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State Technical Assistance
The following is a sample of States that have received technical assistance.
Tucson/Pima, Arizona
- Modified software to include all considerations related to implementation of the Tuscon/Pima County energy code and the Sustainable Energy Standard, and released REScheck Version 3.5 Release 1e.
Arkansas
- Developed ARKcheck compliance materials. (ARKcheck is similar to REScheck, but has been developed specifically for the Arkansas State code).
- Provided 90.1-2001 training. An eight-hour presentation entitled "ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2001" was provided to ASHRAE members and engineers; plus a two-hour lecture on the Arkansas Energy Code to approximately 400 architects.
- Provided updates to ARKcheck software. This state-specific change included the Arkansas Energy Code to be based on IECC 2003 requiring solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) input where applicable but would not require building-level SHGC compliance.
California
- Program staff attended a meeting at the California Energy Commission to discuss the 1998 code change cycle, how to improve the commercial code, and the role of the Code Compliance Institute and how it can help California.
Colorado
- Presented a train-the-trainer session on Standard 90.1 and COMcheck-EZ.
- Assisted with a modification of COMcheck-EZ for Colorado's specific needs.
Georgia
- Modified software to include implementation considerations of the Georgia Residential Energy code, REScheck Version 3.5 Release 1e.
- Developed a Georgia-specific version of COMcheck-EZ compliance software. The software update uses ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999 for the Georgia commercial code including the ammendments for envelope mandatory requirements.
Idaho
- Provided assistance to the State of Idaho in the development of the Idaho commercial building energy code.
- Provided assistance in developing an Idaho-specific version of COMcheck-EZ.
Illinois
- Updated the "Statewide Savings Projections from the Adoption of a Commercial Building Energy Code in Illinois," September 2002, report using the most recent fuel price to ensure that stakeholders and policymakers are provided with current rate information in their decision making-process.
Indiana
- Completed an evaluation of a proposal from Indiana to update their state code. The overall energy efficiency level is similar to the current Indiana code, which is based on the MEC 92. The proposed Indiana code has a number of significant modifications compared to the IRC - some of which increase stringency, some decrease stringency.
Iowa
- Updated the report PNNL prepared in 2002 comparing the requirements for residential buildings in the 2000 IECC to the 1992 MEC in Iowa. The report was updated, replacing the 2000 IECC data with the 2003 IECC.
Louisiana
- Delivered a presentation covering Standard 90.1 and COMcheck-EZ at the kickoff meeting for a Louisiana commercial energy code advisory group.
- Summarized the results of PNNL's analyses of energy and cost impacts of the adoption of Standard 90.1 in Louisiana. The summary was distributed to the commercial energy code advisory group.
- Provided copies of the compliance software tools LTGSTD (Lighting Standard) and ENVSTD (Envelope Standard).
- Provided the materials needed for the distribution of a Louisiana-specific version of COMcheck-EZ, including master copies of the COMcheck-EZ guides and software, State map and prescriptive packages, and copies of the Louisiana Alternate Component Package tables.
- Participated in Standard 90.1 and COMcheck-EZ training for State Fire Marshal's Office representatives.
- Provided REScheck training and compliance materials.
Iowa
- Updated the report PNNL prepared in 2002 comparing the requirements for residential buildings in the 2000 IECC to the 1992 MEC in Iowa. The report was updated replacing the 2000 IECC data with the 2003 IECC.
Massachusetts
- Developed MAScheck compliance materials. (MAScheck is similar to REScheck, but has been developed specifically for the Massachusetts State code, which has special requirements for homes using electric resistance heating.)
- Attended and participated in the Massachusetts Green Schools Certification Task Force meeting and provided responses to a number of code related questions posed by Andrea Ranger, task force lead. Also discussed options for choosing a set of prescriptive requirements for their program, including consideration of Title 24 (both the 2001 and 2005 versions), NBI E-Benchmark, the 2003 IECC, and what will become ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004, as well as the existing Massachusetts state code.
Michigan
- Provided commercial energy code training on Standard 90.1-2001 to approximately 200 attendees.
- Compared the existing Michigan residential code, the new proposed residential code, and the IECC. The existing Michigan residential code is very lenient; the proposed new code is a modest improvement, but still well below the 2000 IECC. PNNL determined that the 2000 IECC requirements meet the cost effectiveness criterion in Michigan of a 7-year simple payback.
Minnesota
- Developed COMcheck-MN, a customized, Minnesota-specific version of COMcheck-EZ.
- Developed MNcheck, a customized, Minnesota-specific version of REScheck.
Mississippi
- Conducted training sessions on the 1995 Model Energy Code (MEC) for the South Mississippi Building Officials Association.
New Hampshire
- Completed a set of change requests specific to the New Hampshire code that was based on the 2000 IECC and released REScheck 3.5 Release 1a.
- Completed residential analysis to develop a defensible and appropriate description of a typical residential addition that can be used to develop prescriptive packages for additions in New Hampshire, plus log wall prescriptive packages for use in New Hampshire.
New Mexico
- Prepared an energy simulation and cost analysis for a 10,000-square foot building simulated under the requirements of Standard 90.1.
- Prepared an energy simulation and cost analysis for a 10,000-square foot building simulated under the requirements of the 1986 MEC.
- Provided an economic comparison of the differences between the 1992 MEC and the 1995 MEC for a typical home in New Mexico. Feedback from the State will be incorporated into the comparison.
- Completed a residential report addressing the impacts of adoption of the 2000 IECC.
- Completed a commercial report that provides an objective technical benefit-cost study assessing the impact of updating the commercial building energy code in New Mexico to the 2000 IECC.
New York
- Completed a report comparing the existing New York Code to the 2004 Supplement, and completed an initial economic analysis of the changes in the prescriptive requirements across the codes.
North Carolina
- Completed an energy analysis comparing the stringency of the energy-efficient provisions in the North Carolina State building code and the 1995 MEC, based on a typical house in each of the five North Carolina climate zones.
North Dakota
- Completed an analysis on what the economic costs and benefits would be for upgrading North Dakota's commercial building energy code from ASHRAE 90.1-1989 to a more recent version of ASHRAE (either 90.1-1999 or 90.1-2001). Developed a report detailing economic and energy simulation results.
- Provided instructional presentations on the Model Energy Code for the Home Builders' Associations of Fargo-Moorehead and Red River Valley.
Oklahoma
- Assisted with planning of the Oklahoma Housing and Energy Conference.
- Presented a three-hour COMcheck-EZ training session.
South Carolina
- Provided assistance and guidance on an economic/energy savings analysis comparison with respect to the South Carolina Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Tax incentive and the new Department of Housing and Urban Development requirements for manufactured housing. The analysis was conducted to determine the energy savings resulting from the tax incentive package for typical single-wide and double-wide manufactured homes in Columbia, South Carolina.
Tennesse
- Completed an economic and energy analysis of the impacts of adopting ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2001 in Tennessee. The building energy requirements of this standard were compared to those in the ASHRAE Standard 90A-1980 for small office and retail buildings as well as a larger multi-story office building.
Texas
- Provided commercial building energy code compliance and COMcheck-EZ training materials for an on-site training session presented in conjunction with the University of Texas at Arlington Energy Extension and the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of ASHRAE.
Vermont
- Provided technical assistance in developing VTcheck, modified REScheck software created as a compliance tool for the Vermont Residential Building Energy Standard (RBES).
West Virginia
- Completed a report comparing the energy efficiency of West Virginia's recently adopted state energy code for residential buildings to the 2000 IECC.
- West Virginia received a progressive grant in 1995. The purpose of the grant is to provide training on the energy chapter of the Building Officials Council of America (BOCA) code. As part of this grant, two training sessions were held.
- Prepared and submitted a cost/benefit analysis of the impacts of meeting the 1995 MEC. The analysis gives the impacts of changing from the energy-efficient requirements of ASHRAE Standard 90A-1989 to the 1995 MEC.
- 1995 REScheck compliance materials were sent in response to a request for information illustrating builders' options for energy-efficient measures meeting the 1995 MEC requirements.