JA2.1        Weather Data - General

All energy calculations used for compliance with the Standards must use the Commission's sixteen (16) official hourly weather files. These files are available in electronic form from the Commission in EPW (EnergyPlus), BINM, and FIN4 format.

Each weather file contains data on a variety of ambient conditions such as:

(a)        Dry bulb temperature

(b)        Humidity (Wet bulb or dewpoint temperature)

(c)        Wind speed and direction

(d)        Direct normal solar radiation

(e)        Diffuse horizontal solar radiation

(f)        Global horizontal solar radiation

(g)        Pressure

(h)        Rain fall

Note: The alternative weather files modified for local design conditions use the specific latitude, longitude and elevation of the selected city.

Table 2-1–California Standard Climate Zone Summary

JA2.1.1              Counties and Cities with Climate Zone Designations

The climate zone applicable to a building project is determined based on its physical location as it relates to the determinations of climate regions found in the Commission publication California Climate Zone Descriptions, which contains detailed survey definitions of the 16 climate zones. The Energy Commission publishes an online Climate Zone Search Tool to assist in providing this determination, which is made available online at:

https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/building-energy-efficiency-standards/climate-zone-tool-maps-and

Where a ZIP code contains more than one climate region, local jurisdictions may, at their discretion, designate a single climate zone within the ZIP code as applying to the entire ZIP code.