Table RA2-1 – Summary of Measures Requiring Field Verification and Diagnostic Testing
Measure Title | Description | Procedure(s) |
Duct Measures | ||
Duct Sealing | Component Packages require that space conditioning ducts be sealed. If sealed and tested ducts are claimed for compliance, field verification and diagnostic testing is required to verify that approved duct system materials are utilized, and that duct leakage meets the specified criteria. | |
Duct Location, Surface Area and R-value | Compliance credit can be taken for improved duct location, surface area and R-value. Field verification is required to verify that the duct system was installed according to the design, including location, size and length of ducts, duct insulation R-value and installation of buried ducts.1 For buried ducts measures, Duct Sealing and High Quality Insulation Installation (QII) is required. | |
Verification of low leakage ducts located entirely in conditioned space | Duct system location shall be verified by visual inspection and diagnostic testing. Compliance credit can be taken for verified duct systems with low air leakage to the outside when measured in accordance with Reference Residential Appendix Section RA3.1.4.3.8 . Field Verification for ducts in conditioned space is required. Duct sealing is required. | |
Low Leakage Air-handling Units | Compliance credit can be taken for installation of a factory sealed air handling unit tested by the manufacturer and certified to the Commission to have met the requirements for a Low Leakage Air-Handling Unit. Field verification of the air handler’s model number is required. Duct Sealing is required. | |
Verification of Return Duct Design | ||
Verification of Air Filter Device Design | Verification to confirm that the air filter devices conform to the requirements given in applicable Standards Section s 150.0(m)12 or 160.2(b)1 . | |
Verification of Prescriptive Bypass Duct-Requirements | Verification to confirm zonally controlled systems comply with the bypass duct requirements in Section 150.1(c)13 or 170.2(c)3C . | |
Air Conditioning Measures | ||
Improved Refrigerant Charge | Component Packages require in some climate zones that air-cooled air conditioners and air-source heat pumps be diagnostically tested in the field to verify that the system has the correct refrigerant charge. For the performance method, the Proposed Design is modeled with less efficiency if diagnostic testing and field verification is not performed. The system must also meet the prerequisite minimum System Airflow requirement. | |
Installation of Fault Indicator Display | Component Packages specify that a Fault Indicator Display can be installed as an alternative to refrigerant charge testing. The existence of a Fault Indicator Display has the same calculated benefit as refrigerant charge testing. Field verification is required. | |
Verified System Airflow | When compliance requires verified system airflow greater than or equal to a specified criterion, field verification and diagnostic testing is required. | |
Air-handling Unit Fan Efficacy | When compliance requires verified fan efficacy (Watt/cfm) less than or equal to a specified criterion, field verification and diagnostic testing is required. | |
Verified Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER /EER2) | Compliance credit can be taken for increased EER /EER2 by installation of specific air conditioner or heat pump models. Field verification is required. 2 | |
Verified Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER /SEER2) | HERS Rater field verification of the SEER /SEER2 rating is required for some systems. | |
Rated Heat Pump Capacity Verification | When performance compliance uses a heat pump, the rated capacity of the installed system shall be verified to be greater than or equal to the specified value . | |
Evaporatively Cooled Condensers | Compliance credit can be taken for installation of evaporatively cooled condensers . Field verification of duct leakage is required. Field verification of refrigerant charge is required. Field verification of EER /EER2 i s required . | |
Variable Capacity Heat Pump (VCHP) Compliance Option | When performance compliance uses the VCHP compliance option, the system shall be field verified to confirm it meets the eligibility requirements. | |
Ventilation Cooling Measures | ||
Whole House Fan | When performance compliance uses a whole house fan, the installed whole house fan airflow rate (cfm) and fan efficacy (W/cfm) shall be verified to be equal to or better than the specified values. | |
Central Fan Ventilation Cooling System | When performance compliance uses a central fan ventilation cooling system (CFVCS), the installed CFVCS ventilation airflow rate (cfm) and fan efficacy (W/cfm) shall be verified to be equal to or better than the specified values. | |
Mechanical Ventilation Measures for Improved Indoor Air Quality | ||
Continuous Whole-Building Mechanical Ventilation Airflow | Measurement of whole-building mechanical ventilation is mandatory for newly constructed buildings. | |
Intermittent Whole-Building Mechanical Ventilation Airflow | Measurement of whole-building mechanical ventilation is mandatory for newly constructed buildings. | |
Kitchen Local Mechanical Exhaust Verification | Verification of kitchen local mechanical exhaust is mandatory for newly constructed buildings. | |
Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) or Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) Rated Performance Verification | When performance compliance requires verification of the HRV/ERV fan efficacy (W/cfm) or heat recovery efficiency, then the installed ventilation system shall be verified. | |
Building Envelope Measures | ||
Building Envelope Air Leakage | Compliance credit can be taken for reduced building envelope air leakage . Field verification and diagnostic testing is required . Multifamily dwelling units are required to have enclosure leakage verified when supply o r exhaust ventilation systems are installed. | |
Quality Insulation Installation (QII) | Compliance Software recognizes standard and improved envelope construction. Quality Insulation Installation is a prescriptive measure in all climate zones for newly constructed buildings and additions greater than 700 square feet, except low-rise multifamily buildings in Climate Zone 7. Field verification is required. | |
Quality Insulation Installation for Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) Insulation | A HERS Rater shall verify the installation of SPF insulation whenever R-values other than the default R-value per inch are used for compliance. | |
Single Family Domestic Hot Water Measures | ||
Verified Pipe Insulation Credit (PIC-H) | Inspection to verify that all hot water piping in non-recirculating systems is insulated and that corners and tees are fully insulated. No piping should be visible due to insulation voids with the exception of the last segment of piping that penetrate walls and delivers hot water to the sink, appliance, etc. | RA3.6.3 . |
Verified Parallel Piping (PP-H) | Inspection that requires that the measured length of piping between the water heater and single central manifold does not exceed five feet | |
Verified Compact Hot Water Distribution System Expanded Credit (CHWDS-H -EX ) | Field verification to insure that the eligibility criteria s pecified in RA 3. 6.5 are met . | |
Demand Recirculation: Manual Control (RDRmc-H) | Inspection to verify that all recirculating hot water piping is insulated and that corners and tees are fully insulated. No piping should be visible due to insulation voids | |
Demand Recirculation: Sensor Control(RDRsc-H) | Inspection to verify that all recirculating hot water piping is insulated and that corners and tees are fully insulated. No piping should be visible due to insulation voids. | |
Verified Drain Water Heat Recovery System (DWHR-H) | Inspection to verify that the DWHR unit(s) and installation configuration match the compliance document and the DWHR (s) is certified to the Commission to have met the requirements . | |
Multi Family Domestic Hot Water Heating Measures | ||
Multiple Recirculation Loop Design for DHW Systems Serving Multiple Dwelling Units | Inspection that a central DHW system serving a building with more than eight dwelling units has at least two recirculation loops, each serving roughly the same number of dwelling units. These recirculation loops may the same water heating equipment or be connected to independent water heating equipment. | |
Verified Drain Water Heat Recovery System (DWHR-H) | Inspection to verify that the DWHR unit(s) and installation configuration match the compliance document and the DWHR(s) is certified to the Commission to have met the requirements. | |
- Note: Compliance credit for increased duct insulation R-value (not buried ducts) may be taken without field verification if the R-value is the same throughout the building, and for ducts located in crawlspaces and garages where all registers are either in the floor or within 2 feet of the floor. These two credits may be taken subject only to enforcement agency inspection.
- Note: The requirement for verification of a high EER/EER2 does not apply to equipment rated only with an EER/EER2.