Code Compliance
Expert Energy Code Compliance Solutions
Building projects must demonstrate compliance with the energy codes adopted by their jurisdiction. Our specialized energy modeling services help design teams navigate both compliance pathways—prescriptive and performance-based—with a focus on achieving optimal results through the performance path approach.
The Performance Path Advantage
The performance path utilizes advanced energy modeling software to calculate annual energy consumption and costs rather than setting individual component standards. This approach treats your building as an integrated system, aiming for an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) equivalent to or better than prescriptive code requirements.
For example, when an office building demonstrates compliance using the prescriptive path with an EUI of 82, our team using the performance path would target an EUI of 82 or less—but with complete flexibility in resource allocation. This approach uses a theoretical baseline building (the standard reference design) while providing significant design freedom.
Why Performance Path Delivers Superior Results
The performance path offers unmatched flexibility for design teams to prioritize strategies based on project-specific goals—whether architectural, programmatic, economic, or sustainability-focused. This approach is particularly valuable for:
- Projects with unique or unusual building forms
- Buildings requiring design flexibility
- Projects with innovative energy features
- Large, complex commercial facilities
According to the Building Code Assistance Project (BCAP), 47% of design professionals choose the performance path specifically for the design flexibility it provides.
Holistic Building System Integration
The performance path conceptualizes buildings as complex, interconnected organisms rather than collections of separate components. This systems-thinking approach transforms design from a series of discrete decisions into an integrated process where:
- Window quality affects solar heat gain and HVAC sizing requirements
- Early energy considerations impact mechanical engineering through construction
- Multiple building systems work together toward efficiency goals
For complex commercial buildings and those featuring innovative energy efficiency technologies, the performance path is unquestionably superior. Making informed design decisions based only on prescriptive requirements is nearly impossible for sophisticated projects.
Performance Path Implementation Benefits
The performance-based approach promotes energy-conscious early design integration by positioning energy considerations among the critical factors determining a building's form and functionality. This energy-focused design methodology delivers multiple advantages:
- Cost-Effective Energy Strategies: Allows design professionals to prioritize energy-saving measures based on cost-effectiveness rather than prescriptive requirements
- Future-Ready Compliance: Facilitates compliance with increasingly stringent building energy codes through flexible implementation
- Design Innovation: Frees creativity and innovation from the limitations of prescriptive component requirements
- Operational Cost Visibility: Provides clients and stakeholders with realistic estimates of building operational costs
- Workflow Efficiency: Familiarizes design professionals with modeling workflows applicable to beyond-code targets and certification programs
For complex commercial buildings and those featuring innovative energy efficiency technologies, the performance path is unquestionably superior. Making informed design decisions based only on prescriptive requirements is nearly impossible for sophisticated projects.
Why Choose Our Energy Code Compliance Services
Our expert energy modeling team specializes in performance path compliance analysis, helping your project achieve code requirements while maximizing design flexibility and energy performance. We work closely with your design team to:
- Establish baseline energy performance according to applicable codes
- Identify optimal energy efficiency strategies for your specific project
- Document compliance for permit submissions
- Support value engineering while maintaining compliance
- Provide data-driven analysis for design decisions
Contact Invers Energy today to discover how our energy code compliance services can help your project meet requirements while enhancing design freedom and energy performance.