ASHRAE and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAMPO) have announced an agreement to co-publish a document to address water efficiency in buildings.

The comprehensive document will combine ASHRAE 191P, Standard for the Efficient Use of Water in Building Mechanical Systems, along with WE-Stand, IAPMO’s Water Efficiency and Sanitation Standard, to offer complimentary water efficiency guidance and references in one publication. ASHRAE 191P provides minimum requirements for the design of building mechanical systems that limit the volume of water required to operate HVAC systems. WE-Stand focuses on achieving safe and efficient water use in both residential and non-residential buildings.

“Water efficiency and energy conservation are major considerations in the design and operation of HVAC systems in high performance buildings,” said 2020-21 ASHRAE President Charles E. Gulledge III, P.E. “Escalating costs and concerns regarding availability have brought much needed attention to the issue of water use in the built environment. We are pleased to collaborate with IAPMO to provide a balanced resource to the water energy nexus as the demand for sustainable strategies grow.”

“We’re excited to coordinate our development efforts on WE-Stand with ASHRAE’s 191P Committee,” added Dan Cole, senior director of technical services and WE-Stand™ Secretariat. “With the development cycle for 2020 now finalized, we will look forward to ensuring that both standards eliminate any conflicts toward achieving high levels of water efficiency for both mechanical and premise plumbing systems.” 

The co-published document will be available upon the conclusion of the 2023 WE-Stand development process, which is on a three-year cycle.