NCJ Number
66028
Date Published
1980
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THIS GUIDE FOR READERS OUTLINES THE ORGANIZATION AND POINTS OUT THE IMPORTANT SECTIONS OF THE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING (NOPR), WHICH PRESENTS THE BUILDING ENERGY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS REGULATIONS.
Abstract
THE NOPR IS DIVIDED INTO 8 MAJOR SECTIONS WITH A SUMMARY AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT DOCUMENTS AT THE BEGINNING AND THE PROPOSED RULE ITSELF AT THE END. WHILE THE SUMMARY BRIEFLY DESCRIBES THE SUBJECT MATTER TO FOLLOW, SECTION ONE FOCUSES ON THE STANDARDS PROGRAM, CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF ITS ELEMENTS USEFUL FOR THE GENERAL OVERVIEW AND TERMINOLOGY DEFINITIONS. SECTION TWO, DEVOTED TO THE RESEARCH EFFORT, EXPLAINS HOW THE RESEARCH ULTIMATELY LEADING TO THE STANDARDS WAS DESIGNED AND CONDUCTED. A SUBSECTION DISCUSSES ISSUES RELATED TO THE WAY THE STANDARDS ARE PRESENTED, INCLUDING WEIGHTING FACTORS, RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY, BUILDING DESIGN CLASSIFICATIONS, BUILDING OPERATING CONDITIONS, CLIMATE, AND UNIT OF MEASURE FOR DESIGN ENERGY BUDGETS. SECTION THREE, SELECTION OF THE PROPOSED ENERGY BUDGET LEVELS, ANNOUNCES THE BUDGETS FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF BUILDINGS AND SETS OUT JUSTIFICATIONS FOR BUDGETARY DECISIONS. SECTION FOUR DEALS WITH A COMPUTER MODEL THAT CAN TAKE BUILDING BLUEPRINTS AND PREDICT HOW MUCH ENERGY PER SQUARE FOOT PER YEAR THAT BUILDING WILL USE. THIS SECTION ALSO FIGURES OUT WAYS TO CHANGE EXISTING ENERGY CONSERVATION CODES AND STANDARDS SO THAT BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED ACCORDING TO THE CODES WILL ALSO COMPLY WITH THE STANDARDS. THE FIFTH SECTION IS DEVOTED TO IMPLEMENTATION REGULATIONS, AS YET INCOMPLETE, WHICH IS SEEN AS A WEAKNESS OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT. SECTION SIX TOUCHES UPON A VARIETY OF SECONDARY MATTERS, AND SECTION SEVEN PRESCRIBES PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW IN SUBMITTING PUBLIC COMMENT IN WRITING OR AT A PUBLIC HEARING. THE FINAL SECTION OF THE NOPR DESCRIBES HOW THE STANDARDS PROCESS WOULD ACTUALLY WORK WHEN APPLIED TO A BUILDING. (MRK)