In an unprecedented move, five of the largest and most important institutions across the building industry have come together to form a new guide for future construction techniques with the goal of increasing sustainability on a broad scale. The participating organizations believe the project will be completed and ready for publication by 2018, anticipating the rest of the industry will follow suit and adopt the new, uniform codes, according to ACHRNews.

Among those invested in the overhaul are ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects, the International Code Council, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America and the U.S. Green Building Council.

The five groups will each bring their own unique expertise and experience to the table, with a large portion of the discussion scheduled to be on improving the energy standards of commercial buildings. By collecting and coordinating the combined methods of the industry's top players, the U.S. is making a major move forward in reducing the environmental impact of the commercial sector. The impact has the potential to be enormous, as commercial buildings make up as much as 40 percent of global energy consumption and are notorious for high levels of energy waste, according to Navigant Research.

'This landmark agreement will leverage the unique strengths of each of the five partner organizations to deliver a coordinated, integrated suite of green building tools," said Brendan Owens, vice president of the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a press release. "An ANSI standard as the basis of a regulatory code to push the market and a rating system to pull the market higher. We are collectively dedicated to advancing green building practices and to advancing the broader industry's understanding about the importance green building goals and how to achieve them."

Moving forward
Creators of the new initiative expect a vast implementation of the policies to be outlined in the coming years. Though it may take time for goals to be achieved, the industry looks forward to making meaningful advancements because everyone stands to benefit in the long run.

In the same vein, building automation systems are becoming more popular as resources to increase energy efficiency. The U.S's reliance on HVAC units far outpaces those of other countries around the world. IHS Technology estimated the U.S. used more energy for air conditioning than the rest of the world combined in 2012.

Building automation systems can monitor and collect useful energy data that can then be interpreted by engineers to produce more efficient materials. For instance, HVAC units can be a large source of waste due to incremental breakdowns and poor maintenance. By having real-time data available related to the performance of HVAC systems, units can be constructed more efficiently in how they interact with commercial buildings and outside elements.

Once the new, comprehensive codes are released in 2018, a widespread and monumental shift could occur in the building industry, with much of the change coming from higher-performing HVAC units, according to ACHRNews. Manufacturers will find it easier to build units because they will be able to follow one specific standard rather than a makeshift amalgamation of industry rules and state and local laws. Furthermore, sellers and distributors of HVAC equipment will be able to market their products to companies that are looking to reduce their utility costs.

To increase the efficiency of HVAC systems, Rahn Industries uses coil coatings to protect against corrosive elements. By applying Rahn-Kote coating to individual coils within an HVAC unit, overall performance is enhanced while also eliminating energy waste.

Rahn Industries has a full lineup of spray and immersion (dip)/ Bake protective coatings to meet your needs.