ICC Res Energy study plan
ICC Res Energy · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Administration, Scope and Enforcement of the Residential Energy Code
Outline the scope and application rules of Chapter 1, distinguishing residential from commercial coverage and identifying what triggers code compliance
Differentiate the prescriptive, total UA / simulated performance, and ERI compliance paths and state the documentation each requires
Sequence the administrative workflow from permit application through required inspections to certificate of occupancy
Match key defined terms (thermal envelope, conditioned space, fenestration, duct system) to their code-defined boundaries
Your checkpoint
A labeled compliance-path flowchart plus a 25-question self-quiz on scope and definitions, scored at 80% or better
Administration, Scope and Enforcement of the Residential Energy Code & Building Envelope (Insulation, Fenestration, Air Leakage)
Map climate zone assignments and explain how the assigned zone drives envelope and mechanical requirements
Tabulate the prescriptive envelope R-value and U-factor values for two different climate zones
Distinguish when the R-value table versus the U-factor table governs, and identify the SHGC and fenestration limits that accompany each
Identify the envelope air-leakage provisions, including sealing requirements, fenestration air-leakage limits, and the blower-door test threshold
Your checkpoint
A one-page climate-zone cheat sheet listing R-values, U-factors, SHGC limits, and the air-leakage threshold, every value verified against the code text
Building Envelope (Insulation, Fenestration, Air Leakage) & Mechanical Systems (Heating, Cooling, Ventilation, Ducts)
Calculate a total UA comparison for a simple enclosure and determine whether the alternative passes
Diagnose the most common air-sealing failures by assembly: rim joist, top plate, penetrations, chases, and recessed fixtures
Classify insulation installation quality against the grade criteria for alignment, contact, and fill
Convert a stated duct insulation requirement into the correct R-value and locate the duct sealing and leakage-testing thresholds
Your checkpoint
A worked total-UA calculation with all arithmetic shown, plus a written list of ten typical air-sealing defects with the code basis for each
Mechanical Systems (Heating, Cooling, Ventilation, Ducts) & Service Water Heating
Apply HVAC sizing and equipment efficiency requirements using the correct efficiency tables for the equipment type and fuel
Verify duct leakage testing procedures and state the pass/fail criteria for both rough-in and post-construction tests
Distinguish the whole-house mechanical ventilation requirement from local exhaust requirements and identify the referenced standard that governs each
Specify water-heating pipe insulation, circulation-control, and drain-water heat-recovery triggers by system type
Your checkpoint
A 20-line mock mechanical and plumbing plan-review checklist, each line citing the governing code section
Service Water Heating & Electrical Power, Lighting and Appliances
Compare water-heater efficiency requirements across fuel types and equipment sizes
Explain the solar-ready and electric-ready provisions and identify their trigger conditions
List the residential lighting efficacy and control requirements, including exterior lighting limits
Locate where appliance and equipment efficiency is addressed by reference rather than by standalone code text
Your checkpoint
A two-column comparison table of service-water-heating provisions versus lighting and appliance provisions, each entry citing a section number
Electrical Power, Lighting and Appliances & Compliance Paths, Referenced Standards and Existing Buildings
Apply the existing-building provisions to additions, alterations, repairs, and changes of occupancy
Determine when an addition must comply fully versus when the existing-plus-new trade-off approach is permitted
Trace referenced standards to the code sections that invoke them and state what each standard controls
Explain the inputs and outputs of the simulated performance path and the ERI path, and contrast their scoring basis
Your checkpoint
Three written case scenarios (addition, alteration, change of occupancy) each resolved with the correct compliance path and cited sections
Compliance Paths, Referenced Standards and Existing Buildings & Administration, Scope and Enforcement of the Residential Energy Code
Compare prescriptive and performance paths and identify the project conditions that favor each
Reconstruct the full inspection sequence and place each domain's inspection at its correct stage
Audit your own notes across all six domains and log every weak topic with a specific closure action
Your checkpoint
A one-page which-path-when decision guide plus a gap log in which every weak topic has an assigned closure action and a target date
Administration, Scope and Enforcement of the Residential Energy Code & Building Envelope (Insulation, Fenestration, Air Leakage) & Mechanical Systems (Heating, Cooling, Ventilation, Ducts) & Service Water Heating & Electrical Power, Lighting and Appliances & Compliance Paths, Referenced Standards and Existing Buildings
Complete two timed full-length practice exams under test conditions
Analyze every missed item by domain and re-drill the two weakest domains
Recite the top 30 numeric thresholds (air changes per hour, R-values, duct leakage, efficiency minimums) from memory
Re-verify all memorized tables against the code text and correct any drift
Your checkpoint
Two timed practice exams scored at 85% or better, each accompanied by a written error analysis for every missed item
Milestones
Week 2: Score 80% or better on a 30-question quiz covering scope, definitions, compliance paths, and climate-zone envelope tables
Week 4: Score 80% or better on a timed 40-question mixed quiz covering domains 1 through 3, and reproduce the envelope table for an assigned climate zone with zero errors
Week 6: Correctly resolve all three existing-building case scenarios without consulting notes, citing the governing section for each
Week 8: Two timed full-length practice exams scored at 85% or better, with no domain scoring below 75%