The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has announced the release of two new design guides, as well as the launch of its newly redesigned Web site.

The 90.1 User's Manual provides detailed instruction for the design of commercial and high-rise buildings to ensure their compliance with ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2001, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. To ensure consistency with the standard, content has been updated throughout the manual, which was partially funded through a grant from the U.S. Dept. of Energy.

A Seismic Restraint Applications CD has been released by ASHRAE and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA). It provides users with guidance on how to properly design and install seismic and wind restraints to reduce the possibility of injury and the threat to life, as well as the long-term costs of equipment damage and downtime. The ASHRAE/SMACNA CD allows users to perform calculations for the attachment of piping and duct systems to supporting structures, and includes representative bracing details, layout examples and tables.

The society also announced the launch of its new Web site at www.ashrae.org. The site features improved navigation as well as a new Resource Center, which makes available the Society's current publications, as well as all of ASHRAE's articles published since 1998.