On July 1, 2010, the New York City Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC) was enacted, closing a loophole in the NY State code which exempted smaller renovation projects. New building projects and large renovations have been subject to provisions of the NY State Energy Conservative code since 2004. A new energy filing application is now required for all renovations, with certain minor exceptions. With the new requirements, NYCECC, the design professional will have to perform an energy analysis and include it on their drawings.
Energy Analysis:
The NYCECC requires that each new building project and renovation project undergo an energy analysis. The US Department of Energy provides two free software applications to assist architects and engineers with the calculations for their buildings. For new residential building projects, use Rescheck; for new commercial building projects use Comcheck. An alternative method is to use the “tabular prescriptive analysis” similar to the table below.
Table — Residential Energy Analysis
Alterations to top floor of 4-story single-family home and replace boiler and associated piping in cellar
Climate Zone 4
| Item Description | Proposed Design Value | Code-Prescribed Value and Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Replace roof and add insulation (metal joist/truss) | R-49 cavity insulation | Minimum R-49 cavity or R-38 cavity + R-3 continuous insulation (Table 402.2.4) |
| Replace window | U = 0.3; SHGC = 0.5 | Maximum U = 0.4; SHGC = NR (Table 402.1(1)) |
| Add new lighting in a home office | 1 watt/SF | NR |
| Replace boiler with a gas boiler (70,000 Btu/h) | 85% thermal efficiency AFUE; sized for 2,000 SF Home | 70,000 Btw/h (403.6) |
| Replace piping from boiler to first floor and insulate | R-2 | Minimum R-2 (Section 403.3) |
For commercial buildings that require complex energy modeling, use DOE-2, a program available for purchase from the Dept of Energy.
The energy analysis for all disciplines must be located on a sheet within the initial filing for the project. This is required even if the architectural package is the initial application and the MEP packages are subsequent. Each professional will sign/seal their own report but the complete package must be included in the initial filing and must come from the same run of the software used.
The Department of Buildings (DOB) will also require that an as-built energy analysis sign-off be submitted to account for any changes during construction.
Required Documentation:
The construction documents must reflect the values shown on the energy analysis tables. The envelope components must be labeled on the wall sections and window and door schedules. Lighting plans must be shown for all spaces with schedules that indicate type and wattage for all fixtures. (Note that lighting information is not required within dwelling units but is required in the common spaces of residential developments). All heating, cooling, water heating, controls & sensors must be indicated
Progress Inspections:
A new form of controlled inspection, the Progress Inspection, is required for energy code compliance as ofSept 7, 2010. Items requiring inspection must be indicated on the architectural and MEP drawings and include window testing, insulation, window sizing, sealants, etc. The DOB will be introducing a new TR1 form for these inspections.