Golden Rule

By Sheryl S. Jackson 

There is no such thing as a crystal ball that can prepare retail facilities managers for the future, but FMs can look to California for a preview of what might happen in building energy efficiency requirements. 

The state’s Title 24 energy standards were enacted in 1978 and are updated every three years to reflect new energy efficient technologies and construction methods. All new construction of, and additions and alterations to, residential and nonresidential buildings are covered except hospitals, nursing homes, correctional centers, jails and prisons. 

“There are three areas of the Title 24 standards that affect retail facility managers most — HVAC, indoor air quality and lighting,” said CP Pitones, Senior Account Executive at Yardi Energy. “These are critical areas for retailers because all affect the overall customer experience.”

“There is a high, stringent standard set for HVAC systems with rooftop units, such as those used for many big box and retail stores,” said Yiming Peng, P.E., Energy Engineer at Yardi. The 2016 standards require an integrated energy efficiency ratio of 12.9 for a typical retail rooftop unit between 5 and 10 tons, which is a 13 percent increase from the 2013 standards. To ensure compliance with the standards, Title 24 also includes extensive acceptance testing procedures for HVAC equipment, he pointed out. 

Minimum standards 

In addition to setting efficiency expectations for HVAC systems, lighting systems also have minimum standards that must be met in Title 24 regulations, Peng explained. “There is a light power allowance for retail spaces — a maximum of 1.2 watts per square foot,” he said. Use of energy efficient lighting, such as LED systems; daylight harvesting strategies, such as skylights and daylighting control; and occupancy-related, automatic dimming controls to lower light levels when the building or parts of the building are not occupied are innovative approaches that lower the power use of lighting systems, he added.

Because compliance with indoor air quality standards relies on a ventilation system that brings outdoor air into the building, it is critical FMs develop a robust preventive maintenance program that includes regular filter changes to optimize the system’s effectiveness and energy efficiency, Pitones said. “The use of a demand control ventilation system that automatically adjusts operation based on occupancy levels also improves energy efficiency,” he said. “The system is designed to adjust ventilation rates based on the carbon dioxide levels that vary with occupancy.”

Throughout the design and construction phases of new construction or renovation, code enforcement personnel inspect to determine and test for compliance with standards. “The penalty for noncompliance is straightforward — an occupancy certificate is not issued,” Pitones said. Financially, this not only means the retailer must continue construction to bring the building into compliance, but also results in lost revenue as the opening is delayed. 

One caution offered by Peng is for FMs who might want to change what appears to be a small component or portion of an HVAC, lighting or ventilation system. “There are complicated trigger points that determine whether a project must comply with Title 24,” he said. Although the regulations include a spreadsheet detailing the specific trigger points, determining if a project requires Title 24 compliance can be complicated. “Consulting with a professional engineer who is familiar with the standards and trigger points is recommended,” he added.

State by state 

Peng doesn’t anticipate other states will adopt or write their own standards based on California’s Title 24, but he also noted that California has influenced some of the standards changes adopted by ASHRAE [American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers]. Not only do ASHRAE standards for energy efficiency set the baseline for LEED and Energy Star certification, but they are also used nationally by most states. As ASHRAE incorporates California requirements, states that rely on the national standards will be adopting components of the California standards — something that is already happening, he said. “The most recent version of ASHRAE standards reflect California standards, including the mandatory use of variable speed drives for a wider selection of HVAC application, including fans, pumps and compressors.”

Building codes, environmental rules and ordinances are constantly evolving. As demonstrated by Title 24, there are many discrepancies between the codes in one state and those in a different state. There are even differences between cities within the same state. These varying factors illustrate the importance of the facility manager’s role, as he or she seeks to monitor and manage dozens of retail locations.