Utilities
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700 Wood Street
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6700
970.221.6619 – fax
970.224.6003 – TDD
[email protected]
fcgov.com/utilities
R-TRAC
Meeting # 6
Topic: Code Development Process Update and Activity
Wednesday July 28, 2010, 3 – 5:30 pm
PARTICIPANTS IN ATTENDANCE
Utilities Green Building Team
John Phelan - Energy Services Manager
Felix Lee – Green Building Code Project Manager
Amanda Sutton – Green Building Program Coordinator
Gary Schroeder - Energy Services Engineer – Commercial GB Code Review
Facilitator
Susanne Durkin-Schindler
Consultant
John Butler - The Brendle Group
R-TRAC Members
Company
Aspen Construction
Aspen Homes of Colorado
The Green Team Real Estate
Sovick Design Builders
Larkspur Homes, LLC
Vignette Studio
Armstead Construction
Vaught-Frye-Ripley Design
Merten Design Studio
Representative
Gil Paben
Rob Sabin
Lara Williams
Dennis Sovick
Michael Bello
Terence Hoaglund
Jeff Schneider
Linda Ripley
Rob Ross
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Building Officials
Jurisdiction
Larimer County
Safe Built
City of Longmont
City of Fort Collins
Representative
Tom Garton
Russ Weber
Chris Allison
Russell Hovland
Members of the Public
Alan Cram
Key Points
Code Development Updates - John Phelan
The staff green building (GB) team has been working over the past
two weeks to develop a framework for the residential code development
process. Staff recognizes that the R-TRAC got off to a slower start than the
C-TRAC.
Last week, a Service Area Request was sent to Council related to the
process aspects of the R-TRAC committee. The GB team was not aware of
these issues until it was sent from the City Manager. R-TRAC members can
communicate directly with Councilmembers using the Service Area Request
process. However, staff would like to reiterate to the group that they are
always available if a committee member has questions or comments.
Comments can be given to staff by comment cards, e-mail, phone, or
website.
At the July 13th Work Session, City Council gave the GB team clear
direction to "green" existing codes and integrate green building practices
into existing codes and regulations. The timeline for this process was also
shortened and the GB team must now present a green building code
package to Council at their work session on December 14th. This means that
the proposal will have to be developed by late October/early November
2010. The final product of this process must be a code that has a
meaningful impact on building in Fort Collins.
At the last R-TRAC meeting there was a discussion about the structure
of the green building code. The R-TRAC voiced strong support for the
adoption of the National Green Building Standard (NGBS). This is in apparent
conflict with the direction supported by Council. In response, a conceptual
approach has been developed that includes a prescriptive path and
performance based alternative compliance path. The prescriptive path would
entail a limited number of mandatory green building practices, and the
performance path would use the NGBS, at specified levels, as an alternative
compliance path. The intent is that both of these will be included as an
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appendix to the 2009 I-Codes. The GB team has been working with the
Building Services Department to ensure this code will be enforceable.
It is important to understand that the task of the GB team is to
recommend meaningful code options to Council. The committee was
designed to help advise staff on code development. The opinion of the
committee will be presented to Council as part of the Council packet.
Committee Comments:
•
The two-pronged approach is a good start because it will provide the
builder with options. Flexibility is important.
•
The green building code should be kept separate from the I-codes as an
appendix.
•
This is not comparing apples to apples. The I-codes are designed to focus
on the health and safety of buildings and the green code is designed to do
something completely different.
•
It is going to be a big project to write a green building code from scratch
even if there are only 10-20 amendments. It may be a good idea to
reference the NGBS document instead - even if the points system is not
used.
- The GB team does not have to present code language to Council on
December 14th.
•
Some of the prescriptive requirements may come from the NGBS.
However, that is not the only data set where the team can pull
information from.
Green Building Code Development Prioritization Activity:
The R-TRAC participated in an activity to help identify and prioritize
the top green building practices that will have a meaningful impact on
building in Fort Collins. The committee was given a list of potential ideas for
green building practices (see appendix A) and then asked to come up with
their own ideas and put those on the board. Once all of the ideas were
posted, the GB team sorted them out into main topics. The committee then
voted on their top choices using sticky dots. Once the votes were added up
they were assigned a letter. The committee was asked to prioritize the top
17 green building practices that were identified in the vote by assigning a
number to them (1=highest, 17 = lowest). Those results were then complied
by staff (see appendix B). The information gained from this exercise will
assist staff in identifying the key elements to include in the prescriptive
portion of the green building code.
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NEXT MEETING
August 11th – R-TRAC Meeting #7:
3-5:30 p.m. City of Fort Collins Streets Facility
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Appendix A: Handout Materials
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Appendix B: Results
Prioritization by R-TRAC
Final Ranking
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
HERS Rating
Insulation
Low Water Use Fixtures
HVAC
Solar Orientation
Advanced Framing
Lighting
Material Choices
Air Barrier
Proper Equipment Sizing
Reduce Thermal Bridges
Whole Building Ventilation
Construction Waste Recycling
Owners Manual
Irrigation Efficiency
Increased Regulations for Bigger Houses
Turf Area Limits
Category/Practice
Resource Efficiency
Advanced Framing
Construction Waste Recycling
Increased Regulations for Bigger Houses
Enhanced Durability/Reduced Maintenance
Material Choices (low maintenance, low UV sensitivity, etc)
Energy Efficiency
Efficient Lighting
Solar Orientation
HERS Rating
HVAC
Insulation
Air Barrier
Reduce Thermal Bridges
Total
77
78
90
106
111
112
112
127
129
135
137
140
143
144
157
166
176
Rank
6
13
16
8
7
5
1
4
2
9
11
6
Indoor Environmental Quality
Whole Building Ventilation Systems
12
Water Efficiency
Low Use Water Fixtures (WaterSense)
Turf Area Limits
Irrigation Efficiency
3
17
15
Performance
Owner's Manual
Proper Equipment Sizing
14
10
Overall Voting Results (Sorted by staff and sifted by R-TRAC):
Categories with 5 or more votes were included in the prioritization exercise
Category
Resource Efficiency
Certified/Sustainable Wood
Recycled Content Materials
Local Materials
Advanced Framing
Engineered Wood
Construction Waste Recycling
Deconstruction for Remodels/Scrapes
More Requirements for a Bigger House
Framing and Cut Lists
Enhanced Durability/Reduced
Maintenance
Material Choices (low
maintenance/low UV sensitivity)
Increase Roof Overhang Projection
Moisture Control
Detailed Flashing Materials
No Paint Exterior
#
Votes
1
2
2
8
1
5
1
5
2
7
1
3
0
1
7
Energy Efficiency
Efficient Lighting
Solar Orientation
HERS Rating
HVAC
On-Site Renewables (reduce
cooling/heating loads, daylighting,
solar calculation)
Energy Efficient Appliances
Building Envelope
Insulation
Air Barrier
Reduce Thermal Bridges
Indoor Environmental Quality
Whole Building Ventilation systems
Low VOC/Emitting Materials
Safe Combustion Appliances
Daylighting
Isolation Between House and Garage
Thermal Comfort
Vented Range Hood Over All Gas
Appliances
7
9
6
7
0
1
8
8
5
7
4
2
4
1
0
1
Water Efficiency
Low Use Fixtures (WaterSense)
Turf Area Limits
Xeriscape Requirements
Irrigation Efficiency
9
7
3
6
Performance
Owner's Manual
Proper Equipment Sizing
Quality Installation
7
8
0
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Initial Key Elements Identified by R-TRAC Members
Resource Efficiency
• Local Materials
o Masonry from with in 500 miles
o Incentives for buying local materials
• Recycled Materials
• Certified/Sustainable Wood
o Certified Wood Construction materials
o Sustainably harvested lumber
o Incentives for use of fast growth wood products
• Advanced Framing
o Proper procedures
o Detailed structural/framing plans that reduce job-site material
waste
o Cut lists
o Match building dimensions to standard material sizes
o Pre-made components
o Engineered trusses required as a % of roof and floor systems
• Construction Waste Recycling
o Require recycling on all job sites
o Construction waste management plan to divert from landfill
• Deconstruction plans for all remodels and scrapes
• Stricter requirements for bigger houses
o Feebates based on house size
o No limits on size but increase GB requirements beyond a given
size
Enhanced Durability/ Reduced Maintenance
• Use of durable materials
• Exterior finish (siding, etc.) with a minimum life w/o maintenance of at
least 15 yrs.
• No Paint exteriors (Rock)
• Detailed flashing plans required
• Exterior moisture control
o Roof and drip edge, foundation, gutters and water management
o Increase roof overhang projection
• Material choices (Low maintenance not UV sensitive)
Energy Efficiency
• Minimum insulation requirements
• Continuous Insulation
• ACH50 2.5 or less
• Insulatable framing details (corners, roof truss, heels, etc.)
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Properly installed insulation (installed R-value = rated R-value)
High R-value wall insulation
Basement Windows low-e, no metal bucks
Minimum R-Factors, minimum window u-factors
High performance building envelope
Tight Construction
No recessed ceiling lighting in thermal barrier
Continuous air barrier
Efficient Electric lighting
o CFL
o ENERGY STAR
Solar gain optimization
Sun tempered design
Passive solar design calculation (not built - just for knowledge)
Solar hot water
Solar ready
On-site renewables
Optimize solar gain for winter heat and summer cooling strategies
HVAC sizing
Efficient air handler blower motors
Balanced mechanical systems
A/C Alternatives - ceiling fans, attic fans, design for air flow
2 stage furnace/AC
Minimum 94% efficiency furnace in new homes and retrofits
HERS rating
Energy efficient appliances
Fresh air intake (controlled, potential HRV)
Whole house ventilation system
ENERGY STAR bath fans
Vented range hood overall gas ovens
Indoor Environmental Quality
• Lighting
• Thermal comfort
• Isolation between house and garage
• Education
• Daylighting
• Sealed combustion appliances
• Low emitting materials (paints, coatings, finishes, adhesives, etc)
Water Efficiency
• Limit on turf area that requires watering
• Low volume irrigation
• Sprinkler system with rain meter
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•
•
•
Xeriscaping
Water Sense fixtures
Low flow toilets
Performance
• Owner education
• Owner's Manual
• Blower door testing
• Quality installation of heating and cooling systems
• Building cavities not used for duct supply or return
• Ductwork properly sized, sealed, insulated and tested
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