 New Model Energy Code Resources AvailableThe U.S. Department of Energy has developed four new resources to guide builders, designers, plan checkers, and field inspectors in meeting the requirements of the 1992 Model Energy Code (MEC) promulgated by the Council of American Building Officials. Loan guarantee programs in HUD and the Rural Housing and Community Development Service (formerly the Farmers Home Administration) require compliance with the MEC, and several States have also adopted it.The MECcheckTM Manual is a clear and comprehensive compliance guide that describes the basic requirements of the code for building envelopes, heating and cooling, electrical systems, materials, and equipment. Included are three approaches for attaining compliance, guidance for plan checkers and field inspectors, and several forms and checklists. By using the MECcheckTM Prescriptive Packages, design and construction professionals can select a package of insulation and window requirements based on the specific climate zone in which their building is located. Each climate zone package lists all compliance standards for insulation, glazing areas, glazing U-values, and heating and cooling efficiency. The MECcheckTM Software offers the most flexible approach to determining MEC compliance. The software calculates tradeoffs between all building envelope components and heating and cooling equipment efficiencies. MECcheckTM can be run on most DOS-based computers and is capable of generating reports that can be used to document code compliance. The MECcheckTM Software Users Guide takes users step by step from software installation to report generation. These valuable tools are now available from HUD USER. The software and users guide are $10 per set; the other materials are $4 each. Please contact HUD USER to obtain print copies.
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