Building Energy Codes Program
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What code do I need to comply with?
- Visit the BECP Status of State Codes page to find out which energy code your state has adopted. If you have reason to believe your local municipality has adopted something different than the state code, please verify this with your local building department.
- How do I create an energy code compliance report to get my building permit?
- If your building official is asking to see a compliance report when you apply for a building permit, you can download software at no charge. You will fill out forms with information about your project, such as square footage of the floors, walls, and ceilings, insulation levels, information about your windows and heating and cooling system. The menu driven software will show you when the building has complied with the energy code, and then you can print out the reports to submit for the building permit.
- Where can I get a copy of the energy code?
- Copies of the International Energy Conservation Code can be purchased from the ICC website. We suggest checking with your local jurisdiction to verify which code version (year) they are enforcing before purchasing the code book.
- What are the minimum insulation and window requirements for my building?
- Minimum insulation levels and window requirements depend on your climate zone. You will need the information from Table 402.1.1, unless you have a steel framed building and you need to see Table 402.2.5. They are re are several ways to get this information:
- Call, or stop by, your local building department and ask them.
- Obtain a copy of the code book if you will need other information for ongoing projects
- Submit your question to BECP Technical Support. Please include your state and local jurisdiction so we can determine your climate zone.
- What do I need to know about duct testing?
- Am I required to test for air leakage?
- Yes, as of the 2009 IECC you are required to test for air leakage. There are two options - the testing (blower door method) or the visual inspection option. See Section 2009 IECC, section 402.4.2.2. Visual Inspection Option, it refers to Table 402.4.2, which includes a checklist list to be used, as applicable.
- Where do I find out information about tax credits?
- What is the minimum insulation requirements between conditioned and unconditioned spaces under the 2009 IECC?
When insulating the basement, does the 8" concrete wall that separates the basement and garage need to have a minimum of an R10 insulation value?
- Interior walls that separate conditioned from unconditioned space are treated the same as an exterior wall that separates outside from the conditioned building thermal envelope and must meet the same energy provisions. Therefore a below grade wall that separates the basement from the garage would need to meet the same provisions and insulation levels based on the climate zone.
- What does the IECC say about ducts in conditioned crawlspaces?
- The 2009 IECC ducts or portions of ducts located completely within the building envelope (i.e. conditioned crawl space) are exempt from having to be insulated; however, they still must be sealed properly.
- Can I use REScheck in my state?
- What is a trade-off approach, can I still use it with the 2009 IECC?
- A trade-off approach allows you to trade enhanced energy efficiency in one component against decreased energy efficiency in another component. For example, under the 2006 IECC, you can trade off insulation and glazing efficiency against heating and cooling system efficiency. The 2009 IECC only allows you to trade off levels of insulation and glazing efficiency. For example, trade decreased wall efficiency (lower R-value) for increased window efficiency (lower U-factor), or increase the roof insulation and reduce or eliminate slab-edge insulation. Typically, this method is less restrictive than prescriptive approaches because components that exceed the requirements can compensate for those that do not meet the code.
- How do I show compliance for mass walls?
- You can use REScheck software, specifying the type of wall. Performance software may best reflect the thermal heat capacities of mass walls (see What is a performance approach?).
- How do I show compliance for log walls?
- You can use REScheck software, specifying the type of wall. Performance software may best reflect the thermal heat capacities of mass walls (see What is a performance approach?).
- What is a performance approach?
- A performance approach (also known as a systems performance approach) allows you to compare your proposed design to a baseline or reference design and demonstrate that the proposed design is at least as efficient as the baseline in terms of annual energy use. This approach allows greater flexibility but requires considerably more effort. A performance approach is often necessary to obtain credit for special features, such as passive solar design, photovoltaic cells, thermal energy storage, and fuel cells. This approach requires an annual energy analysis for the proposed design and the reference design. We do not offer residential software products at this time to comply using this approach, but future versions of the REScheck software will include the DOE-2 energy analysis engine to perform the necessary calculations needed to determine compliance. Samples of performance software available are listed in the Building Energy Software Tools Directory on the Building Technologies Program website.
- How do I show compliance with additions or alterations?
- One of the keys to showing compliance for additions and alterations is to remember you are only considering the new space, or the new walls, etc. You have the option of showing compliance for the entire space, but this is not necessary or typical. Using REScheck, you will indicate "addition" or "alteration" on the project information tab, and need to enter the following information, as it applies to your project:
- Ceiling – gross area (ft2) and insulation R-value of new ceiling,
- Exterior walls – gross area (ft2) of new exterior walls and insulation R-value (the existing exterior wall(s) that will become interior wall(s) once the addition is built are to be considered interior walls and should not be entered as part of the addition wall area).
- Windows/Doors – gross area (ft2) of windows and/or doors with U-factor from NFRC label or default table in the help section of REScheck.
- Floor – gross area (ft2) of addition and insulation R-value. If the floor is a slab, the length of the exterior slab edge should be entered in linear feet.
- How do I show compliance for my basement?
I have a solid concrete wall as the exterior basement wall that goes up from the footing to midway up the first floor. I have a 2x6 stud wall framed on the inside of this wall with insulation. How do I report this on the software?
- Enter your basement wall as solid concrete, square footage, height, height below grade, depth of insulation. Then enter your insulation R-value as cavity. The software will calculate the wall according to the amount of cavity insulation is shown and consider it as a furred out wall.
- What code do I need to comply with?
- You can find out which energy code your state has adopted on the BECP Status of State Codes page. if you have reason to believe your local municipality has adopted something different than the state code, please verify this with your local building department.
- How do I create an energy code compliance report to get my building permit?
- If your building official is asking to see a compliance report when you apply for a building permit, you can download software at no charge. You will fill out forms with information about your project, such as square footage of the floors, walls, and ceilings, insulation levels, information about your windows and heating and cooling system. The menu driven software will show you when the building has complied with the energy code, and then you can print out the reports to submit for the building permit.
- Where can I get a copy of the energy code?
- We suggest checking with your local jurisdiction to verify which code version (year) they are enforcing before purchasing the code book. Copies of the International Energy Conservation Code can be purchased from the ICC website . Copies of ASHRAE 90.1 can be purchased on the ASHRAE website .
- What are the minimum insulation and window requirements for my building
- Minimum insulation levels and window requirements depend on your climate zone, whether you are complying with the IECC or ASHRAE 90.1. In the IECC you will need the information from Table 502.2 (1) and Table 502.3. In ASHRAE 90.1 the information is found in Table 5.5-1-8, insulation levels for high albedo roofs can be found in Table 5.5.3.1, and SHGC multipliers for permanent projections is in Table 5.5.4.4.1 They are several ways to get this information:
- Call, or stop by, your local building department and ask them.
- Obtain a copy of the code book (see above) if you will be needing other information for ongoing projects.
- Submit your question to BECP Technical Support. Please include your state and local jurisdiction so we can determine your climate zone.
- My project has both businesses and homes, is it residential or commercial?
- For mixed use buildings that are three stories or less and have residential and commercial, the way to determine if the entire building can shown to meet code under residential or commercial is the percentage of the space types. If the residential is 10% or less of the overall building then the entire building can fall under commercial. It is always easier to show compliance for the entire exterior thermal building envelope instead of breaking the building apart. If using COMcheck, the apartments would be multi-family under the space types option and the other areas should also be designated according to their activities. Remember, if the building is four stories or greater, it is commercial.
- Do the last IECC versions reference the ASHRAE Standard in such a way as to require the commissioning work described in them?
ASHRAE Standards 90.1-2004 and 90.1-2007 require plans and specs to include detail descriptions for Commissioning of HVAC systems and their controls in buildings with conditioned space greater than 50,000 square feet.
- The 2009 IECC allows a code user to use either 90.1-2007 in its entirety (including the HVAC requirements) or to use the requirements in Chapter 5 of the 2009 IECC. Chapter 5 of the 2009 IECC does not have any specific commissioning requirements. There are air system and hydronic system balancing requirements, but nothing specifically labeled "commissioning" or "functional testing". Commissioning requirements have been proposed for the IECC before and are to be discussed for the 2012 IECC again this fall.
- Can I use COMcheck in my state?
- What is a performance approach?
- A performance approach (also known as a systems performance approach) allows you to compare your proposed design to a baseline or reference design and demonstrate that the proposed design is at least as efficient as the baseline in terms of annual energy use. This approach allows greater flexibility but requires considerably more effort. A performance approach is often necessary to obtain credit for special features, such as passive solar design, photovoltaic cells, thermal energy storage, and fuel cells. This approach requires an annual energy analysis for the proposed design and the reference design. We do not offer commercial software products at this time to comply using this approach, but future versions of the COMcheck software will include the DOE-2 energy analysis engine to perform the necessary calculations needed to determine compliance. Samples of performance software available are listed in the Building Energy Software Tools Directory on the Building Technologies Program website.
- How do I show compliance with additions or alterations?
- One of the keys to showing compliance for additions and alterations is to remember you are only considering the new space, or the new walls, etc. You have the option of showing compliance for the entire space, but this is not necessary or typical. Using COMcheck&trade, you will indicate "addition" or "alteration" on the project information tab, and need to enter the following information, as it applies to your project:
- Ceiling – gross area (ft2) and insulation R-value of new ceiling,
- Exterior walls – gross area (ft2) of new exterior walls and insulation R-value (the existing exterior wall(s) that will become interior wall(s) once the addition is built are to be considered interior walls and should not be entered as part of the addition wall area).
- Windows/Doors – gross area (ft2) of windows and/or doors with U-factor from NFRC label or default table in the help section of COMcheck™.
- Floor – gross area (ft2) of addition and insulation R-value. If the floor is a slab, the length of the exterior slab edge should be entered in linear feet.
- How do I show compliance for only lighting (or mechanical, or envelope)?
- COMcheck will calculate compliance for your project as you define it. For example, if your project is a tenant improvement with new interior lighting, new exterior lighting and mechanical, you would not need to fill in the envelope tab. Conversely, if your project is new construction of an unoccupied commercial shell and there is no interior lighting or mechanical system, you would not fill out those tabs.
- Please explain how to use different wattage luminaire and comply with the code.
For example, does my lighting comply, if my building that is using a Halo H71CT 6" ceiling insulated Recessed Housing which accepts a R-30 type bulb, the bulb specified is a "15 Watt CFL, Light Bulb - 65 W Equal-Warm White 27000K - R30 Reflector - Energy Miser FE-R30-15W-27k", can this information be input into the COMcheck Compliance Software as 15 Watt CFL, instead of a 65 Watt incandescent to show that it is compliance?
- The IECC 2006 requires that screw based luminaries be counted for compliance based on the rated wattage of the luminaire. The basis for this requirement is that after occupancy and initial lamp burnout, any wattage lamp could be put in and the maximum luminaire wattage rating most reasonably represents true lighting application. This can make compliance difficult if a lower wattage lamp is intended to be used. This is why some designers contract with manufacturers to label luminaries with a lower wattage rating that ensures that future lamp replacements are limited to this maximum wattage. COMcheck, is a tool that follows the adopted codes and therefore, the labeled wattage of the luminaire is the appropriate input for code compliance and the COMcheck tool.
