These are the rules to best of our knowledge.
The entire “Matrix” code was repealed with the adoption of the current energy code.
Gone are the tiers for size and glazing area. Gone are the sustainable building practices.
The rules below are for structures permitted after 4-22-20
New residential structures of any size:
For permit submittals… Prescriptive, Total UA and the Performance Paths have been deleted. Projects must use the ERI compliance path. And the ERI maximums have been modified to be 2015 ERI 60 before photovoltaic solar energy is applied, and 2015 ERI 30 afterwards.
Mandatory requirements
- R402.4.2 Building envelope air tightness and insulation installation shall be demonstrated to comply with the testing option section R402.4.2.1.
- R402.4.3 New wood-burning fireplaces and gas log fireplaces shall have gasketed doors and outdoor combustion air.
- R402.5.1 Recessed luminaires must be of the shallow depth configuration and a minimum of 50% of the required insulation R-value must remain in place above the luminaire including any required separation or air space.
- R403.2 All multiple boiler installations must be sequentially stage.
- Any multiple boiler installations, or hydronic system consisting of more than five (5) zones will require commissioning with a full summary report provided to the building department.
- All new boilers installed in Pitkin County will meet a minimum of 92% AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency).
- R403.7 All Gas fired furnaces shall meet a minimum 92% AFUE.
- All HVAC equipment will meet a minimum SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of 14.
- R407 Whole Project Energy Budget and Renewable Energy Mitigation Program Section
- R407.1 This section establishes criteria for the Whole Project Energy Budget through the Renewable Energy Mitigation Program.
- Appendix A 101.1.1 Home Energy Performance will be predicted by the rating software and Energy Rating Index (ERI) certification. All homes will be required to meet a maximum of ERI 60, prior to application of renewable energy production. Per the “Pitkin County REMP Calculation Sheet,” all homes will be required to meet ERI 30, or provide offset per the Calculation Sheet, or comply with Section 108 (hardship).
Additions, remodels, and heated accessory structures:
For permit submittals…
Option 1 Prescriptive Modified table 402.1.2 from the 2015 IECC including U-factors of .28 for exterior glazing and .40 for skylights (and better) or a weighted average meeting those values.
Option 2 Total UA Passing a 2015 ResCheck using glazing U-factors of .28 for exterior glazing, .40 for skylights, and continuous exterior insulation. Continuous exterior insulation requirement may be waived if proven non-feasible, existing exterior wall assemblies remain unchanged or existing siding remains unchanged.
Mandatory requirements
- R402.4.2 Building envelope air tightness and insulation installation shall be demonstrated to comply with the testing option section R402.4.2.1.
- R402.4.3 New wood-burning fireplaces and gas log fireplaces shall have gasketed doors and outdoor combustion air. Modifications should not be made to listed and labeled factory built fireplaces unless approved by the manufacturer.
- R402.5.1 Recessed luminaires must be of the shallow depth configuration and a minimum of 50% of the required insulation R-value must remain in place above the luminaire including any required separation or air space.
- R403.2 All multiple boiler installations must be sequentially stage.
- Any multiple boiler installations, or hydronic system consisting of more than five (5) zones will require commissioning with a full summary report provided to the building department.
- All new boilers installed in Pitkin County will meet a minimum of 92% AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency).
- R403.7 All Gas fired furnaces shall meet a minimum 92% AFUE.
- All HVAC equipment will meet a minimum SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of 14.
- R407 Whole Project Energy Budget and Renewable Energy Mitigation Program Section
- R407.1 This section establishes criteria for the Whole Project Energy Budget through the Renewable Energy Mitigation Program (Appendix A).
- R501.1.1 For alteration/additions greater than 1000 square feet, an air infiltration (blower door) test is required prior to commencement of the alteration/addition and a final air infiltration test prior to final building inspection must demonstrate a fifteen (15) percent leakage reduction or compliance with Appendix A.
- R503.1.1 existing cavities shall be required to meet prescriptive code minimums whenever feasible. The insulation R-value shall be required to meet prescriptive code minimums whenever feasible.
Commercial buildings:
Building thermal envelope -2015 IECC prescriptive table or pass a 2015 ComCheck thermal envelope compliance report.
Lighting -Pass a 2015 ComCheck Interior and exterior lighting compliance report.
Mechanical -Pass a 2015 ComCheck mechanical compliance report.
REMP, CREMP & GREMP
Renewable Energy Mitigation Program (REMP) payment option is voluntary. Applicants interested in exterior energy use systems can alternatively choose to produce on-site renewable energy (Section 301) with solar photovoltaics and/or solar hot water, ground-source heat pumps or micro-hydro. Download Pitkin County REMP Calculation Sheet
- Appendix A 101.1.2 Exterior Energy Uses. Residential, Commercial, and Governmental exterior energy uses
1. Snowmelt (ie: driveways, patios, walkways, etc.)
2. Exterior pools
3. Exterior spas
4. Electric heat tape for melting of roofs, gutters, downspouts, exterior piping etc. - Appendix A 101.1.3 Onsite Renewable Credits. Credits for renewable energy production will be calculated and applied per “Pitkin County REMP Calculation Sheet” for energy generated onsite. Renewable energy methods listed in the calculator include: solar electric panels (aka. Solar photovoltaic, PV), solar thermal arrays, ground source heat pumps (GSHPs), hydroelectric and wind power. Provision for alternative method calculations, including offsite renewable energy methods, is also provided, but will require specific review and approval by the Building Official.
- Appendix A Section 101.2.1. Snowmelt systems:
1. The maximum area of snowmelt is capped at 6,000 square feet per parcel.
2. R-15 insulation shall be installed under all areas to be snowmelted.
3. Required snowmelt controls. All systems are required to have automated controls to limit operation to when moisture is present, outdoor air temperature is below 40F and above 20F, and the slab temperature sensing. Idling of residential slabs is not allowed, but is allowed in commercial projects where public safety is a factor.
4. Snowmelt heating appliances will have a minimum efficiency of 92% AFUE. Electric resistance and heat pump heaters will be allowed. Where condensing boilers are used, the boiler supply water temperature shall be a maximum of 130F to allow for efficient boiler operation. - Appendix A 101.2.2. Exterior pools:
1. Pool covers are required for all pools, with a minimum R-value of 2.
2. Pool heating appliances will have a minimum efficiency of 92% AFUE. Electric resistance and heat pump heaters will be allowed. Where condensing boilers are used, the boiler supply water temperature shall be a maximum of 130F to allow for efficient boiler operation. - Appendix A 101.2.3. Exterior spas:
1. Spa covers are required for all spas, with a minimum R-value of 12. 2.
2. Package spas less than 64 ft2 are exempt. - 3. A maximum of (1) spa per property is allowed to be exempt.
- 4. Spa heating appliances will have a minimum efficiency of 92% AFUE. Electric resistance and heat pump heaters will be allowed. Where condensing boilers are used, the boiler supply water temperature shall be a maximum of 130F to allow for efficient boiler operation.
- Appendix A 101.2.4 Electric heat tape controls. Electric roof and gutter deicing systems shall include automatic controls capable of shutting off the system when outdoor temperature is above 40F and below 25 F, and which limit the use of the system to daylight hours by means of a programmable timer or automated clock.
- Appendix A 101.2.5 Hydronic roof and gutter deicing systems. These systems shall be considered snowmelt systems and shall comply with Appendix A.
- Appendix A 102 REMP Fee Payment. No refund of fee payment shall be made to an applicant for installation of renewable energy production that exceeds the on-site renewable credits required pursuant to Appendix A. All monies collected pursuant to this section shall be recorded in a separate fund and shall be spent in accordance with a joint resolution by the Aspen City Council and Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners. The proceeds of this fee will be used to reduce fossil fuel generated energy consumption in other improvements in Pitkin County, to administer the International Energy Conservation Code provisions adopted into the Pitkin County Code, to educate the development industry and the public at large of the methods of energy efficient construction practices and the benefits of energy conservation and to achieve the goals of the Pitkin County Climate Action Plan.
- Appendix A 103 Pre-Existing Systems. Pre-existing systems, for which a prior REMP fee was paid, regulated by the scope of this section sought to be replaced by an Applicant, shall receive a pro-rated credit calculated as a fraction of the number of years since prior REMP payment for the system divided by 20 years. For example, a REMP payment made for a system permitted 10 years prior to the current replacement permit submittal would receive credit for ½ of the prior REMP payment and that amount shall be deducted from REMP payment owed for replacement system.
For renewable systems installed on site, full credit will be given for up to 20 years after the date of installation. Credits will only be applied to properly permitted and functioning systems within the scope of the adopted Energy Code and applicable Mechanical and Electrical Codes. Systems installed prior to 20 years before the date of permit application are not eligible for pro-ration of system credits.
Upgrades to existing mechanical equipment (boilers, heat pumps, HVAC equipment, etc.) or renewables energy systems will not require a re-submittal to the application program. However, additions to or replacement of exterior energy uses (as listed above in Section 101.1.2), or additions of 1,000ft2 or more will require re-submittal of the appropriate REMP compliance documents. - Appendix A 104 Solar Photovoltaic Systems. System designer/installer must be certified by COSEIA (Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association) or NABCEP, (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners), or a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Colorado.
- Appendix A 105 Solar Hot Water. The size of solar hot water systems is limited to 500 square feet of collector area absent approval by the Building Official. Systems larger than this limit will be considered, but will require documentation showing year-round utilization of this larger system.
- Appendix A 106 Ground Source Heat Pump. In order to use a GSHP for on-site renewable credit the GSHP system must supply at least 20% of the peak load for heating the building and all the exterior energy uses. Each ground source heat pump system shall be tested and balanced and the design engineer shall certify in writing that it meets or exceeds a design coefficient of performance of 3.0 inclusive of source pump power. Design conditions for determining COP will be: 30F ground loop temperature measured at the GSHP inlet, and 110F GSHP load side outlet.
The ground loop system must be designed by a CGD (Certified GeoExchange Designer certified by the Association of Energy Engineers) or a Professional Engineer licensed in the State of Colorado or an IGSHPA (International Ground Source Heat Pump Association) certified designer. The mechanical system must be installed by a certified IGSHPA contractor. - Appendix A 107 Energy Consumption Aggregated Information. The Building Official seeks to track the progress of the program through submitted energy bills or information regarding residential energy use from other sources. To assist with this program-wide measurement, Applicant is requested provide completed release forms for applicable Utility Providers (electric and gas for properties which have both services). Energy consumption information will be used to monitor program success on an aggregated basis, and not for distribution with property identifying markers attached.
- Appendix A 108 Hardship. Applicant may apply to the Building Official for a full or partial variance of the requirements of Appendix A. Applicant must show undue hardship and that the requirements of Appendix A disproportionately burden the Applicant if applied to a specific piece of property and typical onsite or offsite mitigation methods are not feasible. The Building Official shall evaluate the application for waiver of requirements of Appendix A pursuant to criteria developed in the Community Development Manual and shall only approve a variance where application of Appendix A will cause undue hardship upon the owner of such property which cannot be mitigated, and the granting of relief from the strict application of Appendix A will not cause substantial detriment to the public good and will not substantially impair the intent and purpose of the Pitkin County Code Title 11. Applicant may appeal any denial under this section to the Board of County Commissioners.
- Appendix A 201 Governmental Renewable Exterior Energy Mitigation Program (GREMP)
Local, State and Federal Government Buildings and Structures may be exempted from mitigation payments and offsets defined previously in this code for a percentage of the requested snowmelt when there is a demonstrated risk to public safety related to snow and ice removal.
The following items and any related documentation will be reviewed and evaluated to determine the potential exemption. A percentage of exempted area will be determined and any remaining requested snowmelt will need to be paid for or mitigated in the typical format. Upon recommendation by the Chief Building Official, a formal request will be compiled by the Applicant and presented to the Board of County Commissioners for final approval at a regularly scheduled meeting. - Appendix A 201.1 An application for review and approval would include the following:
1. Demonstration and declaration that typical mitigation methods were researched and proven not feasible.
2. Demonstration that the public service being provided by the entity applying offsets the energy consumption being requested in this application including any cumulative offset exemption requests for REMP mitigation. (ie: Bus Service vs. Vehicle Traffic)
3. Demonstration of safety risk to the General Public if exterior snowmelt is not installed including:
a. Providing the ratio of total paved area vs. snowmelted pavement;
b. Illustrating that the project minimizes the total amount of exterior energy used; and
c. The installation of snowmelt only in critical public safety areas.
4. Demonstration that BTU’s saved through other means (existing equipment upgrades, envelope improvements, or other energy saving measures) translate to mitigation BTU’s for snowmelt credit. Examples include:
a. Hybrids
b. Wind Power
c. Hydro-Electric
d. Waste Oil Boilers
e. Pellet Boilers
5. Demonstration that offsite mitigation alternatives have been considered at other offsite locations within Pitkin County for the installation of typical mitigation methods.
a. Typical Ground Source Heat Pump, Solar, or Photovoltaic methods that are not feasible on site could be installed at a more feasible location.
6. Other creative or innovative alternatives proposed by the applicant.
Upon review and recommendation by the Chief Building Official, areas associated with these buildings or structures that are critical to pedestrian ingress, egress, or life safety may, at the discretion of the Board of County Commissioners, be exempted from REMP payments for all or a portion of the area snowmelted.
Confluence Architecture & Sustainability can help with REMP calculations and provide all the documentation, modeling, testing and certification required to navigate the code.