Copies of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) can be purchased from the International Code Council website. Copies of ASHRAE standards can be purchased from the ...
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Category: air leakage, ducts
Both the 2009 and 2012 IECC require duct tightness to be verified. Verification can take place via either a post-construction test or a rough-in test.For the post-construction test, leakage measurement must be made across the entire system,...
Category: basement, walls
After selecting a basement wall type, a basement wall illustration will appear with input boxes for the basement wall height, depth below grade, and depth of insulation. The illustration helps identify the dimensions being requested. You may enter...
Category: walls
Spandrel glass should be entered as an "Other" wall type. The gross area of the wall and the overall U-factor of the assembly should be entered. Then the glazing area (overall area minus framing) can be entered with the same overall U factor. The...
Category: building envelope, walls
Walls that do not fit into any of the preset categories in REScheck (preset categories come directly from the applicable code currently selected in the Code menu) may be entered under the "Other" wall type. When "Other" is chosen as the wall type,...
Category: lighting
The 2009 IECC requires that a minimum of 50% of the lamps in permanently installed lighting fixtures be high-efficacy lamps (2009 IECC, Section 404.1). The 2012 IECC has increased the minimum percentage from 50% to 75%, along with an exception for...
Code adoption takes place at the state, and in some cases municipal, level. To determine the code in a particular state, visit the Status of State Energy Code Adoption page.
Category: addition, alteration
REScheck determines compliance for additions in the same manner as new construction. When entering an addition, only the new portions of the building need to be shown in the software. REScheck will perform trade-offs between envelope assemblies...
Any building that contains conditioned space must comply with either the IECC or ASHRAE Standard 90.1.The IECC exempts buildings with a peak design rate of energy use for space conditioning less than 3.4 Btu/h•ft2 from compliance with...
The IECC addresses mixed occupancies by stating that commercial occupancies must comply with the commercial portion of the code and residential occupancies must comply with the residential portion of the code.ASHRAE Standard 90.1 addresses only...
Category: building envelope
If multiple users are putting information into COMcheck, each may fill out the appropriate section independently. However, all sections of the building must show compliance to the same code or standard (e.g., cannot show envelope compliance to IECC...
Category: lighting
Exemptions and allowances for lighting are an option that must be activated in COMcheck. To activate the exemptions and allowances, take the following steps:Select either the Interior Lighting or Exterior Lighting Tab Go to the Options menu and...
Category: addition, alteration
COMcheck determines compliance for additions in the same manner as new construction. When entering an addition, only the new portions of the building need to be shown in the software. COMcheck will perform trade-offs between envelope assemblies...
Category: lighting
The following steps should be used to account for LED lighting in COMcheck:Choose Incandescent Choose Other in the Lamp Description column Enter lamps per fixture, number of fixtures, and wattage Double click on the component label and edit the...
A performance approach (also known as a systems performance approach) allows you to compare your proposed design to a baseline or reference design and demonstrate that the proposed design is at least as efficient as the baseline in terms of annual...