At the same time, ASHRAE says states, cities, large corporations, and other building stakeholders are increasingly seeking guidance on how to reduce operational emissions. To address that need, ASHRAE plans to create a separate, aligned publication that offers an optional framework for reducing operational emissions in commercial buildings, including ways to account for renewable energy availability.
Carbon provisions will move into separate publication
As part of the 2028 and 2031 work plan for the Standard 90.1 Standing Standard Project Committee, ASHRAE plans to move operational carbon-focused provisions from the 2025 edition of Standard 90.1 into a standalone publication.
Those provisions include optional Addenda M and N, which were introduced in the 2025 edition as operational carbon-focused appendices. ASHRAE says the new publication will focus specifically on operational greenhouse gas emissions reduction and serve as a blueprint for jurisdictions and other users interested in developing operational carbon standards and codes.
“Standard 90.1 has helped define energy-efficient commercial building design for more than 50 years,” said ASHRAE President Sarah E. Maston in a press release. “At the same time, the building industry is evolving, and our tools must evolve with it.”
Maston said the separate pathway will allow ASHRAE to respond to emerging market needs without weakening the energy-efficiency principles at the center of Standard 90.1.
Why this matters
For K-12 districts and higher education institutions, the announcement helps clarify how future energy and carbon requirements may evolve. Standard 90.1 will remain the core energy-efficiency reference point for commercial building design, while operational carbon reduction may be addressed through a separate framework that jurisdictions, campuses, and project teams can choose to apply.
That distinction is important for school facility leaders because energy efficiency typically affects code compliance, utility costs, equipment selection, envelope performance, HVAC design, and long-term operations. Operational carbon goals may add another layer of planning tied to electrification, renewable energy, emissions reporting, and climate commitments.
