Notice of Proposed Rule

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
Board of Professional Engineers
RULE NO: RULE TITLE
61G15-34.001: General Responsibility
61G15-34.002: Definitions
61G15-34.003: Design of Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems
61G15-34.007: Design of Plumbing Systems
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose and effect for Rule 61G15-34.001, F.A.C., is to clarify existing language and to add tasks for which an Engineer of Record is responsible; for Rule 61G15-34.002, F.A.C., it is to clarify and amend existing definitions and add a new definition for Mechanical Delegated Engineering Documents; for Rule 61G15-34.003, F.A.C., it is to delete unnecessary language and add new requirements with respect to Mechanical Engineering Documents; for Rule 61G15-34.007, F.A.C., it is to clarify existing language.
SUMMARY: In Rule 61G15-34.001, F.A.C., existing language is clarified and tasks for which an Engineer of Record is responsible are added; in Rule 61G15-34.002, F.A.C., existing definitions are clarified and amended and a new definition is added for Mechanical Delegated Engineering Documents; in Rule 61G15-34.003, F.A.C., unnecessary language is deleted and new requirements with respect to Mechanical Engineering Documents are added; in Rule 61G15-34.007, F.A.C., existing language is clarified.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 471.008, 471.033(2) FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 471.033 FS.
IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN FAW.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Carrie Flynn, Executive Director, Board of Professional Engineers, 2507 Callaway Road, Suite 200, Tallahassee, Florida 32301

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

61G15-34.001 General Responsibility.

Mechanical Engineering Documents shall be prepared utilizing in accordance with the applicable technologiesy and shall comply with the requirements of the authority having jurisdiction. The documents shall identify the Engineer of Record for the mechanical systems project. Mechanical Engineering documents shall demonstrate compliance be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the applicable codes and standards as defined herein. The Engineer of Record is responsible for determining the applicability of appropriate codes and standards for a given project. In the event the codes and standards fail to cover or address a specific requirement or situation, alternative research, test results, engineering data, and engineering calculations shall be utilized. New technology may be utilized when said technology has been demonstrated to provide equivalent or improved performance. Construction documents shall indicate the nature and character of mechanical work and shall describe, label and define the required mechanical systems components, processes, equipment and material and its structural utility support systems. Both the Engineer of Record for the Mechanical System and the Delegated Engineer if utilized, shall comply with the requirements of the general responsibility Rules, 61G15-30, F.A.C., and with the requirements of the specific rules contained herein. The Engineer of Record for the Mechanical System(s) shall provide design requirements in writing to the delegated engineer if one is used and shall review the design documents of the delegated engineer for conformance to his written instructions in accordance with Rule 61G15-30.005, F.A.C. Any Mechanical Delegated Engineering Documents must be included in the final set of documents filed for permit.

Specific Authority 471.008, 471.033(2) FS. Law Implemented 471.033 FS. History–New 11-16-94, Amended                  .

 

61G15-34.002 Definitions.

(1) Engineer of Record for the Mechanical Systems. The Florida Registered Professional Engineer who is in responsible charge for the preparation, signing, dating, sealing and issuing of any engineering document(s) for develops the mechanical systems design criteria or performs the analysis and is responsible for the preparation of the mechanical documents for the project.

(2) through (4) No change.

(5) Mechanical Engineering Documents. All The mechanical drawings, specifications, reports, calculations, data and other documents utilized to establish setting forth the overall design and requirements for the construction, alteration, modernization, repair, demolition, arrangement, and/or use of the mechanical system(s), or analysis or recommendations, as prepared by the Engineer of Record for the mechanical system. Mechanical Engineering Documents shall additionally meet the requirements of Rule 61G15-30.003, F.A.C., Engineering Documents.

(6) Mechanical Shop Drawings Submittals. Submittals, catalog information on standard products, or drawings prepared solely to serve as a guide for fabrication and installation and requiring no engineering input. These submittals do not require the seal of a Florida Registered pProfessional eEngineer.

(7) Codes and Standards. Those nationally recognized Codes and Standards adopted directly or by reference in Part II, Chapter 553, Florida Statutes. Florida Building Code (including Florida Energy Efficiency Code, Chapter 13) and Florida Fire Code. Applicable codes and standards are those promulgated by the State Fire Marshal and those required by the state and local authorities having jurisdiction. These codes and standards include those published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME), National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Underwriters’ Laboratories (UL), American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractor's Association (SMACNA), American Movement and Control Association (AMCA), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), SBCCA Mechanical and Plumbing Codes, Florida Energy Code, State Building Codes.

(8) Mechanical Delegated Engineering Documents. Mechanical Engineering Documents prepared by a delegated engineer to whom the Engineer of Record for the Mechanical System has delegated responsibility for the design of a mechanical component or system and which are signed sealed and dated by the delegated engineer.

Specific Authority 471.008, 471.033(2) FS. Law Implemented 471.033 471.030 FS. History–New 11-16-94, Amended 2-5-96,                   _________.

 

61G15-34.003 Design of Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems.

(1) Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems include, but are not limited to are those systems that control the temperature and/or humidity, and/or mechanical ventilation of a particular space or building. Items to be considered in the design and analysis of these systems are ambient dry and wet bulb temperatures, inside dry and wet bulb temperatures, inside design humidity, fresh air makeup, internal heat gains from any sources. Ventilation systems shall be designed to remove foul odors from a space or building, or to remove space heat from equipment rooms.

(2) All HVAC systems shall be designed in accordance with the Florida Codes, and reference standards ASHRAE Standards and Building Code as adopted by the authority having jurisdiction. The HVAC systems shall be designed and operated such that the entire building is under positive or neutral pressure when all primary HVAC systems are operating.

(2) Mechanical Engineering documents applicable to HVAC systems shall, where applicable, include but are not limited to the following:

(a) Equipment selection schedule for each piece of mechanical equipment. All equipment shall have capacities listed including efficiencies, electrical or fuel requirements, static pressure and fan air quantities as applicable to the system, fluid flow and pressure head quantities as applicable to the system, and heat transfer capacities.

(b) Floor plans; site plans; and building and mechanical system elevations as appropriate.

(c) Outside (fresh) air make-up conditions.

(d) Cooling coil requirements based on sensible heat, latent heat and total heat gains.

(e) Heating equipment requirements.

(f) Outside and inside design dry and wet bulb conditions.

(g) Exhaust riser diagrams.

(h) Outside air riser diagrams.

(i) Process flow diagrams with pipe sizes and fluid flow quantities.

(j) Condensate discharge piping with pipe sizes.

(k) Instrumentation and Control System diagrams and sequence of operation.

(l) Ductwork layout and sizing; insulation, supply, return, and exhaust inlet and outlet sizes; and outside air intake sizes. Air quantities shall be specified for inlets and outlets.

(m) Florida Energy Code calculations as applicable.

(n) NFPA Standards and all required fire protection devices and systems.

(3) The Engineer of Record shall determine the level of detail shown on plans for a HVAC system for mechanical engineering plans pertaining to HVAC systems exempted by the threshold requirements for mandatory use of professional engineering services. All such plans shall provide a clear understanding of the minimum system requirements expected to be installed by the contractor.

(4) For Mechanical Engineering Documents pertaining to HVAC systems that exceed the threshold requirements for mandatory use of professional engineering services, the plans shall have the following minimum indicate the following:

(a) Demonstrate and provide adequate information for the AHJ to determine compliance with codes and ordinances. These may include test methods and results; data and tabulations for Energy Conservation that are results of the design.

(b) Equipment selection schedule for each piece of mechanical equipment. All equipment shall have capacities listed including efficiencies, electrical or fuel requirements, static pressure and fan air quantities as applicable to the system, fluid flow and pressure head quantities as applicable to the system, and heat transfer capacities.

(c) Floor plans; site plans; and building and mechanical system elevations as appropriate.

(d) Outside (fresh) air make-up conditions.

(e) Cooling coil requirements based on sensible heat, latent heat and total heat gains.

(f) Heating equipment requirements.

(g) Outside and inside design dry and wet bulb conditions.

(h) Exhaust riser diagrams on buildings more than three stories when ductwork travels vertically.

(i) Outside air riser diagrams on buildings more than three stories when ductwork travels vertically.

(j) Process flow diagrams with pipe sizes and fluid flow quantities.

(k) Condensate discharge piping layout with pipe sizes.

(l) Instrumentation and Control System diagrams and sequence of operation.

(m) Ductwork layout and sizing; insulation requirements, supply, return, and exhaust inlet and outlet sizes; and outside air intake sizes. Air quantities shall be specified for inlets and outlets.

(n) All data needed to complete the Florida Energy Code calculations as applicable.

(o) A list of referenced NFPA Standards and layouts of all required fire protection devices and systems.

(p) Building pressurization criteria.

Specific Authority 471.008, 471.033(2) FS. Law Implemented 471.033 FS. History–New 11-16-94, Amended                       .

 

61G15-34.007 Design of Plumbing Systems.

(1) No change.

(2) Mechanical Engineering Documents applicable to Plumbing Systems shall when applicable, include but are not limited to the following:

(a) through (b) No change.

(c) Potable Water iIsometric diagrams with pipe sizes and total water fixture units.

(d) through (m) No change.

Specific Authority 471.008, 471.033(2) FS. Law Implemented 471.033 FS. History–New 11-16-94, Amended               .


NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Board of Professional Engineers
NAME OF SUPERVISOR OR PERSON WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Board of Professional Engineers
DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: October 17, 2007
DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW: November 21, 2007