Proposed Modification to the Florida Building Code

Modification #:	1792, Revision 1                             Section 553.73, Fla Stat

Name:       Rob Vieira as amended by G. Hourahan of ACCA
Address:  Florida Solar Energy Center, 1679 Clearlake Rd, Cocoa, FL  32922
E-mail:	Robin@fsec.ucf.edu					
Phone:	321-638-1404				
Fax:	           321-638-1439
Code:		Florida Energy Efficiency Code			
Section #:    13-607.1.ABC.1 Equipment Sizing, 
                     13-608.1.ABC.1 Equipment Sizing

Text of Modification [additions underlined; deletions stricken]:

607.1.ABC.1 Equipment Sizing.  A cooling and heating load An HVAC sizing calculation shall be performed on the building and shall be attached to the Form 600 submitted when application is made for a building permit, or in the event the mechanical permit is obtained at a later time, the sizing calculation shall be submitted with the application for the mechanical permit.  Cooling and heating design loads, for the purpose of sizing HVAC equipment and designing HVAC systems, shall be determined for the dwelling spaces (typically rooms or zones) served by each piece of equipment each zone within a dwelling in accordance with ACCA Manual J, ACCA Manual N, or the ASHRAE Cooling and Heating Load Calculation Manual, Second Edition.  This Code does not allow designer safety factors, provisions for future expansion or other factors which affect equipment sizing in excess of the capacity limitations in Section 607.1.ABC.1.1.  System sizing calculations shall not include loads created by local intermittent mechanical ventilation such as standard kitchen and bathroom exhaust systems. The engineered ventilation requirement of the various procedures shall not be used as an infiltration rate when estimating infiltration loads.
Exceptions: 
1.  Where mechanical systems are designed by an engineer registered in the State of Florida, the engineer has the option of submitting a signed and sealed summary sheet in lieu of the complete sizing calculation(s).  Such summary sheet shall include the following (by zone):
Project name/owner	Outdoor dry bulb used 	Total heating required with outside air
Project address	Outdoor wet bulb used 	Total sensible gain
Sizing method used	Relative humidity		Total latent gain
Area in sq.ft.		Indoor dry bulb		Total cooling required with outside air
			Grains water (difference)			
2.  Systems installed in existing buildings not meeting the definition of renovation in Section 202.

607.1.ABC.1.1 Cooling Equipment Capacity. 

Cooling only equipment shall be selected so that its total capacity sensible capacity is not less than the calculated total sensible load but not more than 1.5 times greater than 120% of the design total sensible load calculated according to the procedure selected in Section 607.1.ABC.1., or the closest available size provided by the manufacturer's product lines. The corresponding latent capacity of the equipment shall not be less than the calculated latent load..

The published value for ARI total capacity is a nominal, rating-test value and shall not be used for equipment sizing. Manufacturer’s expanded performance data shall be used to select cooling-only equipment. This selection shall be based on the outdoor design dry bulb temperature for the load calculation (or entering water temperature for water-source equipment), the blower CFM provided by the eexpanded performance data, the deisgn value for entering wet bulb temperature and the design value for entering dry bulb temperature. 

Design values for entering wet bulb and dry bulb temperature shall be for the indoor dry bulb and relative humidity used for the load calculation and shall be adjusted for return side gains if the return duct(s) is installed in an unconditioned space.

The manufacturer and model number of the outdoor and indoor units (if split system) shall be submitted along with the sensible and total cooling capacities at the design conditions described herein.

Exceptions:
 1: Attached single family and multifamily residential equipment sizing may be selected so that its cooling capacity is less than the calculated total sensible load but not less than 80% of that load. 
 2: When signed and sealed by a Florida-registered engineer, in attached single family and multifamily units, the capacity of equipment may be sized in accordance with good design practice. 

608.1.ABC.1 Equipment Sizing.  An HVAC equipment sizing calculation shall be performed on the building in accordance with the criteria in Section 607.1.ABC.1 and shall be attached to the Form 600 submitted when application is made for a building permit.  This Code does not allow designer safety factors, provisions for future expansion or other factors which affect equipment sizing in excess of the capacity limitations in Sections 608.1.ABC.1.1 through 608.1.ABC.1.4.  System sizing calculations shall not include loads due to intermittent local mechanical ventilation such as standard kitchen and bathroom exhaust systems.  The engineered ventilation requirement of this code shall not be used as an infiltration rate when estimating infiltration load.

608.1.ABC.1.1 Heat Pumps.  Heat pump sizing shall be based on the cooling requirements as calculated according to Section 607.1.ABC.1 and the heat pump total cooling capacity shall not be more than 1.15 times greater than the design cooling load even if the design heating load is 1.15 times greater than 115% of the design cooling load.     unless the refrigeration cycle heating capacity is less than the heating requirements of the conditioned space at design conditions.  In that case, the refrigeration cycle heating capacity shall be sized to provide the lowest possible balance point on heating without exceeding 12.5% of the cooling load at design conditions.  Capacity at the design heating temperature may be determined by interpolation or extrapolation of manufacturers' performance data if these data are not available for design temperatures.  
The published value for ARI total capacity is a nominal, rating-test value and shall not be used for equipment sizing. Manufacturer’s expanded performance data shall be used to determine heat pump cooling capacity. This selection shall be based on the outdoor design dry bulb temperature for the load calculation (or entering water temperature for water-source equipment), the blower CFM provided by the expanded performance data, the design value for entering wet bulb temperature and the design value for entering dry bulb temperature.

The design values for entering wet bulb temperature shall be for the indoor dry bulb and relative humidity used for the load calculation and shall be adjusted for return side gains if the return duct(s) is installed in an unconditioned space.   

Capacity at the design heating temperature may be determined by interpolation or extrapolation of manufacturers’ performance data, as allowed by the manufacturer, if these data are not available for the design temperature. The auxiliary capacity plus refrigeration cycle heating capacity shall not exceed 120% of the calculated heating requirements at the 99 percent design dry bulb temperature.

The manufacturer and model number of the outdoor and indoor units (if split system) shall be submitted along with the sensible and total cooling capacities at the design conditions described herein.

608.1.ABC.1.2 Electric Resistance Furnaces. Electric resistance furnaces shall be sized within 4 kW of the design requirements calculated according to the procedure selected in section 607.1.ABC.1.  

Fiscal Impact Statement [Provide documentation of the costs and benefits of the proposed modifications to the code for each of the following entities.  Cost data should be accompanied by a list of assumptions and supporting documentation.  Explain expected benefits.]:

A.	Impact to local entity relative to enforcement of code:

Under the current language, the ability to enforce the code is reduced. The current language requires the code official to know the sensible capacity of the system, a value not readily found. Furthermore, the current code requires the official to enforce a different value for heat pumps (Total capacity) and enforce smaller systems for heat pumps without any great logic. The change allows the code official to examine the total cooling capacity of the straight cool or heat pump system and compare it to 115% of the total cooling load calculation. The change from 120% sensible (straight cool) and 112.5% (heat pump) to 115% total is done in order to have one consistent value. The 115% is consistent with ACCA Manual J8 as found on page iii in the introduction.   
B.	Impact to building and property owners relative to cost of compliance with code:
Currently the code is difficult to enforce and data have suggested a great number of oversized systems. Oversized systems use more energy, generally create higher relative humidity levels in the house due to short cycling, and they cost more. This change will reduce the burden of enforcing properly sized systems which will result in more homes with systems that cost less up front and less to operate.
C.	Impact to industry relative to cost of compliance with code:
The code will be simpler to understand relative to the current version. The clarification of the spot ventilation is consistent with ACCA recommendations, however it is required to be spelled out in the code due to the number of practitioners who either do not understand it or choose to incorporate loads for standard kitchen and bath ventilation as an excuse to oversize. In short, the changes will help the industry by making it a more level playing field and by having a code that is easier to interpret.

Rationale [Provide an explanation of why you would like this Proposed Modification to the Florida Building Code.]:

Research has shown higher annual and peak energy use from system oversizing. Despite code language, oversizing is still common, This change clarifies the language so as to reduce instances of oversized systems and make proper sizing easier to enforce. This also fixes an inconsistency between heat pump and straight cool sizing, that was, in my opinion, illogical. It also takes away a method frequently used to oversize –using the kitchen or bath fans as cfm load, which is against recommended sizing procedures. Spelling it out in the code will increase the likelihood of building officials rejecting such inputs to sizing calculations.

Please explain how the proposed modification meets the following requirements:
1.	Has a reasonable and substantial connection with the health, safety, and welfare of the general public:

Reduces cost of enforcement, reduces first cost, operating cost and energy use. Thus improves welfare. It improves health through less power plant pollution and through reduced likelihood of insufficient humidity removal by larger systems.

2.	Strengthens or improves the code, and provides equivalent or better products, methods, or systems of construction:

It improves the code through easier to understand and enforceable language.

3.	Does not discriminate against materials, products, methods, or systems of construction of demonstrated capabilities:

I do not envision any discrimination in the proposed changes.

4.	Does not degrade the effectiveness of the code:
Improvements to language could result in more and easier enforcement and as such it does not degrade the effectiveness of the code.

					

Section for DCA Only

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