Energy Conservation

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Public Buildings Service

41 CFR Part 101-20

RIN 3090-AF50

Energy Conservation

AGENCY: Public Buildings Service, General Services Administration.

ACTION: Proposed Rule.

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SUMMARY: Since the mid-1970's, the General Services Administration has

imposed rigid building temperature and air circulation standards in the

buildings it owns and manages. These standards were established to

promote energy conservation without appropriate attention to occupant

comfort and productivity. The results of a recent survey of GSA's

building occupants showed a low customer satisfaction in the areas of

building temperatures and indoor air quality. These results, plus the

introduction of new building energy technologies which provide energy

conservation without diminution of comfort and service to building

occupants, allow GSA to eliminate rigid temperature standards.

This proposed rule will eliminate operating standards and allow for

building temperatures to be maintained in a manner satisfactory to

users and consistent with local commercial practices. In addition, it

will delete the minimum ventilation rate and replace it with the

ventilation standards specified by the American Society of Heating,

Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE Standard 62

Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality). This will improve

temperature comfort levels, ventilation, and the indoor air quality of

buildings. This will, in turn, improve customer satisfaction and

productivity.

DATES: Comments are due on or before November 14, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to: General Services

Administration, Public Buildings Service, Office of Real Property

Management and Safety, Washington, DC 20405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jim Carelock, Office of Real Property Management and Safety,

Washington, DC 20405, (202) 501-1563.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive Order 12862--Setting Customer

Service Standards. Executive Order 12862 states that in order to carry

out the principles of the National Performance Review, the Federal

Government must be customer-driven. GSA, in an effort to become more

customer driven, seeks to improve customer satisfaction, by changing

regulations that have a direct effect on three areas of low customer

satisfaction. GSA's customers, building tenants, have indicated by

their responses to customer surveys that they have very low

satisfaction levels for the following: ventilation, 42 percent

satisfied; indoor air quality, 44 percent satisfied; summer

temperature, 53 percent satisfied; and winter temperature, 56 percent

satisfied.

The two sections of the Federal Property Management Regulations

(FPMR) addressed in this proposal mandate space temperatures and

ventilation rates that contribute to low customer satisfaction. These

changes will permit the Buildings Managers to control building

temperatures and mandate adherence to the latest air ventilation

guidelines. On April 11, 1994 the Administrator of GSA granted a class

deviation for the two sections of the FPMR. This action made the

changes recommended in this proposed rule effective immediately for GSA

buildings.

Executive Order 12866

The General Services Administration (GSA) has determined that this

rule is not a significant regulatory action for the purposes of

Executive Order 12866.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

GSA has determined that this rule will not have a significant

economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the

Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Part 101-20

Blind, Safety, Concessions, Crime, Federal buildings and

facilities, Fire Prevention, Government property management, Security

measures.

For the reasons set out in the preamble, it is proposed to amend 41

CFR Part 101-20 as follows:

PART 101-20--MANAGEMENT OF BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

1. The authority citation for Part 101-20 continues to read as

follows:

Authority: Sec. 205(c), 63 Stat. 390; 40 U.S.C. 486(c).

SUBPART 101-20.1--BUILDING OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, PROTECTION, AND

ALTERATIONS

2. Section 101-20.107 is amended by revising paragraph (c) (1) and

paragraph (e) to read as follows:

Sec. 101-20.107 Energy conservation.

* * * * *

(c) * * *

(1) To the maximum extent practicable, temperatures will be

maintained to maximize customer satisfaction by conforming to local

commercial equivalent temperature levels and operating practices. GSA

will seek to minimize energy use while operating its buildings in this

manner. During non-working hours, heating temperatures shall be set no

higher than 55 degrees Fahrenheit and air-conditioning will not be

provided except as necessary to return space temperatures to a suitable

level for the beginning of working hours.

* * * * *

(e) During working hours in periods of heating and cooling, provide

ventilation in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 62, Ventilation for

Acceptable Indoor Air Quality where practical in light of building

structure, system capacity or other factors relevant to individual

facilities. Where compliance with this ASHRAE standard is not

practical, provide the maximum practicable amount of ventilation during

periods of heating and cooling and pursue opportunities to increase

ventilation up to the applicable ASHRAE standard.

* * * * *

Dated: June 2, 1994.

David L. Bibb,

Assistant Commissioner.

[FR Doc. 94-22538 Filed 9-12-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6820-23-M