Title 24 for Property Managers
In an existing building, Title 24 arrives one failed water heater or one unit turnover at a time. Each of those is still regulated work.
- Choose your report
- Upload your plans
- Pay securely
- Permit-ready report by email
The Energy Code reaches an occupied building through alterations, and it draws the line tightly: replacing any component, system or equipment that has requirements in the Standards is an alteration, not a repair (Section 100.1). On alterations, the owner or an agent acting for it may carry out the steps the verification procedures give to builders (Reference Appendix RA2.8).
What matters for your projects
Unit HVAC changeouts
Replacing an air handler, outdoor unit or coil serving an apartment brings its ducts into a test at 15 per cent total leakage or 10 per cent to outside (Section 180.2(b)2Aiii), and refrigerant-side work in climate zones 2 and 8 to 15 adds airflow and charge checks (Section 180.2(b)2Aiv). Alterations cannot be sampled, so each unit is verified on its own and the rater needs access to every apartment on the list (Reference Appendix RA2.8).
Four stories and taller
In buildings of four or more stories those in-unit tests are still done, but the installer certifies them without ECC-Rater verification or registry filing (Exception 4 to Section 180.2(b)2Aiii, Exception 2 to Section 180.2(b)2Aivb).
Water heaters and wall heaters
A unit's water heater may be replaced with a gas or propane unit, a qualifying heat pump water heater, or, where the old one was electric resistance, a consumer electric model (Section 180.2(b)3C). Replacement space heating may not use electric resistance as its primary source unless it replaces electric resistance under an exception: a non-ducted heater, a ducted one where no ducted cooling is being installed or replaced, or any type in climate zones 6, 7, 8 and 15 (Section 180.2(b)2Av).
Common areas and glazing
Altering 10 per cent or more of the luminaires in an enclosed common-use space brings in the lighting power allowance and the controls of Table 180.2-E; in a building or tenant space of 5,000 square feet or less, a one-for-one swap at 40 per cent less wattage is an option (Section 180.2(b)4Biv). Inside units, JA8 trim kits can go into existing screw-base downlights (Section 180.2(b)4A). Replacing 150 square feet or less of the building's vertical glazing needs only the U-factor of Table 180.2-B (Exception 1 to Section 180.2(b)1Ci).
Records for whoever runs the building
At final the builder leaves the compliance certificates in the building; where units or systems are not individually owned and operated, or are centrally operated, the operating and maintenance information goes to whoever operates and maintains them (Section 10-103(b)). Keep it: later rules can turn on an earlier permit, such as whether a replacement whole-dwelling ventilation fan needs a verified airflow (Section 180.2(b)5Bib).
Commercial tenants
In nonresidential buildings the same 10 per cent luminaire trigger applies to lighting alterations (Section 141.0(b)2I); see commercial lighting alterations.
Every project includes
- Permit-ready documentation for your scope
- Registration where your project requires it
- Unlimited revisions until you comply
- Direct contact with the analyst on your file
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Replacing equipment that has requirements in the Standards is an alteration, not a repair (Section 100.1). Section 180.2(b)3 lists what a unit water heater may be replaced with, and a gas or propane unit is one of the options.
Not for alterations. The appendices bar altered dwelling units from sample groups, so each one is verified individually (Reference Appendix RA2.8).
No. Section 180.2(b)5 excepts the dwelling unit air leakage test for alterations, although a replaced whole-dwelling ventilation fan may still need its airflow verified.