REScheck™ and Air Infiltration FAQs

Q: Does REScheck take air infiltration into consideration?

No, REScheck implements Chapter 5 of the MEC and IECC which does not have any infiltration requirements -- the code's component performance approach (Chapter 5) specifies maximum U_o-factor requirements for walls, ceilings, floors, crawl space walls, and basement walls and minimum R-value requirements for slab perimeter insulation. Sections 502.1.1 of the MEC and 502.2.2 of the IECC state that the U_o^(a)-factor or U-value of a given assembly may be increased or the R-factor of a given assembly may be decreased if the total heat gain or loss of the entire building does not exceed the total resulting from conformance to these requirements. REScheck requirements are based solely on U-factor x Area (UA, the heat loss/gain rate) calculations for each building assembly to determine the whole-building UA of the user's building design. The whole-building UA from a building conforming to the code requirements (the code building) is compared against the UA from the user's building design (the proposed building).

(a) Uo is the overall conductive thermal transmission coefficient of an envelope component or of the envelope of the entire residential structure. The coefficient excludes, for example, the effects of mechanical ventilation and natural air infiltration.

Q: Do you have plans to provide a REScheck Chapter 4 approach software tool?

No, at present there are no plans to support the performance approach in REScheck due to inconsistent requirements between the trade-off approach and performance approach in IECC. DOE is presently working on resolving these differences. Future support for the performance approach in REScheck will be considered based on user needs and state requests.

Q: Are there other compliance tools available which use infiltration rates?

See the following links for more information on compliance tools with this feature.