INTERIOR DESIGN LEGISLATION

AB2192 IS DEAD

June 24, 2014 – The California Legislative Counsel’s office let us know of a request by the author to cancel the hearing of AB2192 before the Senate Transportation & Housing Committee.

This means that the office of the Assembly Member Melissa Melendez, the author of this bill, has pulled the bill from the agenda and the bill will no longer be heard.

Bill AB2192 is dead.

AB2192: Sponsored by the American Institute of Architects California Council (AIACC)

This bill was an attempt by licensed architects to gain an unfair marketing advantage over other groups already exempted from being licensed to do the work described within this bill under Sections 5537 and 5538 of the architects practice act.

We want to thank all of you who sent letters to the committee members opposing this bill. It truly does make a difference when you take the time to write and talk with your representatives on legislation that can potentially affect your ability to practice.

CLCID will continue to monitor all legislative activity that affects your right to practice.

SB 308: Sunset Review of the CCIDC Board extended to 2018

The Governor signed SB 308 (Lieu – Gordon) on September 23rd, 2013, which will become law on January 1, 2014.

SB308 will stand as passed by the Assembly and the Senate with minimal amendments. What this means is that we were not able to add the clarifying language to help building officials understand what we do. Unfortunately, in some jurisdictions, the building officials’ interpretation of Section 5800 of the Architects practice act will continue to be an impediment to designers’ ability to pull permits for their projects which causes undue inconvenience and additional costs to consumers.

SB308 made the following amendments to the Certified Interior Designer law:

• Extends the certification statute to 2018,
• Requires Certified Interior Designers to use written contracts when providing design services,
• Requires the Interior Design Certification Board – CCIDC, to operate their board meetings in compliance with the Bagley Keene Open Meeting Act,
• Clarifies that interior designer and interior decorator are not titles that are protected from use by non-certified individuals, and
• Codifies the use of the appellation “CID” to mean Certified Interior Designer.

All professional interior designers and interior design organizations have an ongoing responsibility to educate the Building Departments and CALBO regarding the level of education and knowledge required to be certified in California. Certified Interior Designers and other interior design professionals are qualified to create interior plans that are nonstructural, non-seismic, that are consistent with conventional construction methods and protect the health safety and welfare of the public.

The Interior Design Sunset Bill SB308 has passed the Senate Appropriations Committee by a vote of 7 to 0 and has now moved on to the Assembly.

To view the Bill and see the legislative process, go to http://sunsetreview.assembly.ca.gov/ and Bill Search SB308.

Click Here to Access June’s DirectLINK for More Information

CAL Green  Standards Codes: 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)

Ventilation Fan Efficiency

When installed to function as a whole-house ventilation system, the IECC specifies that mechanical fans meet the following requirements.

• Range Hoods and In-Line fans: 2.8 cfm/watt

• Bathroom ( 10-90cfm): 1.4 cfm/watt.

• Bathroom (>90cfm): 2.8 cfm/watt

The 2012 IECC now places upper limits on the energy requirements for these fans where there were no such limits in the 2009 IECC, this change is expected to improve the overall efficiency

Wall Insulation When Structural Sheathing is Used

The 2012 IECC states: “First value is cavity insulation, second is continuous insulation, so “13+5” mean R-13 cavity insulation plus R-5 continuous insulation. If structural sheathing covers 40 percent or less of the exterior, continuous insulation R value shall be permitted to be reduced by no more than R-3 in the locations where structural sheathing is used – to maintain a consistent total sheathing thickness.

Air Duct System

Section R 403.2.2 reduces maximum allowable levels of duck leakage in the distribution system compared to the 2009 IECC (from 12 cfm per 100ft 2 of conditioned floor area to 4CFM/100FT 2 for tests done on completed buildings, and from 6 to 4cfm per 100ft 2 for tests done at the rough-in stage of construction).

Hot Water Pipe Insulation and Length Requirements

New specifications for non-circulating service hot water distribution systems that should reduce energy losses from “stranded” hot water and conduction of heat out of the pipes. The 2012 IECC specifies that all such pipes to be insulated unless they have sufficiently low volume as defined by a combination of their length (measured from the tank or distribution manifold to the point of use) and diameter. This change is expected to reduce the amount of hot water that cools off in the pipes and is thus wasted as users wait for sufficiently warm water to reach the fixture. Also, for circulating hot water system, the required insulation has been increased from R-2 to R-3 and therefore should increase efficiency. 

The CA state goal is for all homes built after January 1, 2020 is to be NZE (Net Zero Energy). In less than 8 years the building and energy codes will be transformed to achieve this legislative Goal. This Goal will affect all of us involved in the Interior Design Industry.

The following Bills were passed this year to accomplish this goal;

• AB 758  –  Greater Energy Efficiency for existing residential and non-residential buildings.

• AB 32  –  Codified the 2020 GHG (Greenhouse Gas Emissions) emission reductions targeted into law.

• AB 1109  – Established minimum energy efficiency standards for all general purpose lighting.

• AB 1560  –  Requires the CEC to provide regulation for water efficiency in new RES & COMM  Buildings.

Establish the goal that new building standards achieve NZE by 2020 for residences & 2030 for commercial.The CEC (California Energy Commission) is currently upgrading the 2008 Energy Standards to align with the 2013 triennial Code adoption process. The 2013 Energy Standards will be 30% from the NZE goal. Using the CALGreen Standards local jurisdictions have the ability to adopt the TIER 1 & TIER 2 codes in order to reach these goals.

TIER 1 is 15% more efficient than the 2008 Energy Standard & the TIER 2 is 30% more efficient.

Design teams, in the next 8 years, will need to develop & integrate all the systems & components of a house in order to meet State goals: Super insulate & airtight, Use of none energy systems to provide heating & cooling, High performance windows & doors, Develop energy modeling software to determine NZE achievability.

IDCC (Interior Design Coalition of CA) has announced that they are planning on introducing a Bill next year that will impact all Interior Designers in the state of CA. We will keep a close watch on this legislation and will keep you up to date with the impact that it will have on your business.