the goal of a new research strategic plan developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
The plan, which outlines ASHRAE’s research goals for the next 5 years, centers on sustainability that is defined as “the concept of maximizing the effectiveness of resource use while minimizing the impact of that use on the environment.”
“Research and technology are the foundation of ASHRAE on which everything else is built,” said John Mitchell, Ph.D., P.E., chair of the Research Advisory Panel that developed the plan. “With issues related to energy conservation, refrigeration and indoor air quality facing our industry, our foundation must remain strong.”
The plan contains goals in five targeted areas, which include:
Energy and Resources
By 2015, produce new residential and light commercial buildings that have 70 percent less energy use than buildings built at the turn of the millennium according to ASHRAE Standard 90.2, Energy-Efficient Design of Low-Rise Residential Buildings.
Optimize and make consistent ASHRAE Standards 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, and 55, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, to achieve measured and verified high system energy efficiency with high indoor environmental quality (IEQ) for indoor built environments.
Indoor Environmental Quality
Make improvements in occupant health and comfort that can yield a 20 percent increase in productivity by 2015.
Provide an optimal indoor environment for buildings, vehicles and facilities with respect to comfort, productivity, health and safety.
Tools and Applications
Develop more effective tools that will improve the productivity of the design process by 25 percent by 2015.
Develop a measurement-based rating system to establish the environmental performance of a building and its system.
Equipment, Components and Materials
Establish techniques to improve the energy efficiency and reliability of heating, ventilating, cooling and refrigeration system components.
Develop techniques that reduce the installed energy use of HVAC/R system auxiliary equipment by 50 percent by 2015.
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