What is Title 24?

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Introduction to Title 24

• What is Title 24?

Title 24 is the California building standards that regulate all buildings being constructed or significantly remodeled in California. Chapter 6 of the California building code governs energy codes and standards. Therefore, when building or remodeling a house you must provide a title 24 calculation. A professional mechanical or electrical engineer prints the title on your drawings in order to be submitted to the city. In other words, Title 24 is targeted to impose the California state’s energy policy on such issues as preventing energy loss in a building, developing renewable energy as well as preparing an energy emergency plan. Title 24 addresses energy use through numerous requirements such as:

• Building walls, thermal windows, cool roofs…
• HVAC Systems and other mechanical systems.
• Lighting systems such as lighting control and occupancy sensors.
• Kitchen equipment, computer rooms and building processes in general.
• Electrical power management.

• What is the structure of Title 24?

These three general sections of title 24 cover all the responsibilities and criteria of the standards. These sections are:

• Mandatory Requirements.
• Performance Standards.
• Prescriptive Standards.

Out of the three Title 24 parts, the mandatory requirements must be followed by all buildings, the remaining sections may vary depending on the building location as well as the type of the building. The main purposes of implementing these 3 parts may include:

• Forecasting future energy needs.
• Supporting energy and technology research especially renewable energy.
• Developing renewable energy resources (such as solar panels)
• Developing renewable transportation fuels and technologies.

Impact of Title 24

There are plenty of beneficial impacts that have come from applying Title 24. The results may include:

• Technological Advantages: Title 24’s support for energy and technology research has opened up a door for more innovation and technological developments especially for non-residential buildings located within California. Perhaps the most significant technological innovation and support that has come from applying Title 24 is the implementation of photo and occupancy sensors as well as multi-level lighting controls. Title 24 supports this innovative technology in helping the reduction of energy consumption as well as leaving a room for more research on this advanced technology.
• Reduced impact on the environment: The California Energy Commission has estimated that Title 24 will save 200 million gallons of water per year which is extremely beneficial to the environment and prevent 170,500 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year including 508 tons of Nitric Oxide, 13 tons of Sulfur Oxides, 41 tons of Carbon Monoxide and 160 thousand metric tons CO2e per year. Title 24 will also help with the reduction of electrical consumption which will make buildings and energy systems more efficient.
• Price: Perhaps the most immediate and anticipated impact of Title 24 is that energy bills will be significantly reduced which will help both business owners and regular people.

12 parts of Title 24

Title 24 is composed of 12 “parts” which are:

• Part 1: California Administrative Code:

This part sets forth state agency administrative processes and procedures, fees, definitions, and required duties. On top of all of that California Administrative Code identifies the procedural requirements to develop building standards which are also known as rulemaking.

• Part 2: California Building Code:

This code is for commercial and certain residential buildings including offices, schools, hospitals as well as hotels

• Part 2.5: California Residential Code:

This part applies to detached one and two-family dwellings and townhouse not more than three stories in height and to accessory structures, with some exceptions

• Part 3: California Electrical Code

This code is based on NFPA National Electrical Code (National Fire Protection Association), with necessary California amendments.

• Part 4/5: California Mechanical Code / California Plumbing Code.

Both are based on IAPMO Uniform Mechanical and Plumbing Codes (International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials), with necessary California amendments.

• Part 6: California energy code.

This part is unique to California, meaning that it is not based on a model code. This code was originally created in 1978 in response to a legislative mandate to reduce energy consumption in California.

• Part 7: A reserved part!!

There are presently no building standards in this part. It did previously contain elevator safety standards that are now mentioned in Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations.

• Part 8: California Historical Building Code.

This is a unique California building code that was developed in the late 1970s. Its aim is to save the state’s architectural heritage by recognizing the distinctive constrictions inherent in historical buildings. The Historical Building Code provides alternative methods to achieve reasonable levels of safety in historical buildings.

• Part 9: California Fire Code.

This code contains regulations consistent with nationally recognized and accepted practices for safeguarding life and property. It’s a fully integrated code based on the 2018 International Fire Code (IFC)

• Part 10: California Existing Building Code.

This Code is based on ICC’s Existing Building Code.

• Part 11: California Green Building Standards Code, also known as CALGreen.

This is California’s signature, first-in-the-nation green building code that addresses mandatory and voluntary sustainable building practices.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Title 24 is a great standard that has helped and will continue to help the state of California with many issues such as lower energy bills, a healthier environment and of course a room for more opportunities and better ideas in order to introduce more advanced technologies. Thanks to this standard, California has lower energy consumption than the rest of the USA.