CITY PLAN REVIEW AND INSPECTION Lisa Fleming Brown, CPM
Houston Commercial Energy Conservation Code (2011) A choice of 2009 IECC or ASHRAE 90.1-2007 with amendments. Effective September 2, 2011. Complete plans submitted prior to this date may use the code in existence.
Applies to commercial of any height Multi-family residential more than 3 stories Does not apply to: Single family, low energy buildings, buildings that do not use fossil fuel or electricity.
Specific exemptions in building systems or building elements throughout the code Equipment and portions of buildings that use energy primarily to provide for industrial, manufacturing, or commercial processes. Life Safety Prevails.
Plans New items required to be noted on the plans. ComCheck or Other Approved Software New City Energy Code Forms for MEP portions coming soon Commissioning Statements Inspections No new inspections, but some new compliance data.
Comply based on the applicable provisions (2006 IECC with Houston Amendments for Apartment) (Commercial Provisions for Restaurant)
4.1.1.5 Changes in Space Conditioning. Whenever unconditioned or semiheated spaces in a building are converted to conditioned spaces, such conditioned spaces shall be brought into compliance with all the applicable requirements of this code that would apply to the building envelope, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, service water heating, power, lighting, and other systems and equipment of the space as if the building were new. Roofs/Ceilings that are part of the building envelope will be required to come in to compliance!
4.2.1.1 New Buildings: New Buildings shall comply with either the provisions of Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 or Section 11. 4.2.1.2 Additions to Existing Buildings: Additions to existing buildings shall comply with either the provisions of Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 or Section 11. Exception to 4.2.1.2: When an addition to an existing building cannot comply by itself, trade-offs will be allowed by modification to one or more of the existing components of the existing building. Modeling of the modified components of the existing building and addition shall employ the procedures of Section 11; and the addition shall not increase the energy consumption of the existing building plus the addition beyond the energy that would be consumed by the existing building plus the addition if the addition alone did comply. Option 1 Comply with the prescriptive provisions as if the addition were a separate building. Option 2 - Make trade-offs between the addition and the improvements to the existing so that the annual energy use meets the same as the prescriptive.
4.2.1.3 Alterations of Existing Buildings: Alterations of existing buildings shall comply with the provisions of Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, provided, however that nothing in this code shall require compliance with any provision of this code if such compliance will result in the increase of energy consumption of the building. Exceptions to 4.2.1.3: (a) A historic building need not comply with a provision or provisions that would invalidate or jeopardize the historical designation or listing. (b) Where one or more components of an existing building or portions thereof are being replaced, the annual energy consumption of the comprehensive design shall not be greater than the annual energy consumption of a substantially identical design, using the same energy types, in which the applicable requirements of Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, as provided in 4.2.1.3, and such compliance is verified by a design professional, by the use of any calculation methods acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.
The following alterations are exempt from compliance unless they increase energy use: Storm windows over existing glazing Replacing broken or damage glazing in existing sash/frame Altering roofs, ceilings, walls, with cavities if the cavity has at least R3.0/in Altering walls and floors with no framing cavities Replacing a roof membrane as long as neither the roof sheathing nor the existing insulation is exposed Replacing doors doesn t trigger the vestibule requirement Replacing up to 25% of glazing if U and SHGC of replacement= original or better
Type of Work Comply with New Code? Coating Second Roof Covering Top Membrane Replacement Covering Exposing Insulation Full Depth Patch Full Depth-Edge to Edge No No No Yes, if cavity is less than R3 No Yes NEW APPENDIX ADDED FOR EXPLANATION!
- Envelope component types: Exterior or Semi-Exterior. - Exterior Separate conditioned space from outdoor. - Semi Exterior Separate conditioned from non-conditioned space. - Shell spaces are assumed to be conditioned unless noted!
Regardless of compliance method these items have to be met. Insulation Proper installation to achieve rating (no compression, except in metal bldg purlins at supports) Loose-fill or blown in only in roofs with a slope of less than 3:12 Baffles in ventilated attics Substantial Contact Recessed Equipment Section 5.8.1.6 No insulation directly over suspended ceilings Fenestration & Doors Check label or get installer certification Air leakage rates SHGC and U
Air leakage Controlling the air infiltration through the building envelope Joints, cracks and holes Caulked, gasketed, weather stripped or sealed Plans require a note with.3 cfm for fenestration
Required at doors. Must have closing devices. Designed to not allow both doors open at the same time and at least 7 ft apart. NOTE IBC limits amount of vestibules to 50% of egress. EXCEPTIONS Differ in IECC and ASHRAE
Opaque Elements Nonresidential Residential Semiheated Assembly Maximum Insulation Min. R-Value Assembly Maximum Insulation Min. R-Value Assembly Maximum Insulation Min. R-Value Roofs Insulation Entirely above Deck Metal Building Attic and Other Walls, Above-Grade Mass Metal Building Steel-Framed Wood-Framed and Other U-0.063 U-0.065 U-0.034 U-0.580 U-0.113 U-0.089 U-0.124 R-15.0 ci R-19.0 R-30.0 NR R-13.0 R-13.0 R-13.0 U-0.063 U-0.065 U-0.027 U-0.089 U-0.113 U-0.124 U-0.151 a R-15.0 ci R-38.0 R-19.0 R-5.7 ci R-13.0 R-13.0 R-13.0 U-0.218 U-0.167 U-0.081 U-0.580 U-0.184 U-0.292 U-0.352 Wall, Below-Grade Below-Grade Wall C-1.140 NR C-1.140 NR C-1.140 NR Floors Mass Steel-Joist Wood-Framed and Other Slab-On-Grade Floors Unheated Heated Opaque Doors Swinging Non-Swinging U-0.137 U-0.107 U-0.051 F-1.020 F-0.730 U-0.700 U-1.450 R-4.2 ci R-19.0 R-19.0 NR R-7.5 for 12 in. U-0.107 U-0.051 U-0.052 F-0.730 F-1.020 U-0.700 U-1.450 R-6.3 ci R-19.0 R-19.0 NR R-7.5 for 12 in. U-0.282 U-0.350 U-0.322 F-1.020 F-0.730 U-0.700 U-1.450 R-3.8 ci R-13.0 R-6.0 NR NR NR R-6.0 NR NR NR R-7.5 for 12 in. NR
Roof Insulation (5.5.3.1) Insulation above deck installed in a continuous manner. Interruptions limited to 1% of the roof area. Metal Buildings Must install the thermal block of at least 1 in.
5.5.3.1.1Cool roofs. Low slope roofs up to 2:12 shall be provided with a roof covering where the exterior surface has: (a) (b) solar reflectance of 0.70 or higher thermal emittance of 0.75 or higher Concrete SR =.35 New asphalt SR =.05 Installer letter accepted for inspections
Cool roofing exceptions 1/3 roof or less is covered by a deck. The area of the roof that is covered with by a garden/green roof. Photovoltaic and solar thermal equipment (area of PV x 3)
Fenestration Meet U-factor and SHGC 50% limit of window to wall area for prescriptive approach LEAVE LABELS FOR INSPECTION
Skylights limited to 5% gross roof area SHGC North Oriented Glazing SHGC Projection Factor Factor Projection SHGC Multiplier (All Other Orientations) SHGC Multiplier (North- Oriented) 0-0.10 1.00 1.00 >0.10-0.20 0.91 0.95 >0.20-0.30 0.82 0.91 >0.30-0.40 0.74 0.87 >0.40-0.50 0.67 0.84 >0.50-0.60 0.61 0.81 >0.60-0.70 0.56 0.78 >0.70-0.80 0.51 0.76 >0.80-0.90 0.47 0.75 >0.90-1.00 0.44 0.73
Building Envelope AND HVAC Commissioning Required in projects larger than 50K sq ft of conditioned area. Require a commissioning statement signed & sealed by the architect
HVAC When and what type of dampers are required HVAC Sealing return air Lighting Occupancy sensors Lighting Space by Space method vs. Building Method Lighting Time clock requirement Envelope - Insulation attachment Envelope Cool roof statement from installer
City of Houston Code Enforcement www.houstonpermits.org / 832-394-9039