Codes and Standards

State of California Energy Commission (CEC)

Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE)

Environmental Protection Agency - Energy Star Products (E*)

  Indicates standards that we have written, or are in the process of writing.

Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Non-Residential Buildings

State of California Title 24.

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

Manual J - Load Calculations for Residential Winter and Summer Air Conditioning

ACCA Manual J

This is the industry standard for load calculations on residential buildings. It can be used to size the heating and cooling systems.

Manual D - Residential Duct Systems

ACCA Manual D

This is the industry standard for sizing ductwork in residential buildings.

Standard Test Methods for Determining External Air Leakage of Air Distribution Systems by Fan Pressurization

ASTM E1554-94

Scope:
"These test methods cover two techniques for measuring the air leakage of the sections of air distribution systems that pass outside the conditioned space in low-rise residential and small low-rise commercial buildings. Both techniques use air flow and pressure measurements to determine the leakage characteristics, and include separate measurements of the supply-side and the return-side distribution system characteristics.

These test methods also specify the auxiliary measurements needed to characterize the magnitude of the distribution system air leakage during normal operation (a measurement of pressure differentials across duct leaks during normal distribution system operation), and to normalize the distribution system's air leakage by the total recirculating air flow induced by the distribution-system fan...."

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

Standard Test Method for Determining Air Leakage Rate by Fan Pressurization

ASTM E779-99

Scope:
"This test method describes a standardized technique for measuring air-leakage rates through a building envelope under controlled pressurization and de-pressurization.

This test is applicable to small temperature differentials and low-wind pressure conditions. For tests conducted in the field, it must be recognized that field conditions may be less than ideal. Nevertheless, strong winds and large indoor-outdoor temperature differentials should be avoided.

This test method is intended to produce a measure of air tightness of a building envelope. This test does not measure air leakage rates under normal conditions of weather and building operation. To measure air-change rate directly, use the tracer gas dilution method (see Test Method E 741).

This test method is intended for the measurement of the air-tightness of building envelopes of single-zone buildings. For the purpose of this test method, many multi-zone buildings can be treated as single-zone buildings by opening interior doors or inducing equal pressures in adjacent zones...."

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

Standard Test Method for Longevity Testing of Duct Sealant Materials

ASTM proposed

Foreward:
"...The proposed method evaluates the longevity of duct sealants by alternately blowing hot and cold air through test sections, combined with a pressure difference between the test sections and their surroundings. The temperatures and cycle length were chosen to expose the samples to temperatures and pressures that are found in residential duct systems. The duct leakage site geometry represents a leakage site commonly found in duct systems. The test samples are constructed from standard duct fittings."

Scope:
"This test method describes a standardized technique for evaluating the longevity of duct sealant methods.

This test method is intended to produce a relative measure of longevity of duct sealant. Theis standard does not measure longevity under specific conditions of weather and building operation that might be experienced by an individual building and duct system. Instead it evaluates the sealant method under fixed conditionsthat do not include the manifold effects of installation practice.

This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use...."

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

Systems and Equipment

1996 ASHRAE Handbook

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

Fundamentals

1997 ASHRAE Handbook

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Max Sherman

Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality

ASHRAE Standard 62

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Max Sherman

Energy Efficient Design of New Low-Rise Residential Buildings

ASHRAE Standard 90.2

Purpose:
"The purpose of this standard is to provide design requiremnets for energy efficient new residential buildings."

Scope:
"This standard sets forth design requirements for new residential dwelling units for human occupancy. For the purposes of this standard, 'residential dwelling units' include single-family houses, multi-family structures (of three stories or fewer above grade), manufactured houses (mobile homes), and manufactured houses (modular). This standard does not include 'transient' housing such as hotels, motels, nursing homes, jails, and barracks.

This standard covers the building envelope, heating equipment and systems, air-conditioning equipment and systems, domestic hot water heating equipment and systems, and provisions for overall building design alteratives and trade-offs...."

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

Air Leakage Performance for Detached Single-Family Residential Buildings

ASHRAE Standard 119

Purpose:
"The purpose of this standard is to establish performance requirements for air leakage of residential buildings to reduce the air infiltration load.

This standard provides a method to classify the air tightness of residential buildings."

Scope:
"This standard sets upper limits of leakage area and provides a method of classifying air tightness for detached, single-family residential buildings.

This standard does not apply to buildings which are conditioned for human comfort less than 876 hours of the year.

Although this standard is intended to reduce energy use associated with air leakage through the envelope of residential buildings, use of this standard may preclude the use of air infiltration alone to achieve adequate indoor air quality. The reduction of air leakage is seperate from the need to provide adequate ventilation, adequate combustion air, and adequate indoor air quality. Consideration of these issues is the responsibility of the user."

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

A Method of Determining Air Change Rates in Detached Dwellings

ASHRAE Standard 136

Purpose:
"The purpose of this standard is to provide a procedure for determining effective outdoor air change rates in detached dwellings. This procedure is intended for use in evaluating the impact of these air change rates on indoor air quality."

Scope:
"The effective outdoor air change rates calculated by use of this standard (a) are based on the use of measured air leakage data, (b) include the effects of infiltration and mechanical ventilation, (c) are annual average values, and (d) apply only to detached single-family dwellings.

The effective outdoor air change rates determined by the use of this standard are not appropriate for use in estimating peak pollutant levels or energy loss due to infiltration.

This standard does not specify required air change rates nor take into account the additional infiltration that may result from opening windows and doors or the unintentional ventilation caused by operation of heating or cooling equipment."

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

Method of Test for Determining the Steady-State and Seasonal Efficiencies of Residential Thermal Distribution Systems

ASHRAE Standard 152P (proposed).

Foreward:
"The objective of the method of test is to provide estimates of the efficiency of thermal distribution systems. This efficiency may be used in energy consumption or system capacity estimates. This method of test provides thermal distribution efficiencies for both heating and cooling systems. In addition, thermal distribution system efficiency is calculated for seasonal conditions (for energy consmption) or design conditions (for system sizing). This results in a total of four outputs from the method of test."

Scope:
"This standard applies to single-family detached and attached residences, with independent thermal systems.

This standard applies to air, hydroncic, and electric distribution systems."

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

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Prevention of Moisture Damage

ASHRAE Standard 160P (proposed)

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

Weather Data for Building Design Standards

ASHRAE Standard 169P (proposed)

Members of EPB who contributed to this standard: Iain Walker

Energy Star Buildings

EPA

Energy Star Ducts

EPA

Last Modified: September 5, 2003