2012 NC Energy Conservation Code
(2012 NCECC)Commercial Building
Compliance
Billy Hinton, PE
NC Department of Insurance
Engineering Division
Code Services Section
Objectives
Today we will address:
1. Compliance options for “Commercial Buildings”
2. Recent legislation & it’s impact on the 2012 NCECC
3. Resources available to aid code compliance
4. Broad overview of our future energy conservation code
(2018 NCECC)
5. Impact of current legislation on our future 2018 NCECC
Question
What is a “Commercial Building” and a
“Residential Building” with respect to the 2012 NC
Energy Conservation Code?
Commercial & Residential Building
“Commercial Buildings” are defined in Chapter 2 of the
2012 NCECC as “All Buildings not included in the
definition of “Residential Buildings.”
“Residential Buildings” are defined in Chapter 2 of the
2012 NCECC as “R-3 buildings, as well as R-2 and R-4
buildings three stories or less in height above grade.
These definitions are unique to the 2012 NCECC.
Residential Building Example
Three story apartment building – R-2 – This is a
“Residential Building” – Chapter 4 of the 2012 NCECC
applies.
Commercial Building Example
Four story apartment building – R-2 – This is a
“Commercial Building” – Chapter 5 of the 2012 NCECC
applies.
Commercial Building Example
Four story building - First story Mercantile, stories 2,3,and
4 apartments – This is a “Commercial Building”–Chapter 5
of the 2012 NCECC applies.
Commercial & Residential Building Example
Three story building - First story Mercantile, stories 2 and 3
apartments – This is a mix of Commercial Building
requirements and Residential Building requirements -
Commercial Building requirements (Chapter 5) for Floor 1
and Residential Building requirements (Chapter 4) for
floors 2 & 3.
Question
For “Commercial Buildings”, what are the
compliance path options available for compliance
with the 2012 NC Energy Conservation Code?
Commercial Building Compliance Options
1. 2012 NCECC, Chapter 5
2. “COMcheck” for the 2012 NCECC
3. ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010
4. “COMcheck” for ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010
5. 2015 NC Existing Building Code
6. House Bill 201 (for certain existing commercial
building alterations and additions)
7. Senate Bill 131 (once rules are approved-for
certain new and existing buildings-expected early
2018)
Commercial Building Compliance Options
1. 2012 NCECC, Chapter 5
A compliance path integral to Chapter 5.
1. Prescriptive (Tables and mandatory provisions)
2. Performance (Mandatory provisions and building
energy use simulation modeling)
Commercial Building Compliance Options
2. “COMcheck” for the 2012 NCECC
A free USDOE developed computer program for
demonstrating compliance with energy conservation codes
– Includes the 2012 NCECC as a code selection.
Download from:
https://www.energycodes.gov/comcheck
The opening COMcheck screen showing the NC Code
selection is displayed on the next slide.
COMcheck Compliance Software
Commercial Building Compliance Options
3. ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010
Compliance options in ASHRAE Standard 90.1
1. Prescriptive (Use of Tables and mandatory
requirements)
2. Performance (Building energy simulation modeling and
mandatory requirements – Chapter 11 Energy Cost
Budget Method)
Commercial Building Compliance Options
4. “COMcheck” for ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010
A free USDOE developed computer program for
demonstrating compliance with energy conservation codes –
Includes ASHRAE 90.1-2010 as a code selection. Download
from:
https://www.energycodes.gov/comcheck
The COMcheck opening screen showing the ASHRAE 90.1-
2010 code selection is displayed on the next slide.
COMcheck Compliance Software
Commercial Building Compliance Options
5. 2015 NC Existing Building Code
Generally, the 2015 NC Existing Building Code will refer to
the 2012 NC Energy Conservation Code for requirements
except for a special provision addressing conversion of
unconditioned space to conditioned space.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
5. 2015 NC Existing Building Code
908.1.1 Unconditioned to conditioned space. In addition
to the requirement of section 908.1, projects changing
unconditioned space to conditioned space and costing
more than $10,000 shall require 10 per cent of the project
cost be used toward meeting the requirements of Chapter
11 of the NC Residential Code for one- and two-family
dwellings and townhouses or the NC Energy Conservation
Code.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
5. 2015 NC Existing Building Code
Project cost for the purposes of this section is the total
project cost listed on all permits related to the work
required to convert the unconditioned space to conditioned
space and excludes the 10% added by this section.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
5. 2015 NC Existing Building Code
Under this section, existing building envelope components
that become a part of the building thermal envelope and
are not changed are not required to be upgraded.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
5. 2015 NC Existing Building Code
The additional 10% of the project cost shall be
appropriated for additional energy conservation features of
choice that are addressed in Chapter 11 of the NC
Residential Code for one- and two-family dwellings and
townhouses or the NC Energy Conservation Code.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
5. 2015 NC Existing Building Code
In addition to the 10% project cost, any existing ceiling,
wall, or floor cavities becoming a part of the building
thermal envelope that are exposed during construction
shall at a minimum be insulated to comply with Chapter 11
of the NC Residential Code for one- and two-family
dwellings and townhouses or the NC Energy Conservation
Code or be insulated to fill the cavity, whichever is less.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
6. House Bill 201 (Session Law 2014-90)
Allows alterations to certain existing buildings and/or
additions to certain existing buildings that are identified
within the scoping provisions of the bill to meet the
requirements of the 2009 NC Energy Conservation Code.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
House Bill 201
Building Reutilization for Economic Development Act
PART I. Applicability of the Energy
Conservation Code to Certain Existing
Nonresidential Buildings
Commercial Building Compliance Options
SECTION 1. G.S. 143-138 is amended by adding a new
subsection to read:
"(b15) Exclusion from Energy Code Requirements for
Existing Commercial Buildings. – The alteration of
commercial buildings and structures that received a
certificate of occupancy prior to January 1, 2012, may be
subject to the rules pertaining to energy efficiency and
energy conservation that were in effect on December 31,
2011.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
The addition to commercial buildings and structures that
received a certificate of occupancy prior to January 1,
2012, may be subject to the rules pertaining to energy
efficiency and energy conservation that were in effect on
December 31, 2011, so long as the addition does not
increase the building area of the existing commercial
building or structure to more than one hundred fifty percent
(150%) of the building area of the commercial building or
structure as it was in existence on December 31, 2011.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
For the purpose of this subsection, the term "commercial
buildings and structures" shall include all structures and
buildings that are not classified as a Group R occupancy
by the Building Code Council."
Commercial Building Compliance Options
7. Senate Bill 131 (Session Law 2017-10)
New legislation which instructs the North Carolina Building
Code Council (NCBCC) to provide an exemption from
energy conservation requirements for certain occupancy
classifications in the 2012 NC State Building Code and all
future NC State Building Codes.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
Senate Bill 131
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FURTHER REGULATORY RELIEF
TO THE CITIZENS OF NORTH CAROLINA
PART I. BUSINESS REGULATION
….
EXEMPT CERTAIN BUILDING CODE CLASSIFICATIONS
FROM ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS
Commercial Building Compliance Options
SECTION 1.4 G.S. 143-138 is amended by adding a new
subsection to read:
(b18) Exclusion from Energy Efficiency Code
Requirements For Certain Use and Occupancy
Classifications.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
“The Council shall provide for an exemption from any
requirements in the energy efficiency standards pursuant
to Chapter 13 of the 2012 NC Building Code and the 2012
Energy Conservation Code, and any subsequent
amendments to the Building Code and the Energy
Conservation Code, for the following use and occupancy
classifications pursuant to Chapter 3 of the 2012 NC
Building Code: Section 306, Factory Group F; Section 311,
Storage Group S; and Section 312, Utility and
Miscellaneous Group U. This exclusion shall apply to the
entire floor area of any structure for which the primary use
or occupancy is listed herein.”
Commercial Building Compliance Options
Then, according to the language of the bill, in addition to
the building areas directly associated with occupancy
classifications for Section 306, Factory Group F; Section
311, Storage Group S; and Section 312, Utility and
Miscellaneous Group U, any other building areas including
office/administration areas are also exempt if the primary
use of the building is any of the occupancies listed above.
Then any energy conservation provisions included in the
design would be voluntary and not required by the code.
Inspectors would inspect for compliance with the
engineered drawings and specifications.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
Energy Conservation features included in the design would
be at the discretion of the designer and owner and
provided based on an acceptable rate of return determined
appropriate by the owner applicable to his specific project
and business needs and objectives.
The scope of the bill applies to new buildings and also to
repairs, alterations, and additions to existing buildings
included within the scoping provisions of the bill.
Commercial Building Compliance Options
The NC Building Code Council is moving forward
proposed rule changes in accordance with the directive
from the NC General Assembly Senate Bill 131.
An effective date of early 2018 is anticipated given no
substantive changes occur to the proposed rules during
the rulemaking process and the rules receive final
approval by the Rules Review Commission and no
objections are received from the legislature.
Question
Where can I find helpful information to aid with
determination of U-factors for common building
assemblies?
ASHRAE 90.1-2010
ASHRAE Normative Appendix A
The Normative Appendix A will be very useful to designers
that desire to design an assembly different from the
solution given by the R-value table.
The Normative Appendix A provides pre-calculated U-
factors for all opaque building assembly classifications
considering different combinations of insulation products.
ASHRAE 90.1-2010
ASHRAE Normative Appendix A
We will look at an example of use of Appendix A for Metal
Building Roof insulation design.
ASHRAE 90.1-2010ASHRAE Normative Appendix A
ASHRAE 90.1-2010ASHRAE Normative Appendix A
Table A2.3 (continued)
Question
Where can I find information concerning the NC
Building Code Council meetings, meeting minutes,
and meeting agendas?
NC DOI Web Site Resources
Question
Where can I find approved amendments for the
2012 NC Energy Conservation Code?
NC DOI Web Site Resources
NC DOI Web Site Resources
Question
Can approved code amendments be used before
their assigned effective date?
Code Amendments
A code amendment may be used as an approved alternate
design method upon request before the assigned effective
date once the amendment has been adopted by the NC
Building Code Council and has been approved by the
Rules Review Commission.
On and after the code amendment effective date, the code
amendment must be used.
Question
Where can I find approved interpretations for the
2012 NC Energy Conservation Code?
NC DOI Web Site Resources
NC DOI Web Site Resources
NC DOI Web Site Resources
Question
When is the next edition of the NC Energy
Conservation code anticipated to be adopted and
what model code will it be based upon?
Future Code Adoptions
The NCECC has been placed on a six year code cycle
with the other volumes of the 2012 NC State Building Code
which deviates from the customary three year cycle of the
past.
The next edition of the NC Energy Conservation Code is
the 2018 Edition modeled on the 2015 Edition of the ICC
IECC model code and is planned to have an effective date
of January 1, 2019.
Question
What edition of ASHRAE 90.1 will be included as
a compliance option in the 2018 NCECC?
ASHRAE 90.1-2013
The 2018 edition of the NCECC includes ASHRAE 90.1-
2013 as an optional compliance path for commercial
buildings.
USDOE offers a COMcheck for ASHRAE 90.1-2013. This
program may be used to demonstrate compliance with the
2018 NCECC for compliance with ASHRAE 90.1-2013
compliance option.
Question
Will the new 2018 NCECC impact application of
House Bill 201 with respect to energy
conservation code requirements contained in the
legislation?
House Bill 201
No, adoption of a new energy conservation code will have
no impact to House Bill 201. The provisions of House Bill
201 will remain in effect for the current energy
conservation code and all future codes until new legislation
revises the general statute.
Question
How does Senate Bill 131 impact application of
the 2018 NCECC with respect to energy
conservation code requirements?
Senate Bill 131
The NC Building Code Council is moving forward
proposed rule changes to the 2018 NCECC in accordance
with the provisions of the bill. The provisions of Senate Bill
131 will remain in effect for the 2012 NCECC and the 2018
NCECC and all future codes until such time new legislation
revises the general statute.
Note that this legislation affects code requirements by
requiring the NCBCC to perform certain code amendments
as directed by the statute.
Questions?
Thank you.
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