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2019 Envelope Air Sealing

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2019 Envelope Air Sealing CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION | EFFICIENCY DIVISION Envelope Air Sealing Building Envelope and Air Leakage buildings have low rates of air leakage, which can reduce energy used to heat or cool the The building envelope is the exterior building. It also makes it easier for mechanical components, including demising partitions, which ventilation fans to control healthy indoor-outdoor enclose conditioned space, separating it from air exchange. Owners save money on energy unconditioned space (such as attics, garages) and bills, while occupants experience stable interior outdoor space. Air leakage occurs when outside temperatures and improved indoor air quality. air enters and conditioned air leaves through cracks and openings in the building envelope. Are there Mandatory Requirements? Envelope air sealing limits this unintentional air Yes. The Building Energy Efficiency Standards movement by sealing all joints, penetrations and (Energy Code) has required air sealing of the other openings using caulking, gaskets, weather- building envelope in California since 1982. The stripping, or continuous air barriers. 2019 Energy Code mandatory requirements in Benefits of Limiting Air Leakage § 110.7 limit air leakage in newly constructed low-rise residential, nonresidential, hotel, motel, An effective building envelope provides a and high-rise residential buildings, as well as continuous barrier and is key to a building’s additions and alterations to existing buildings. energy efficiency performance. Properly sealed Design and construction documents should clearly identify the air barrier components Residential Air Sealing Locations for each assembly, including detailing joints, 1. Continuous air barrier 17. Recessed lighting interconnections and sealing of penetrations. seams 18. Porch roof and For more information on the Energy Code requirements, visit the Online Resource Center. 2. Floor/subfloor bottom overhangs plate Not shown 3. Rim joists 4. Exterior wall penetrations 19. Cantilevered floor 5. Electrical boxes/knockouts 20. Chases for piping or ducts 6. Windows and doors 21. Common walls between 7. Fan and dryer exhausts attached dwelling units 8. Plumbing and gas lines 22. Whole-house fan 9. Staircase framing 23. Fire sprinklers 10. Attached garage walls 24. Dropped 11. Fireplace wall ceiling/soffits 12. Flue or chimney shaft 13. Attic top plate 14. Attic kneewalls and skylight shafts 15. Attic access doors 16. HVAC ducts/registers Nonresidential Air Sealing Locations 1. Air barrier and thermal 11. Elevator shafts barrier alignment 12. Stairwells 2. Rim joists, sill plates, 13. Attached parking garages foundations, floor 14. Skylights 3. Soffits 15. Fire sprinklers 4. Risers and shafts for Not Shown piping or ducts 5. Exterior wall penetrations 16. Common walls between 6. Windows and doors attached dwelling units 7. Plumbing, gas lines 17. Cantilevered floors 8. Lighting fixtures 18. Flue and chimney shafts 9. Ducts and registers 19. Fireplace walls 10. Ventilation fans 20. Electrical conduits Additional Mandatory Requirements for Multifamily Buildings (QII), which includes envelope air sealing and Since multifamily buildings share walls and home energy rating system (HERS) testing. floors with adjacent homes and garages, sealing Following the QII procedures will reduce the building envelope is very important. The envelope air leakage. For more information on Energy Code includes additional requirements QII see Residential Reference Appendix RA3.5. for multifamily buildings to minimize the transfer of air pollutants between dwellings and garages. Are there Performance Credits for Envelope Individual dwelling unit envelope air leakage testing may be required, depending on the type Air Leakage Testing? of ventilation system used. For more information Yes. In single-family residential buildings, under see § 120.1(b)2 and § 150.0(o)1E. the performance approach, there is a credit given when the rate of the envelope air leakage is less What are the Prescriptive Requirements? than five air changes per hour at 50 pascals. A For nonresidential buildings, there is a prescriptive certified HERS rater shall verify the air leakage requirement for a continuous air barrier as part with a blower door test. For more information on of the building envelope in § 140.3(a)9. For low- HERS testing requirements for air leakage of rise residential buildings, there is a prescriptive building enclosures see Residential Reference requirement for quality insulation installation Appendix RA3.8. Governor Commissioners Gavin Newsom Karen Douglas, J.D. Chair J. Andrew McAllister, Ph.D David Hochschild Patricia Monahan Vice Chair Executive Director Janea A. Scott, J.D. Drew Bohan .
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