nd 9(J) (public utility services)
when designing buildings for Act 250 review. The Consolidated Guidelines are prescriptive
energy performance requirements which reflect typical building practices and technologies found
to be cost-effective on a life-cycle basis for most C&I buildings in Vermont. The guidelines
establish base efficiency levels for common energy systems and provide a simple, easy-to-use
method for meeting the best available technology provision of criterion 9(F).
The Vermont Act 250 Guidelines are a consolidation of similar criteria developed by utility
demand-side management (DSM) programs in recent years. The Consolidated Guidelines are
fundamentally consistent with the current versions of the Act 250 recommendations used by
Burlington Electric Department, Citizens Utilities Company, Central Vermont Public Service,
Green Mountain Power, Ludlow Electric Department, Vermont Electric Cooperative, Vermont
Gas Systems and other Vermont utilities. The Consolidated Guidelines combine the various
minimum recommendations into a single document so applicants have a consistent statewide
reference.
The Guidelines will not cover all Act 250 applications. There will be instances where the
Department of Public Service, which reviews Act 250 proposals under 9(F) and 9(J), will request
applicants to analyze custom measures on a life-cycle cost basis. This typically occurs when more
complex commercial and industrial buildings or energy-intensive systems are proposed.
Applicants should check with the electric and natural gas utility during the pre-application phase
to discern when custom analysis will likely occur (see attached contact list). Page 10 has more
details about custom measures. Applicants should recognize that a utility review of their project
prior to submitting an application typically expedites approval.
*****
In short, the Vermont Act 250 Consolidated Energy Guidelines establish a simplified means for
owners, builders, developers and the building design community to comply with recognized
building efficiency guidelines while providing a sound footing to incorporate higher levels of cost-
effective energy efficiency in a manner which is simple and less burdensome to designers and Act
250 administrative staff. Vermont Consolidated Act 250 Energy Guidelines
for Typical Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Buildings
2
Act 250 C&I Energy Guidelines
September 1998
Vt. Department of Public Service
Five steps for Act 250 compliance under criteria 9(F) and 9(J)
using the Consolidated Energy Guidelines
1)
Contact the electric and natural gas (where available) utility(s) where the project or
building is proposed.
2)
Ask the utility to send you an ability-to-serve letter regarding Criterion 9(J).
3)
Review the preliminary design of the facility with the utility(s) using the Consolidated
Guidelines as a starting point to establish minimum efficiency levels for the project under
Criteria 9(F). Request the utility to send you its evaluation in writing.
4)
Identify custom efficiency measures to be analyzed during the building design process and
incorporated into the project if determined cost-effective.
5)
Document steps 1-4 in Schedule B of the Act 250 application. Include copies of utility
correspondence and a proposed time frame for finalizing the building design and reporting
back to the Public Service Department (DPS) regarding custom measures or variances to
the Consolidated Energy Guidelines. An applicant seeking a variance should explain
where the guidelines should not apply to specific measures or buildings.
Applicants following these five steps can expect to eliminate the time consuming procedure in
which the DPS submits questions about the project through the Interagency Review process. The
applicant then prepares a formal response to the questions and the DPS provides supplemental
comments to the District Commission prior to the issuance of the Act 250 permit.
The Guidelines will be revised periodically by the Department of Public Service with input from
utilities, building design and construction professionals, building owners/operators and other
interested parties. Updates will consider factors such as advances in energy technology,
construction costs, current building practices and user experience.
Contact your utility representative or the Act 250 Specialist at the DPS at 802-828-4056 (or toll-
free in Vermont, 1-800-642-3281) if you have questions, comments, or require additional
information about the Vermont Consolidated Act 250 Guidelines.
These Guidelines incorporate the standard definitions, rating and testing procedures used in
ASHRAE-IES 90.1-1989.
***** UTILITY CONTACTS FOR ACT 250 CRITERIA 9(F) AND 9(J) ASSISTANCE
BARTON VILLAGE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
LYNDONVILLE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
Bob Arnold
Ken Mason
Box D, Barton, VT 05822; (802) 525-4747
24 Main Street, Lyndonville, VT 05851 (802) 626-3366
BURLINGTON ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
MORRISVILLE WATER & LIGHT DEPARTMENT
Loren A. Doe
Scott Corse
585 Pine Street, Burlington, VT 05401
P.O. Box 325, Morrisville, VT 05661 (802) 888-3348
(802) 865-7341 e-mail: doela@vbimail.champlain.edu
CENTRAL VERMONT PUBLIC SERVICE CORP.
Edward Gil de Rubio
Graham C. Hunter, II AIA
26 So. Main St., Northfield, VT 05663 (802) 485-5411
77 Grove Street, Rutland, VT 05701
(802)747-5560 or (800)788-2877
ORLEANS ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT, VILLAGE OF
e-mail: ghunter@cvps.com
John Morley III
CITIZENS UTILITIES COMPANY
(802) 754-6913 or 754-8584
David Lahar
PO Box 604 Newport, VT 05855
READSBORO ELECTRIC LIGHT DEPARTMENT
(802)334-6538, 1-800-696-9111
Annette Caruso
e-mail: DLAHAR@CZN.COM
P.O. Box 246, Readsboro, VT 05350 (802) 423-7010
ENOSBURG FALLS ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
ROCHESTER ELECTRIC LIGHT & POWER CO.
Stephen C McNeil
Thomas Pierce
RR #4 - Box 80, Enosburg Falls, VT 05450
P.O. Box 6, Rochester, VT 05767 (802)767-4291
(802) 933-5544
GREEN MOUNTAIN POWER CORPORATION
Bernard C. Machia
Dan Gaherty
P.O. Box 190, Stowe, VT 05672 (802)253-7215
7 Acorn Lane, Colchester, VT 05446
(802) 655-8533 e-mail gaherty@gmpvt.com
SWANTON VILLAGE ELECTRIC LIGHT DEPT.
HARDWICK ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT, TOWN OF
First & Elm Street, Swanton, VT 05488 (802) 868-3397
Joe Bongiovanni
Box 516, Hardwick, VT 05843 (802) 472-5201
VERMONT ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.
HYDE PARK ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
School Street, Johnson, VT 05656 (802) 635-2331
Crystal Cozrien
P.O. Box 37, Hyde Park, VT 05655 (802) 888-2310
VERMONT MARBLE COMPANY
JACKSONVILLE ELECTRIC COMPANY
61 Main Street, Proctor, VT 05765 (802) 459-3311
Earle Holland
Jacksonville, VT 05342 (802) 368-7010
WASHINGTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.
JOHNSON WATER & LIGHT DEPARTMENT
P. O. Box 8, East Montpelier, VT 05651
Kenneth Phelps
(802) 223-5245
P.O. Box 603, Johnson, VT 05656 (802) 635-2301
LUDLOW ELECTRIC LIGHT DEPARTMENT
Sandra LaFlamme
Howard Barton
P.O. Box 467, Burlington, Vermont 05402
P. O. Box 289, Ludlow, VT 05149 (802) 228-7766
(802) 863-4511
NORTHFIELD VILLAGE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
Memorial Square, Orleans, VT 05860
STOWE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
George Lague
Richard Fleury
Todd Allard
William Powell
VERMONT GAS SYSTEMS, INC.
e-mail: slaflamme@vermontgas.com Vermont Consolidated Act 250 Energy Guidelines
for Typical Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Buildings
4
Act 250 C&I Energy Guidelines
September 1998
Vt. Department of Public Service

Index
Vermont Consolidated Act 250 Energy Guidelines for Typical
Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Buildings

I.
Building Envelope
II.
Lighting Systems

(inc. tables VCG 6-5, VCG 6-6a, VCG 6-6b)
III.
HVAC Systems

(inc. tables VCG 10-1, VCG 10-2)
IV.
Water Service Systems
(inc. table VCG 10-3)
V.
Motor Systems

(inc. table VCG MTR-1)
VI.
Refrigeration Systems
(inc. table VCG REF-1)
VII.
Commercial Cooking and Other Appliances
VIII.
Operation and Maintenance Instructions
IX.
Custom Energy Efficiency Measures Vermont Consolidated Act 250 Energy Guidelines
for Typical Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Buildings
5
Act 250 C&I Energy Guidelines
September 1998
Vt. Department of Public Service
I.
Building Envelope
Assembly
Minimum Thermal Resistance
Flat ceiling
R-38
Sloped ceiling
R-30
Wall
R-19
Glazing*
R-2.4 (u-0.42) double glazed, Low-E coating
Opaque doors, overhead doors
R-5 (u-0.2); R-10 (u-0.10)
Floor over unheated space
R-30
Foundation or Slab Edge on Grade
R-10 on foundation to footing
Slab with Radiant Heat
R-5 under slab
Vapor Barrier
Required on warm side of insulation
*
Applies when fenestration is less than 20 percent of wall area. More glazing may require custom analysis.
A.
Vapor barrier on the warm (moist air) side of the insulation. All penetrations and
construction joints associated with thermal envelope shall be caulked and/or sealed.

B.
Windows/glazing: At a minimum R-2.4, (u-0.42) double glazed, low 'E' . Air infiltration rates
shall not exceed the rates specified in ASHRAE 90.1-1989, Section 8.4.5.1&.2.

C.
Entry Vestibules (complying with ADA) shall be incorporated in the design for all major entries
and exits. Loading docks or delivery areas open to outside should be isolated from other interior
spaces.
D.
Doors: Opaque, little-used doors, such as emergency exit doors not protected by a vestibule, shall
have a minimum thermal resistance of R-5. Overhead doors shall have a minimum thermal
resistance of R-10. All doors shall be insulated, weatherstripped, and shall comply with ASHRAE
90.1-1989, Section 8.4.5. 1. Exterior and v