Energy Compliance Calculations for Building Permits
REScheck, COMcheck and state energy reports that prove your envelope, HVAC and lighting meet the energy code your jurisdiction enforces.
- Stamped by a PE licensed in your state
- Built to IBC, IRC and local amendments
- Plan-check comments answered
Energy code paperwork done right the first time
Almost every permit for a new building, an addition or a newly conditioned space now needs energy compliance calculations. The building department wants proof that the insulation, windows, air sealing, heating and cooling equipment, water heating and lighting meet the energy code before it issues the permit, and a missing or inconsistent report is a common reason a set comes back.
PE Engineer prepares compliance documentation under the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), ASHRAE 90.1 for commercial buildings, and state energy codes such as California Title 24 Part 6. We use the compliance path that fits the project, from a simple prescriptive check to a whole-building performance model, and coordinate the results with the architectural and mechanical plans so every value in the report matches the drawings.
The goal is a design that complies without overbuilding. When a project misses a prescriptive target, we look for trade-offs, such as better windows in exchange for less wall insulation, or higher-efficiency equipment in place of a costly envelope change, that bring it into compliance at the lowest cost to you.
What you receive
- Compliance path review and recommendation
- REScheck or COMcheck report
- Title 24 or other state compliance forms
- Envelope and fenestration schedule
- Mechanical and lighting compliance notes
- Signed documents ready for submittal
Energy compliance services
We match the documentation to your code, your building type and the way your jurisdiction reviews energy.
Residential REScheck
Envelope compliance for new homes, additions and ADUs using the U.S. Department of Energy REScheck tool, with a UA trade-off that lets stronger components offset weaker ones under the IECC.
Commercial COMcheck
Envelope, mechanical, service water heating and lighting compliance for commercial buildings and tenant improvements under the IECC or ASHRAE 90.1, using the Department of Energy COMcheck tool.
California Title 24 Part 6
Residential and nonresidential compliance documents produced with state-approved software, including the forms plan check expects and the field verification items that a HERS rater will test.
Performance modeling
Whole-building energy models for projects that cannot meet the prescriptive tables, comparing the proposed design with a code reference building to show equal or better annual performance.
Lighting power and controls
Interior and exterior lighting power calculations, occupancy sensors, daylight zones and automatic shutoff controls for commercial spaces, coordinated with the lighting plans and fixture schedules.
Additions and alterations
Compliance for additions, remodels and equipment replacements, where the energy code applies to the new and altered work rather than requiring the entire existing building to be upgraded.
Your Stamped, Permit-Ready Plans Start With One Upload
Send your drawings or describe the project. A licensed engineer reviews it and sends a clear, fixed-fee proposal, often within hours.
- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
- Secure file upload
Which energy code applies to your project
Most states and cities adopt the IECC, often with local amendments. The IECC has two separate sets of provisions. The residential provisions cover one- and two-family homes, townhouses and low-rise multifamily buildings. The commercial provisions cover everything else, and they allow ASHRAE 90.1 to be used as an alternative compliance path.
Some states write their own energy codes. California enforces Title 24 Part 6, which uses its own climate zones, its own compliance software and its own forms. Washington enforces the Washington State Energy Code, and other states make substantial amendments to the IECC. Because the code edition and amendments vary from one jurisdiction to the next, we confirm which version your building department enforces before we begin.
The scope of the work matters too. A new building must comply as a whole. An addition generally needs to comply on its own, without bringing the existing house up to current code. A tenant improvement that replaces lighting or HVAC equipment must show that the new lighting and equipment comply, even if the walls and roof stay as they are. For California projects, our California page covers how Title 24 fits with the rest of the state’s permit requirements.
If you are not sure which code or edition applies, send us the permit application or your building department’s submittal checklist and we will confirm it before any calculations are run.
Prescriptive, trade-off and performance paths
Energy codes offer more than one way to comply, and choosing the right path is often the biggest cost decision in the report.
- Prescriptive path: every component meets a listed value, such as wall insulation R-value, window U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient, and equipment efficiency. It is simple to document and easy to inspect, but it gives no flexibility.
- Trade-off path: tools such as REScheck and COMcheck calculate the overall envelope heat loss, so a component that falls short can be offset by another that exceeds the requirement. This is often enough to approve a house with large windows or a building with a partly uninsulated slab.
- Performance path: a whole-building energy model compares the annual energy use of the proposed design with a reference building that just meets the code. It allows the most flexibility, including credit for efficient HVAC, water heating and on-site solar where the code allows.
Mandatory requirements apply regardless of the path. These typically include air sealing, duct sealing and insulation, equipment efficiency minimums, thermostat and lighting controls, and testing requirements. A report that passes on paper but misses a mandatory item will still be flagged in plan review or at inspection, so we list every mandatory measure on the drawings.
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- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
- Secure file upload
Energy compliance calculations in practice
Each compliance tool asks for specific inputs, and the report must match the plans exactly. For REScheck we enter the climate zone, the area and R-value of every ceiling, wall, floor and slab assembly, and the area, U-factor and SHGC of every window and door. COMcheck adds the HVAC equipment, service water heating and lighting fixtures with their wattage and controls. Title 24 uses state-approved software, such as the California Energy Commission’s CBECC programs, and produces forms that the plans examiner and inspector both use.
Field verification is part of compliance. The IECC requires new homes to pass a blower door air leakage test and, in many cases, a duct leakage test. In California, many measures must be verified by a certified HERS rater before final inspection. We list every verification item on the compliance forms and drawings so your contractor knows what will be tested and can plan for it. The testing itself is performed by a qualified third-party rater or tester in your area.
When the building department comments on the report, we revise the inputs, rerun the analysis and resubmit the documents along with a response to each comment, at no extra charge within the original scope.
Making the numbers work without overbuilding
A failing energy report rarely means the design has to start over. In most cases a few targeted changes are enough, and some cost very little. We look at options in roughly this order:
- Correcting assumptions, such as using the actual window ratings from the manufacturer rather than default values.
- Rebalancing the envelope, trading a better roof insulation value for a wall assembly that is hard to change.
- Upgrading the HVAC or water heating equipment, which is often cheaper than changing framing.
- Moving to the performance path when the prescriptive or trade-off path is too restrictive.
Additions are a common case. Large windows, vaulted ceilings and existing framing that cannot hold thicker insulation can make an addition hard to pass prescriptively, but a trade-off calculation usually solves it. We coordinate the report with your home addition plans so the wall sections, window schedule and energy forms all agree. The same approach works for ADUs and garage conversions, where an existing uninsulated slab or wall often needs to be offset elsewhere in the design.
To start, send us the architectural plans with wall, roof and floor assemblies, a window and door schedule with U-factor and SHGC values, the HVAC and water heating equipment, and for commercial projects the lighting fixture schedule. Most residential energy reports are completed within a few business days of receiving complete information.
You likely need this if
- You are building a new home, ADU or addition
- A commercial tenant improvement adds new lighting
- You are replacing HVAC or water heating equipment
- Your building department asked for REScheck
- Your California project needs Title 24 forms
- Your windows or insulation miss the code tables
How it works, start to finish
From your first message to stamped drawings, you work directly with the engineering team.
- 1Share your projectSend the address, scope and any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. Two minutes is enough.
- 2Receive a fixed-fee proposalAn engineer reviews the scope and replies with a firm price and delivery date for your energy code compliance drawings.
- 3Engineering and draftingWe run the calculations and prepare drawings to the codes your jurisdiction enforces, checked before sealing.
- 4Stamped set deliveredYou receive a sealed PDF set ready to submit, and we answer any plan-check comments within scope.
Codes and standards we work with
Energy compliance is prepared to the edition of each code your jurisdiction has adopted, including state and local amendments:
- International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), residential and commercial provisions
- ASHRAE 90.1 as an alternative path for commercial buildings
- IRC Chapter 11, Energy Efficiency
- California Title 24 Part 6, Building Energy Efficiency Standards
- Washington State Energy Code and other state energy codes
- DOE REScheck and COMcheck compliance tools
How licensing works. Engineering drawings must be sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in the state where your project is located. PE Engineer works with a network of state-licensed PEs, so every set is reviewed and stamped by an engineer with an active license in the state where your project is located. Their name and license number appear on the seal, exactly as your building department requires.
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What is the difference between REScheck and COMcheck?
Both are free compliance tools from the U.S. Department of Energy. REScheck covers the residential provisions of the IECC for homes and low-rise multifamily buildings. COMcheck covers commercial buildings under the IECC or ASHRAE 90.1 and includes HVAC, water heating and lighting as well as the envelope.
Do I need energy calculations for an addition?
In most jurisdictions, yes, if the addition is heated or cooled. The new walls, roof, floor and windows must meet the energy code, either prescriptively or through a trade-off calculation. The existing house generally does not need to be upgraded to current code.
What is Title 24 and do you prepare it?
Title 24 Part 6 is California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards. Most California permits for new construction, additions and many alterations require Title 24 compliance documents. We prepare them for residential and nonresidential projects using state-approved software and coordinate them with the plans.
My windows do not meet the prescriptive U-factor. Can I still comply?
Usually. A trade-off calculation in REScheck or COMcheck lets better insulation elsewhere offset the windows, and a performance model offers even more flexibility. Using the actual manufacturer ratings instead of default values also helps. We test the options and recommend the least expensive fix.
Do I need a blower door or duct leakage test?
The IECC requires new homes to pass a blower door test, and duct leakage testing is required in many cases. California also requires HERS verification for many measures. We list the required tests on the forms, and a qualified local rater performs them.
How fast can you prepare my energy report?
Most residential energy reports are completed within a few business days of receiving complete plans and window and equipment information. Commercial projects depend on size. We quote a fixed fee, usually the same day, and rush service is available.
Get your free energy code compliance proposal
Tell us where the project is and what you need. Attach any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. A licensed engineer reviews every request.
- Upload your filesPlans, sketches, photos or comments
- Get a fixed-fee proposalUsually the same day
- Receive stamped drawingsSealed by a PE licensed in your state