Smart grids key for energy efficiency: ASHRAE exec

A high-performance 'smart' building

High-performance buildings can be even more energy-efficient if ‘smart’ electric power grids are adopted, according to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

“Through implementation of the ‘smart’ grid, we will have better information about our energy use and the ability to make informed decisions on how and when energy can be used most efficiently,” said Doug Read, ASHRAE programme director of government affairs.

“Given that 70% of US electricity use is in buildings, there is a critical need to examine how buildings and their equipment will interact and communicate with the ‘smart’ grid.”

ASHRAE’s BACnet standard is already providing a critical framework for how buildings and their systems will communicate with the ‘smart’ grid.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the lead federal agency in its development, has recognised the valuable role of the BACnet standard.

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