Item 27

Plain English

There are at least two ways that Title 24 energy standards and the request for provision of heat can be met under this code. If an existing building, or any part of it that is to be converted to live/work is presently heated at all, in any part, the entire portion of the building being converted to live/work is treated as an alteration of already conditioned space. This normally means that exterior windows do not need to be replaced with double-glazed ones, and other portions of the envelope, such as insulation (if any exists at all) need not be changed.
In order to make this Code simpler, a provision for "prescriptive heating" (see 329 B.6-6.3.2) was included. It requires insulation of any heated space as well as bringing the units up to the prescribed heat level. If one uses prescriptive heating, Title 24 calculations are not required, but insulation is. Many existing buildings which are masonry or concrete construction, or which have significant areas of concrete floor in proportion to total building area–even if they are wood or steel frame–derive huge benefits from the Thermal Mass portion of Title 24 calculations. Such buildings might be best handled through application of such calculations. The apparent contradiction in the above discussion is handled in greater detail in Section 3 of Required Information To Be Included on Plans and Drawings. Please refer to it and state under this section the course of action of the project application in relation to heat and energy conservation, including whether or not prescriptive heating and insulation is being employed or full Title 24 calculations are being prepared.

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Code

Nature of California Energy Commission Standards that affect the specific individual space(s) or for JLWQ if the prescriptive insulation and heating requirements are being used;