Just wait, it's coming, like it or not.
Just wait, it's coming, like it or not.
Oh boy are you all in for a fun surprize. California has a requirement for each building to meet an "energy budget". This requires each building have calculations run that include everything from the window rating and type, to is the heating ducts in the attic or under the floor. How much % of wall space is windows, what direction the walls face, North,west etc. On a house it is usually a two page document. The best part is it can only be calculated on "proprietory software", so you can't do it yourself. They also have manditory provistions that must be met. These include: that 50% of all wattage of kitchen lighting be "high efficacy"(that means if you want one incandescent fixture that can take upto 100 watts, you need 100 watts of LED or fluorescent) not always easy to do. The two books that the state supplies on the subject are bigger than the NEC.
I'm guessing that you are right behind us in being forced to follow this same requirements, "green, green, green". Most of the local inspectors feel like they are being forced to become the "Light bulb police". I took a 16 week class on the new mandates and in general they are good because they make the houses energy efficiant and less costly to run over a years time.
You are correct about making houses "to tight", one of the provisions of the energy code is an exhaust fan running at all times, to improve indoor air quallity. In a house of 3500sq. ft. we need a 110cfm fan running at all times. the advantage is an existing bathfan can quallify as long as you lable the switch,"do not turn off".
