RA2.2      Measures that Require Field Verification and Diagnostic Testing

Table RA2-1 describes the measures that require installer certification and HERS Rater field verification and diagnostic testing, and identifies the protocol or test procedure in the Reference Residential Appendices that shall be used for completing installer and HERS Rater field verification and diagnostic testing.

 

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.

RA3.1.4.3

Supply Duct Location, Surface Area and R-value

Compliance credit can be taken for improved supply 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. For buried ducts measures, Duct Sealing and High Quality Insulation Installation (QII) is required.

RA3.1.4.1

Verification of ducts located entirely in directly conditioned space, and

Low Leakage Ducts in Conditioned Space

When the Standards specify use of the procedures in Section RA3.1.4.3.8 to determine if space conditioning system ducts are located entirely in directly conditioned space, the duct system location shall be verified by 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.

RA3.1.4.3.8

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.

RA3.1.4.3.9

Verification of Return Duct Design

Verification to confirm that the return duct design conform to the criteria given in TABLE 150.0-C or TABLE 150.0-D.

RA3.1.4.4

Verification of Air Filter Device Design

Verification to confirm that the air filter devices conform to the requirements given in Standards Section 150.0(m)12.

RA3.1.4.5

Verification of Prescriptive Bypass Duct  Requirements

Verification to confirm zonally controlled systems comply with the bypass duct requirements in Section 150.1(c)13.

RA3.1.4.6

 

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.

RA3.2

RA1.2

 

Installation of Charge Indicator Display

Component Packages specify that a Charge Indicator Display can be installed as an alternative to refrigerant charge testing. The existence of a Charge Indicator Display has the same calculated benefit as refrigerant charge testing. Field verification is required.

RA3.4.2

Verified System Airflow

When compliance requires verified system airflow greater than or equal to a specified criterion, field verification and diagnostic testing is required.

 

RA3.3

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.

RA3.3

 Verified Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER)

Compliance credit can be taken for increased EER by installation of specific air conditioner or heat pump models. Field verification is required.2

RA3.4.3

RA3.4.4.1

Verified Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)

HERS Rater field verification of the SEER rating is required for some systems.

RA3.4.3

RA3.4.4.1

Maximum Rated Total Cooling Capacity

The calculations for determining Maximum Rated Total Cooling Capacity need not be field verified, but the prerequisites to taking the credit –Minimum Cooling Coil Airflow, duct sealing, and Verified EER/SEER – must be field verified and diagnostically tested.

RA3.1.4.3

RA3.4.3

RA3.4.4.1

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 is required.

RA3.1.4.3,

RA3.2

RA3.4.3

RA3.4.4.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mechanical Ventilation Measures

 

Continuous Whole-Building Mechanical Ventilation Airflow

Measurement of whole-building mechanical ventilation is mandatory for newly constructed buildings.

RA3.7.4.1

Intermittent Whole-Building Mechanical Ventilation Airflow

Measurement of whole-building mechanical ventilation is mandatory for newly constructed buildings.

RA3.7.4.2

 

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.

RA3.8

High Quality Insulation Installation (QII)

Compliance Software recognizes standard and improved envelope construction. Compliance credit can be taken for quality installation of insulation.  Field verification is required.

RA3.5

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.

 

RA3.5.6

 

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

RA3.6.4

Verified Compact Hot Water Distribution System (CHWDS-H)

Field verification to insure that the longest pipe run from any use point to the water heater serving that use point does not exceed a maximum length as Specified in RA 3.6.5

RA3.6.5

Verified Point of USE (POU-H)

Inspection that all hot water fixtures in the dwelling unit, with the exception of the clothes washer, must be located within a restricted length (total piping length) based on pipe diameter from a water heater. To meet this requirement, most houses will require multiple water heaters

RA3.6.6

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

RA3.6.7

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.

RA3.6.8

 

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.

RA3.6.9

1. 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 supply ducts located in crawlspaces and garages where all supply 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.

2. Note: The requirement for verification of a high EER does not apply to equipment rated only with an EER.