Energy Code Enforcement

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Energy Code Enforcement
Lessons from the field
Contact Mike Turns Ph 814-863-0623 E-Mail
mat289_at_psu.edu
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Presenters

• Bob Buddenbohn
• Instructor,
• PHRC
• Dave Buskirk
• Instructor,
• PHRC
• Mike Turns
• Housing Program Development Specialist,
• PHRC

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Pennsylvania Energy Code EnforcementEvaluation
Technical Assistance Program
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Program scope

• Limited to residential construction
• Detached one and two-family dwellings
• Townhouses

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PA Energy Code Evaluation

• Primary
• Technical assistance to municipalities 3rd
  party agencies.
• Secondary
• Determine how the energy code is being enforced
  (common compliance problems and how to avoid
  them).
• Quantify actual home performance vs. code.

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PA Energy Code Evaluation

• Worked with code groups to market program.
• Pennsylvania Construction Code Academy
• Pennsylvania Association of Building Code
  Officials
• Pennsylvania Building Officials Conference
• Pennsylvania Association of Code Officials
• Lancaster Association of Code Officials

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PA Energy Code Evaluation
Small Municipality
COG
3rd Party Agency
City
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PA Energy Code Evaluation

• Provided the following
• Detailed Plan review
• Reviewed plan submittal forms and plan review
  checklists
• In-house meeting to discuss
• Overview of plan review and inspection process
• Experience and certifications of staff
• In-field rough framing inspection
• In-field insulation inspection (if they do one)
• Final Inspection
• Detailed performance review of house
• Blower door, duct blaster, IR scan, computer
  simulation, etc.
• Report to participants with recommendations
• Report to DOE Public

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Comparison of Performance vs. REScheck
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PHRC The Pennsylvania Housing Research Center
Energy Code Enforcement and Compliance in
Pennsylvania Lessons from the Field
219 Sackett Building University Park, PA 16802
Telephone [phone] Facsimile (814)
863-7304 February 2008
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House Performance Findings
Typical Energy Program House
03 IECC Sim Performance Alt.
Depressing
OK
Impressive
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Air Leakage
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House Performance Findings
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Energy Star Limit
Depressing
OK
Impressive
Duct Tightness
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Big Issues

1. Incomplete plan submittals
2. Limited plan review
3. Conditioned vs. unconditioned basement
4. Slab insulation
5. Thermal envelope sealing and continuity
6. Ducts substantially airtight?
7. Administrative issues

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Report recommendation 1

• Plan Submittal Requirement Checklist
• Code office administrators should create a plan
  submittal requirement checklist containing
  energy-related items (in addition to other
  non-energy items) and enforce the submission of
  these items.
• See handout

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Plan Review
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Consequences

• Incomplete plan submittals
• Repeated submittals
• Difficult, time-consuming, or incomplete plan
  review
• Lack of due diligence
• Conflicts in the field

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Report recommendation 3

• Identify the thermal envelope
• Plan reviewers should identify and mark the
  building thermal envelope on the plans for each
  area to be constructed ensuring that it is
  continuous.
• Also, check for continuity of insulation in
  slabs, foundation walls, stairwells and other
  architectural details where applicable.

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Consequences

• Incomplete thermal envelope in constructed home
• Noncompliance
• Difficult, costly, or impossible remedy

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Conditioned vs. Unconditioned Basements

• Identify at plan review whether a basement is to
  be conditioned or not
• Unfinished ? Unconditioned

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Slabs When is insulation required?
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Slabs Where is insulation required?
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Report recommendations 5-7

• Review REScheck documentation
• Location, software version, code year
• All insulated building components present
• Component areas reasonable

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Consequences

• Noncompliance
• Higher than code-allowable energy use

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Inspections

1. Floodplain
2. Footing
3. Foundation wall rebar inspection
   (masonry/concrete)
4. Foundation Wall
5. Rough Plumbing
6. Rough Mechanical
7. Rough Gas
8. Rough Electrical
9. Rough Framing
10. Slab
11. Insulation

• Wallboard
• Final Plumbing
• Final Mechanical
• Final Gas
• Final Electrical
• Other inspections
• Fire-Resistance
• Final

Inspections we will cover
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Slab Inspection
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Report recommendation 8

• Inspect for properly installed slab insulation.
  Slab insulation should be required to extend
  downward from the top of the slab.

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Consequences

• Slab with no thermal break
• Cracking slab (if resting on footer)
• Energy loss
• Cold slab/comfort
• Moisture

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Rough Framing Inspection
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Report recommendation 10
Thermal envelope air sealing Inspectors should
check for the sealing of seams in sheathing, or
for house wrap installed to the manufacturers
instructions for installation as an air barrier.
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Seal seams
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Tyvek Homewrap
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• To be considered an air barrier
• Bottom roll edge should extend over sill plate
  interface at least 2?
• Seal wrap at bottom of the wall (caulk, tape,
  StraightFlash)
• Use washer head fasteners or wide crown staples
  (1? min.)
• All vertical and horizontal seams taped

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Consequences

• Excessive infiltration
• Energy loss
• Moisture problems
• Comfort complaints

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Continuous air barrier

• New air sealing requirements Unclear in code
• Kneewalls
• Tubs showers (found on exterior walls)

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R-19 in a knee wall?
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Air barrier on the back side of a kneewall
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Consequences

• Air flow through porous insulation can
  drastically reduce the R-value
• Insulation in contact with sheathing on both
  sides can improve R-value by 50.
• Solution Completely encapsulate insulation

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Report recommendation 12
Fireblocking and air sealing shaft
walls Inspectors should check for blocking along
shaft walls in townhouses in every location where
these walls intersect with floors and ceilings.
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Consequences

• Free air movement between wall and attic
• Fire spread
• R-value degradation
• Energy loss
• Moisture issues

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Mechanical Inspection
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Report recommendations 15-16

• Duct system properly sealed and connected
• During mechanical inspections inspectors should
  make an attempt to follow duct runs from the
  trunk or plenum to the register or grille to
  ensure that all ducts are properly connected and
  sealed.
• Air handlers, filter boxes, building cavities

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Consequences

• Leaky distribution system
• Increased building infiltration
• Decreased equipment efficiency
• Decreased air quality
• Potential backdrafting of combustion appliances
• Moisture in building cavities

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Insulation Inspection
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Report recommendation 18
Continuous thermal envelope Inspectors should be
aware of the location of the thermal envelope as
specified by the approved plans and verify that
insulation is properly located and forms a
continuous boundary.
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Consequences

• Missing insulation
• Energy loss
• Discomfort

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Final Inspection
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Report recommendations 24-25

• Attic hatches
• Weatherstripping
• Permanently affixed insulation

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Consequences

• Thermal weakness and exfiltration
• Energy loss
• Moisture problems in attic

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General
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Report recommendation 27
Checklists Code offices should consider
developing and using plan review and inspection
checklists, or integrating energy items into
existing checklists to ensure consistency and
thoroughness.
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Consequences

• Inconsistency and/or incompleteness
• Builder confusion
• Home noncompliance
• Lack of quality assurance

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Summary

• Home performance
• Whole-house infiltration tighter than expected
• Duct tightness mixed bag
• Code enforcement opportunities for improvement
• More complete plan submittals
• Increased emphasis on plan review

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Summary

• Code enforcement opportunities for improvement
• Conditioned versus unconditioned basements
• Slab insulation
• Thermal envelope sealing and continuity
• Duct sealing and connections
• Quality assurance (checklists)