New ASHRAE standards coming for talking to smart grids

New ASHRAE standards coming for building commissioning and communicating with smart grid

The American Society for Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning (ASHRAE) has posted its first standard focused on the building commissioning process up for public comment. Standard 202P is open for public review until October 1. It takes the best practices from a guideline that was first published in 1989, updating the material to allow it to be adopted in building codes and other standards.

Another standard that ASHRAE is developing and has posted for public review until September 3 is related to smart grids and how buildings exchange information on energy production and consumption with utilities. ASHRAE is developing the standard with the U.S. National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).

“Energy providers would benefit because it enables interaction with all different types of facilities in a common way,” said Steve Bushby, chair of the committee writing the proposed Standard 201P. “Facility owners benefit because products can be designed for use in multiple facility types and products designed primarily for one type of facility, a home for example, can more easily be used in another, say a commercial buildings.”

The standard is part of ASHRAE’s supporting efforts for the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel, a public-private partnership initiated by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology to speed development of interoperability and cyber security standards for a nationwide smart electric power grid.

Click here to view the standard or submit comments.