11.5 Enforcement and Compliance

At the time a building permit application is submitted to the enforcement agency, the applicant also submits plans and energy compliance documentation. This section describes the forms and procedures for documenting compliance with the performance requirements. The Nonresidential ACM Reference Manual has specific and detailed output/reporting requirements for all approved compliance software.

Compliance software output is required to specify the run initiation time, a unique run code, and the total number of pages of forms printed for each proposed building run on each page whenever a building complies with the Standards and compliance output has been selected. The plan checker is strongly encouraged to verify these output features for a performance compliance submittal to ensure that the submittal is a consistent set of compliance documentation. The Nonresidential ACM Technical Manual forbids compliance software from printing standard compliance forms for a proposed building design that does not comply. The plan checker should pay special attention to the PERF-1 form and the Exceptional Conditions List on Part 2 of that form. Every item on the Exceptional Conditions List deserves special attention and may require additional documentation, such as manufacturer's cut sheets or special features on the plans and in the building specifications.

The compliance software requirements will automatically produce and reiterate the proper set of forms that correspond to the particular proposed building submitted for a permit.  However, the plan checker should verify the type of compliance and the required forms from the lists below. Whenever an existing building or existing building components are involved in the compliance calculation, the plan checker should look for the term EXISTING that identifies EXISTING building components that remain unchanged. Similarly if the compliance form indicates a component is ALTERED these changes should be verified. In the types of permit applications where some building components are unknown, the unknown components cannot be entered by the user and cannot be reported on output forms.

The following discussion is addressed primarily to the enforcement agency plan checkers who are examining documents submitted to demonstrate compliance with the Standards, and to the designer preparing construction documents and compliance documentation.

Most compliance forms associated with the computer method approach are generated automatically. These reports are similar in information content and layout to their prescriptive method counterparts.

The following summary identifies the forms that are required for performance compliance. All submittals must contain the following information:

Unless minimal efficiency and default capacities are used in the performance analysis, either equipment cut sheets showing rated capacities, fan bhp, and airflow at ARI conditions, or the installation certificate must be provided.

Other documentation supporting each non-standard or non-default value used in the performance approach and indicated in the Exceptional Conditions list on the PERF-1 form must also be included.

Other reports that may be generated by a program are:

Construction Assemblies Worksheet for adjusting and combining assemblies from Reference Joint Appendix JA4

Formatted Copy of Input.

The following computer generated forms are required by the ACM Manual for a permit application:

Whole Building Compliance (the number of parts is the minimum number of pages):

PERF-1: Performance Certificate of Compliance

DESC-1C:  Design Review Checklist – Design Review Kickoff

DESC-2C:  Design Review Checklist – All Buildings

DESC-3C:  Design Review Checklist – Simple HVAC Systems

DESC-4C:  Design Review Checklist – Complex Mechanical Systems

DESC-5C:  Design Review Signature Page

ENV-1C: Envelope Certificate of Compliance (2 parts)

MECH-1C: Mechanical Certificate of Compliance (1 part)

MECH-2C: Air System, Water Side System, Service Hot Water & Pool Requirements (3 parts)

MECH-3C: Mechanical Ventilation (1 part)

LTG-1C: Lighting Certificate of Compliance (3 parts)

The LTG-4C (Lighting Controls Credit Worksheet) and LTG-6C (Tailored Method Summary and Worksheet) forms may be, and typically will be, submitted by hand. When these pages are hand submitted or submitted independently, they will not be included in the page count automatically generated by the computer for a compliance submittal.

Note: The use of the tailored lighting approach requires independent prescriptive compliance for the lighting system.

11.5.1  Compliance By Permit Stage

11.5 

11.5.1 

11.5.1.1           Envelope Only

PERF-1: Performance Certificate of Compliance

ENV-1C: Envelope Certificate of Compliance (2 parts)

DESC-1C: Design Review Kickoff

DESC-2C to DESC-4C: Design Review Checklists

DESC-5C: Design Review Signature Page

11.5.1.2           Envelope and Mechanical

PERF-1: Performance Certificate of Compliance

ENV-1C: Envelope Certificate of Compliance (2 parts)

MECH-1C: Mechanical Certificate of Compliance (1 part)

MECH-2C: Air System, Water Side System, Service Hot Water & Pool Requirements (3 parts)

MECH-3C: Mechanical Ventilation (1 part)

DESC-1C: Design Review Kickoff

DESC-2C to DESC-4C: Design Review Checklists

DESC-5C: Design Review Signature Page

11.5.1.3           Mechanical Only

PERF-1: Performance Certificate of Compliance

MECH-1C: Mechanical Certificate of Compliance (1 part)

MECH-2C: Air System, Water Side System, Service Hot Water & Pool Requirements (3 parts)

MECH-3C: Mechanical Ventilation (1 part)

Possibly existing ENV and/or existing LTG forms: (for partial compliance alteration)

DESC-1C: Design Review Kickoff

DESC-2C to DESC-4C: Design Review Checklists

DESC-5C: Design Review Signature Page

11.5.1.4           Mechanical and Lighting

PERF-1: Performance Certificate of Compliance

MECH-1C: Mechanical Certificate of Compliance (1 part)

MECH-2C: Air System, Water Side System, Service Hot Water & Pool Requirements (3 parts)

MECH-3C: Mechanical Ventilation (1 part)

LTG-1C: Lighting Certificate of Compliance (3 parts)

LTG-4C: Lighting Controls Credit Worksheet (if control credits used)

LTG-6C (3 parts): Tailored Method Summary and Worksheet (if tailored lighting used)

Existing ENV forms: (for partial compliance alteration)

DESC-1C: Design Review Kickoff

DESC-2C to DESC-4C: Design Review Checklists

DESC-5C: Design Review Signature Page

11.5.2  Compliance Forms

11.5.2 

11.5.2.1     DESC-1-C: Design Review Kickoff Certificate of Compliance

The schematic design review has one part that is completed during the schematic design phase of the project. This form documents that the owner or owner’s representative, design team and design reviewer have met to discuss the project scope, schedule and how the design reviewer will coordinate with the project team.

11.5.2.2     DESC-2-C: Construction Document Design Review – All Buildings Certificate of Compliance

This form contains a listing of the items that should be checked by the design reviewer during the construction document review. Code items as well as best practice suggestions for simple mechanical systems have been incorporated. For projects following the performance approach, compliance may be achieved through measures not identified on the checklists. These alternative measures should be documented on the design review checklist forms. The completed form is returned to the owner and design team for review and sign-off.

11.5.2.3     DESC-3-C: Construction Document Design Review – HVAC Simple Certificate of Compliance

This form contains a listing of the items that should be checked by the design reviewer during the construction document review. Code items as well as best practice suggestions for envelope, mechanical systems and lighting systems have been incorporated into the form. For projects following the performance approach, compliance may be achieved through measures not identified on the checklists. These alternative measures should be documented on the design review checklist forms.  The completed form is returned to the owner and design team for review and sign-off.

11.5.2.4     DESC-4-C: Construction Document Design Review – HVAC Complex Certificate of Compliance

This form contains a listing of the items that should be checked by the design reviewer during the construction document review. Code items as well as best practice suggestions for complex mechanical systems have been incorporated. For projects following the performance approach, compliance may be achieved through measures not identified on the checklists. These alternative measures should be documented on the design review checklist forms. The completed form is returned to the owner and design team for review and sign-off.

11.5.2.5     DESC-5-C: Design Review Signatures Certificate of Compliance

This form contains the signatures for the owner, design engineer and design reviewer to certify that design review requirements have been completed.

11.5.2.6     ENV-1-C: Envelope Certificate of Compliance

The performance ENV-1C Envelope Compliance Summary form has one part. It summarizes the opaque surfaces including surface type, construction type, area, azimuth, and U-factor. Next it summarizes the fenestration surfaces including fenestration type, area, azimuth, U-factor, frame type and solar heat gain coefficient. Lastly, it includes exterior shading and overhangs including shade type, solar heat gain coefficient, overhang height and overhang width.

For a description of the information contained on the ENV-1C Envelope Compliance Summary, see ENV-1C, Part 2 of 2.

11.5.2.7     ENV-2-C: Envelope Component Method

The envelope component method can be used when fenestration and skylight areas do not exceed prescriptive limits, when roofing products meets mandatory performance criteria of §110.8, and when all envelope components meet prescriptive criteria in §140.3 .

11.5.2.8     ENV-3-C: Overall Envelope Method

This form is identical to the form required in the prescriptive approach. This form is used when the overall envelope approach is used to show envelope compliance. This allows for trade-offs between different envelope components.

11.5.2.9     MECH-1-C: Mechanical Certificate of Compliance

The MECH-1C Mechanical Compliance Summary form is in one part.

For a description of the information contained on the MECH-1C Mechanical Certificate of Compliance, consult the computer program's compliance supplement.

11.5.2.10   MECH-2-C: Air System, Water Side System, Service Hot Water & Pool Requirements

The MECH-2C identifies the mechanical equipment modeled in the alternative computer program to show compliance.

For more information on the MECH-2C, refer to the computer program’s compliance supplement.

11.5.2.11   MECH-3-C: Mechanical Ventilation

The MECH-3C Mechanical Ventilation contains the information on the design outdoor ventilation rate for each space. Refer to the computer program’s compliance supplement for more information.

11.5.2.12   LTG-1-C: Lighting Certificate of Compliance

The LTG-1C Lighting Certificate of Compliance form is a single part form. It is used to describe the lighting fixtures and control devices designed to be installed in the building.

For a description of the information contained on the LTG-1C Lighting Certificate of Compliance, see LTG-1C, Part 2.

If control credits were input by the program user, a copy of the LTG-4C must accompany the permit application. If the tailored method was used, a copy of the LTG-6C must accompany the permit application along with a complete set of lighting plans and specifications.

11.5.3  Performance Inspection

Performance approach inspection is identical to other inspections required by the Standards. For information on inspection of envelope, mechanical and lighting systems, refer to Chapter 2, Compliance and Enforcement.

When tailored lighting is used to justify an increase in the allowed lighting watts, a lower lighting load in the proposed design cannot be modeled for credit. The standard design building uses the lesser of allowed Watts per ft² or actual lighting power to be installed in the building. The proposed design building uses the actual lighting power to be installed as detailed on the lighting plans. This value must be equal to or greater than the allowed Watts per ft².