Page 54 - Green Builder January 2017 Issue

CODE ARENA

The Latest Rules, Regulations and Codes Impacting Sustainable Construction

No Surprises in 2018 IECC

Online Voting Results

Less than one of every eight proposals saw change in outcome
from October’s public comment hearing.

RBY MIKE COLLIGNON Table R406.4 (N1106.4)
IGHT ON SCHEDULE, the preliminary results from
the 2018 IECC online vote were released by the Maximum Energy Rating Index
International Code Council (ICC) on Tuesday, Dec.
6. The verdicts largely mirrored the results of the Climate Zone Energy Rating Index
public comment hearing in late October. Of the 85
proposals considered, only 12 percent of the code 1 57
change proposals had their outcome changed by
the online vote. 2 57
The residential energy code’s most contested proposals did not see
a reversal of fortune. What does that mean for the homebuilding 3 57
industry?
¦¦ Mechanical equipment tradeoff: Like the three previous iterations 4 62
of the code, builders will not be allowed to trade off envelope
insulation when using more-efficient equipment. (Author’s note: 5 61
Both sides would be wise to put pressure on DoE to update the
NAECA requirements on equipment. Otherwise, we’ll be witnessing 6 61
round five of this debate in the spring 2019.)
¦¦ ERI path: This section underwent major changes, but the online 7 58
vote merely affirmed actions taken at the public comment hearings.
First, the ERI levels are going up slightly (see Table). Next, the use 8 58
of on-site power generation determines the prescriptive envelope
backstop. If renewables are used, the 2015 IECC prescriptive systems was accepted at the public comment hearing after the
requirements must be met. If renewables are not used, then the proponent made a committee-recommended correction to an
existing 2009 IECC requirements remain the backstop. accompanying table. But that decision was overturned by the online
¦¦ RESNET 301 (with a twist): RESNET/ICC/ANSI 301 will now be vote.
the only ERI methodology allowed in the ERI path. However, if the
project has to adhere to the IRC, then the ventilation rates from the ¦¦ An exception to allow individual wall-framing cavities for transfer
2018 IRC (which mirror ASHRAE 62.2-2010) are to be used. Currently, air between two spaces on the same level, in compliance with the
RESNET 301 references the ASHRAE 62.2-2013 rates, although it has IMC, was at first added. But online voters disagreed with those at
been stated the standard could change to be congruent with the IECC. the hearing and kept the exception out of the code.
Here’s a look at a few of the code change proposals that saw their
fate changed by the online vote: ¦¦ RESNET/ICC/ANSI 380, a standard for testing airtightness, was
¦¦ Appendix RA, Recommended Procedure for Worst-Case Testing prevented from entering the code by the online voting community.
of Atmospheric Venting Systems Under R402.4 or R405 Conditions was
ultimately removed from the code, after initially being retained.
¦¦ The addition of a definition for grid-interactive electric storage

52 GREEN BUILDER January/February 2017 www.greenbuildermedia.com