Good day and welcome to ASHRAE's Government Affairs Update. Along with the Government Affairs Webpage, these periodic Email updates feature information on government affairs-related activities of interest to ASHRAE members and others interested in the built environment. Archives of previous updates are available from the Government Affairs Webpage (http://www.ashrae.org/advocacy).
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ASHRAE Government Affairs Update, 12/2/2011
- National Defense Bill May Require Study of Standards
90.1 and 189.1 for Military Construction and Renovation
- President Obama Joins Leaders in Announcing $4 Billion
Investment in Public and Private Building Energy Efficiency
- ASHRAE Comments on DOE Commercial Building Workforce
Job/Task Analyses
- DOE Seeks Comment on Residential and Commercial
Building Energy Performance Data Taxonomy
- U.N. Climate Change Talks Ongoing in Durban, South
Africa
National Defense Bill May Require Study of Standards
90.1 and 189.1 for Military Construction and Renovation
After a week of debate, last night the Senate passed the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, setting off a final
round of negotiations between House and Senate leaders that could result in the
U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) conducting a study in 2012 on the effects of
using ASHRAE Standards 90.1 Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise
Residential Buildings, and 189.1 Standard for the Design of
High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings for
DoD military construction and renovation.
The House version of this bill (passed in May) differs in
many ways from the Senate-passed version. For instance, the House version would
require the study of Standards 90.1 and 189.1, while the Senate-passed version
does not. Over the past several months ASHRAE has been working with House and
Senate Armed Services Committee staff to improve the study requirements of
Standards 90.1 and 189.1 to help provide federal policymakers with the most
accurate information on building energy efficiency and sustainability.
Over the weekend and through next week, House and Senate
leaders will meet to decide what the final National Defense bill should
contain, which could include the study on Standards 90.1 and 189.1. The House
and Senate will vote on the final version of this bill following these
negotiations, after which it will be sent to the President for his signature.
President Obama Joins Leaders in Announcing $4
Billion Investment in Public and Private Building Energy Efficiency
Today President Barack Obama announced a new commitment to
invest $2 billion to improve the energy efficiency of federal buildings over
the next two years at little or no cost to taxpayers, by using the long-term
savings of energy performance contracts.
Former President Bill Clinton joined President Obama to add
that 60 CEOs, local and labor leaders have also committed to invest about $2
billion in building retrofits and related projects to improve building energy
efficiency by at least 20 percent by 2020 in 1.6 billion square feet of office,
industrial, municipal, hospital, community college, and school buildings.
"Upgrading the energy efficiency of America’s buildings
is one of the fastest, easiest, and cheapest ways to save money, cut down on
harmful pollution, and create good jobs right now. But we can’t wait for
Congress to act. So today, I’m directing all federal agencies to make at
least $2 billion worth of energy efficiency upgrades over the next 2 years – at
no up-front cost to the taxpayer. Coupled with today’s extraordinary
private sector commitments of $2 billion to upgrade businesses, factories, and
military housing, America is taking another big step towards the competitive,
clean energy economy it will take to win the future," said President
Obama.
"Investments in building retrofits and energy
efficiency can make a real difference in the American economy, by creating
jobs, growing our industries, improving businesses’ bottom lines, reducing our
energy bills and consumption, and preserving our planet for future generations,"
said former President Clinton.
The White House press release on this announcement can be
found at http://1.usa.gov/uuoWJU
The President's memorandum to Executive departments and
agencies can be found at http://1.usa.gov/uyb7vH
ASHRAE Comments on DOE Commercial Building Workforce
Job/Task Analyses
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a set of
draft analyses for the minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities that a skilled
worker should possess for six job classifications. The workforce job/task
analyses are intended for use by federal, state, municipal and utility
ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs, and organizations and individuals
involved with training and accrediting commercial building personnel.
The six job classifications examined are:
- Commercial Building Energy Auditor
- Commercial Building Energy Modeler
- Commissioning/Retro-Commissioning Authority
- Energy/Sustainability Manager
- Facility Manager
- Operating Engineer/Building Technician
According to DOE, the Job/Task Analyses will:
- Assist training providers in developing course content
and curricula consistent with an industry-recognized suite of Job/Task
Analyses.
- Support increased workforce mobility up career ladders
and across career lattices by establishing a clear set of knowledge,
skills, and abilities upon which worker credentials should be based.
- Lay the foundation for more robust private sector
training programs.
In response to DOE’s request for comment on their draft
Job/Task Analyses, ASHRAE’s volunteer subject matter experts developed comments
and recommendations that were submitted to DOE in late November. ASHRAE’s
comments can be found at www.ashrae.org/advocacy
by clicking on the Public Policy Issue Briefs, Letters & Testimony link on
the left hand side of the Webpage.
Information from DOE on their Job/Task Analyses can be found
at http://1.usa.gov/w433mS
DOE Seeks Comment on Residential and Commercial
Building Energy Performance Data Taxonomy
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking feedback from
building industry stakeholders and the general public on a new scheme it has
developed for organizing information on residential and commercial building
energy performance data.
This taxonomy is part of DOE’s Building Performance Database
project, and represents an attempt to provide a standardized, consistent method
of classifying building energy performance data. The taxonomy is intended to be
highly flexible and adaptable to a wide variety of uses and stakeholders,
including policymakers, utilities, building owners, engineers, financial
institutions, and others.
Comments are due to DOE by December 30, 2011. ASHRAE is
planning to submit comments.
Additional information on DOE’s taxonomy, including how to
submit comments, can be found at http://1.usa.gov/tJc5Nx
and http://bit.ly/ugW2aI
U.N. Climate Change Talks Ongoing in Durban, South
Africa
Building energy efficiency is one of the many issues being
discussed at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South
Africa. Talks are ongoing amongst the over 190 countries and regions attending
the conference, which runs from November 28 to December 9, 2011.
The conference features several opportunities for virtual
participation, including Webcasts. These opportunities and related information
on the conference can be found at http://unfccc.int/meetings/durban_nov_2011/meeting/6245.php
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