With the industry experiencing a spike in electrified access control (EAC) solutions in commercial and institutional buildings, the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) has published ANSI/BHMA A156.45 for Determination of Builders Hardware Energy Consumption, introducing a consistent method for measuring the operational energy usage of wired architectural door hardware, including locks, strikes, and input devices.
ANSI/BHMA A156.45 establishes a framework for evaluating energy consumption, with certification values expressed in kilowatt-hours per day (kWh/day) across multiple use levels. These results enable meaningful comparisons among products and can support broader building energy evaluation programs, such as the LEED rating system.
The new standard measures energy consumption over a 24-hour period using three operational models that reflect real-world door activity:
- Secure—when passage is not possible
- Non-Secure—when free passage is possible
- Triggered—when a credential is required for passage
The new standard complements existing BHMA product standards by allowing large facilities, such as universities, hospitals, and government buildings, to quantify usage when thousands of electrified openings are installed. To read more, visit here.
