Warehouse renovation: insulation required per ASHRAE 90.1-2010?

Project location: Italy

January 28, 2021

Alessandro Zuanon

Energy Consultant & Modeler

LEEDuser Basic Member

1 thumbs up

Project location: Italy

January 28, 2021

Dear all,

the project regards an existing warehouse renovation in Italy. The renovation includes installation of radiant panels for heating and cooling. So the warehouse becomes a conditioned space for ASHRAE 90.1-2010 definitions.

The issue is that opaque envelope cannot be insulated. Local codes allows this choice. Is insulation required for Mandatory Provisions? Are there any exception?

Thanks in advance,

Alessandro

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Marcus Sheffer

LEED Fellow
7group / Energy Opportunities

LEEDuser Expert

5907 thumbs up

January 28, 2021 - 9:43 am

Insulation levels are not mandatory provisions. So you don't have to insulate, however, your baseline model must include the minimum prescriptive levels of insulation in Table 5.5x. You will be comparing an insulated building to an uninsulated buidling which will likely affect your energy savings.

Alessandro Zuanon

Energy Consultant & Modeler

LEEDuser Basic Member

1 thumbs up

January 28, 2021 - 10:05 am

Dear Marcus,

thank you for your response.

Only onother question: are you sure insulation presence is not mandatory?

ASHRAE 90.1-2010 5.4.1 (Mandatory Prov) says: when insulation is required in Section 5.5 and 5.6, etc.

Section 5.5, and so Table 5.5x say that insulation is required for non-residential in climate zone 4A.

I interpret that the mandatory prov 5.4.1 requests insulation if Table 5.5x in turn requires insulation.

Am i wrong?

Thank you,

Alessandro

Marcus Sheffer

LEED Fellow
7group / Energy Opportunities

LEEDuser Expert

5907 thumbs up

January 28, 2021 - 10:20 am

Yes I am certain. I have answered this same question multiple times on these forums.

Specifically it says - 5.4.1 Insulation. Where insulation is required in Section 5.5 or 5.6, it shall comply with the requirements found in Sections 5.8.1.1 through 5.8.1.9.

This simply means that any installed insulation must comply with the information and installation requirements in Section 5.8.1.1 through 5.8.1.9. This does not mean that insulation is a mandatory provision. If Table 5.5x was mandatory it would be a part of Section 5.4.