By Raymond Kent, CTS, LEED AP BD+C, DMC-D, EAVA, ECA
You may not know it even with all of the news and articles on the green building movement, but there is soon to be another building code that will impact what we do as AV and technology professionals. This past June, Randal A. Lemke, PhD. – Executive Director and CEO of InfoComm International - announced at the annual InfoComm trade show the creation of the STEP Foundation™ to oversee the running of the Sustainable Technology Environments Program™ (STEP™) (See Next Steps in Green AV and http://www.infocomm.org/cps/rde/xchg/infocomm/hs.xsl/17212.htm for more information). This important initiative created and sponsored by InfoComm will be a critical path to successfully navigating the International Green Construction Code™ (IGCC™)
If you have never heard of the IGCC™ here is the skinny. The IGCC™ document is currently in its second public review and was created because of recognition at all levels of Government and Building Safety Professionals that a mandatory baseline of codes addressing green construction was needed. This code will provide a framework for the integration of sustainability, safety, and performance. The foundation of this code was the 2012 International Codes using minimum prescriptive and performance based provisions working as an overlay to the other International Code Council Family of Codes and Standards that can be increased through a selection of jurisdictional requirements and project electives. This recognizes that the Code be a model that addresses the green market segment beyond those captured by rating systems such as Green Globe or LEED and is an enforceable entity that is usable and adoptable.
Currently ASHRAE, The US Green Building Council, and the Illuminating Engineering society all support the adoption of the International Green Construction Code. Because of this partnership, ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1 was created as a Jurisdictional Compliance Option of the IGCC™. States and local jurisdictions within the US may currently elect to adopt Standard 189.1 as a Jurisdiction Compliance Option enacting the Code as a guideline to their current building code standards. By adopting this, there is a real opportunity for audiovisual professionals to step into the process and be a real influence on the sustainability of a project.
So what does this mean for us in the AV industry? Several sections relate to technology and the way we do business that it cannot do anything but impact how systems are designed and integrated. It also means a deeper partnership with our design team partners – Architects, MEP Engineers, and the Client.
For starters section 502.3 Storage of lamps, batteries, and electronics requires that a space be provided for storage of used gear prior to being disposed of in the way that the Authority Having Jurisdiction requires. This will require planning and communication with the design team to determine the right type, size and other requirements of that storage are. It is also a great opportunity to work with the client on exactly how to discard and recycle their unwanted electronics in an environmentally responsible way. It is also a great opportunity to start a technology master plan discussion with your clients as this deals with End-of-Life issues for technology.
Chapter 6 – Energy Conservation, Efficiency, and Atmospheric Quality has the greatest impact on what we do. This section regulates the design, construction, commissioning, and operations of buildings and their sites for effective use of energy. InfoComm’s Energy Power Management Standard as well as STEP™ should play a key role in this as it is one of the first times a building code has directly dealt with the plug load side of the equation in any energy calculations.
Section 602 – Energy Performance, Peak Power, and Reduced CO2e Emissions provides a zero energy performance index (zEPI) based on occupancy types. Currently the zEPI point of entry is 51 of a possible 100 however jurisdictions can elect to have a higher standard. The prescriptive and performance-based compliance details follow in sections 604-612 of the Code.
For example Section 604 – Energy Metering, Monitoring, and Reporting mandate that any building consuming energy shall comply with this Code section. It provides the requirements that the buildings energy use, production, and any reclamation of energy be measured, monitored, and reported. This includes the design of power distributions systems that can not only isolate load types but require the installation of data enabled metering systems that provide their information to a public display. This information must be made available to the building owners, the tenant, and the public. The data shall include energy use, energy demand, and emissions associated with the energy use as a whole. Who better to provide the display and the infrastructure to support it than the AV industry.
Plug loads in Section 604.3.4 – Plug Loads (read that as computers, AV equipment, copiers, cell phone chargers, etc.) can be measured and reported via a sub-meter or other equivalent approved device. There are manufacturers within the AV industry that have the capability to provide this required feedback right now and it will be part of our AV solution. There is an opportunity here to be a value added component to the design team right from the start.
To me one of the more striking provision of this code section is 604.3.5 Process Loads. This category takes into account and provides separate metering and reporting for any single load associated with activities within the building provided they exceed 5% of the total energy use of the building. This includes data centers and can also include large AV head ends that are energy intensive such as museum, performing arts, command and control, or broadcast applications. The metering must be connected to a data acquisition and management system capable of storing 3 years worth of data and must be available to be displayed in real time. The display (604.7 Energy Display) is called out as a permanent, readily accessible and visible display adjacent to the main building entrance or on a publically available website. It has to provide the current energy demand for the whole building by fuel type, the average peak demand for the previous day and the same day from the previous year, and the total energy usage for the last 18 months.
Section 609 – Building Electrical Power and Lighting Systems part of the IGCC™ details the controls required for energy management. 609.6 Plug Load Controls is the section that most impacts our industry. Receptacles and electrical outlets are required to be controlled via an occupancy sensor or time switch. There are provisions requiring switched receptacles for audiovisual systems (609.6.4) that include displays, projectors and audio amplifiers in Group B and E classrooms, conference and meeting rooms, and multi-purpose rooms to be controlled by an occupancy sensor. This will require some form of room automation system. This could be from an AV manufacturer that specializes in controls or a Honeywell, Siemens, or Johnson Controls. The critical path for our industry is to be at the table early so systems are not designed that simply shut off power to the switch without taking into account damage that could happen to that plug load equipment if not properly power sequenced.
Particular requirements based on installed equipment and appliances are detailed in Section 610 – Specific Appliances and Equipment. There are a number of components in installed audiovisual systems that would fall into Section 610.3 – Portable Appliances and Equipment. These devices that are not permanently connected to the building energy supply system (i.e.: plug loads) and are not listed in table 610.1 of this section must comply with Section 610.3.1 - Energy Star Appliances and Equipment. This does not mean that everything must be an Energy Star appliance or equipment but must be Energy Star eligible. This could include monitors, projectors, and other devices that are seeking Energy Star certification. This also includes some Class D amplifiers, D to A converters, network server equipment such as switches and routers and other electronics that may be part of an audiovisual system. The requirement is to provide and maintain an on-site list of these installed products indicating the corresponding rated power whether or not it is Energy Star qualified or not.
Other impactful areas of this Code include section 807 – Acoustics. Sound transmission between buildings and tenant spaces must be controlled per this section. The system designer will have to now design sound systems that comply with these requirements. Outdoor to interior sound transmission ratings must meet certain requirements designed by the building architects and engineers but quite often will impact what we do particularly if the system being designed extends to exterior spaces. This must be coordinated with the design team as to the intent of the sound system and their acoustic impacts on this envelop to ensure proper design. The same holds true for interior sound transmission where the STC rating is a minimum of 50. Classrooms or multiple adjoining conference rooms or office spaces will be potentially affected by sound systems for these spaces and also must be coordinated.
While in my opinion, there is nothing in here that is beyond comprehension or just good common sense. It certainly will provide the necessary inclusion of AV and technology designers as part of the framework of the project. If you want to read the Public Review 2 of the Code check out this link: http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/IGCC/Pages/default.aspx..
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