- Author
-
Petersen, S. R.
- Title
- Role of Economic Analysis in the Development of Energy Standards for New Buildings.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Sponsor
- Department of Energy, Washington, DC
Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
- Report
-
NBSIR 78-1471,
July 1978,
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
-
energy conservation; performance standards; building codes; buildings; life-cycle cost; benefit cost analysis; cost effectiveness; optimization
- Abstract
- This report suggests that economic considerations be incorporated directly into the standards development process. A life-cycle benefit-cost approach to standards development can provide a systematic and objective framework for standards specification. Differences in climate, building type, energy cost, and operational requirements can be directly incorporated into the standard as they impact energy-related benefits and costs. It is shown that the life-cycle costs associated with any given overall conservation goal can be reduced by developing an economically balanced standard. In addition, it suggests that a standard which has as its goal the minimization of life-cycle costs will likely lead to greater effective energy savings than alternative approaches. Specific suggestions for the incorporation of economic analysis into the standards development process are made.