This chapter specifies inputs for project level information, including the location of the project and information on who is working on who is responsible for different portions of the building project.
The general information of the project identifies the basic information for where the project will be implemented and identifies a person to be responsible for different portions of the project. In a building project, the location of the project will help inform the climate zone applicable to the project.
The various roles that are identified can be used to coordinate between the design and modeling teams. By identifying a main lead for various parts of the building, questions regarding the design of specific building components can more quickly be answered.
Specifying the building project compliance type is important for developing the building model. The compliance type will inform assumptions made in the standard and proposed design. It is important to correctly identify the compliance type as this can have a major effect on modeling results.
Project Name
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Name used for the project if one is applicable.
Units: Up to 50 alphanumeric characters.
Input Restrictions: Input is optional for the proposed design.
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Building Location
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Street address, city, state, and zip code.
Units: Up to 50 alphanumeric characters on each of two lines.
Input Restrictions: Input is optional for the proposed design.
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Project Owner
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Owner(s) of the project or individual or organization for whom the building permit is sought; should include name, title, organization, email, and phone number.
Units: Up to 50 alphanumeric characters on each of two lines.
Input Restrictions: Input is optional for the proposed design.
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Envelope Designer
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Person responsible for the building design; information should include name, title, organization, email, and phone number.
Units: Up to 50 alphanumeric characters on each of two lines.
Input Restrictions: Input is optional for the proposed design.
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Mechanical Designer
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Person responsible for the mechanical design; information should include name, title, organization, email, and phone number.
Units: Up to 50 alphanumeric characters on each of two lines.
Input Restrictions: Input is optional for the proposed design.
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Lighting Designer
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Person responsible for the lighting design; information should include name, title, organization, email, and phone number.
Units: Up to 50 alphanumeric characters on each of two lines.
Input Restrictions: Input is optional for the proposed design.
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Person responsible for inputting building information and performing the compliance analysis; information should include name, title, organization, email, and phone number.
Units: Up to 50 alphanumeric characters on each of two lines.
Input Restrictions: Input is optional for the proposed design.
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Date
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Date of completion of the compliance analysis or the date of its most-recent revision.
Units: Date format.
Input Restrictions: Input is optional for the proposed design.
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Compliance Type
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Type of compliance project (newly constructed buildings, partial compliance or additions and alterations).
Units: List:
•NewComplete: newly constructed buildings project
•NewEnvelope: newly constructed buildings, partial compliance with envelope
•NewEnvelopeAndLighting: newly constructed buildings, partial compliance with envelope and lighting
•NewEnvelopeAndPartialLighting: newly constructed buildings, partial compliance with envelope and lighting compliance for some spaces
•NewEnvelopeAndMechanical: newly constructed buildings, partial compliance with mechanical and envelope only
•NewMechanical: newly constructed buildings, partial compliance with mechanical. This is the complement of a partial compliance with envelope and lighting, which should have already been performed.
•NewMechanicalAndLighting: newly constructed buildings, partial compliance with mechanical and lighting only. The building should have already passed an Envelope Only partial compliance.
•NewMechanicalAndPartialLighting: newly constructed buildings, partial compliance with mechanical and lighting compliance for some spaces. The building should have already passed an Envelope Only partial compliance.
•ExistingAlteration: alteration project
•ExistingAdditionAndAlteration: project with both additions and alterations
•AdditionComplete: an addition modeled alone
•AdditionEnvelope: an existing building with partial envelope compliance for a new addition
•AdditionEnvelopeAndLighting: an existing building with partial envelope and lighting compliance for a new addition
•AdditionEnvelopeAndPartialLighting: an addition to an existing building that includes the building envelope and lighting for some of the spaces. For the spaces with lighting defined in the proposed design, the space function type must be defined as well. For undefined spaces, the lighting status is “future” and both the proposed design and standard design are set to match the prescriptive lighting power limits.
•AdditionEnvelopeAndMechanical: an addition modeled with as-designed envelope and mechanical components, but the interior lighting design has not yet been defined. For this option, interior lighting must comply prescriptively.
•AdditionMechanical: an addition modeled with the as-designed mechanical system, including any plant, system, or zone level equipment, as well as ventilation. For this option, all envelope and lighting components are modeled as defined by the user in both the proposed design and standard designs.
•AdditionMechanicalAndLighting: an addition modeled with as designed mechanical and lighting equipment. In this design, all building envelope components in the standard design are set to match those in the proposed design, since the envelope is assumed to have complied via a separate permit.
•AdditionMechanicalAndPartialLighting: an addition modeled with as designed mechanical equipment and with lighting systems defined for part of the building. This model is the complement to the AdditionEnvelopeAndParitalLighting compliance option, since envelope and lighting compliance for the spaces not included in this compliance permit are assumed to have already been modeled (and permitted).
Input Restrictions: As designed.
Standard Design: Same as proposed.
The existing building classification provides general information on the building used for information and reporting purposes. The number of stories in the existing building and area of the building, including any additions, are required inputs.
Existing Building Number of Stories
Applicability: Additions and alterations.
Definition: Total number of stories of the building (For information and reporting purposes only).
Units: Integer
Input Restrictions: As designed.
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Standard Design: Existing Building: Same as the proposed design.
Existing Building Floor Area
Applicability: Additions and alterations.
Definition: Total floor area of an existing building, including any additions, if present (For information and reporting purposes only).
Units: ft2.
Input Restrictions: As designed.
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Standard Design: Existing Building: Not applicable.
Earlier chapters of this reference manual have described the available partial compliance scenarios. The compliance software that supports these scenarios must define the inputs for both the proposed design and the standard design for unpermitted portions of the building.
•Envelope Only: The user specifies the building envelope and all spaces, space types, and thermal zones in the building. The standard design rules are applied to the envelope components. For all lighting and HVAC inputs, the proposed design values are prescribed and follow the rules for the standard design, including modeling the same HVAC systems determined using the newly constructed buildings HVAC system map in Chapter 5.1.2: HVAC System Map.
•Envelope and Lighting Only: The user specifies the building envelope, spaces, space types, thermal zones, all lighting, and any daylighting, where present. For all HVAC inputs, the proposed design values are prescribed and follow the rules for the standard design, including modeling the same HVAC systems determined using the newly constructed buildings HVAC system map in Chapter 5.1.2: HVAC System Map.
•Envelope and Mechanical Only: This compliance option assumes that the building will use separately permitted prescriptive lighting compliance. The user specifies the building envelope, spaces, space types, thermal zones, and mechanical systems in the building. For all lighting inputs, the proposed design values are prescribed and follow the rules for the standard design.
•Envelope and Partial Lighting Only: This compliance option is used for projects where the building envelope is defined, and where the lighting in some of the spaces is defined. The user specifies the building envelope, all spaces, space types, thermal zones, and lighting for spaces with lighting systems defined, and any daylighting, where present. For all HVAC inputs, the proposed design values are prescribed and follow the rules for the standard design, including modeling the same HVAC systems determined using the newly constructed buildings HVAC system map in Chapter 5.1.2: HVAC System Map.
•Mechanical Only: This compliance option assumes that the building has already been permitted for envelope and lighting. The envelope and lighting systems for both the proposed design and the standard design are modeled as designed. (For example, if the building vertical fenestration area exceeds prescriptive WWR limits, the limits are NOT applied to the standard design. Instead, the actual vertical fenestration area is used.) The mechanical systems of the proposed model are described as-designed, and the newly constructed buildings rules and system map are applied to the HVAC system of the standard design.
•Mechanical and Lighting Only: This compliance option assumes that the building has already been permitted for envelope compliance. All spaces and space types must be defined by the user, and all envelope components for the proposed design are “as designed” (must be defined by the user). The standard design lighting and HVAC components are set to match the standard design.
•Mechanical and Partial Lighting Compliance: This compliance option assumes that the building has already been permitted for Envelope and Partial Lighting compliance (Option 3 above). The envelope components, spaces, space types, and permitted lighting spaces are entered as designed for the proposed design and, for these components, the standard design is set to be the same as the proposed. For the other components as part of the permit application, the mechanical systems and new lighting systems are entered by the user for the proposed design as designed, and the standard design components for the mechanical (HVAC) system and new lighting systems are defined by the newly constructed buildings standard design rules.
•Envelope and Partial Mechanical: This compliance option is for projects where mechanical systems are not defined for all thermal zones. When the “HVAC is Unknown” checkbox is enabled at the thermal zone, the proposed mechanical system for that zone will be defaulted to match the standard design. Possible uses for this compliance option include “core and shell” projects and existing/addition/alteration projects with unknown existing mechanical equipment.
Building descriptors with inputs for both the proposed design and standard design that are restricted to prescribed values (for example, equipment performance curves) follow the same rules for prescribed values for any of the partial compliance projects listed above.
The function of the building or the various building spaces will have an effect on a number of energy related requirements. This effect includes illuminance and allows lighting power. The function of the building or various building spaces can be determined using the Area Category Method or the Tailored Method. The Area Category Method is described in §140.6(c)2 and the Tailored Method is described in §140.6(c)3 of the Energy Code.
Space Classification Type
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: One of two available classification methods for identifying the function of the building or the functions of spaces within the building, which in turn determine energy-related requirements for the standard design. Appendix 5.4A lists the building classifications that are available under the Area Category method.
The Area Category method uses a separate space classification for each space in the building according to its function.
The Tailored Lighting method allows specification of function-specific illuminance level categories and space geometry to assign allowed lighting power, following §140.6(c)3 of the Energy Code.
Units: List (See Appendix 5.4A).
Input Restrictions As designed.
Standard Design: Existing Building: Same as proposed.
The following data need to be specified or derived in some manner. Compliance software developers may use any acceptable method to determine the data. For California, city, state, and county are required to determine climate data from the available data in Reference Appendix JA2.
Zip Code
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: California postal designation.
Units: List (see Reference Appendix JA2).
Input Restrictions: As designed.
Standard Design: Existing Building: Not applicable.
Latitude
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: The latitude of the project site.
Units: Degrees (°).
Input Restrictions: Not a user input.
Standard Design: Latitude of representative city from Reference Appendix JA2.
Longitude
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: The longitude of the project site.
Units: Degrees (°).
Input Restrictions: Not a user input.
Standard Design: Longitude of representative city from Reference Appendix JA2.
Elevation
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: The height of the building site above sea level.
Units: Feet (ft).
Input Restrictions: Not a user input.
Standard Design: Elevation of representative city from Reference Appendix JA2.
California Climate Zone
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: One of the 16 California climate zones.
Units: List (see Reference Appendix JA2).
Input Restrictions: One of the 16 California climate zones..
Standard Design: Same as proposed.
City
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: The city where the project is located.
Units: Alphanumeric string.
Input Restrictions: None.
Standard Design: Representative city from Reference Appendix JA2.
Design Day Data
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: A data structure indicating design day information used for the sizing of the proposed system. This information may not necessarily match the information used in the annual compliance simulation.
Units: Data structure contains the following:
•Design DB (0.4%), mean coincident wet-bulb, daily range, day of year.
Input Restrictions: The design day information is taken from one of the 86 predefined California weather files, for the location within the same climate zone that is closest to the location of the proposed building. (This is not input by the user.)
Standard Design: Not applicable.
Weather File
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: The hourly (that is, 8,760 hours per year) weather data to be used in performing the building energy simulations. Weather data must include outside dry-bulb temperature, outside wet-bulb temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, cloud amount, cloud type (or total horizontal solar and total direct normal solar), clearness number, ground temperature, humidity ratio, density of air, and specific enthalpy.
Units: Data file.
Input Restrictions: The weather file selected shall be in the same climate zone as the proposed design. If multiple weather files exist for one climate zone, then the weather file closest in distance to the proposed design and in the same climate zone shall be used. Weather data must be based on the weather files found in CBECC.
Standard Design: Weather data shall be the same for both the proposed design and standard design.
Ground Reflectance
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Ground reflectance affects daylighting calculations and solar gain. The reflectance can be specified as a constant for the entire period of the energy simulation or it may be scheduled, which can account for snow cover in the winter.
Units: Data structure: schedule, fraction.
Input Restrictions: Prescribed. The weather file determines the ground reflectance. The ground reflectance shall be set to 0.2 when the snow depth is 0 or undefined and set to 0.6 when the snow depth is greater than 0.
Standard Design: Same as proposed.
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: An indication of how the local terrain shields the building from the prevailing wind. Estimates of this effect are provided in the ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals.
Units: List: the list shall contain only the following choices:
•Flat, open country
o Exponent (α):0.14
o Boundary layer thickness, δ (m): 270
•Rough, wooded country, Suburbs
o Exponent (α): 0.22
o Boundary layer thickness, δ (m): 370
•Towns and cities
o Exponent (α): 0.33
o Boundary layer thickness, δ (m): 460
•Ocean
o Exponent (α): 0.10
o Boundary layer thickness, δ (m): 210
•Urban, industrial, forest
o Exponent (α): 0.22
o Boundary layer thickness, δ (m): 370
The exponent and boundary layer are used in the following equation to adjust the local wind speed:
Where:α
Z - altitude, height above ground (m)
Vz -
wind speed at altitude
α - wind speed profile exponent at the site
δ - wind speed profile boundary layer thickness at the site (m)
Zmet - height above ground of the wind speed sensor at the meteorological station (m)
Vmet - wind speed measured at the meteorological station (m/s)
αmet - wind speed profile exponent at the meteorological station
δmet - wind speed profile boundary layer thickness at the meteorological station. (m)
The wind speed profile
coefficients; α, δ, αmet, and ;δmet are variables that
depend on the roughness characteristics of the surrounding terrain. Typical
values for α and
Input Restrictions: Weather data should be representative of the long-term conditions at the site.
Standard Design: The standard design terrain should be equal to the proposed design.
General site characteristics including building shading and fuel source availability are provided for the building. Building shading from external sources are not used for compliance calculations.
Shading of Building Site
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: Shading of building fenestration, roofs, or walls by surrounding terrain, vegetation, and the building itself.
Units: Data structure.
Input Restrictions: The default and fixed value are for the site to be unshaded. External shading from other buildings or other objects is not modeled for Title 24 compliance in the ACM. Building self-shading is accounted for using the detailed geometry method.
Standard Design: The proposed design and standard design are modeled with identical assumptions regarding shading of the building site.
Site Fuel Source
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: The fuel source that is available at the site for water heating, space heating or other fuel purposes. For most buildings connected to a utility service, this will be natural gas.
Units: List.
Input Restrictions: The following choices are available:
•Natural Gas
•Propane
Standard Design: Natural gas.
The calendar year entered in the compliance software is used to coordinate weather events from the weather files to specific days of the week. The schedule of holidays will also be coordinated to the calendar year.
Year for Analysis
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: The calendar year to be used for the annual energy simulations. This input determines the correspondence between days of the week, and the days on which weather events on the weather tape occur and has no other impact.
Units: List: choose a year (other than a leap year).
Input Restrictions: Use year 2009.
Standard Design: Same calendar year as the proposed design.
Schedule of Holidays
Applicability: All projects.
Definition: A list of dates on which holidays are observed and on which holiday schedules are used in the simulations.
Units: Data structure.
Input Restrictions: The following 10 holidays represent the prescribed set. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the holiday is observed on the Friday preceding the Saturday. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday is observed on the following Monday.
•New Year’s Day January 1
•Martin Luther King Day Third Monday in January
•Presidents Day Third Monday in February
•Memorial Day Last Monday in May
•Independence Day July 4
•Labor Day First Monday in September
•Columbus Day Second Monday in October
•Veterans Day November 11
•Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November
•Christmas Day December 25
Standard Design: The standard design shall observe the same holidays specified for the proposed design.