We are now accepting nominations! to fill the position of Treasurer on the 2010 Board of Directors for San Joaquin Valley Chapter of the International Code Council. Installation of Officers will be held at our annual Christmas meeting to be held on Friday, December 4, 2009 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Lamplighter Inn in Visalia, CA.

Please join us for an evening of fun and socialization. Those wishing to attend need to R.S.V.P. to Richard Baca at (661) 720-2215 

NEW ENERGY STANDARDS EFFECTIVE

JANUARY 1, 2010

 

The 2008 Title 24 Energy Standards will become effective on January 1, 2010.  All permits applied for on and after this date shall comply with the new regulations.  The 2008 Energy Code is significantly more restrictive, however introduces a number of new energy credits.  The new 2008 Title 24 Energy Standards are roughly 20% more restrictive than the previous standards and are intended to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.  Some of the more significant changes to the residential requirements are listed below.

 

• U-factors and SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient) requirements have been increased.  The base-line standard window required for compliance is a dual pane, vinyl window with Low-E spectrally selective coating.

 

• Quality Insulation Installation (QII) – Provides a credit if the insulation installation is verified by a certified HERS rater.

 

• Most roofs will require radiant barriers and must comply with aged solar reflectance requirements (cool roof) in climate zones 13 and 14.

 

• Indoor Lighting Requirements – New requirements divide the home into three distinct zones:
  • Kitchen – 50% of kitchen wattage must be high efficacy
  • Bathrooms, garages, laundry/utility rooms – Must be high efficacy or must have vacancy sensors (not occupancy sensors).  You must manually turn on the lights, but they shut off automatically when the room is vacant.
  • Hallways, bedrooms, dining/family rooms – Must be high efficacy or manual on with vacancy sensors or dimmer controlled.

 

• Outdoor Lighting Requirements – All outdoor lights permanently mounted to a residential building must be high efficacy or controlled by ALL three of the following:
  • Manual on/off switch, AND
  • Motion sensor, AND
  • Photocontrol OR Astronomical Time Clock OR Energy Management Control System (EMCS)

 

• Indoor Ventilation – Must provide a whole house ventilation system that provides outdoor air by using either a continuously running bathroom fan, or a supply or return air ventilation thru a central HVAC system.

 

• New HVAC systems must comply with refrigerant charge, proper airflow, and fan watt draw verification performed by a HERS rater.  (No longer a TXV verification)

 

• Duct testing by HERS rater is now a standard prescriptive requirement.

 

• New standards will track the time of energy use.  Homes with greater energy use during peak electrical cost periods will be severely penalized.

 

• New HERS measures have been introduced that require independent verification such as air tight handler boxes, high efficiency furnace fans, refrigerant charge indicator displays (CID) and correctly sizing the air conditioner.

 

• Title 24 compliance documentation must be electronically uploaded to a database registry.  This begins in August for tract homes that require multiple orientations and HERS measures, and expands to all projects requiring HERS measures in October.  (All HERS raters must upload the information required by the CF-4R into the database before a CF-4R can be printed for review and use by the jurisdiction.)

 

• Swimming pools and spas must include two-speed pumps, time clocks, and limit flow velocity.

 

These are just some of the residential changes.  For more information, please visit the California Energy Commission’s web site at http://www.energy.ca.gov for more information.