Address the Comments Submitted During the PPR

Meeting Minutes

January 30, 2017

SPC 211 Standard for Commercial Building Energy Audits

Purpose of Meeting

Address the comments submitted during the PPR.

Coordinator

Jim Kelsey, Chair, VM

Attendees

Barry Abramson, Servidyne, VM
Chris Balbach, Performance Systems, VM
Michael Bobker, CUNY, VM
David Eldridge, Grumman Butkus Associates, VM
Supriya Goel, PNNL, VM
Fred Goldner, VM
Stan Harbuck, Better Schools, VM
Adam Hinge, Sustainable Energy Partnerships, VM
Glenn Hourahan, ACCA, VM
Bruce Hunn, consultant, VM
Dennis Landsberg, L+S Energy Services Inc., VM
John Lee, NYC Mayor’s Office, VM, attending remotely
Paul Mathew, LBNL, VM
Ron Nelson, IMT, VM
Tom Paxson, ACCA-ASHRAE, VM / Ben O'Donnell
Nick Long
Nora Wang
Ed Armstrong
Ray Berxt
Nate Boyd
Jayson Antonoff
Mike Gallagher
Stephanie Reinche
Annie Smith

Regrets

Ellis Guiles Jr., VM
Joe Zhou, Iowa Energy Center, VM
Minutes and announcements
o  called to order at 8:03 PT
o  quorum established with 15 of 18 voting members present
o  introductions around the room
o  January 23 minutes
­  Motion by Bruce: approve January 23 minutes; second by Adam
­  Voice vote: all voted yes, 0 no, 0 abstain; motion passes
o  work plan
­  18 responses to comments remain; 387 responses sent
­  will need additional 45-day ISC Public review
­  vote to publish June 2017
Old business
o  comment 57:2 - definition for major equipment
­  original intent for definition was identify HVAC equipment but it broadened and became more inclusive
­  now could shift meaning back toward original intent and focus on 90% of HVAC energy consumption, for example
­  but significant plug loads should be listed
­  therefore include a separate plug load table
­  motion by Stan: Change text in section 6.2.1.3 to require 80% of HVAC energy consumption be listed and create an additional table to list plug loads; second by Adam
­  additional discussion
§  DHW is important for multi-family buildings
§  include DHW in table 6.2.1.4
§  Ben to create a table for plug loads
­  vote: 12 yes, 0 no 0 abstain CNV; motions passes
o  comment 31:33 - multi-family (MF) space functions
­  comment seeks to differentiate MF space types
­  our space types are inspired by those in ENERGY STAR
­  suggested space types differentiated with respect to different schedules for occupancy
§  MF dwelling units; dominates space type already in draft
§  MF halls and stairs; new to draft
§  MF common areas; new to draft
­  such a "mix" of building types and space types deviates from the consistent approach to-date
­  these new space types may be an insignificant fraction of the total building space
­  management of MF buildings is significantly different from commercial buildings
­  motion by Adam: Support two space types for MF, MF dwelling and MF common areas. MF stairs are included within MF common areas. Second by Dennis
­  vote: 12 yes 2 no 0 abstain; motion passes
o  comment 31:41 - space use
­  means to characterize occupancy in MF spaces
­  initially commercial buildings seen as different from MF but empty unleased units happen in both; so occupancy applies equally well to both
­  in section 5.3.3.1 combine both bullets
­  motion by Stan: apply percentage building occupancy to both MF and commercial; second by Adam
­  additional discussion
§  need to keep the second bullet; language skills, demographic information can be important to an auditor in a MF building; but an auditor is unlikely to find a source for this info
§  maybe move this bullet to an informative note
§  edited in real time
­  voice vote: 15 yes 0 no 0 abstain; motion to approve as amended passes
o  comment 31:50 - add LPD in section 5.4.3
­  suggests LPD be captured for each space area
­  rejected; too much data required for space by space analysis
­  reasonable only for whole building analysis
­  add to list in 5.4.3 and include in the end-use breakdown
­  move to consent agenda
o  comment 31:75 - rewording of section 5.4.4.2
­  review rewording
­  add common verbiage ahead of list
­  delete repetitive verbiage from within the list
­  move to consent agenda
o  comment 31:84 - blended rates in section 5.4.7.5
­  suggests exception for AHJ on prohibition for blended rates
­  reject
§  AHJ will make as many exceptions as they wish without our permission
§  want to push the practice towards a higher standard of performance
­  motion by Fred to reject exception: approve the draft response to comment 31:84; second by Stan
­  vote: 14 yes 0 no 0 abstain; motion passes
o  comment 31:137 - floors exposed to external environment
­  suggests new type of construction for cantilevered floors
­  reject; use the category other
­  move to consent agenda
o  comment 31:138 - door data needed
­  suggests more door data is needed
­  accept with modifications
­  differentiate between doors with and without thermal breaks
­  indicate that doors with greater than 50% glass area should be treated as windows in section 6.2.1.2
­  move to consent agenda
o  comment 13:3 - conveyance
­  suggests adding conveyance to the list of process loads in section 5.4.4.1
­  notes that the term process load is not used consistently
­  cleanup needed in sections 5.4.4.6 and 6.2.1.6
­  Adam to make edits
­  move to consent agenda
o  comment 13:6 - window wall ratio section 6.2.1.2
­  suggests eliminating the requirement to report window wall ratios
­  rejected
§  but the language was edited to ensure that auditors understand that it is unnecessary to measure windows
§  in real time the word measure was replaced with determine to clarify and soften the requirement
­  move to consent agenda
o  consent agenda
­  consent agenda
§  31:50
§  31:75
§  31:137
§  31:138
§  13:3
§  13:6
­  Motion by Stan: Approve the responses to comments based upon the edited draft standard for comments included on the consent agenda; second by Fred
­  vote: 14 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain; motion passes
Qualified Energy Auditor (QEA ) Definition
o  the Energy Management Association (EMA, represented by Ed Armstrong and Ray Bert)
­  Initially wanteds their credential added to the list of credentials in the definition for QEA, however they feel that ANSI rules prohibit direct reference of any organization in a standard. Instead, criteria should be generic in nature and performance or experience-based.
­  EMA is seeking recognition with ANSI
­  EMA recommends deletion of item “(a)” in the current definition of QEA
o  should credentials be listed within our standard?
­  this question has been discussed previously at length
­  ANSI expects ASHRAE to maintain neutrality with respect to organizations with competing credentials within the same market
­  clause (a) in the QEA definition appears to violate that neutrality position
­  any appeals made with ANSI can delay approval of a standard for 6-12 months
­  it might be important to move (a) into an informative note
­  ASHRAE supports either removing (a) or moving to an informative note since it views commercialism broadly and (a) looks like an endorsement
­  motion by Stan: Delete (a) and make it an informative note: second by Michael
current text of (a) is:
“a) A Building Energy Assessment Professional (BEAP), Certified Energy Manager (CEM), or Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) as certified by ASHRAE or AEE respectively,”
­  additional discussion
§  at the moment the Better Buildings program referenced in (b) covers the BEAP, CEM, and CEA certifications (post meeting note: this was reported during the meeting but isn’t true. BEAP is not yet certified under the Better Buildings program); but with the change in administration this could be changed abruptly; however the DOE is moving the Better Buildings Guidelines toward ANSI standards; this might mitigate the problem
§  an ANSI standard for training would be an excellent contribution
§  call for question; 13 yes, 2 no, 0 abstain; move to vote on motion
­  vote: 12 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain; motion passes
­  this vote resolves ANSI and ASHRAE concerns
o  modify clause (b)
­  consider adding a reference to ANSI standards for credentialing energy audits programs
­  maybe reference "equivalent" credentialing authorities besides ANSI that operate under ISO 7271
­  but ANSI and such authorities are procedural and not technical; they don't add technical value that we require
­  motion by Stan: Add "or equivalent" to clauses (b), (c), and (d); no second; motion dies for lack of a second
­  seems uncomfortable that the chance of an appeal to ANSI can interfere with the technical preferences of the SPC; but we must comply with ANSI
o  imperative for progress
­  the SPC must continue its business and not be paralyzed with this issue
­  a subcommittee of Stan, Dennis, Fred, Michael, Glenn and Barry will revisit this issue once again
­  EMA notes that they believe their membership will be resolved with this approach but will need to discuss internally and respond.
New business
o  forms update
­  forms are spreadsheets that can be modified by users
­  references to DHW replaced by SHW/DHW
­  modify the infiltration/tightness scale from 1-5 down to 1-3; will likely give more consistent results from auditors
o  section 6.2.1.3 - HVAC
­  move paragraph on ventilation in section 5.4.4.2 and change its cross references
o  QA/QC automated checks
­  maybe the goal of automated checking is too high; too complex to implement
­  the forms are not intended to be tools but rather reporting formats
­  when faced with difficulty automating, just have users plug in values that they calculate elsewhere
o  section 5.2.3.2 - ECI/EUI targets
­  Ben to make edits and circulate for comments
­ 
Next steps
o  Informative appendix for risk assessments
­  read this new draft before our next meeting
o  several meetings are still needed to complete responses and edits to standard
­  will continue with the Monday meeting series
­  next meeting is Feb 20 - 3 weeks from today
o  Jim will add new tab to Comment Tracking Worksheet to capture new points of discussion; please contribute
o  Adjourn 12:02 pm PT