An office tenant improvement (TI) reconfigures leased or owner-occupied space — new partitions, lighting, HVAC zoning, and finishes. Most office TIs in California must show Title 24 (Part 6) energy compliance before the building department issues a permit, with the exact scope driven by what you are altering.
When an office TI triggers Title 24
A lighting-only refresh, a full mechanical and electrical reconfiguration, and a change of use are treated differently under the Energy Code. Alterations to the indoor lighting system, HVAC equipment or distribution, the building envelope, or the addition of conditioned area each pull in their own NRCC certificate. A cosmetic-only remodel with no regulated systems may fall outside the energy scope — but that determination should be documented, not assumed.
Systems typically in scope
Office TIs most often involve indoor lighting (NRCC-LTI) with occupancy sensors, daylighting controls, and multi-level controls; HVAC changes (NRCC-MCH) covering zoning, economizers, and controls; and sometimes envelope work (NRCC-ENV) if walls, roofs, or glazing are altered. Outdoor and parking lighting (NRCC-LTO) — and sign lighting (NRCC-LTS) — apply when those exterior fixtures change. We identify which certificates your project needs and prepare them on the prescriptive or performance path.
Documents and plan-check
Common office TI energy corrections include lighting controls that are drawn but not fully specified, a fixture schedule that does not match the reflected ceiling plan, and HVAC changes that are missing from the mechanical certificate. A complete, coordinated plan set up front — architectural, lighting with a controls narrative, and mechanical schedules — lets us prepare accurate NRCC certificates and reduces the chance of a plan-check cycle. If energy corrections do come back, send the correction list and the relevant sheets and we resolve the flagged items so the permit can move forward.
What we need to quote and prepare your report
Send the full plan set so we can scope every regulated system accurately:
- Architectural floor plans and reflected ceiling plans
- Lighting plans, fixture schedule, and control narrative
- Mechanical plans and equipment schedules (if HVAC changes)
- Electrical single-line and panel schedules
- Project address, scope narrative, and conditioned floor area
- Whether the work is new construction, addition, alteration, or TI
Example project
Illustrative example — not a specific customer: A 6,000-square-foot suite is re-partitioned with new LED lighting, added occupancy and daylighting controls, and two reconfigured rooftop units. Because lighting and HVAC are both altered, the project needs NRCC-LTI and NRCC-MCH documentation; the lighting controls and any changed HVAC equipment are then confirmed in the field through acceptance testing.
Commercial Title 24 pricing
Commercial projects are quoted individually — priced by building type, conditioned floor area, compliance path, and the systems in scope, not a flat rate. Upload your plans for a firm quote, with standard, rush, and same-day options.
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