2007-02-02 Comment stating USPS intends to implement the requirements of this standard into the AS-503 Handbook, Standard Design Criteria

In keeping with the spirit and intent of the Interim Final Rule on the Energy Conservation Standards for New Federal Commercial and Multi-Family High-Rise Residential Buildings and New Federal Low-Rise Residential Buildings, the U.S. Postal Service intends to implement the requirements of this standard into the AS-503 Handbook, Standard Design Criteria. This handbook establishes the overall performance criteria for all Postal facility types and is our cornerstone guidance document for USPS building standards. The U.S. Postal Service plan is to add text to the AS-503 Handbook, Standard Design Criteria that would emphasize the following: ? New designs must comply with the Department of Energy, Interim Final Rule, Energy Conservation Standards for New Federal Commercial and Multi- Family High-Rise Residential Buildings and New Federal Low-Rise Residential Buildings, dated December 4, 2006. ? When life-cycle cost-effective, new USPS facilities shall be designed to achieve energy savings 30 percent greater than that of the ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004, or ICEE standard as applicable. ? When the 30 percent savings is not life-cycle cost-effective, alternative designs at lower energy savings will be evaluated to identify the next most energy efficient design. The alternative design evaluations will be reduced down from 30 percent by increments of 5 percent. The minimum value shall not preclude the design from remaining compliant with the applicable ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA or ICEE standard.