Section C407 Total Building Performance

This section establishes criteria for compliance using total building performance. The following systems and loads shall be included in determining the total building performance: heating systems, cooling systems, service water heating, fan systems, lighting power, receptacle loads and process loads.

Exception: Energy used to recharge or refuel vehicles that are used for on-road and off-site transportation purposes.

Compliance based on total building performance requires that a proposed building (proposed design) be shown to have an annual energy cost that is less than or equal to the annual energy cost of the standard reference design. Energy prices shall be taken from a source approved by the code official, such as the Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration's State Energy Price and Expenditure Report. Code officials shall be permitted to require time-of-use pricing in energy cost calculations. The reduction in energy cost of the proposed design associated with on-site renewable energy shall be not more than 5 percent of the total energy cost. The amount of renewable energy purchased from off-site sources shall be the same in the standard reference design and the proposed design.

Exception: Jurisdictions that require site energy (1 kWh = 3413 Btu) rather than energy cost as the metric of comparison.

Permit submittals shall include a report documenting that the proposed design has annual energy costs less than or equal to the annual energy costs of the standard reference design. The compliance documentation shall include the following information:

1. Address of the building.
2. An inspection checklist documenting the building component characteristics of the proposed design as specified in Table C407.5.1(1). The inspection checklist shall show the estimated annual energy cost for both the standard reference design and the proposed design.
3. Name of individual completing the compliance report.
4. Name and version of the compliance software tool.

The code official shall be permitted to require the following documents:

1. Documentation of the building component characteristics of the standard reference design.
2. Thermal zoning diagrams consisting of floor plans showing the thermal zoning scheme for standard reference design and proposed design.
3. Input and output reports from the energy analysis simulation program containing the complete input and output files, as applicable. The output file shall include energy use totals and energy use by energy source and end-use served, total hours that space conditioning loads are not met and any errors or warning messages generated by the simulation tool as applicable.
4. An explanation of any error or warning messages appearing in the simulation tool output.
5. A certification signed by the builder providing the building component characteristics of the proposed design as given in Table C407.5.1(1).
6. Documentation of the reduction in energy use associated with on-site renewable energy.