This webinar provided an understanding of how to show compliance using COMcheck and REScheck for alterations and additions to existing conditioned buildings. Alteration projects involve changes to or replacement of existing building components that are part of the building thermal envelope, interior and exterior lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, water heating and other equipment. Addition projects involve adding new conditioned floor area to an existing conditioned building and are treated as new construction. This event provided instructions for how to determine compliance for these types of construction projects as part of DOE’s Building Energy Codes Program Energy Codes Commentator webinar series.
The DOE Building Energy Codes Program hosted a webinar-based training series called the Energy Code Commentator. The series spaned a variety of special topics of interest to all energy code stakeholders--for both residential & commercial buildings. Check out the lineup and recordings of past events!
This webinar examined the findings of a study that reviewed energy savings resulting from the implementation of code controls requirements in real buildings, as part of DOE's Building Energy Codes Program Energy Codes Commentator webinar series.
In the last four cycles of commercial energy codes, about 30% of all new requirements have been related to building controls. Estimates of energy savings from these requirements assume they are designed, installed and operating correctly despite widely-known difficulties in all of these areas. To investigate the real-life energy impact of these controls, PNNL conducted an exploratory study which included (1) interviewing commissioning agents to get a better understanding of their activities as they relate to code-required controls measures and (2) a field study of a sample of commercial buildings to determine whether the code-required control measures are being designed, commissioned, and correctly implemented and functioning in new buildings. The findings of the study will be valuable to building owners and tenants, business owners, code developers, energy planners, designers, and building officials.
REScheck-Web is a web-based application that enables designers/developers of residential buildings to enter building envelope assemblies per their proposed plans and specifications, and in turn, will determine whether or not the project is in compliance with the applicable energy code for their jurisdiction. A new version of REScheck-Web was released Summer 2017, and included a modernized interface with several new and updated functions, including a dashboard of your projects, the ability to share projects with colleagues, the ability to create individual user profiles, and more.
This webinar, which presented the "new and improved" REScheck-Web, was part of DOE's Building Energy Codes Program Energy Codes Commentator webinar-based training series.
The concept of burying ducts is not new, but the prescriptive requirements in the 2018 IECC are. This webinar, which is part of DOE's Building Energy Codes Program Energy Codes Commentator webinar-based training series, provided a brief look at the research behind buried ducts, the prescriptive code language in the 2018 IECC, practical information on how builders can use the practice today (even if their jurisdiction doesn’t yet have the 2018 IECC), and an overview of the energy and cost benefits of the approach compared to traditional or unvented attics.
This webinar, which is part of DOE's Building Energy Codes Program Energy Codes Commentator webinar-based training series, provided an introduction into metal building types and systems and how they are defined in the national energy codes and standards. The presentation focused on metal building envelope assemblies and applications (e.g., roofs, exterior walls, fenestration, air barriers, and air leakage), and how the energy code affects various aspects of metal building envelopes and various code compliance options. A demo of DOE's energy code compliance software was shown which focused on how the different metal building assemblies are defined and calculated for code compliance.
This webinar, which is part of DOE's Building Energy Codes Program Energy Codes Commentator webinar-based training series, began with a brief introduction to basic HVAC control provisions and compliance strategies, followed by results from a recent field study on new building control systems. Many basic control systems were covered, including space temperature controls, outside air economizers, ventilation dampers, and demand controlled ventilation. Strategies for commissioning of control systems were discussed.
This webinar, which is part of DOE's Building Energy Codes Program Energy Codes Commentator webinar-based training series, presented case studies reviewing challenges that can be addressed via REScheck and COMcheck software, the popular compliance software tool supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. Case studies focused on common challenges which can result in non-compliance, and what design changes and user inputs can be implemented as a remedy. Both residential and commercial projects were covered, as were distinctions between various energy editions of model codes. Valuable troubleshooting techniques were presented using samples based on real-world projects.
Video recording of this event is not available, however presentation slides are available.
This webinar, which is part of DOE's Building Energy Codes Program Energy Codes Commentator webinar-based training series, provided an overview of the 2018 IECC residential provisions. The presentation focused on the highlights of what has changed in the residential requirements since the preceding 2015 edition.
Presentation slides are available, however a recording for this event is not available.
Building energy codes can be daunting in their size and complexity, with model codes continually evolving to capture design improvements, greater efficiency, and affordability, while multiple editions can lead to a patchwork of adopted codes across the country. This webinar which is part of DOE's Building Energy Codes Program Energy Codes Commentator webinar-based training series, outlined the structure and effective use of these codes for architects, highlighting new and significant provisions that impact architectural design and cost. Specific topics included air tightness, glazing area, alterations, and the use of renewables, as well as possible trends for future codes.