AIA CA Working for you //byline Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA January 23, 2025 Because the implementation of California’s building codes can be arbitrary, I am always happy when AIA California is successful in better aligning these requirements with architects’ needs. We all know the regulatory environment in California is complicated – that’s why AIA California monitors and actively speaks on behalf of the architectural profession with over 20 different state agencies, boards and commissions. From protecting the license to lobbying for universal design principles to identifying opportunities to “demystify” the code compliance process to addressing project-type specific regulations– AIA CA is your voice in Sacramento. Working with the California Energy Commission (CEC), we recently were successful in lobbying for site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) information from the compliance process.  EUI is the national standard for comparing project energy performance and this value helps architects understand the impact of design decisions on building performance.  While the EUI value existed ‘behind the scenes’ in the CEC program, the output values are based on California’s unique Time Dependent Value (TDV) metric, and there is no direct way to convert from TDV to EUI.  Our efforts were successful and EUI is now included in the Title 24 docs, in addition to the TDV.  This simple request – information to help improve the energy efficiency of buildings – has unfortunately led to some confusion with building officials, who have, upon occasion, thought that compliance is based on EUI. It is not, TDV remains the metric. And we were successful in having the CEC revise the output to clarify that EUI is not part of California compliance.    If you’re faced with an official using EUI (not TDV), cite this article in the CEC’s Blueprint newsletter (March 2024) https://www.energy.ca.gov/publications/2024/blueprint-newsletter-january-march-2024-issue-145) Providing you with information to better understand the impact of design decisions and tools to help you resolve conflicts with building officials – two more ways AIA California is working for you. Nicki

AIA CA Working for you

Successful Advocacy for Real World EIU Data

//byline
Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA
January 23, 2025

Because the implementation of California’s building codes can be arbitrary, I am always happy when AIA California is successful in better aligning these requirements with architects’ needs.

We all know the regulatory environment in California is complicated – that’s why AIA California monitors and actively speaks on behalf of the architectural profession with over 20 different state agencies, boards and commissions. From protecting the license to lobbying for universal design principles to identifying opportunities to “demystify” the code compliance process to addressing project-type specific regulations– AIA CA is your voice in Sacramento.

Working with the California Energy Commission (CEC), we recently were successful in lobbying for site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) information from the compliance process.  EUI is the national standard for comparing project energy performance and this value helps architects understand the impact of design decisions on building performance. 

While the EUI value existed ‘behind the scenes’ in the CEC program, the output values are based on California’s unique Time Dependent Value (TDV) metric, and there is no direct way to convert from TDV to EUI.  Our efforts were successful and EUI is now included in the Title 24 docs, in addition to the TDV. 

This simple request – information to help improve the energy efficiency of buildings – has unfortunately led to some confusion with building officials, who have, upon occasion, thought that compliance is based on EUI. It is not, TDV remains the metric.

And we were successful in having the CEC revise the output to clarify that EUI is not part of California compliance.   

If you’re faced with an official using EUI (not TDV), cite this article in the CEC’s Blueprint newsletter (March 2024)

https://www.energy.ca.gov/publications/2024/blueprint-newsletter-january-march-2024-issue-145)

Providing you with information to better understand the impact of design decisions and tools to help you resolve conflicts with building officials – two more ways AIA California is working for you.

Nicki

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