FLORIDA BUILDING COMMISSION

Energy Technical Advisory Committee

St. Augustine, Florida

January 28, 2008

The meeting was convened by Chair Dale Greiner at 1:15 p.m. A quorum was achieved with nine voting members present: Steve Bassett, Bob Cochell, Philip Fairey, Jan Geyselaers, Dale Greiner, Chuck Meyers representing Maury Jacobson, Donald Kitner, Richard Reynolds, Bob Volin representing Roger Sanders. Staff support was provided by Ann Stanton.

Meeting Objectives:

•  Review/approve agenda and minutes………………….. Dale Greiner, Chairman .

•  Review DCA08-DEC-004 concerning the role of ACCA Manual S in HVAC equipment sizing per Section 13-607.1.ABC.1.1 of the code and provide a recommendation to the Commission as to its disposition.

•  Report by Rick Dixon, Executive Director to the Florida Building Commission, on the energy policy initiatives scheduled to go before the upcoming Legislative Session.

Actions Taken:

The agenda and minutes of the 10/2/07 meeting were unanimously approved.

Ms. Karen W. Oliver provided an explanation of DCA08-DEC-004. She stated that code requirements on equipment sizing are confusing and few contractors understand the code. A/C contractors are deathly afraid of undersizing equipment. Loads will be manipulated to allow installation of the equipment desired until the code is enforced.

Discussion included:

•  Manual J is a load sizing procedure. Manual S has guidelines for equipment selection.

•  Sizing may be performed by use of ASHRAE Cooling & Heating Load Calculation Manual, which would not utilize Manual S.

•  Use of Manual S is not directly referenced from the code.

•  The function of Manual S is described by code.

On a motion from Bassett and a second from Reynolds, the TAC approved the following disposition of DCA08-DEC-004 on a vote of 8-1:

To the question, “Does the code imply use of the ACCA Manual S ?”, the answer is the code does not directly reference Manual S for the purpose of selecting equipment. However, Manual J defers to Manual S on this subject. Manual S does show how to use comprehensive manufacturer's performance data on sensible, latent, or heating capacity for various operating conditions, which is required by Section 13-607.1.ABC.1.1 of the Florida Building Code, Building .

Rick Dixon, Executive Director to the Florida Building Commission, reported on legislative language change recommendations from the Governor's Action Team on Energy and Climate Change that will be considered by the Florida Building Commission. Also presented were results of the Cost-Effective Energy-Efficiency and Florida's Residential Code study commissioned by the 2007 Legislature and performed by the Florida Solar Energy Center under contract to the Florida Department of Community Affairs. Dixon stated that the energy code rule would become the vehicle to revise the code to meet Governor Crist's directive to increase energy code stringency 15% by January, 2009. Once the rule is revised, it can be included as part of the Glitch Fix cycle during the summer of 2008.

The meeting was adjourned by Chair Greiner at 2:45 p.m.