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October 29, 2020
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Welcome to ASHRAE's Government Affairs Update! This bi-weekly publication features information on government affairs-related activities of interest to ASHRAE members and others interested in the built environment. Archives of previous updates are available from the ASHRAE Government Affairs Updates webpage.
This information may be shared with interested colleagues who may subscribe from the ASHRAE Government Affairs Updates webpage by clicking here.
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Dr. Bahnfleth Presents at Wisconsin Green Tier Legacy Communities Meeting
ASHRAE Presidential Member, Chair of ASHRAE’s Epidemic Task Force and Professor of Architectural Engineering at Pennsylvania State University Dr. Bill Bahnfleth gave a presentation on "HVAC Technologies in the Time of COVID" to the Wisconsin Green Tier Legacy Communities Meeting on October 26. The Green Tier Legacy Communities network is a partnership between Wisconsin communities, state agencies and nonprofit organizations focused on sharing sustainable practices and stretching limited local government resources. Dr. Bahnfleth’s presentation was focused on understanding the pros and cons of HVAC technologies to protect residents, employees and customers from COVID-19 and airborne infectious diseases. He gave an overview of the basics of HVAC systems and indoor air quality, and then discussed engineering controls and approaches to risk management for COVID-19 in indoor environments. More on the Wisconsin Green Tier Legacy Communities can be found here and ASHRAE’s Epidemic Task Force resources on COVID-19 can be found here.
Dr. Bahnfleth addresses the Wisconsin Communities during an online meeting.
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ASHRAE Presidential Member Participates on Schools and COVID Panel with Senator Reed
On October 20, Dr. William Bahnfleth, ASHRAE Presidential Member and Chair of ASHRAE’s Epidemic Task Force, participated on a webinar panel entitled, "Schools in a Post-COVID World: Challenges and Opportunities for Congress." The program was sponsored by BuildingAction and the International Well Building Institute. The webinar featured Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), sponsor of the Rebuild America’s Schools Act, which would provide $100 billion over 10 years to improve the physical and digital infrastructure of American schools. The full broadcast of the webinar can be viewed here.
ASHRAE ETF Chair Bill Bahnfleth Participates on a Panel with Senator Jack Reed.
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ASHRAE ETF Chair Participates in Washington, D.C. Board of Education Panel
On October 21, ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force Chair Dr. Bill Bahnfleth took part in a Washington, DC Board of Education Panel. The online panel focused on the reopening plan for DC Public Schools. Dr. Bahnfleth’s presentation covered ventilation and filtration, and how "medical grade" filters address those needs. Topics also included school systems potentially having an independent review of their HVAC systems, and the specific aspects of the existing HVAC system to be included in this review. More information on this panel can be found here.
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ASHRAE Member Meets with Government Official in Panjim, India
ASHRAE Member Mahesh Prabhu and the Mumbai Chapter received a letter from the City of Panjim, located in Goa, India, thanking them for providing technical resources regarding COVID-19. Mr. Prabhu met with Mr. Kishore Sastry, the Corporator for the City of Panjim on September 26 and also briefed him on ASHRAE activities in the region. To read the letter, click here.
ASHRAE Member Mahesh Prabhu (left)meeting with Mr. Kishore Sastry from the City of Panjim (right)
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If your ASHRAE chapter would like to highlight a specific issue or participation in local meetings with government officials in a future GAU, please share those stories at [email protected].
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U.S. Congressional Activities
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Update on Congressional COVID-19 Relief Package
Negotiations between Congress and the Trump Administration for another COVID-19 Relief Package remain at a standstill and the situation is unlikely to change before the upcoming election. Congress is in recess, with the Senate expecting to return November 9 and the House on November 16.
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Federal Government Affairs
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Register Today for BTO’s Peer PReview
The Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office (BTO) is hosting its 2020 Peer PReview Monday, November 16 through Wednesday, November 18, 2020. The 3-day event allows DOE leadership to exchange ideas with researchers and practitioners. To view the full schedule and register for the event, click here.
DOE Announces $65 million for the Connected Communities Program
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it will provide $65 million through its Connected Communities program to support the evaluation of how energy-efficient buildings interact with one another and the grid, in order to provide greater degrees of demand flexibility. For more information, please review the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) ( DE-FOA-0002206). The concept caper submission deadline is February 17, 2021 and the full application submission deadline is March 3, 2021.
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State and Local Government Affairs
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Proposed New Jersey Bill References ASHRAE Standard 62.1 and COVID-19 Guidance
On October 19, New Jersey Senator Stephen M. Sweeney introduced S. 3033, which establishes the "School and Small Business Energy Efficiency Stimulus Program" in the state Board of Public Utilities. The program is designed to award grants to boards of education and small businesses to ensure they have functional HVAC systems. It would require that any HVAC systems installed meet ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality; and require when reopening a building to perform the practices recommended in ASHRAE Building Readiness – Restarting a Building, or the ASHRAE Guidance for Reopening and Operating Schools or Commercial Buildings. The bill has been assigned to the Telecommunications and Utilities Committee of the New Jersey Assembly and the Economic Growth Committee of the New Jersey Senate.
Proposed New Jersey Bill Would Require Statewide Plan for Infection Control and Prevention in Nursing Homes
New Jersey Assembly Bill 4855 (S. 3032), introduced on October 19, would require the Department of Health to conduct a statewide nursing home infection control and prevention infrastructure assessment and, based on that assessment, develop an infrastructure improvement plan. The assessment would include a survey of the maintenance status of heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems in nursing homes; a study of the utilization of negative pressure rooms and other physical plant features; and any other infrastructure-related infection control or prevention considerations. The bill would also require the assessment to include recommendations from the New Jersey Task Force on Long-Term Care Quality and Safety. The bill has been assigned to the Assembly Committee on Senior Services and the Senate Committee on Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens.
State and Local Governments Work to Allocate Coronavirus Relief Funds Before Deadline
The majority of the $150 billion in the CARES Act that was allocated to states and localities is being used, but state and local officials are hoping for more clarity on how the funds can be spent, and for an extension on the end-of-year deadline for spending the funds. In a recent National Governors Association survey of 42 states and territories, 89% of the money states received from the CARES Act’s Coronavirus Relief Fund has been allocated and about 62% of funds obligated. (Allocated means that the state has divided up the funding among agencies and programs; obligated refers to goods or services purchased, but not necessarily received or paid for yet.) States are intending to spend the money by a December 30 deadline, but 71% still said they’d like to see the deadline extended into next year. Among the state and local jurisdictions in the survey, 82% expected to spend all of their relief fund dollars before the deadline. More on the National Governors Association Survey can be found here.
New Report Analyzes Progress Made Towards U.S. Cities’ Climate Goals
An October 2020 report from Brookings analyzes the progress made to date toward greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the 100 largest cities across the United States. Since 1991, 600 local governments have developed Climate Action Plans. However, only 45 of the 100 most populous U.S. cities have fully formed climate plans with greenhouse gas inventories and reduction targets. These cities include 40 million people, or just 12% of the U.S. population. Of the 45 cities with fully developed climate plans, only 32 have published a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory since their Climate Action Plan was first implemented, and only 26 of these cities that have published a GHG inventory have seen a decrease in emissions compared to their baselines. The Brookings report can be found here.
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ACEEE Hosts Webinar on Energy Efficiency Jobs & Creating a More Diverse Workforce
On October 29 at 1 p.m. EDT, ACEEE is holding a webinar titled "Expanding Opportunity through Energy Efficiency Jobs: Strategies to Ensure a More Resilient, Diverse Workforce." The webinar will focus on Hispanic, Latinx people, black people and women who are underrepresented in the energy efficiency industry. To register for the webinar, click here.
Live ASHRAE Training Now Available Online
Learn from ASHRAE experts via live, instructor-led online training. Check out scheduled courses at www.ashrae.org/onlinecourses or bring a live online course to your chapter or organization. View the full course list, including CoV-2 mitigation topics at www.ashrae.org/ALI.
Energy Efficiency Training Opportunities in Canada
Efficiency Canada has compiled a database of online training opportunities in energy efficiency, which will be expanding over the course of the summer and into the fall. Now is a great time to plan ahead for what the workforce might look like for next year, and to upgrade or learn new skills in our sector. You can browse courses, including those from ASHRAE here.
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For additional information on government affairs issues, please contact [email protected].
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