Raising the Bar On Energy-Efficient Building.
The federal government has been aggressively raising the bar on energy-efficient building standards, making this sustainable trend a requirement.
The DOE has mandated that by October 18, 2013, all states must certify that they will adopt a commercial building energy code that meets or exceeds ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010. This updated standard triggers the need for a substantial change to the design of wall assemblies in new commercial construction.
IECC 2012
The 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which adopts ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010, has increased the minimum thickness required for continuous insulation for most commercial wall assemblies in climate zones 3 – 8, approximately 90 percent of the United States.
Map of the US climate zones according to the IECC
Whereas previous codes have only alluded to general air sealing of the building envelope, the 2012 IECC now includes specific, mandatory provisions for Air Barriers in Climate Zones 4-8. These requirements may be met through the use of approved materials, approved assemblies, or whole building air leakage testing (ASTM E779). As more states adopt this code, these provisions will become mandatory for designers of commercial buildings in those jurisdictions.
Typically revised every three years, the IECC is part of the International Building Code (IBC) and is the governing commercial code section for building design and material requirements related to energy efficiency.
CODE REQUIREMENTS
The IECC divides the United States into eight climate zones, each with specific requirements for the type, placement and amount of insulating materials – both cavity and continuous – in the wall assembly. Several versions of the IECC are currently in effect across the country, making it vital to be aware of which version is adopted by the state or local jurisdiction in which a project is located.
CONTINUOUS INSULATION
Each update of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and IECC adoption has increased the amount of continuous insulation required in commercial buildings.
The latest ASHRAE Standard 189.1 (Standard for the Design of High Performance Green Buildings) adds the requirement for an air barrier as well as requiring and increasing the thickness of CI in ALL climate zones (1-8).
There is little doubt that future codes will be even more stringent when pertaining to energy efficiency.
The federal government has been aggressively raising the bar on energy-efficient building standards, making this sustainable trend a requirement.
The DOE has mandated that by October 18, 2013, all states must certify that they will adopt a commercial building energy code that meets or exceeds ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010. This updated standard triggers the need for a substantial change to the design of wall assemblies in new commercial construction.
IECC 2012
The 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which adopts ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010, has increased the minimum thickness required for continuous insulation for most commercial wall assemblies in climate zones 3 – 8, approximately 90 percent of the United States.
Map of the US climate zones according to the IECC
Whereas previous codes have only alluded to general air sealing of the building envelope, the 2012 IECC now includes specific, mandatory provisions for Air Barriers in Climate Zones 4-8. These requirements may be met through the use of approved materials, approved assemblies, or whole building air leakage testing (ASTM E779). As more states adopt this code, these provisions will become mandatory for designers of commercial buildings in those jurisdictions.
Typically revised every three years, the IECC is part of the International Building Code (IBC) and is the governing commercial code section for building design and material requirements related to energy efficiency.
CODE REQUIREMENTS
The IECC divides the United States into eight climate zones, each with specific requirements for the type, placement and amount of insulating materials – both cavity and continuous – in the wall assembly. Several versions of the IECC are currently in effect across the country, making it vital to be aware of which version is adopted by the state or local jurisdiction in which a project is located.
CONTINUOUS INSULATION
Each update of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and IECC adoption has increased the amount of continuous insulation required in commercial buildings.
The latest ASHRAE Standard 189.1 (Standard for the Design of High Performance Green Buildings) adds the requirement for an air barrier as well as requiring and increasing the thickness of CI in ALL climate zones (1-8).
There is little doubt that future codes will be even more stringent when pertaining to energy efficiency.