Tag: Energy performance of buildings — Presentation of measured energy use of buildings

It’s Earth Day and the new ISO 12655 is here for the Energy Performance of Buildings

Since it’s Earth Day, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss a new ISO standard that’s part of the project to standardize the calculation and evaluation of a building’s energy performance.  The new document is ISO 12655:2013, “Energy performance of buildings – Presentation of measured energy use of buildings,” and it’s available now from Document Center Inc.

It’s an extension of ISO standards ISO/TR 16344 on common terms, definitions and symbols for the overall energy performance rating and certification, ISO 16343 on expressing energy performance and for energy certification of buildings  (currently under development) and ISO 16346 on overall energy performance (also under development).

The new ISO 12655 provides classifications of building energy use by purpose, like lighting or heating.  It also provides categories of energy use by boundaries either inside or outside of a building.  These definitions, terms and procedures provide a platform for  presenting the energy use in buildings in a consistent and uniform way.

This new standard is the way projects like the Bullit Building in Seattle can assess success with data collection, metering, statistics, audit and analysis.  It is part of the continuing effort by ISO Committees  TC 163, Thermal performance and energy use in the built environment and TC 205, Building environment design, to provide a path to reliable energy performance assessment and certification.

All ISO standards are available from Document Center’s webstore, www.document-center.com.  Or contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  Our goal is to assist you not only with the standards currently in your collection, but to provide you with the latest information on new releases in your industry.

Three European and One International Standard on Energy Audits

What with global warming and the push to reduce carbon footprints, we’re seeing a recent flurry of activity in the energy auditing arena.  There are currently three new European Standards and a new ISO Standard on Energy Audits.  Since they’re all available at Document Center Inc., I’ll discuss each one separately:

  1. BS-EN-16247-1:2012, Energy audits. General requirements.  This European Standard defines the attributes of a good quality energy audit. It states the requirements for energy audits and corresponding obligations within the energy auditing process. It recognizes that there are differences in approach to energy auditing in terms of scope, aims and thoroughness, but seeks to harmonize common aspects of energy auditing in order to bring more clarity and transparency to the market for energy auditing services. The energy audit process is presented as a simple chronological sequence.  It applies to commercial, industrial, residential and public-sector organizations, but not individual homes.
  2. BS-EN-16231:2012, Energy efficiency benchmarking methodology.  This new release specifies requirements and provides recommendations for energy efficiency bench-marking methodology. The purpose of energy efficiency bench-marking is to establish the relevant data and indicators on energy consumption, both technical and behavioral, qualitative and quantitative in comparing performance between or within entities.
  3. BS-EN-16212:2012, Energy Efficiency and Savings Calculation, Top-down and Bottom-up Methods.    This standard provides a general approach for energy efficiency and energy savings calculations. The general approach is applicable for end user energy savings in buildings, cars, appliances, industrial processes, and so on.
  4. ISO 12655:2013, Energy performance of buildings — Presentation of measured energy use of buildings.  Written with a narrower focus, the standard sets out a consistent methodology to present energy use in buildings.  This is specified clearly with the energy usage, corresponding boundary and the energy data (presented with original energy carriers or equivalent energy).  You can use this standard for the presentation of energy use of civil buildings for data collection, metering, statistics, audit and analysis.

All BS EN and ISO standards are available at Document Center’s webstore, www.document-center.com.  FYI: Some territorial restrictions may apply.  If you prefer you can contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We’ve been providing our customers with standards for over 30 years and can assist you with all your conformance requirements and questions.