ANSI announces availability of HPBC final report.
Press Release Summary:
The High Performance Building Council (HPBC) has released its final report, entitled Assessment to the U.S. Congress and U.S. Department of Energy on High-Performance Buildings. Publicly available, the report provides a detailed assessment of current voluntary consensus standards and rating systems for high-performance buildings, how they can be used, and what other standards are needed. It was prepared in response to Section 914 of the Energy Policy Act.
Original Press Release:
High Performance Building Council Final Report Now Available
The High Performance Building Council (HPBC), a multistakeholder group formed to advance the mission of developing environmentally-friendly, high performance buildings through the effective use and development of voluntary consensus standards, released its final High Performance Building report to the U.S. Congress and the Department of Energy on June 18, 2008.
Entitled Assessment to the U.S. Congress and U.S. Department of Energy on High-Performance Buildings, the report provides a detailed assessment of current voluntary consensus standards and rating systems for high performance buildings, how they can be used, and what other standards are needed.
The HPBC's analysis of standards and codes for high performance buildings, conclusions on the issues facing these structures (such as cost-effectiveness, safety and security, historical preservation, and more), and recommendations for supporting the development of high performance buildings are collected for Congressional review in this publicly available document.
The HPBC was formed by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) in 2007 to address the requirements detailed in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) serves as the secretariat to the HPBC. Approximately 100 private sector and governmental organizations have come together to promote and advance the Council's work, including the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
The report was prepared in response to Section 914 of the Energy Policy Act, which specifies the need for high performance buildings that reduce resource energy consumption while improving overall environmental impact, functionality, and human comfort.
According to a June 20, 2008, SBIC press release, Representative Judy Biggert reminded attendees of last week's Congressional briefing that "today's high-performance buildings are the exception, not the rule." As the HPBC enters the second phase of its work, Council participants will focus on profiling the attributes, metrics, and voluntary consensus standards that will facilitate the widespread design and construction of more sustainable architecture.
For more information about the HPBC, read the following related ANSI Online news items:
High Performance Building Council Set to Unveil Final Report to U.S. Congress (June 11, 2008)
ANSI-accredited Standards Developers Called to Participate in High Performance Building Initiative (July 25, 2007)
ANSI-Accredited Standards Developing Organizations Invited to Participate in High-Performance Buildings Standards Initiative (May 18, 2007)
