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Energy Code Compliance

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Energy Code Compliance
Building Commissioning
Energy Auditing
Work Plan Development
Life Cycle Cost Analysis
Energy Accounting

Washington State Nonresidential Energy Code (NREC)

The NREC applies to all new nonresidential or commercial buildings and alterations, remodels or changes of occupancy to existing such buildings in the State of Washington.  Types of occupancies include but are not limited to the following:

Public assembly
Educational
Business
Mercantile
Institution
Storage
Factory
Industrial

                       Buildings in Washington are significantly more efficient since the establishment of the NREC, having saved more than 10 mWa per year according to estimates provided by the
Northwest Energy Efficiency Council.

Architects, contractors and building owners or their agents inevitably come across issues and questions for which they need technical Code assistance in order to achieve compliance.  The Washington Association of Building Officials (WABO) administers a certification program for NREC plans examiners and inspectors.  Individuals on this register have demonstrated their knowledge and competence in working with the NREC by passing an exam and undergoing WABO's credential review.  Washington utilities and WABO originally developed the NREC certification program as a resource for local code officials.  Design and construction professionals are increasingly utilizing registered NREC plans examiners and inspectors to help them with energy code compliance issues.  Many jurisdictions in Washington will accept energy code approvals from registered NREC plans examiners or inspectors as long as they have acted in a third-party role and are not employees of the permit applicant or permit holder.

DRS ENERGY MANAGEMENT provides WABO certified third-party NREC Plans Examination and Field Inspection services and has a long list of satisfied clients.  Mr Dorough was among the original group to earn the WABO NREC Special Plans Examiner and Special Inspector certifications when the program was first implemented in 1994 and he has been providing this service consistently on a wide range of projects since that time.  In addition, Mr Dorough holds comparable certifications as a Commercial Energy Plans Examiner and a Commercial Energy Inspector from the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO).

DRS ENERGY MANAGEMENT can accept building plans in a variety of formats for review and certification.  If desired, CAD drawings can be sent to us electronically for ease and convenience.  All NREC Compliance Forms are prepared in Microsoft Excel with an accompanying one-page Compliance Report in Microsoft Word.  Thus, we can transmit these documents back to the client electronically if so requested.

NREC compliance is required in three major categories:  
1) Envelope; 2) Mechanical; 3) Lighting.
 
Each category has its own set of forms that address specific items for review and verification.  Click on the following link to view a sample set of completed Envelope Compliance forms for a typical fast food restaurant project.  You will need Excel to view the forms.  Mechanical and Lighting forms, while not exhibited here, are in a similar format.

Sample Envelope Compliance Forms

Please call us at 360-671-9390 or email us at doroughresources@earthlink.net for more information on how we can assist you with your commercial project.

Washington State Energy Code (Residential)

The residential portion of the Energy Code (WSEC) provides minimum standards for new and remodeled Group R Occupancy structures to achieve efficient use of energy.  While the Code does provide for flexibility in the use of innovative approaches to achieve energy efficiency, the vast majority of residential projects use a cookbook or "Prescriptive" method for achieving compliance.  Home builders are usually capable of providing the required documentation to their jurisdiction for demonstrating Prescriptive compliance.

However, custom home construction and mixed use buildings that have a Group R component often have features that do not permit the use of the Prescriptive method.  In such cases, an alternative approach is required to demonstrate that efficiency standards are being met.  This is typically done through a building element heat loss calculation known as Component Performance. 

DRS ENERGY MANAGEMENTemploys the new worksheets provided by WSU Cooperative Extension Energy Program in working with local and regional builders to achieve compliance with the Energy Code on Group R projects.  Component alternatives acceptable to a project's architectural criteria but which do not fit within the Prescriptive requirements can be quickly evaluated.  The completed worksheets can then be submitted to the jurisdiction as evidence that the project has been reviewed and determined to be in compliance with WSEC requirements.  

As with NREC projects, DRS ENERGY MANAGEMENTcan accept CAD drawings electronically for review of your residential project.  Please call us at 360-671-9390 for more information on how we can assist you with your Group R project.

 

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