NEWEST COMMERCIAL ENERGY PLANS
EXAMINER (E4) CERTIFICATION EXAM
OFFERED BY INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL
| COMPLETE EXAM Q&A WITH RATIONALES
1. A building is 4 stories tall and contains 12
residential apartments. Which energy code applies?
A) IECC Commercial Provisions
B) IECC Residential Provisions
C) IECC applies only to the ground floor
D) Neither, residential buildings are exempt
Correct answer: A
Rationale: IECC Commercial Provisions apply to all
buildings except detached one‑ and two‑family
dwellings and townhouses 3 stories or less. A 4‑story
apartment building is commercial.
2. A mixed‑use building includes retail on the ground
floor and offices above. The owner chooses to follow
the IECC prescriptive path. What is required?
A) Only retail must comply
B) Only offices must comply
C) The entire building must comply
,D) Each occupancy can choose a different path
Correct answer: C
Rationale: For mixed‑use buildings following the
prescriptive path, the entire building must comply as
a single building; separate occupancies cannot each
choose a different path.
3. A designer chooses the performance compliance
path (total building performance). The proposed
design is compared to:
A) The building with the same geometry and
prescriptive envelope
B) An energy‑efficient baseline model
C) A standard reference design
D) The building without any energy features
Correct answer: C
Rationale: In the performance path, the proposed
design is compared to a standard reference design of
the same size and shape.
4. A warehouse is expanded with a 5,000 sq ft
addition that is conditioned. What must the addition
meet?
,A) Only the prescriptive requirements for new
buildings
B) No code, it is an addition
C) Only the envelope requirements, not mechanical
D) Only the IECC commercial provisions for the
addition itself
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Additions to conditioned space must
comply with the code for new buildings, as if they
were stand‑alone.
5. A restaurant expands into an existing
unconditioned storage area without adding
mechanical systems. What does the IECC require?
A) Nothing, because the space was unconditioned
B) The altered space must comply as a new building
C) Only the building envelope must meet IECC
D) The entire building must be upgraded
Correct answer: C
Rationale: When an unconditioned space becomes
conditioned, the building envelope of that space must
comply with the code as for new construction.
, 6. A single room in a school is converted from a
classroom to a computer lab. Which triggers IECC
compliance?
A) Any change of occupancy
B) Only if the building permit valuation exceeds 50%
of the building value
C) Change of use, if it results in increased energy
demand
D) Change of occupancy, if it affects the building
envelope
Correct answer: D
Rationale: A change of occupancy triggers code
compliance only when it is accompanied by a change
in the building envelope or building systems.
7. Which design criteria must be verified for a
building’s location?
A) The property tax rate
B) The local zoning height limit
C) The climate zone
D) The fire hydrant distance
Correct answer: C
EXAMINER (E4) CERTIFICATION EXAM
OFFERED BY INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL
| COMPLETE EXAM Q&A WITH RATIONALES
1. A building is 4 stories tall and contains 12
residential apartments. Which energy code applies?
A) IECC Commercial Provisions
B) IECC Residential Provisions
C) IECC applies only to the ground floor
D) Neither, residential buildings are exempt
Correct answer: A
Rationale: IECC Commercial Provisions apply to all
buildings except detached one‑ and two‑family
dwellings and townhouses 3 stories or less. A 4‑story
apartment building is commercial.
2. A mixed‑use building includes retail on the ground
floor and offices above. The owner chooses to follow
the IECC prescriptive path. What is required?
A) Only retail must comply
B) Only offices must comply
C) The entire building must comply
,D) Each occupancy can choose a different path
Correct answer: C
Rationale: For mixed‑use buildings following the
prescriptive path, the entire building must comply as
a single building; separate occupancies cannot each
choose a different path.
3. A designer chooses the performance compliance
path (total building performance). The proposed
design is compared to:
A) The building with the same geometry and
prescriptive envelope
B) An energy‑efficient baseline model
C) A standard reference design
D) The building without any energy features
Correct answer: C
Rationale: In the performance path, the proposed
design is compared to a standard reference design of
the same size and shape.
4. A warehouse is expanded with a 5,000 sq ft
addition that is conditioned. What must the addition
meet?
,A) Only the prescriptive requirements for new
buildings
B) No code, it is an addition
C) Only the envelope requirements, not mechanical
D) Only the IECC commercial provisions for the
addition itself
Correct answer: A
Rationale: Additions to conditioned space must
comply with the code for new buildings, as if they
were stand‑alone.
5. A restaurant expands into an existing
unconditioned storage area without adding
mechanical systems. What does the IECC require?
A) Nothing, because the space was unconditioned
B) The altered space must comply as a new building
C) Only the building envelope must meet IECC
D) The entire building must be upgraded
Correct answer: C
Rationale: When an unconditioned space becomes
conditioned, the building envelope of that space must
comply with the code as for new construction.
, 6. A single room in a school is converted from a
classroom to a computer lab. Which triggers IECC
compliance?
A) Any change of occupancy
B) Only if the building permit valuation exceeds 50%
of the building value
C) Change of use, if it results in increased energy
demand
D) Change of occupancy, if it affects the building
envelope
Correct answer: D
Rationale: A change of occupancy triggers code
compliance only when it is accompanied by a change
in the building envelope or building systems.
7. Which design criteria must be verified for a
building’s location?
A) The property tax rate
B) The local zoning height limit
C) The climate zone
D) The fire hydrant distance
Correct answer: C
