# Presentation: 318921

## Should there be a Residential (and Commercial)Tropical Code?

**Should there be a Residential (and Commercial)****Tropical Code?**

**Howard C. Wiig**
*Institutional Energy Analyst*
- Strategic Industries Division
- Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
- State of Hawaii
**2005 National Workshop on State Building Energy Codes**
- June 28, 2005
- Austin, Texas

## Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

- Summary
- Hot, humid climates have been neglected
- Result:
- Poorly insulated structures
- Oversized AC units
- Wasted energy
- Mold-friendly conditions

## Summary – cont.

- Zone 1 was good first step
- “Tropical Code”:  Best of ...
- Guam Building Model Energy Code
- Latest national codes
- High-albedo, hurricane-resistant envelopes
- Properly-sized AC systems
- Utility incentives for ‘beyond code’ measures

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## Worldwide need

- More than 25% of world’s people live between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
- Population, economies, and building activities continue to grow
- Tropical Code:
- Energy efficiency
- Occupant comfort
- Health and safety
- Durable buildings

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## Envelope Design

- Withstand hurricanes
- Concrete structures
- Minimize mold growth
- Alternative heat mitigation measures
- Foam cores
- Interior radiation controls

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## Insurance Discounts and Homeland Security Incentives

- 2001 USDOE Energy Codes Workshop
- Hurricane damage cause tremendous insurance costs
- Codes compliance reduces losses
- Tropical Code
- Address insurance industry concerns
- Concrete envelopes
- Shatter-resistant dual-pane low-e windows

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## Insurance Discounts and Homeland Security Incentives

- U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security:*“Homeland security covers ... natural disasters. Building officials ... have an important role in assuring that state and local jurisdictions are able to  ... recover from a wide range of disasters ....”*

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## Insurance Discounts and Homeland Security Incentives

- Possible Homeland Security support
- Minimize impact of natural disasters
- Maximize energy efficiency, durability, and occupant health and comfort

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## Air Conditioning

- Oversized AC systems push electrical demand during peak times
- Most AC systems are oversized
- Typical oversized AC systems continually cycle on and off
- They do not remove enough moisture from the air inside a room
- Warm, moist air condenses on cold surfaces
- Ideal conditions for mold growth

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## Air Conditioning – cont.

- Tropical Code
- Programmable controls
- High SEER ratings
- R-8 ducts, <2% leakage rates
- USDOE:  Minimum SEER 13 as of January 2006

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## Lighting

- Imperative:  Minimize heat gain
- Incandescent lamps: 90% heat, 10% light
- Some residential fixtures: 60% source light
- Tropical Code
- High-reflectance hard-wired fixtures
- House lamps: 45 lumens/watt minimum efficacy

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## For more information

- Howard C. Wiig, Institutional Energy Analyst
- Strategic Industries (Energy) Division
- Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
- State of Hawaii
- P.O. Box 2359
- Honolulu, HI  96804-2359
- 808-587-3811
- 808-587-3820 (fax)
- hwiig@dbedt.hawaii.gov
- www.state.hi.us/dbedt/ert/

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## Questions?

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?

## Mahalo!

- Should there be a Residential (and Commercial) Tropical Code?