
GANA Voices Industry's Objections to ASHRAE
90.1 Committee
June 29, 2010
Representatives from Glass Association of North America (GANA)
attended last week's meeting of the American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1 Committee
in Albuquerque, N.M. Urmilla Sowell, GANA's technical director and
Dr. Tom Culp, energy code consultant for GANA and the Aluminum Extruders
Council (AEC), spoke to the committee at length about a proposed
30-percent window-to-wall ratio (WWR) limit included in the standard,
as well as other items.
"We presented our concerns regarding the 30-percent WWR limit,
lack of connection between the Visible Transmittance (VT)/Solar
Heat Gain Coefficient (SGHC) requirement and lighting controls,
U-factor and SHGC criteria inconsistent with the National Buildings
Institute proposal to the International Energy Conservation Code,
and the lack of glazing representation," said Culp. "There
were also presentations from other groups objecting to some of the
wall and metal building requirements."
"The presentations were well received, but it did not change
the outcome," explained Culp. The vote to accept the proposal
was 33-5-2. Oddly enough, the committee then heard a proposal to
increase the WWR ratio to 40 percent with daylighting controls.
"The committee voted on final publication of this other addendum
with 'knowledge of unresolved objections,'" explained Culp.
"This time, the objections came from some of the envelope subcommittee
members, but to no avail. Ironically, the vote was also 33-5-2."
With opposing proposals included in the standard, GANA noted in
its statement that " the future may lead to a murky conclusion."
"Both addenda will move forward for final approval by a few
overseeing committees and the ASHRAE board of directors," said
Culp. "This is expected to happen at the end of July. There
is a small chance one or the other could be rejected, but this is
very uncommon. Therefore, pending any successful appeals, the 2010
version of ASHRAE 90.1 would include both aspects: a prescriptive
limit of 30 percent WWR, but also the prescriptive option to use
40 percent WWR with daylighting controls. Larger glass areas would
have to use the performance path."
GANA says such a result would be a success for glazing manufacturers.
"Although the added controls are expensive and may limit use
of this option, this is a significant achievement," explained
Culp. "This gives us more options, and also sets a precedent
that more glass is not 'always bad,' preventing any further reductions
in glass area in the future."
In related news, ASHRAE named Sowell as "consultant"
to the Envelope Subcommittee, a non-voting position that allows
her to participate freely in subcommittee discussions, as well as
Culp who is a full voting member of the Envelope Subcommittee and
full 90.1 committee.
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