2005 Title 24 Nonresidential Acceptance Requirements Mechanical Designer Training

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2005 Title 24 Nonresidential Acceptance
RequirementsMechanical Designer Training

• Presented by
• Tav Commins
• California Energy Commission

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Overview

• First Energy Codes for California developed in
  1973.
• Code is updated every three years.
• Residential Code and Nonresidential Code

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Overview

• Two ways to comply (Prescriptive and Performance)
• Prescriptive Listed values for efficiency of
  equipment, walls and the maximum amount of glass
  that may be installed.
• Performance The building is modeled using a
  approved computer program.

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Overview

• All conditioned buildings must comply with the
  energy code.
• All nonconditioned commercial buildings must
  comply with the indoor lighting requirements.

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Overview

• October 1st 2005 latest code revision went into
  place.
• Commercial and Residential buildings now require
  verification that key pieces of equipment were
  installed properly.

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When must the tests be conducted?

• All new construction
• In existing buildings when that piece of
  equipment is replaced.

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Overview

• Building Efficiency is a product of
• Design, materials equipment
• Installation and set-up
• Occupant patterns and control
• Traditional standards
• Specify materials, equipment, controls
• Law of diminishing returns for more eff equip
• 2005 Title 24 Part 6 Energy Standards
• Assure equipment works as intended

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What is Acceptance Testing?

• Two components of acceptance testing
• Construction inspection
• Is the specified equipment that is required to be
  installed actually there
• Equipment testing
• Does the equipment work as intended
• Functional performance tests
• Does Not replace commissioning
• Commissioning broader scope

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Project Overview
Definition of Acceptance Testing Requirements

• Acceptance Testing requirements are defined as
  the application of targeted inspection checks and
  testing to determine whether specific building
  systems conform to the criteria set forth in the
  Standards and to the plans and specifications.

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Is Acceptance Testing Needed?

• PIER Small Commercial HVAC survey
  http//www.energy.ca.gov/reports/2003-11-17_500-03
  -082.PDF
• Small commercial buildings lt 4 yrs old
• 64 of economizers failed
• Cooling energy increased by 37
• 38 of supply fans cycling during occupancy
• Violation of Title 24, 121(c)1
• 30 unoccupied fan operation
• Increase of fan and heating energy
• 8 no outside air
• 8 simultaneous heating and cooling

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What Systems are Included

• HVAC
• All packaged HVAC systems
• All built-up HVAC systems
• Hydronic systems
• Lighting Controls

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Acceptance Tests

• Required self-certification that equipment was
  tested and works as intended by the Standards
• Liability trail results from cheating on test
• Only one test (air distribution
  efficiency-leakage) requires 3rd party testing
• Home Energy Rating Service (HERS)

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Resources

• 2005 Building Energy Efficiency Standards for
  Residential and Nonresidential (Title 24)
• 2005 Nonresidential Energy Compliance Manual
• Chapter 4 Mechanical Systems
• Chapter 8 Acceptance Requirements
• End of Manual - Compliance and Acceptance Forms
• CEC Resources
• http//www.energy.ca.gov/title24
• CEC Bldg Standards Hotline [phone]

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Acceptance Chapter (Chapter 8) Nonresidential
Manual

• Overview of compliance process
• At-A-Glance - 2 page overview of test
• Purpose ? Estimated Time
• Benefits ? Warnings or Cautions
• Instrumentation ? Test conditions
• Acceptance Criteria
• Detailed test description

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Acceptance and Compliance Forms

• Found in Appendix A of the Nonresidential Manual
• Compliance forms
• Filled out by designer
• MECH-1-C (C for compliance)
• Acceptance Forms
• Filled out by person conducting test
• Usually contractor, TAB or commissioning agent
• MECH-1-A (A for acceptance)

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Compliance Forms

• Compliance documentation with equipment
  specification and forms
• MECH-1-C lists all tests and which equipment must
  by tested
• MECH-1-C lists designated personnel to perform
  tests
• MECH-3-C lists design minimum outside air
• Criteria for outside air tests (NJ.3.1 3.2)

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Acceptance Forms

• Installing contractor or other eligible
  professional conducts tests and fills out
  MECH--A acceptance forms
• Equipment test - until it passes all tests
• Completed forms handed to inspector along with
  other documentation
• Certificate of Occupancy Granted

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Designer Has a Big Impact on Ease and Cost of
Acceptance Tests

• Designer clearly identifies tests
• Problem if covered equipment not specified on
  MECH-1-C form and later needs testing
• Designer specifies equipment
• Pre-calibrated equipment is cheaper
• Designer builds in test capabilities
• Test ports and pre-installed gages
• Valves for isolating equipment

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Key Statements in MECH-1-C

• The plans meet code
• I am qualified to sign these forms
• List of all mechanical acceptance tests with
  blanks for
• Equipment to be tested
• Who will test equipment
• Installing Contractor
• Design Professional
• Agent Selected by Owner

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MECH-1-C Note to Bidders

• Since the MECH-1-C will be part of the plans,
  completion of this section will allow the
  responsible party to budget accordingly
• Be careful to budget appropriately
• Make note of this section to potential bidders

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People Certified to Perform Tests

• The installing contractor, engineer of record,
  TAB contractor, or owners agent (i.e. 3rd party
  Cx provider)
• The building inspector has the authority to
  require the Acceptance Agent to demonstrate
  competence, to his/her satisfaction

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Equipment Specification

• Equipment specification can reduce level of
  acceptance testing and cost
• Thermostats with Pre-programmed schedules
• Factory calibrated sensors with documentation
• Pressure sensor for Variable Frequency Drive
  (VFD) control
• Air flow monitoring station
• Demand Control Ventilation (DCV) CO2 sensor
  calibrated 75 ppm
• Supply water temp reset sensor
• Alternative is field calibration against
  reference sensor by using acceptance protocols

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Air-side acceptance test forms
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Hydronic Acceptance Forms
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MECH-2-A Outside Air

• Same form used to document outside air acceptance
  for
• CAV constant air volume NJ.3.2
• VAV variable air volume NJ.3.1
• Measured minimum outside air must be within 10
  of design minimum outside air
• Test and Balance (TAB) contractor is probably the
  best qualified and has proper flow measurement
  tools available

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MECH-2-A VAV Outdoor Air

• Sensor used to control outdoor air flow must
  have calibration certificate or be field
  calibrated
• Air flow monitoring station
• Pressure across dedicated fixed damper

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MECH-2-A VAV Outdoor Air

• Contractor must set minimum outdoor air within
  10 of design outdoor air at full flow and at
  minimum flow
• Control strategies discussed in Mechanical
  Chapter of Nonresidential Manual

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MECH-2-A Outside Air Measurement

• Calibrated air flow station
• Pitot traverse in a straight section of duct
• Pitot traverse across O/A inlet

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MECH-3-A Constant Volume Packaged HVAC Test

• Thermostats or zone temperature control
• Thermostat or zone temperature sensor is located
  in zone served by unit
• T-stat has capability of 5º deadband between
  heating and cooling
• Occupied, unoccupied and holiday schedule
  programmed
• One hour pre-occupancy purge turns on fans 1
  hour before occupied.
• Set-up and set-backs programmed as per design
  instructions

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MECH-3-A Constant Volume Packaged HVAC Systems

• Residential thermostats wont work
• Occupied Fan must run continuously
• Unoccupied Fan runs intermittently to supply
  load
• Timed manual override of unoccupied settings
• Outside air damper position
• Minimum position during occupied period
• Closed during unoccupied periods
• Test likely conducted by HVAC contractor and
  perhaps Controls contractor

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MECH-4-A Economizer Construction Inspection

• Likely performed by HVAC contractor
• High limit setpoint not greater than listed in
  Table 144-C per Standards Section 144(e)3
• High limit sensors
• are factory calibrated with calibration
  certificate or
• field calibrated.
• Which is easier?

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MECH-4-A Economizer Construction Inspection

• Integrated economizer 144(e)2B
• Capable of providing partial cooling even when
  additional mechanical cooling is needed to meet
  the load
• EMS systems cooling coil modulates to provide
  remainder of load
• Stand-alone systems two stage thermostat is
  minimally compliant
• When outdoor air temp below high limit,
  economizer provides 1st stage cooling
• When O/A gt high limit first stage of cooling
  provided by compressor
• 2nd stage of cooling provided by compressor

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MECH-4-A EconomizerEquipment testing

• Not required if economizer is factory installed
  and tested
• Attach manufacturers certification
• Field installed or if no factory certification
• Simulate cooling load and enable economizer
• O/A damper opens, return damper closes and relief
  is provided by relief damper or exhaust damper
• Mechanical cooling enabled only if economizer
  cant meet load
• Simulate cooling load and disable economizer
• O/A damper closes, return damper opens
• Mechanical cooling enabled

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MECH-5-A Air Distribution 144(k)

• Small (lt5,000 sf) CV systems only
• When gt 25 of duct surface is outdoors or in
  unconditioned space
• Place greater than 75 of ducts under insulated
  roof test not needed
• Ducts must be tested for duct leakage by the
  installing contractor and verified by a 3rd party
  HERS rater.

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MECH-5-A Construction Inspection

• Drawbands
• Stainless steel worm drive or
• UV resistant nylon duct ties
• Must use UL 181 tape or mastic
• Cloth backed duct tape not used unless with
  drawbands and mastic
• R-8 insulation on all ducts in unconditioned
  spaces

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MECH-5-A Duct testing
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MECH5-A Leakage TestNew Construction

• Rated flow from capacity
• 400 cfm/ton
• 21.7 cfm/kBtuh heating only systems
• Seal all diffusers
• Pressurize system to 25 Pa (0.1 in WC) with fan
  with calibrated orifice (duct blaster)
• Measured leakage no greater than 6 of rated flow
• Conducted by HVAC contractor. Must seal all
  leakes
• Verified by HERS rater

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MECH-5-A Duct Sealing on Retrofits144(k),
149(b)1DE

• Applies to small Constant Volume system with
  ducts in unconditioned spaces when
• Any amount of ducts replaced or added, or
• Changeout of HVAC system, or
• Major repair (new condenser, new coil)
• Existing ducts
• Leakage 15 of rated supply flow, or
• gt60 reduction of leakage prior to sealing ducts
  with all visible leaks sealed, or
• Cant access the ducts and all visible leaks are
  sealed as certified by a HERS rater
• Exceptions
• Asbestos
• Existing ducts that were previously certified

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MECH-6-A Demand Control Ventilation

• Likely conducted by controls contractor
• Construction Inspection
• Sensor mounted in room between 1 and 6 ft from
  floor
• Calibration
• Factory calibrated with manufacturers
  certification of 75 ppm accuracy
• Field calibrated using reference gas or reference
  sensor
• Which is easier?

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MECH-6-A DCV Equipment Test

• Simulate a high CO2 load
• Decrease CO2 setpoint or breathe on sensor
• Outside air damper modulates open
• To design outside air setting from MECH-3-C
• Simulate a low CO2 load
• Increase CO2 setpoint, dont breath on sensor
• Outside air modulates to minimum position

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MECH-7-A Supply Fan Variable Frequency Drive

• Construction inspection
• Factory calibrated pressure sensors with
  certificate (dont lose these!)
• Field calibration against a reference sensor
• Equipment testing
• Full flow all boxes calling for cooling
• Measured pressure within 10 of control pressure
• Reduced flow boxes not calling for cooling
• Measured pressure within 10 of control pressure
• Reduced flow pressure full flow pressure

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MECH-8-A Hydronic Tests

• Construction inspection
• Confirm piping, sensors and controls are located
  as shown on plans
• Sensors are factory calibrated or field
  calibrated
• Temperature for temperature reset
• Pressure for VFD control

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Summary

• Acceptance tests assure that your design intent
  for energy savings is executed
• Most automatic controls have an associated
  acceptance test
• The designer identifies which tests get applied
  to which equipment on the MECH-1-C form
• Construction bids need to account for the costs
  of conducting and documenting the acceptance
  tests
• Specifying factory calibrated and factory
  installed equipment can dramatically reduce
  testing costs
• Some designs reduce the amount of testing needed
• ducts run under an insulated roof
• factory installed economizers

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Resources 2005/2008 Standard

• Energy Efficiency Hotline
• Open 800 to 1200 and 1 to 430
• E-mail title24_at_energy.state.ca.us
• Phone [phone] or
• Phone [phone]
• http//www.energy.ca.gov/title24/
• California Commissioning Collaborative
  www.cacx.org

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Questions
Um Bob, I have a question.