Issue: DS 2015-079. Petitioner Mr. George Stefanovici seeks clarification on several projects/situations as follows:

Project: Ambay Esthetics – Transformations Surgery Center, new construction of outpatient health care facility with two operating rooms, exam rooms, offices and other support areas. Mechanical design consists of five rooftop packaged DX units, constant and variable air volume boxes. Each Operating Room is served by a dedicated constant volume rooftop air-conditioning unit.

5^th Edition (2014) Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation

C101.3 Intent. This code shall regulate the design and construction of buildings for the effective use and conservation of energy over the useful life of each building. This code is intended to provide flexibility to permit the use of innovative approaches and techniques to achieve this objective. This code is not intended to abridge safety, health or environmental requirements contained in other applicable codes or ordinances.

SECTION R302 DESIGN CONDITIONS

R302.1 Interior design conditions. The interior design temperatures used for heating and cooling load calculations shall be a maximum of 72°F (22°C) for heating and minimum of 75°F (24°C) for cooling.

Question: Does Section C302.1 – i.e. minimum design temperature in cooling 75 deg F – apply to the Operating Room? Surgeons are requesting a maximum design temperature of 68 deg F.

Answer/Option #1: Yes. However, a maximum design temperature of 68 deg F may be allowed, if required by other applicable codes or ordinances as permitted in Section C101.3 of the 5^th Edition (2014) FBC, Energy Conservation.

Answer/Option #2: Not possible. No technical documentation is provided for the maximum design temperature of 68 deg F.

Project: Lake Gibson High School HVAC Upgrade

Complete replacement of the air-conditioning system in an existing high school. The new system consists of new air-cooled chillers, new constant volume chilled water air handlers, variable air volume chilled water air handlers and general exhaust fans.

5^th Edition (2014) Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation

C401.2 Application. Commercial buildings shall comply with one of the following:

1. The requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1.

2. The requirements of Sections C402, C403, C404 and C405. In addition, commercial buildings shall comply with Section C406.2, C406.3 or C406.4.

3. The requirements of Section C407, C402.4, C403.2, C404, C405.2, C405.3, C405.4, C405.6 and C405.7. The building energy cost shall be equal to or less than 85 percent of the standard reference design building.

C401.2.1 Application to existing buildings. Additions, alterations and repairs to existing buildings shall comply with one of the following:

1. Sections C402, C403, C404 and C405; or

2. ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1.

Question: Does the engineer have to follow one of the methods listed in Section C401.2.1 or is the engineer allowed to prove compliance with the Energy Conservation code by using the method described in Section C401.2.3?

Answer: For the project in question, the engineer must follow one of the two compliance methods listed under Section C401.2.1 of the 5^th Edition (2014) FBC, Energy Conservation.

Project: Winter Haven Hospital – HVAC Upgrade

Direct replacement of two roof mounted packaged DX air-conditioning units with new equipment in an existing hospital. The existing ductwork remains in place, only the roof mounted equipment is being replaced.

C101.4.3 Additions, alterations, renovations or repairs. Additions, alterations, renovations or repairs to an existing building, building system or portion thereof shall conform to the provisions of this code as they relate to new construction without requiring the unaltered portion(s) of the

existing building or building system to comply with this code. Additions, alterations, renovations or repairs shall not create an unsafe or hazardous condition or overload existing building systems. An addition shall be deemed to comply with this code if the addition alone complies or if the existing building and addition comply with this code as a single building.

C101.4.7 Building systems and components. Thermal efficiency standards are set for the following building systems and components where new products are installed or replaced in existing buildings, and for which a permit must be obtained. New products shall meet the minimum efficiencies allowed by this code for the following systems

and components:

Heating, ventilating or air conditioning systems.

Service water or pool heating systems.

Electrical systems and motors.

Lighting systems.

Replacement fenestration.

Exceptions:

…

4. Replacement equipment that would require extensive revisions to other systems, equipment

or elements of a building where such replacement is a like-for-like replacement, such as through the-wall condensing units and PTACs, chillers,

and cooling towers in confined spaces.

C401.2.1 Application to existing buildings. Additions, alterations and repairs to existing buildings shall comply with one of the following:

1. Sections C402, C403, C404 and C405; or

2. ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1.

C403.3 Simple HVAC systems and equipment (Prescriptive). This section applies to buildings served by unitary or packaged HVAC equipment listed in Tables C403.2.3(1)

through C403.2.3(8), each serving one zone and controlled by a single thermostat in the zone served. It also applies to two pipe heating systems serving one or more zones, where no

cooling system is installed.

C403.3.1 Economizers. Each cooling system that has a fan shall include either an air or water economizer meeting the requirements of Sections C403.3.1.1 through C403.3.1.1.4.

Exception: Economizers are not required for the systems listed below.

1. Individual fan-cooling units with a supply capacity less than the minimum listed in Table

C403.3.1(1).

2. Where more than 25 percent of the air designed to be supplied by the system is to spaces that are designed to be humidified above 35°F (1.7 °C) dew-point temperature to satisfy process needs.

3. Systems that serve residential spaces where the system capacity is less than five times the

requirement listed in Table C403.3.1(1).

4. Systems expected to operate less than 20 hours per week.

5. Where the use of outdoor air for cooling will affect supermarket open refrigerated casework

systems.

6. Where the cooling efficiency meets or exceeds the efficiency requirements in Table C403.3.1(2).

Question: Does Section C403.3 require an economizer on the new single zone constant volume DX air-conditioning units? The equipment in question does not qualify as an exception as listed under C403.3.1.1 through C403.3.1.1.6.

Answer: Yes. As per Section C403.3.1 of the 5^th Edition (2014) FBC, Energy Conservation, an economizer is required.

Project: Lake Gibson High School HVAC Upgrade

Complete replacement of the air-conditioning system in a high school. The new system consists of new air-cooled chillers, new constant volume and variable air volume chilled water air handlers.

C403.4 Complex HVAC systems and equipment (Prescriptive). This section applies to buildings served by HVAC equipment and systems not covered in Section C403.3.

C403.4.1 Economizers. Economizers shall comply with Sections C403.4.1.1 through C403.4.1.4.

Question: Section C403.4 is applicable to all systems not covered by Section C403.3 – i.e. unitary or packaged HVAC equipment, each serving one zone and controlled by a single thermostat. Therefore, is an economizer as described in Section C403.4 required on an HVAC system consisting of air-cooled chillers, variable air volume air handlers and variable air volume boxes?

Answer: Yes. As per Section C403.4 of the 5^th Edition (2014) FBC, Energy Conservation, an economizer is required.

Project: Ambay Esthetics – Transformations Surgery Center; new construction of outpatient health care facility with two operating rooms, exam rooms, offices and other support areas. Mechanical design consists of five rooftop packaged DX units, constant and variable air volume boxes. Each Operating Room is served by a dedicated rooftop air-conditioning unit.

C403.2.6 Energy recovery ventilation systems. Where the supply airflow rate of a fan system exceeds the values specified in Table C403.2.6, the system shall include an energy recovery system. The energy recovery system shall have the capability to provide a change in the

enthalpy of the outdoor air supply of not less than 50 percent of the difference between the outdoor air and return air enthalpies, at design conditions. Where an air economizer is required, the energy recovery system shall include a bypass or controls which permit operation of the economizer as required by Section C403.4.

Exception: An energy recovery ventilation system shall not be required in any of the following conditions:

1. Where energy recovery systems are prohibited by the Florida Building Code, Mechanical.

2. Laboratory fume hood systems that include at least one of the following features:

2.1. Variable-air-volume hood exhaust and room supply systems capable of reducing

exhaust and makeup air volume to 50 percent or less of design values.

2.2. Direct makeup (auxiliary) air supply equal to at least 75 percent of the exhaust

rate, heated no warmer than 2°F (1.1°C) above room setpoint, cooled to no cooler

than 3°F (1.7°C) below room set point, no humidification added, and no simultaneous

heating and cooling used for dehumidification control.

3. Systems serving spaces that are heated to less than 60°F (15.5°C) and are not cooled.

4. Where more than 60 percent of the outdoor heating energy is provided from site-recovered or site solar energy.

5. Heating energy recovery in Climate Zones 1 and 2.

6. Cooling energy recovery in Climate Zones 3C, 4C, 5B, 5C, 6B, 7 and 8.

7. Systems requiring dehumidification that employ energy recovery in series with the cooling coil.

8. Where the largest source of air exhausted at a single location at the building exterior is less than 75 percent of the design outdoor air flow rate.

9. Systems expected to operate less than 20 hours per week at the outdoor air percentage covered

by Table C403.2.6.

Question: if an air handling unit is provided with a wraparound heat pipe coil, is it acceptable to not provide an Energy Recovery Ventilation System per paragraph C403.2.6.7?

Answer: No. Wraparound heat pipe coil does not fall within the scope of exception C403.2.6.7 of the 5^th Edition (2014) FBC, Energy Conservation.

Project: Newsome High School Classroom Building Addition

A new 16-classroom building will be added to an existing high school. The new air-conditioning system will consist of a new air-cooled chiller and two variable air volume chilled water air handlers and new general exhaust fans.

Project: Lake Gibson School HVAC Upgrade High

Complete replacement of the air-conditioning system in an existing high school. The new system consists of new air –cooled chiller and two variable air volume chilled water air handlers and new general exhaust fans.