The construction industry could use a better contextual baseline than codes for measuring building efficiency against design strategy, says the executive vice president of James Construction, based in Carnegie, Penn.
Craig Stevenson, in a Construction Dive article, says a system such as Energy Star’s Energy Use Intensity (EUI) would provide a better way to measure efficiency and provide a better market-driven approach to sustainability. According to the Energy Star web site, “EUI is expressed as energy per square foot per year. It’s calculated by dividing the total energy consumed by the building in one year (measured in kBtu or GJ) by the total gross floor area of the building.”
EUI would create a common standard analogous to the miles-per-gallon standard in the automobile industry, Stevenson told Construction Dive. Codes can be too slow to catch up to the latest technology and techniques, he added.
Standards such as LEED may not go far enough to account for operations efficiency after a building is completed, he says. EUI, on the other hand, is measurable every year and provides a benchmark for the entire building and all energy-consuming systems.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jul 21, 2021
Proposal to give Calif. hospitals more time for earthquake retrofits stirs controversy
State hospital association says 2030 deadline should be extended.
Codes and Standards | Jul 20, 2021
New York, New Jersey legislatures may revamp bidding rules to promote low-carbon concrete
Contractors would have to certify that their concrete is in compliance.
Codes and Standards | Jul 19, 2021
Lack of information on carbon emissions challenges construction industry
Reports recommends whole-life carbon assessments on building projects.
Codes and Standards | Jul 19, 2021
Florida condo collapse spurs increased scrutiny on inspections, regulations
Insurers demand proof of current inspections.
Codes and Standards | Jul 15, 2021
Three drywall code-referenced publications have been updated
Include guidance on fire resistance, sound control, application, and finishing.
Codes and Standards | Jul 14, 2021
Biden’s infrastructure proposal includes massive investment in school buildings
‘Once in a lifetime opportunity’ to upgrade HVAC and other key systems.
Codes and Standards | Jul 13, 2021
Reluctance to fund maintenance on older condos is a serious problem
Owner associations defer needed work, putting properties at risk.
Codes and Standards | Jul 12, 2021
Regulations on hydrofluorocarbons reduce roof insulation options
Canada, some U.S. states ban HFC blowing agents used in closed-cell foam.
Codes and Standards | Jul 8, 2021
New York City shuts down 322 construction sites for unsafe conditions
Action comes as inspectors visit more than 2,100 sites.
Codes and Standards | Jul 7, 2021
Bechtel, Nautilus partner on sustainable, high-performance data centers
Facilities would use 70% less power for cooling, eliminate consumption of drinking water.
