A Step-by-Step Guide to Completing a J1V3 Assessment

Completing a J1V3 assessment can feel overwhelming if you’ve never dealt with Section J compliance before. 

However, it’s an opportunity to prove that your building design performs better than the minimum requirements set out in the National Construction Code (NCC). That’s why homeowners and developers need to know how it works. 

Instead of being locked into rigid “Deemed-to-Satisfy” rules, J1V3 gives you flexibility. So, in this guide, we’ll walk you through how the J1V3 assessment works and what to expect. Let’s get into it. 

How to Complete a J1V3 Assessment? Step-by-Step

A J1V3 Assessment is a way to prove that your commercial building design meets the NCC energy efficiency requirement. But to do that, you need to go through a series of steps, which we’ll discuss next. 

Step 1: Gather the Required Documentation

Before anything can be modelled, you need drawings and details of your building. These documents allow the assessor to understand the structure, materials, window positioning, and how the building will function.

The documents you’ll need at this step include: 

• Site plan
• Floor plans
• Elevations with cladding and material details
• Window and door schedules
• Section drawings
• Construction details such as wall, floor, and roof type

Remember, the more complex your drawings are, the faster we can move to modelling. 

Step 2: Review the NCC Section J Requirements

Once the documents are ready, the assessor checks the energy requirements stated in NCC Section J. These are the minimum values that every commercial building must meet. The assessment uses these values as the benchmark. 

Think of Section J as the starting point. It tells us what would be acceptable at a basic level. A few things that are reviewed during this step are: 

• J4 Building Fabric, insulation levels, R-values
• J5 Building sealing
• J6 HVAC efficiency (provided by the mechanical engineer)
• J7 Lighting performance and controls
• J8 and J9 additional energy elements

Step 3: Build the Reference Model and Proposed Model

Our energy assessor then creates a digital 3D model of the building using commercial energy modelling software (Better Building, Design Builder, IES VE). This model represents the building as if it only meets the minimum NCC performance levels.

It includes things like minimum insulation values, standard glazing performance, and basic lighting efficiency. Just make sure the actual design matches or outperforms this model. 

After the reference model is complete, an identical second model is created. This second model reflects the real design choices of the project.

Step 4: Run the Energy Simulation

Both models are now simulated using hourly weather and occupancy data over a full 12-month cycle. The software calculates how much energy each model would use for heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting.

The assessor also ensures the simulation must follow NCC JV(a) and JV(b) requirements and ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140 accuracy testing. 

To comply, the proposed model must demonstrate:

• A Predicted Mean Vote (thermal comfort) between -1 and +1
• 95% of the occupied floor area must meet the comfort level
• 98% of operating hours must stay within the acceptable comfort range

Step 5: Adjust the Design if Needed

If need be, make the necessary adjustments as instructed by your assessor. You don’t need to adjust everything, just the areas that affect the energy performance of the building.

Some common adjustments you might have to make include improving glazing performance or selecting a more efficient HVAC system. 

The goal is to make the design high performing without sacrificing functionality or aesthetics. 

Step 6: Final Compliance Report Submission

When the proposed model passes, the assessor prepares the final documentation. This report is used for building permit and certification purposes.

The completed documentation usually includes:

• Section J report and J1V3 verification results
• NCC Facade calculator
• J1V3 simulations and computations
• Glazing Values (U-Value & SHGC-Values)
• NCC J7 Lighting calculator

Once submitted, the project can move forward to permit approval and construction.

Get Your J1V3 Assessment Done Right the First Time

A J1V3 Assessment can feel overwhelming if you’re not familiar with the paperwork involved. But the process becomes much easier when you work with an assessor, like PassivEnergy, who understands how to make design decisions. 

We handle everything from interpreting NCC requirements to running simulations and preparing a fully compliant J1V3 report. 

Our goal is to take the stress off your plate and give you a clear path to approval, without delays or back-and-forth with certifiers.

Request your J1V3 assessment quote today and let us handle the compliance!