Building Envelope Code Compliance – Performance Path

Last week we talked about Building Envelope Code Compliance, the 2015 IRC and the prescriptive path.

This week we are going to focus on the second building envelope compliance method, one that is often overlooked, the performance path from 2015 IRC Section 1105.

The key requirement for the performance path is that your building, the proposed design, must be shown to have an annual energy cost that is less than or equal to the annual energy cost of the standard reference design building, which is generally a building that meets the minimum prescriptive code requirements.

So, how is this calculated, you ask?

This type of energy performance calculation is typically conducted using energy modeling software, such as:

• REScheck™
• COMcheck™
• EnergyPro
• Elite RHVAC
• Wrightsoft Right-J8
• Florida Solar Energy Center’s EnergyGauge

These software systems must produce a compliance report showing the proposed design outperforms the standard reference design.

Think about it this way – when your building, the proposed design, let’s call it Building A, is analyzed for annual energy consumption, the compliance software must show that it will use less energy than Building B, the reference design, built to the minimum prescriptive code requirements.

So, how does this benefit you?

Well, you know that spray foam works exceptionally well, right. And, you may have wondered why the traditional code does not give you “credit” for the benefits of spray foam. Well, the performance-based code compliance path will. Using energy code compliance software, you can get credit for air-tightness of the building envelope, moving ductwork into conditioned space, having zero duct losses to the exterior, and other benefits. All of this adds up to improved performance that can be documented and proven for code compliance.

Next week we will finish up compliance options for energy efficiency with a method that is new in the 2015 energy code, the Energy Rating Index.

Stay tuned next week as we continue to discuss the interesting world of spray foam insulation.

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