## Draft Proposal CB-3

This concept has been developed by the DOE Building Energy Codes Program (BECP) as a possible code

change proposal to the Commercial provisions of the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code

(IECC). Interested parties are asked to submit any and all comments on DOE's initial concepts and draft

code change proposals. For instructions on submitting comments, visit:

www.energycodes.gov/development/ commercial/codes/iecc/concepts/



## Inspections (CB-3)

Objective: Improve/enhance details governing inspections of construction and examination of

documents associated with compliance verification.

Suggested Code Change Proposal

Revise Section C103.3 and delete Section C104 and replace as follows:

C103.3 Examination of documents. The code official shall examine or cause to be examined the

accompanying construction documents and shall asce rtain whether the construction indicated and

described is in accordance with the re quirements of this code and other pertinent laws or ordinances. In

causing the documents to be examined to verify compliance with this code, the code official shall be

permitted to utilize a registered design professional not affiliated with the building design professionals or

other approved authority in conducting some or all of the review of the plans and specifications for

compliance with the code.

C104.1 General. Construction or work for which a permit is required shall be subject to inspection by

the code official or his designated agent, and such construction or work shall remain accessible and

exposed for inspection purposes until approved. Appr oved as a result of an inspection shall not be

construed to be an approval of a violation of the pr ovisions of this code or of other ordinances of the

jurisdiction. Inspections presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this code or of

other ordinances of the jurisdiction sh all not be valid. It shall be the duty of the permit applicant to cause

the work to remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes. Neither the code official nor the

jurisdiction shall be liable for expense entailed in th e removal or replacement of any material, product,

system or building component required to allow in spection to validate compliance with this code.

C104.2 Preliminary Inspection. Before issuing a permit, the code official is authorized to examine or

cause to be examined the building site , and in the case of work to or on existing building the building , for

which an application has been filed.

C104.3 Required inspections. The code official or his designated agent, upon notification, shall make

the inspections set forth in Sections C104.3.1 through C104.3.6.C104.3.1 Footing and foundation inspection. Inspections of basement or crawl space walls having

insulation applied exterior to or integral with the walls, slabs on grade, buried duct systems associated

with HVAC systems, piping systems associated with HVAC or service hot water systems and freeze

protection/snow melt systems shall be made before backfilling and concealment. The inspection shall

verify compliance with the code as to R-value, lo cation, thickness, depth of burial and protection of

insulation as required by the code a nd approved plans and specifications.

C104.3.2 Framing and rough-in inspection. Inspections at framing and rough-in of wall, floor and

roof/ceiling assemblies that are part of the building thermal envelope shall include verification of all

required insulation types and corresponding R-values a nd their correct location and proper installation

in the building thermal envelope, the correct fe nestration thermal properties (U-factor, SHGC and

VT) and proper installation of fenestration, installa tion of required vestibules, and air leakage control

either through inspection or testing as required by this code.

C104.3.3 Plumbing rough-in inspection. Inspections at plumbing rough-in shall include

verification of hot water piping insulation level and proper installation and protection, the existence of

required temperature controls on potable hot water sy stems, installation of automatic time switches on

circulating hot water systems or heat trace and in stallation of heat traps on hot water storage tanks

associated with non-circulating systems.

C104.3.4 Mechanical rough-in inspection. Inspections at mechanical rough-in shall include

verification of installed HVAC equipment type, e fficiency and size, installation of gravity and

motorized dampers where required and leakage rates of the dampers, installation of required demand

control ventilation, required type, R-value, thic kness and proper installation of insulation for ducts,

plenums and piping associated with the HVAC system, sealing and any required leakage testing of

ducts and plenums, installation of required economizers and associated controls, required

temperature, humidity and zone controls, required sizing of HVAC system fans and motors, energy

recovery capability where required, means to ba lance HVAC systems, required controls for HVAC

and hydronic systems, limitations on hot gas bypass for cooling systems and limitations on

installation of radiant heating systems.

C104.3.5 Electrical rough-in inspection. Inspections at electrical rough-in shall include verification

of the existence and proper installation of all require d lighting controls, the installation of all lighting

system components (fixtures and lamps) as being in accordance with the approved plans and

specifications and installation of individual electri c meters for each dwelling unit in multi-family

residential buildings.

C104.3.6 Final inspection. The final inspection shall include ve rification of installation of all

required building controls and their proper operation and documentation verifying the activities

associated with building commissioning have been conducted and the findings corrected. Buildings

, or portions thereof, shall not be cons idered for a final inspection until the code official has received a

letter of transmittal from the building owner acknowle dging that the building owner has received the

Preliminary Commissioning Report as required in Section C408.2.4.

C 104.4 Inspection agencies. The code official is authorized to accept re ports of approved inspection

agencies not affiliated with the building design professionals, provided such agencies satisfy requirements

as to qualifications and reliability relevant to the building components and systems they are inspecting.C104.5 Inspection requests. It shall be the duty of the holder of the permit or their duly authorized agent

to notify the code official when work is ready for inspection. It shall be the duty of the permit holder to

provide access to and means for inspections of such work that are required by this code.

C104.6 Approval required. Work shall not be done beyond the po int indicated in each successive

inspection without first obtaining the approval of the code official . The code official , upon notification,

shall make the required inspections and shall either indicate the portion of the construction that is

satisfactory as completed or shall notify the permit hold er or their duly authorized agent those portions of

the construction that fail to comply with this code. Any portions that do not comply shall be corrected

and such portion shall not be covered or c oncealed until inspected and approved by the code official

.

Reason: The current provisions of Section C103.3 require the code official to examine the construction

documents to verify compliance with the code. Those provisions also allow the code official to delegate

that authority to another party (e.g., cause to be examined) but are not specific as to the qualifications

of that party. Depending on the type and size of a commercial building, the plans and specifications can

be very complex and an appropriate level of review challenging for a jurisdiction that may not see many

large commercial projects in a given year. Currently there is no specificity in the code about the

qualifications of any third party reviewer, so the permittee could argue against the imposition of a

registered design professional requirement by the jurisdiction. The proposed language makes it clear

that, should the code official decide to delegate their authority to another party, the code official can

require that party to have specific qualifications

— something very important because that party is acting

on behalf of the code official.

The current provisions of Section C104 covering inspections are not as specific as they could be with

respect to energy efficiency. The proposed language, which is consistent with that in the International

Existing Building Code (IEBC), provides the required detail to better ensure compliance with the code

and through compliance delivery of the energy efficiency potential associated with the provisions of the

code.

Cost Impact: There is no cost impact associated with this proposed change.