2019 ENERGY CODE

Nonresidential
Ace Title 24, Part 6

Resources Triggers New HVAC: Simple and Complex Systems

HVAC Simple Systems
Mandatory Requirements Prescriptive Requirements
Zone Ventilation Dampers Supply
Space ThermostatF, S Heat Pump Shutoff and §120.2(f) Isolation Demand Economizer Zone Temperature EconomizerP, S Fan ControlT, U
Conditioning §120.2(a), (b) DCVH ControlsI ResetJ Automatic close DevicesN SheddingO FDDP ControlF, Q ResetF, R §140.4(e)1- 5 §140.4(k)6
Equipment A Setback CapableG §120.1(d) §120.2(d) §120.2(e) upon fan shutdownL §120.2(g) §120.2(h) §120.2(i) §140.4(d) §140.4(f) 140.4(o)S §140.4(m)
Package Terminal YESD YES no YESK YES no YES YES YES YES no YESV
Air Conditioner B,C
Unitary Air Conditioners YES YES no YESK YES no no YES no no YES YESV
and Condensing Units D
Unitary Heat Pumps E YES YES YES YESK YES no no YES no no YES YESV
Applied Heat PumpsE YES YES YES YESK YES YES YES YES YES no YES YESV
Forced Air Furnace YES YES no YESK YESM no YES no no no no no
Unit Heater YES no no YESK no no no no no no no no
A Central Energy Management Control System (EMCS) should be I Heat pumps with supplementary electric resistance heat have control refrigerant diagnostics. The systems can report failures or suboptimal
installed at building site for optimal equipment operation and requirements. conditions that impact efficiency. Required acceptance tests for these
coordination. J Must include automatic restart to maintain setback temperatures as systems may be found in Reference Appendix NA7.5.11.
B Configurations vary between availability of central plant in design or necessary. Q Simultaneous heat and cool prevention except for variable-air-volume
reliance on self-contained heating and cooling. K Must include automatic time switch OR occupancy sensor OR 4-hour and other system types listed in this section. Ambient conditions also
C Special application requirements for Hotels, High-rise Residential, timer. 7-day programmable local control exemption. provide lockout for seasonal operation only per §140.4(d).
and Perimeter Zoning. Setback capable terminal devices should be L Assumes system has ventilation capacity at the terminal device. R A reset strategy defined and applied to the supply air stream of the
used except where zone is not on EMCS. In that case, capability Damper is to reduce ventilation to zero during unoccupied periods. unit or terminal device.
of four programmable control periods per 24 hours is required Exemptions for; gravity dampers, combustion air paths, 24-hour S Exemptions apply where: (1) outside air conditions are undesirable,
(§110.2(c)). operation, or local law jurisdiction. (2) high-rise residential, (3) adverse effects of other systems, like
D Stand-alone single room window units are exempt (See §110.2(c)). M Reference to combustion air requirements. dehumidification, (4) high cooling efficiency systems (Table 140.4-D)
E Air or water source configuration. N For systems serving multiple zones totaling more than 25,000 ft2. (5) computer rooms served per §140.9(a), (6) systems designed to
F An EMCS may perform the setback functions. A zone need not be isolated if demonstrated that it must be heated operate at 100 percent outside air at all times and (7) Licensed
or cooled continuously. Healthcare facilities
G Set back the zone temperature setpoints to 55°F or lower for heating
and 85°F or higher for cooling. Where used to control both heating O Include settings capable of disabling, manually controlling and T Simple HVAC Systems < 65,000 Btu/Hr do not require fan controls per
and cooling, and where changeover between heating and cooling automatically operating equipment. Applies to HVAC systems with §140.4(m)
modes is automatic, the thermostatic controls shall be capable of DDC to the zone level. U Air-side applications referred to in respective code language. Central
providing a temperature dead band of at least 5°F, within which P Fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) systems are commonly EMCS necessary for remote system operation and ability to oversee
heating and cooling are both shut off or minimized. available for packaged HVAC units, and can be integrated directly by all space-conditioning equipment and pumping needs.
H Demand Control Ventilation. See §120.1(d) 3, 4 and 5 for additional the manufacturer. These are required for all new air-cooled unitary V Variable Frequency Drive necessary to operate supply fan speed
CO2 concentration setpoint information and sensor location direct-expansion systems with cooling capacity of 54 kBtu/h control at the unit.
requirements. (4 ½ tons) or greater. Controls include economizer checks and

EnergyCodeAce.com 2019 Title 24, Part 6 - Nonresidential New HVAC: Simple and Complex Systems Triggers Page 1 of 5
2020-09-03
Acceptance Tests: HVAC Simple Systems
NRCA-
NRCA- MCH-12-A NRCA- NRCA-
MCH-03-A NRCA- Fault MCH-13-A MCH-18-AA
Constant MCH04-A NRCA- NRCA- NRCA- Detection Fault NRCA- Energy NRCA-
Volume, Air MCH-05-A MCH-06-A NRCA- NRCA- MCH-11-A and Detection MCH-16-A Manage- MCH-19-A
The measures below NRCA- Single-zone, Distribution Air Demand MCH-07-A MCH-08-A Automatic Diagnostic and Supply ment Occupancy
trigger these MCH-02-A Unitary A/C Duct Economizer Control Supply Valve Demand for DX Diagnostic Air Temp Control Sensor
acceptance tests Outdoor Air and HP Leakage Controls Ventilation Fan VFD Leakage Shed Systems for AHUs Reset System Control

Zone T-Stats no YES no no no no no no no no no YES no

DCV YES YES no YES YES YES no no no no no YES no

Heat Pump Controls no YES no no no no no no no no no no no

Shutoff and Reset no YES no no no no no YES no no no YES YES

Ventilation Dampers YES YES YES YES no YES no no no no no YES no

Isolation Devices no YES YES no no no YES no no no no YES no

Demand Shedding no no no no no no no YES no no no YES no

Economizer and/or FDD YES YES no YES no YES no no YES YES no YES no

Zone Control no YES no no no no YES YES no no no YES no

Supply Temp. Reset no no no no no no no no no no YES YES no

Variable Flow Control no no no no no YES YES no no no no YES no

Duct Systems YES no YES no no no no no no no no no no

A Test is only applicable if an EMCS is present

EnergyCodeAce.com 2019 Title 24, Part 6 - Nonresidential New HVAC: Simple and Complex Systems Triggers Page 2 of 5

HVAC Complex Systems
Mandatory Requirements Prescriptive Requirements

Supply
Zone VentilationDampers Optimum Temperature
Space Thermostat C, N Shutoff and §120.2(f) Isolation Demand Start Stop Zone Reset Economizer O Fan Control P, Q Isolation
Conditioning §120.2(a), (b) DCV E Reset F Automatic close Devices I Shedding J DDCK §120.2(k) Control K §140.4(f) §140.4(e)1- 3 §140.4(k)6 §140.4(k)2
Equipment A Setback Capable D §120.1(d) §120.2(e) upon fan shutdown H §120.2(g) §120.2(h) §120.2(j) (new in 2016) §140.4(d) §140.4(k)4 §140.4(o)S §140.4(m) §140.4(k)3

Boiler no no YES G no no YES YES YES YES YES L no no YES

Air-cooled Chiller no no YES G no no YES YES YES YES YES N no YES YES

Water-cooled Chiller no no YES G no no YES YES YES YES YES N no YES YES
Variable Refrigerant YES YES YES G no YES YES no no YES YES YES YES no
Flow (VRF)
Air Handling Systems
& ZonesB YES YES YES G YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES no

Zone Terminal Units YES no YES G no no YES YES YES YES YES no YES no
or Fan Coils

A Central Energy Management Control System (EMCS) should be installed at
building site for optimal equipment operation and coordination.
B Applies to fan systems serving multiple thermostatically controlled zones, and
to built-up air handler systems (non-unitary or nonpackaged HVAC equipment).
C An EMCS may perform the setback functions.
D Heating and cooling set point dead band of ±5°F should be implemented on all
temperature set points. Applies only to equipment with heating AND cooling
capability. Set back the zone temperature set points to 55°F or lower for
heating and 85°F or higher for cooling.
E Demand Control Ventilation. See §120.1(d) 3, 4 and 5 for additional CO2
concentration set point information and sensor location requirements.
F Must include automatic restart to maintain setback temperatures as
necessary.
G Must include automatic time switch OR occupancy sensor OR 4-hour timer.
7-day programmable local control exemption.
H Reference to mechanical room ventilation fan where chillers are located.
I For systems serving multiple zones totaling more than 25,000 ft2. A zone need
not be isolated if demonstrated that it must be heated or cooled continuously.
J Include settings capable of disabling, manually controlling, or automatically
operating equipment. Applies to HVAC systems with DDC to the zone level.
K Individual systems supplying more than 3 zones and with design heating or
cooling capacity of 300,000 Btu/h (25 tons) or larger.
L Simultaneous heat and cool prevention except for variable-air-volume and
other system types listed in this section. Ambient conditions also provide
lockout for seasonal operation only.
M Referred to as “Hot Water Supply Temperature Reset”.
N Referred to as “Chilled Water Supply Temperature Reset”.
O Exemptions apply where: (1) outside air conditions are undesirable,
(2) high-rise residential, (3) adverse effects of other systems, like
dehumidification, (4) high cooling efficiency systems [Table 140.4-D]
(5) computer rooms served per §140.9(a) and (6) Licensed Healtcare facilities
P Includes reference to both water and air-side applications referred to in
respective code language. Central EMCS necessary for remote system
operation and ability to oversee all space-conditioning equipment and
pumping needs.
Q Simple HVAC Systems < 65,000 Btu/Hr do not require fan controls per
§140.4(m)

EnergyCodeAce.com 2019 Title 24, Part 6 - Nonresidential New HVAC: Simple and Complex Systems Triggers Page 3 of 5

Acceptance Tests: HVAC Complex Systems
NRCA- NRCA- NRCA-
MCH-09-A NRCA- NRCA- NRCA- MCH-17-A MCH-18-AA
The measures NRCA- NRCA- NRCA- Supply MCH-10-A NRCA- MCH-13-A MCH-14-A NRCA- NRCA- Condenser Energy NRCA-
below NRCA- MCH-05-A MCH-06-A MCH-07-A NRCA- Water Hydronic MCH-11-A AHUs Distributed MCH-15-A MCH-16-A Water Manage- MCH-19-A
trigger these MCH-02-A Air Demand Supply MCH-08-A Temper- System Automatic and Zone Energy Thermal SAT Temper- ment Occupancy
acceptance Outdoor Economizer Control Fan Valve ature Variable Demand Terminal Storage DX Energy Reset ature Control Sensor
tests Air Controls Ventilation VFD Leakage Reset Flow Shed Units AC Systems Storage Controls Reset System Control

Zone T-Stats no no no no no no no no no no no no no YES no

DCV YES no YES YES no no no no no no no no no YES no

Shutoff no YES no no no no YES YES no no no no no YES YES

and Reset
Ventilation YES YES no YES no no no no YES no no no no YES no
Dampers
Isolation no no no no YES no YES no no no no no no YES no
Devices
Demand no no no no no no no YES no no no no no YES no
Shedding
Economizer YES YES no YES no no no no no no no no no YES no
and/or FDD

Zone Control no no no no YES no YES YES YES no no YES no YES no

Supply no no no no no YES no no no no no YES YES YES no

Temp. Reset
Variable
Flow no no no YES YES no YES no YES no no no no YES no
Control

Distributed
Energy no no no no no no no no no YES no no no no no
Storage DX
AC Systems

Thermal
Energy no no no no no no no no no no YES no no no no
Storage
Systems
A Test is only applicable if an EMCS is present

EnergyCodeAce.com 2019 Title 24, Part 6 - Nonresidential New HVAC: Simple and Complex Systems Triggers Page 4 of 5

For More Information
Primary Sources California Energy Commission Information & Services
• Energy Code Section 110.2 – Mandatory Requirements for • Energy Standards Hotline: 1-800-772-3300 (Free) or Title24@energy.ca.gov
Space-Conditioning Equipment: • Online Resource Center:
energycodeace.com/site/custom/public/reference-ace-2019/Documents/ www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/building-energy-efficiency-standards/
section1102mandatoryrequirementsforspaceconditioningequipment.htm online-resource-center
• Energy Code Section 120.1 – Requirements for Ventilation: – The Energy Commission’s main web portal for the Energy Code, including
energycodeace.com/site/custom/public/reference-ace-2019/Documents/ information, documents and historical information
section1201requirementsforventilationandindoorairquality.htm
Additional Resources
• Energy Code Section 120.2 – Required Controls for Space-Conditioning Systems:
• Energy Code Ace:
energycodeace.com/site/custom/public/reference-ace-2019/Documents/
EnergyCodeAce.com
section1202requiredcontrolsforspaceconditioningsystems.htm
• Energy Code Section 140.4 – Prescriptive Requirements for – An online “one-stop-shop” providing free resources and training to help appliance
Space-Conditioning Systems: and building industry professionals decode and comply with Title 24, Part 6 and
Title 20. The site is administered by California’s investor-owned utilities.
energycodeace.com/site/custom/public/reference-ace-2019/Documents/
section1404prescriptiverequirementsforspaceconditioningsystems.htm Please register with the site and select an industry role for your profile in order to
receive messages about all our free offerings!
• Energy Code Section 140.9 – Prescriptive Requirements for Covered Processes:
energycodeace.com/site/custom/public/reference-ace-2019/Documents/
section1409prescriptiverequirementsforcoveredprocesses.htm
• Energy Code Nonresidential Reference Appendix NA7– Installation and Acceptance
Requirements for Nonresidential Buildings and Covered Processes:
energycodeace.com/site/custom/public/reference-ace-2019/Documents/
appendixna7installationandacceptancerequirementsfornonresidentia.htm

This program is funded by California utility customers and administered by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E®), Southern California Edison Company (SCE), and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas®) under the auspices of the
California Public Utilities Commission.
© 2019 PG&E, SDG&E, SoCalGas and SCE. All rights reserved, except that this document may be used, copied, and distributed without modification. Neither PG&E, SoCalGas, SDG&E, nor SCE — nor any of their employees makes any warranty, express or implied; or assumes any
legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any data, information, method, product, policy or process disclosed in this document; or represents that its use will not infringe any privately-owned rights including, but not limited to patents, trademarks
or copyrights. Images used in this document are intended for illustrative purposes only. Any reference or appearance herein to any specific commercial products, processes or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement,
recommendation or favoring.

EnergyCodeAce.com 2019 Title 24, Part 6 - Nonresidential New HVAC: Simple and Complex Systems Triggers Page 5 of 5