October 21, 2005 Meeting Minutes

Fred Knapp introduced Dave Nichols, ICC Liaison; SNMBOA officers and board members; and Dan Hagan, from the New Mexico Department of Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources, who came to discuss the 2003 New Mexico Energy Conservation Code.

Dan Hagan discussed two manuals, Residential and Commercial, which help to describe the content of and procedures for complying with the 2003 New Mexico Energy Conservation Code. The Commercial manual is currently being revised and the next generation of the Residential manual will have more congruity with Res-Check compliance software.

Compliance with the code may be demonstrated by any of three methods:

1. Using the tables in the manual.
2. Using Res-Check software.
3. Using ICC IRC chapters 4, 5, and 6.

The manual simplifies compliance and incorporates provisions for passive solar heating and allowances for using mass walls.

There are five worksheets in the manual:

• Trade off worksheet
• Systems and Equipment worksheet
• Passive solar heating worksheet
• Mass wall allowance
• Inspection checklist

The trade off worksheet helps determine a total value for heat loss that can be derived by entering R-values, areas of insulation, assemblies, glazing, etc. in the design. By increasing the role of insulated assemblies in one area of the design, other areas may be allowed to be less insulated as long as the total on the worksheet is less than the "code house" number.

The systems and equipment worksheet describes assembly details and efficiencies of equipment.

The passive solar heating worksheet includes solar feature characteristics and solar feature areas. The data derived in this worksheet can be inserted in the trade off worksheet to off-set some heat loss conditions.

The mass wall allowance includes mass wall feature characteristics and mass wall feature areas and takes into consideration assemblies of masonry, adobe, rammed earth, ICFs, and other alternative shell materials.

The inspection checklist helps the code enforcement officer or building inspector determine what to look for in the project to verify that what is being built is what was included in the compliance calculations. The trade off worksheet and systems and equipment worksheet help to generate this checklist.

Residential manuals were distributed to attendees. Res-Check software can be found at www.energycodes.gov/rescheck/

The Commercial Energy Conservation Code includes four primary chapters:

• 802 Building Envelope
• 803 Mechanical systems
• 804 Service water
• 805 Electric power and lighting

This code section is being revised. One of the problem areas is that micro climate zones are not identified. Climate zones are assigned by county.

Dan Hagan also discussed green building concepts since the Governor is making a strong push for state buildings to utilize green building principles and requiring LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for all state buildings.

Dave Nichols, ICC liaison, recapped the ICC Conference in Detroit in September.

• New officers were elected to the Board. Adoph Zubia was close, but was not elected. Henry Green was elected President. He is from Michigan and served as the Director of their state agency equivalent to Construction Industries Division.
• A proposal is being evaluated to consider having Board members elected by region.
• A total of about $60,000 was donated to the Katrina relief fund on behalf of ICC and member chapters.
• Chapters should look more closely into the "cafeteria plan" for collecting points for doing special activities and deciding how to "spend" the points collected. The program is described on the ICC website www.iccsafe.org in the membership section.
• There is ongoing work on a memorandum of understanding between IATMO and ICC to develop a single mechanical and single electrical code. There will be a face to face meeting November 19th to discuss a joint venture to produce these joint codes.

Possible topics for the Spring Training Conference April 12-14, 2006:

• Model Energy Conservation Code - Residential and Commerical - "step by step" procedures and examples
• Stucco Seminar
• International Existing Buildings Code
• Metal Studs and Framing
• Accessibility issues
• Fire Caulking
• Wood Framing
• Concrete
• Plumbing
• Multiple Discipline issues
• IRC for Contractors

The training seminar should consist of 3 days with 1/2 day courses. Since we have the entire Ruidoso Convention Center, we could have as many as 6 classes simultaneously.

The golf tournament is likely to be the Sunday before the conference starts.

Tentative schedule:

• Sunday 4/10 - Golf Tournament, The Links at Sierra Blanca
• Monday 4/11 - Registration and Reception at hospitality room
• Tuesday 4/12 - Classes
• Wednesday 4/13 - Classes
• Thursday 4/14 - Classes

A competition was discussed for jurisdictions to raise the most money in sponsors. The winner will receive recognition and a plaque.

All sponsors will be recognized, while sponsors donating $1000 or more will receive a plaque.