Architectural PFEC Questionnaire

Topic: Standard questions to the project architect from the ELCCA analyst to complete the PFEC form.

Notes:
1) In general, State of Washington publicly-funded projects require an ELCCA if the project exceeds 25,000 ft.² or 50% of the total value of the facility.

• Public school projects which exceed 25,000 ft.² but not 50% of the total value the facility are excepted, and may file a PFEC only.
  
• See complete requirements in the 2005 ELCCA Guidelines.

2) WSEC values shown below are from the 2006 Washington State Energy Code
3) ELCCA values shown below are from the 2005 ELCCA Guidelines.
4) Reconcile any changes with the Architectural ELCCA Questionnaire post


PFEC Form:

Note to the Analyst: The following questions found on the PFEC may be answered by the architectural drawings, the mechanical project manager, or may require the input from the architect. Upon project initiation, cut-and-paste the questions not answered by the drawings to the body of an e-mail to the mechanical project manager. Then E-mail any questions not answered by the mechanical project manager to the architect.

• Net usable square footage. Check for this number on the code sheet of the architectural drawings. Unless there is significant space for other tenants that is not part of the project, the gross square footage will be the same as the net square footage.
• Number of occupants. As with square footage, check for this number on the code sheet of the architectural drawings. If not known, estimate at 31 persons per nominal 1000 square-foot classroom, and 150 ft.² per person in administrative areas.
• Agency project number, if known. This is the number used by the school district to track the project, and may be listed on the lead sheets of the architectural drawings. If not known, leave blank.

Walls

• Are the walls constructed of wood or metal studs? (1)
• Are the wall insulation systems between-studs batt, external rigid, or a combination of both?
• For all combination systems, please provide sketch.
  
• Do all of the anticipated wall constructions meet minimum Washington State Energy Code (WSEC) values? For example, are there any uninsulated masonry walls that may need to be compensated for elsewhere?
• Net effective WSEC minimum values in Climate Zone 1 (Western Washington) are approximately R-17 for wood framed wall, R-10 for metal framed wall, and R-7 for masonry wall assemblies.
• Net effective WSEC minimum values in Climate Zone 2 (Eastern Washington) are approximately R-17 for wood framed wall, R-12 for metal framed wall, and R-9 for masonry wall assemblies.
• Will any of the anticipated wall constructions meet or exceed ELCCA prescriptive values?
• Net effective ELCCA prescriptive values are approximately R-12 for framed or 'light' wall, and R-10 for 'mass block' or masonry wall assemblies in both climate zones.
  
• Note that per the WSEC, all metal framed walls in Climate Zone 2 and all wood-framed walls in both climate zones meet and exceed ELCCA prescriptive values, respectively.

Roofs

• Is the roof construction of wood or metal joists? (2)
  
• Are the roof insulation systems between-joists batt, external rigid, or a combination of both?
• For all combination systems, please provide sketch.
• Do all of the anticipated roof constructions meet minimum WSEC values?
• WSEC minimum values in Climate Zone 1 are approximately R-22 for most commercial and institutional roofs.
• WSEC minimum values in Climate Zone 2 are approximately R-26 for most commercial and institutional roofs.
• Will any of the anticipated roof constructions meet or exceed ELCCA prescriptive values?
• ELCCA prescriptive values are approximately R-30 for roofs in both climate zones. An exception is listed for batt insulation applied on the underside of the roof deck between roof joists; in this case R-38 is required to compensate for the thermal conductance of the joists.

Glazing

• What are the approximate areas or percentages of vertical and horizontal glazing?
• Is the building anticipated to have greater than 30% glazing?
• Exceptions are listed for buildings with greater than 30% glazing, and those heated exclusively via electric resistance.
• Will all of the anticipated glazing assemblies meet minimum WSEC values?
• In both climate zones, most vertical glazing (windows & doors) are required to have a maximum 0.55 U-value and 0.45 maximum Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC).
• Most horizontal glazing (skylights) are required to have a maximum 0.70 U-value and 0.40 maximum SHGC.

Doors

• Opaque doors are required by the WSEC to have an R-value of approximately 2 (U-0.60 maximum) in both climate zones. Please advise if doors are not anticipated to meet these requirements.

Foundation

• Foundation perimeters are required by the WSEC to have an F-factor of 0.54 in both climate zones. Please advise if the foundation is not anticipated to have a minimum R-10 rigid applied either horizontally or vertically at the perimeter.
• F = 0.74 will be used as default in template

Notes:
(1) Wood studs are more commonly found in smaller, low-rise and residential buildings.
(2) TJI's are wood I-beam type joists