ASHRAE DESIGN GUIDE FOR LOW- TO MID-RISE MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

Abstract

Introduction

The rapidly growing multifamily building sector represents a major opportunity to advance the goal of improving the energy performance and indoor air quality (IAQ) of the residential building stock.

A recent analysis by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) estimates that the value of the cost-effective energy savings available in the multifamily sector is $3.4 billion per year (ACEEE 2012).

Unfortunately, the energy performance of multifamily buildings has been relatively neglected in the broader industry push for high-performance buildings, and many strategies for reducing energy use in this sector remain underrepresented in new construction.

Additionally, indoor environmental quality (IEQ), especially IAQ, has become a greater concern in multifamily buildings