ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion Building Codes for Electricians "New" for New Jersey.....

Enforcement of the 'Energy Subcode' from the UCC (5:23) should be starting very soon! Two (2) seminars are being offered (ASHRAE & IBC), Comm & resi by DCA for Building and Electrical Inspectors.

ASHRAE (Comm) consisted of Building & Mechanical primarily, with minor 'Electric Power', and a section on Lighting.

Yes, it's prime focus is on design criteria; lighting controls, occupancy sensors, temp/climate control, etc.

Interesting....340 views and not one comment.....

Some of us are still trying to figure out what our own state's energy codes really mean

ResCheck & CommCheck (or equals) required with all plans. More work for the Design Professionals & additional plan review items.

OK, now 722 views, and not one comment. Where are the 'Jersey Guys"???

What's there to comment on?

As a news announcement, well, thanks for the notice.

A discussion of the various parts, and the wisdom of the concept? OK- you start.

The big picture? Just wait until a college (public building) hosts the NCAA final (not pre-programmed into the lighting controls), lights the gym using the manual override (limited to two hour max), and the game goes into sudden-death overtime. Then, listen to the cries of joy, as all wait twenty minutes for the HID lights to re-strike.

Well hopefully the lighting will be LED of HO Fluorescent highbays.

It's about time the East tries to catch up to the West on energy codes (pun intended).

Reno:
I may have expected comments like ''what's that" from the 'Jersey Guys', or where's the info.

Yes, I did put it in here as 'news', but....alas, I guess it's not interesting....perhaps I should have put it in the obituaries.

Discussion? Greg made a point of trying to figure it out; frankly after the 5+ hr seminar, I'm still in the same boat.

Your scenario of an event would be out of my realm.

During the early days of the Calif energy codes (Title 24) there was a lot of confusion, so much so that many engineers were hiring out the work related to Title 24 and filling out the forms.

Now it's SOP and is part of all projects from inception to completion. I haven't been involved in a project using incandescent fixtures (luminaires for you lightingomos) in at least 10 years and intelligent lighting control systems are mandatory even for exterior lighting.

Yes, NJ has been back in the stone age compared to CA, and other states. And, like any new code or standard, it will take some time for everyone to get on the same pages.

The Wal Mart & Sam's Club that are recent new construction (1-1/2 yr & <6 months) have daylight sensors, skylights, energy mgt; all before this code adoption. A lot of warehouse bldgs are converting from MH to T-8 HiBays w/motion sensors. Street Lighting was recently replaced with Induction fixtures from MH & HPS.

The chain convenience stores are switching to interior LED lighting, and have already completed exterior LED retrofits.

We may be behind......but we're moving along!

I would not apologize in any way for being 'behind.' Jumping on the bandwagon just because everyone else seems to be, or racing to accept the latest fashion, is a concept that is completely absent from EVERY political philosophy I've ever studied.

Milton Friedman commented that "zoning always works great where it's not needed, and always breakes down where it is." IMO, the same can be said of these 'energy' and 'green' codes.

The acceptance of T-8/T-5 lighting proves the point. Once there was something that offered REAL improvements over whatever was already being used, it was quickly embraced by the market - without the slightest nudge from any think-tank wonk.

By comparison, observe the continuing fuss over CFL's.

There is nothing like a high power bill to spur interest in conservation. The problems arise when the energy choices are made by someone apart from whoever get stuck with the bill. Simply replacing one disinterested party with another is not going to help.

Reno:
Yes, strangely.....all of the items I mentioned are being, or were done without the needs for any 'code'.

Retrofiting whse lighting to T-8 or T5 with motions provides a substantial savings in $$$.

John ("HotLine1");

Will New Jersey's Energy Compliance Codes be per IECC, or will NJ compile a State Code of Regulation - similar to California's CCR Title 24, Part 6?

Typically, 90% of my Projects are in California. The remaining 10% are Out-Of-State - in Arizona, Indiana, Nevada, Texas and Utah.
These States have adopted IECC for their Model Code.
Some adopted the 2006 version, others adopted the 2009 version.

For compliance documentation, the "COMcheck" Application was used.
Have not used "RESIcheck", since my Projects are all Commercial / Industrial.

COMcheck is extremely easy to use, and best of all, the complete Application is pre-built, and available on-line for FREE!!!

The only bad thing about the COMcheck Application is attaching the completed Reports to my CAD Electrical Plan Sheets.
The output is either PDF, or RTF (Rich-Text Format).
The PDFs attach in the desired Layout Format, however the output contains too much distortion.
RTF truncates the columns too much, but there is no distortion.
[side note] Thinking of exporting the RTF to an Excel Workbook, for optimum attachment quality.

As to Title 24, Part 6...
Much more involved, as far as Compliance.
No free Compliance Application; only the Forms and Manuals are free on-line.
Forms are PDFs, as are the Manuals.
Appliance Databases are Excel files, and there were AutoCAD .DWG Compliance Forms for the 2005 cycle.

Each new Code Cycle, I compile separate Excel Workbooks, to use as Compliance Applications for Calculations and Generate Forms for attaching to the Electrical Planset Sheets, plus the "Binder Set" Printouts.

Curious to what you're Jurisdiction offers, as well as the details of the Seminars.

--Scott

Scott:
Yes, the Energy Code is IECC 2009, and ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007.

As far as I am aware, there are no major State mods, although that may change at any time. Keep in mind that we here are treading on all new water. Any national standards that are adopted for inclusion in the NJ UCC are subject to amendments and exclusions.

Yes, we are using RESCheck and COMCheck, and the majority of the design professionals have been providing the submittals for some time.

The one part of the seminar I attended was ASHRAE as I tend to try to stay on the comm projects as much as possible. IMHO, tough to cover in five (5) contact hours, so I have a lot of reading to look forward to on my own. The electrical related portion was IMHO very brief, mainly lighting, and very minimal.

As I mentioned within threads here, there is a lot of retro fit work being performed, not generated by any codes, but for saving $$$.

We also are seeing a lot of PV. A 4.26MW rooftop is on-line as of last week, and it is being touted as 'one of, or the largest rooftop on the east coast'.

John,

I am one of those Jersey guys, and my excuse for not posting sooner, is that I didn't see this post and I have been here on a hit and miss bases lately.

As for the energy code, does this apply to Rehab? I didn't get to that energy course, I took the one on bonding pools and grounding electrical systems.

Harold:

Good question. I venture it will depend on the extent of 'rehab'.

John,


When you add a second level to the house and not extent the footprint of the original, would that count as "Rehab" or new?

If you add a room and extend the footprint, that section is new for sure.

If you finish off the basement in the original house, does that fall under "rehab"?

Hola John...



5 Hours to cover Envelope & Mechanical; as well as Interior + Exterior Lighting!!! Wow!!!
5 Hours would not even cover Interior Lighting accurately!

If I could lend assistance to You, per Interior and Exterior Lighting Compliance Measures, feel free to contact me.

As far as Mechanical and Envelope Compliance, I have prepared Compliance Forms for California's CEC Title 24, Part 6; however this was Circa 1998 - 2001!
So, in the immortal words of Sargent Schultz...
"I Know Nothing..."

Harold...



"Rehab"; referred to by the IECC as "Alteration", does not become an inclusion for Compliance until the 2009 Version of the IECC.
So, if Your Jurisdiction is using the 2006 IECC or earlier, it _APPEARS_ that no Compliance Documentation is required.
This should be verified...

If Your Project falls under the 2009 IECC, then all "Rehabs" will be Documented as "Alterations"



and



Per "QUOTE #1":
This would be Documented as an "Addition" to the Conditioned Floor Area.

Per "QUOTE #2":
This would be Documented as an "Alteration", per IECC 2009; and no Documentation required under IECC 2006 + earlier Versions (verification required)

*** Notes Per IECC 2009 Alterations:

Mechanical and Exterior Lighting Sub Sections are handled similar to "New Construction" - per Compliance Requirements.

Text from "COMcheck Version 3.8.1":



-- Scott

El-Bump'o

Just bringing this Thread back to life...

Harold, did the later part of the above Post, cover your questions???

-- Scott

Scott:

Thanks for bumping up this thread; somehow I missed Harolds questions, & your input. BTW, my use of 'very minimal' & 'very brief' for the lighting/electrical discussion was a surprise to me. There's a whole lot more!!!

Harold:

Sorry for the delay in response; I missed Scotts and your posts in this thread.

5:23-6 (Rehab) is in process for a re-write. As of Wed. (6/29/11) this is the 'rules' per SB.

The term 'addition' defined by SB is 'an increase of volume; with or without an increase of the footprint of the structure'. Basically, increase the volume is NOT rehab.

Increase of volume of a structure, with or without an increase in footprint must conform to adopted codes, not 'rehab'. However, the 'existing' portion of that structure will be subject to 'rehab' codes in any areas that are being altered.

The finishing of a basement within an existing structure is under 'Rehab'; electrically the '05 NEC, translates to no AFCI, NO TR devices, etc.

Scott,

John and I are in the same state and we rule under the Uniform Construction Code of NJ. Which for the most part covers the NEC in it's entirely with some small changes. We have a "Rehab" code that just uses the 2005 NEC. As John stated, a new 2nd floor would follow the 2008 NEC and a new finished basement would fall under the "Rehab" code which for us is the '05 NEC.

Sorry, I thought we were covering Energy Conservation codes.

-- Scott

Scott:

No apology required, I believe Harold is in the wrong thread.

Ahh... that makes sense!

Thought I had some Short-Term Memory issues, or someone forced me to drink way too much Beer Against My Will


-- Scott

John,


You know me too well, I get into a forum and I turn around one too many times and I can get lost.

That happens to the best (& worse) of us!!