8.8 HVAC Issues

8.8.1    No Cooling Installed

When a building has no cooling system, the software simulates a hypothetical system with the characteristics required by Table 150.1-A or B if a cooling system was installed. The result is neither a penalty nor a credit.

8.8.2    Wood Heat

When natural gas is not available, and all other eligibility criteria are met (see Chapter 4), a wood heating system is simulated as a hypothetical system with the characteristics required by Table 150.1-A or B for a typical heating system. When all eligibility criteria are met, the backup system is not modeled, otherwise see Section 8.8.3.

8.8.3    Multiple HVAC Systems

Buildings with multiple HVAC systems are treated as follows:

1.  For buildings with more than one system type, equipment type, or fuel type, where the types do not serve the same floor area, model the building zone or floor area served by each unique type separately.

2.  Supplemental heating may be ignored if two criteria are met: (1) If the capacity of the supplemental unit does not exceed 2 kilowatts (kW), or 7,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/h), and (2) if the supplemental unit is controlled by a time-limiting device not exceeding 30 minutes. (§150.1(c)6.)

In a building with an appliance rated gas fireplace and a central gas furnace, the furnace is the primary system and the fireplace is the supplemental system. The controls for the fireplace would not need to meet the setback thermostat requirements (exception to §110.2(c))).

3.  For redundant equipment, where the floor area is served by more than one heating or cooling system, equipment type, or fuel type, model the least efficient system. For any areas served by electric resistance heat and another heating system (except for wood heating meeting all eligibility criteria), the electric resistance system is the least efficient system.

When there is more than one system meeting the heating or cooling load for the same space, all systems must still meet all the mandatory requirements of the Energy Standards.

8.8.4    HERS Verified Efficiency

When higher than minimum efficiency is modeled, a HERS Rater must verify the efficiency. This includes seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER), energy efficiency ratio EER, and heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF).

8.8.5    Existing + Addition + Alteration Approach

The performance approach may be used to show compliance for alterations in existing buildings, new additions, and existing + addition + alteration discussed in Chapter 9. The following table can be used when existing conditions are unknown. The table is based on the year of the building construction.

 

Table 8-1: Default Assumptions for Year Built (Vintage)

 

Conservation Measure

Before 1978

1978 to 1983

1984 to 1991

1992 to 1998

1999 to 2000

2001 to 2003

2004 to 2005

2006 to 2013

2014 to
Present

INSULATION U-FACTOR

Cool

Roof

 

0.10

0.10

0.10

0.10

0.10

0.10

0.10

Table 150.1-A or 150.1-B

Table 150.1-A or 150.1-B

Radiant Barrier

 

None

None

None

None

None

None

Table 150.1-A or 150.1-B

Table 150.1-A or B

Table 150.1-A or B

Roof/Ceiling

0.079

0.049

0.049

0.049

0.049

0.049

0.049

0.049

0.031

Wall

0.356

0.110

0.110

0.102

0.102

0.102

0.102

0.102

0.102

Raised FloorCrawl Space

0.099

0.099

0.099

0.049

0.049

0.049

0.049

0.049

0.037

Raised Floor-No Crawl Space

0.238

0.238

0.238

0.064

0.064

0.064

0.064

0.064

0.049

Slab Edge F-factor

0.73

0.73

0.73

0.73

0.73

0.73

0.73

0.73

0.73

Ducts

 

R-2.1

R-2.1

R-2.1

R-4.2

R-4.2

R-4.2

R-4.2

Table 150.1-A or 150.1-B

Table 150.1-A or B

LEAKAGE

Building (ACH50)

7.7

7.7

7.7

7.7

7.7

7.7

7.7

6.8

5.0

Duct Leakage (%)

15%

15%

15%

15%

15%

15%

15%

15%

6%

FENESTRATION

U-factor

Use Energy Standards Table 110.6-A , §110.6 for all vintages.

SHGC

Use Energy Standards Table 110.6-B , §110.6 for all vintages.

Shading Devices

Exterior: Assumed to have 50% bug screens, model actual overhangs.

SPACE HEATING EFFICIENCY

Gas Furnace (Central)        AFUE

0.75

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

Gas Heater (Room)
                      AFUE

0.65

0.65

0.65

0.65

0.65

0.65

0.65

0.65

0.65

Hydronic/Comb Hydronic

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

0.78

Heat Pump

 

HSPF

 

5.6

5.6

6.6

6.6

6.8

6.8

6.8

7.4

7.7

Electric Resistance                      HSPF

3.413

3.413

3.413

3.413

3.413

3.413

3.413

3.413

3.413

Electric Resistance Radiant          HSPF

3.55

3.55

3.55

3.55

3.55

3.55

3.55

3.55

3.413

SPACE COOLING EFFICIENCY

All Types,

SEER

8.0

8.0

8.9

9.7

9.7

9.7

9.7

13.0

13.0

WATER HEATING

Energy Factor

0.525

0.525

0.525

0.525

0.575

0.575

0.575

0.575

0.575