For those of you contemplating a remodel in the spring of 2010, you should know that Title 24 has some new regulations which go into effect on Jan. 1st, 2010. The 50% ratio remains in place with the following additions.
Here's the good:
- LEDs are included but they MUST be approved by the California Energy Commission (CEC)
- Interior cabinet lights are no longer included as part of the overall 50/50 ratio - hooray!
- All exhaust fans must be switched separately from low-efficacy lighting OR if it's a fan light, they must be separately switched. (This feature of separate switching is already standard for us anyway-- sometimes one doesn't always need a fan.)
Here's the "you-think-we-didn't-know?" change:
- If you were the people who told the inspector that the junction boxes over the island were "of course going to be fluorescent *winkwink* but you haven't installed them yet", you're going to be penalized 180 watts per lightless junction box at the time of inspection. That's going to completely destroy your lighting calculations of 50/50 and cause you a lot of extra work to fix. Your lights should be installed prior to inspection to avoid this.
You can find more at www.energy.ca.gov/title24
