We present an international profile of activities and research issues
related to energy standards for buildings. In the past decade, a few c
ross-national comparative studies have been published that address ene
rgy standards for residential buildings in industrialized countries. M
ore detailed descriptions of a broader range of energy standard activi
ties would be useful to countries seeking to improve or develop standa
rds, particularly for non-residential buildings and in less-developed
countries (LDCs). Toward this end, we developed a 15-page informal sur
vey to gather specific information about the contents, development, an
d use of energy standards, particularly for non-residential buildings.
This paper provides a snapshot of the legal status and coverage of en
ergy standards in 57 countries. We have used survey results to charact
erize specific energy standards in 35 countries in greater detail, as
well as to outline building energy-efficiency activities in seven coun
tries without energy standards. Our project submits a possible framewo
rk for further inquiry into building energy standards research.