As with each new incarnation of the standards, compliance becomes tougher in the sense that one will have to use even more energy efficient strategies in order to comply.  For instance, the base case home assumes that tight ducts are specified so if they are not, one will have to make it up somewhere else, which is often difficult to do.  Even though tight ducts must be field verified by a HERS Rater, expect to see us calling it out more often, particularly in houses with excess glass.

 Site-built or field fabricated windows can only use default U and SHGC values.  Up to now, one could at least use the manufacturer’s SHGC.  It turns out the default values are not very good and using them could make compliance difficult.  Whenever possible, use windows with an NFRC rating.

 When replacing an existing window, the replacement manufactured window must meet the requirements of “Package D” even if there is no increase in area.   This will not apply if a field-fabricated window is used or a repair is made to part of the window.

 When adding more than 50 square feet of window to an existing house (alteration not an addition), in addition to the Package D requirements, the added glazing combined with the existing glazing must not exceed 20% of the floor area.   If you are adding 150 square feet, it is implied that you will have to take out three separate permits to get around the % limitation.

 There is a big change in the lighting Mandatory Measures.   At least 50% of installed wattage in a kitchen must be high-efficacy, e.g. fluorescent.   Heretofore, as long as a general light was fluorescent, one could have an unlimited amount of incandescent light.

 There is also more stringent lighting standards for bathrooms, garages, laundry and utility rooms, as well as permanent lighting in other rooms.  There is a must have 28 page manual that explains all of this in excruciating but clear detail.  There is a link to this file on the CABEC (California Association of Building Energy Consultants) web site www.cabec.org. In the panel on the right hand side, you will see “Now Available New Residential Lighting Design Guide”.  Click on it and proceed to download the PDF file. The manual was developed by the California Lighting Technology Center and may also be downloaded by clicking here

 For those of you who do multi-family buildings, common areas of low-rise (three stories or less) residential buildings with four or more dwelling units must use high-efficacy lighting or be on an occupancy sensor.   The real big change is that parking lots and garages (including subterranean) for 8 or more cars must meet the power density limits for nonresidential lighting standards.  

 The Non-Residential Design Manual for downloading can be found at www.energy.ca.gov/title24/2005standards at the bottom of the page.   At this location one can also find the Residential Design Manual and the “Standards”.  By the way, it is cheaper to download the PDF’s and either print them yourself or send them to Kinko’s for printing than it is to order a hard copy from the Energy Commission.

 A big change in the regulations is that when an HVAC system in a residence has a major component (i.e. furnace, condenser, coil and or heat exchanger) replaced, the duct system must be sealed and tested.