ASHRAE, ICC open proposed GHG evaluation standard for review
Sources: ASHRAE, Peachtree Corners, Ga.; CP staff
Two of the principal organizations driving specifications and practices reflected in a building’s life cycle carbon metrics invite comments through May 21 on their Proposed Standard 240P – Evaluating Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and Carbon Emissions in Building Design, Construction and Operation, posted here. ASHRAE—synonymous with heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration standards—and the International Code Council present a methodology for quantifying and documenting GHG emissions associated with the construction and operating phases of buildings, building systems and equipment.
In addition to building materials and systems’ embodied GHG emissions, ASHRAE/ICC Standard 240P covers:
• Existing buildings, new buildings, groups of buildings, or portions of buildings;
• Determination, including calculation methodology, and expression of the building(s) zero net GHG and zero net carbon dioxide emissions status for building operation;
• GHG emissions associated with flows across the site boundary and off-site credited flows; and,
• Procedures and minimum requirements for the quantification of embodied and operational GHG emissions, including reporting and documenting.
The committee behind Standard 240P seeks comments on the draft document’s title, purpose, scope and reporting methodologies. Authors present specific questions for stakeholder input.
Representatives from the American Institute of Steel Construction and Carbon Leadership Forum are among members of a joint ASHRAE and ICC committee organized in December 2022 and tasked with fast tracking Standard 240P. Preparation of such documents is typically a six- to 12-month process.
“It is rare to have an advisory public review draft prepared for comment within essentially four months after the formation of a standards committee,” says 2022-23 ASHRAE President Farooq Mehboob. “The accelerated pace in which a draft of Standard 240P was developed speaks to the extraordinary technical knowledge and leadership of the committee and its chairs. ASHRAE remains committed to advancing effective building decarbonization strategies.”
“The International Code Council is pleased to partner with ASHRAE in the development of Standard 240P and acknowledges the exceptional work of the standards committee in providing their time and expertise to this process,” adds ICC CEO, Dominic Sims. “The Code Council is devoted to expanding on the tools needed to advance decarbonization across the industry and this public review draft highlights our ongoing commitment to this work.”