Buildings account for more than one-third of all final energy consumption, half of global electricity use, and are responsible for approximately one-third of global carbon emission. The introduction of the new ISO 52000 series of standards aims to make building stock more energy-efficient.
Headed by leading document ISO 52000-1, Energy performance of buildings – Overarching EPB assessment – Part 1: General framework and procedures, the ISO 52000 family will help to accelerate energy efficiency in the building industry.
ISO 52000 contains a comprehensive method of assessing energy performance as the total primary energy used for heating, cooling, lighting, ventilation, and domestic hot water of buildings. The series will help accelerate progress in building energy efficiency utilizing new materials, technology and approaches to building design, construction, and management.
From heating, cooling, ventilation, to energy-using or -producing appliances, ISO 52000 will help architects, engineers, and regulators to assess the energy performance of new and existing buildings in a holistic manner.
Dick van Dijk and Prof. Essam E. Khalil, Co-Convenors of the ISO joint working group on the energy performance of buildings said the ISO 52000 series of standards will enable to assess the overall energy performance of a building.
“This means that any combination of technologies can be used to reach the intended energy performance level, at the lowest cost,” the pair said.
The convenors added that the holistic approach is critical for technological innovations and their implementation.
“Countries using the approach for several years—take, for instance, the Netherlands—have experienced large-scale implementation and cost savings on a variety of new technologies.”
The overarching standard, ISO 52000-1, is complemented by a set of standards which include calculation methods for heating and cooling, performance of building elements, and aspects regarding energy performance indicators, ratings, and certificates. Additional ingredients to expand this holistic approach are expected to be added in the near future.
The ISO 52000 series was prepared by ISO technical committees ISO/TC 163, Thermal performance and energy use in the built environment, and ISO/TC 205, Building environment design, in collaboration with the European Committee for Standardization technical committees CEN/TC 371, Energy Performance of Buildings project group, and CEN/TC 89, Thermal performance of buildings and building components.