faq
What is a Comcheck?
Comcheck is a software program that is used for verifying energy code compliance. It considers building areas, efficiencies and other specifications for the building envelope, mechanical systems and interior and exterior lighting systems. A compliance report is generated for the approved plans and a customized field inspection checklist is generated. The report has to be completed, sealed and signed by a IECC Commercial Plans Examiner, licensed Texas engineer or a licensed Texas architect.
We are a IECC Commercial Plans Examiner, we can inform you on how to use the 2015 IECC and how to apply it to the design and construction of Commercial Buildings regarding the energy code.
Comcheck rejected by the City of Houston?
The City of Houston Building Code Enforcement Dept. announced that as of January 1, 2021, plans submitted with incomplete COMcheck reports will be rejected at pre-screen by their Permit Techs as they review for the completeness of the plan submittals before sending to Plan Review.
We can assist in completing the Comcheck reports and what plan reviewers will be looking for at pre-screen.
To what code must compliance be shown?
Texas adopts International Energy Conservation Code 2015 as STATE LAW in 2016.
Local jurisdictions are responsible for energy code implementation and enforcement of the law.
Please contact us to determine the code in a particular city.
Can compliance be shown for only one area in COMcheck (Envelope, Lighting, or Mechanical)?
Yes. COMcheck does not require that all sections be completed to perform compliance checks.
How does COMcheck show compliance for additions or alterations?
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 when determining compliance.
COMcheck determines compliance for alterations on a component-by-component basis. Each component is checked to verify it meets or exceeds the minimum prescriptive requirements of the selected code. No trade-offs are available for alterations and no compliance percentage will be generated–the software shows a pass/fail for compliance.
What is considered a commercial building?
A commercial building is defined as all other buildings that are not considered a residential building.
The term “residential building” includes:
- detached one-or-two family dwellings having not more than three stories above grade plane;
- buildings that consist of three or more attached townhouse units and have not more than three stories above grade plane;
- buildings that are classified in Group R-2, R-3 or R-4 and have not more than three stories above grade plane.
Does my building need to comply with the energy code if it will not be cooled or heated?
In the 2015 IECC, Section C402.1.1 Low-energy buildings – low energy buildings or portions separated from the remainder of the building by a building thermal envelope complying with the code, can be exempt from the building thermal envelope provisions of Section C402 if:
Has a peak design rate of energy usage <, 3.4 Btu/h/ft2 or 1.0 watt/ft2 of floor area for space conditioning purposes
Those that do not contain conditioned space
Greenhouses
How do mixed use buildings need to meet code?
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 high-rise residential and all other commercial buildings. Residential spaces are those used primarily for living and sleeping and include dwelling units, hotel/motel guest rooms, dormitories, nursing homes, patient rooms in hospitals, lodging houses, fraternity/sorority houses, hostels, prisons, and fire stations.
Does energy code compliance need to be shown for a warehouse?
Warehouses must be considered carefully. The first consideration is whether it is going to be conditioned, cooled and/or heated, or semi heated. Next is the applicable energy code. Older codes did not require the building envelope to meet the energy provisions if the warehouse didn't include mechanical equipment and was unconditioned. 2015 IECC C402.1.1 Low Energy Buildings section addresses warehouses.