Nonresidential Compliance Pathways

Mandatory Measures: All regulated nonresidential buildings must comply with all applicable Mandatory Measures of the Energy Code.

In addition to meeting the Mandatory requirements, buildings must also comply with additional requirements specified within the Energy Code. Two approaches may be taken to meet these requirements: Prescriptive or Performance.

Prescriptive Approach: The Prescriptive Approach is considered the most direct path to compliance. It is a set of prescribed performance levels for various building components, where each component must meet the required minimum efficiency. If the design fails to meet even one requirement, then the system does not comply with the Prescriptive Approach.

Performance Approach: The Performance Approach builds on the Prescriptive Approach by allowing energy allotments to be traded between building systems for nonresidential buildings. It requires using energy analysis software that has been approved by the California Energy Commission. This path may be used for:

• Envelope or mechanical compliance alone
• Envelope and mechanical compliance
• Envelope and indoor lighting compliance OR
• Envelope, mechanical and indoor lighting compliance

Indoor lighting compliance must be combined with envelope compliance. This approach is not applicable to outdoor lighting.

For More Detail:

• Chapter 1.6 of the 2019 Nonresidential Compliance Manual offers further explanation of Mandatory Measures and compliance approaches for New Construction.
• The following chapters of the 2019 Nonresidential Compliance Manual describe Prescriptive requirements by building component:
  • Chapter 3, Building Envelope
  • Chapter 4, Mechanical
  • Chapter 5, Indoor Lighting
  • Chapter 6, Outdoor Lighting
• Chapter 11 of the 2019 Nonresidential Compliance Manual provides detailed information on the Performance Approach for Additions and Alterations.