A tenant improvement (TI) arrives with an odd set of inputs. The architect has a floor plan and a lease exhibit. The landlord has base-building drawings that may or may not match the ceiling. The permit office has a checklist that asks for mechanical, electrical and plumbing sheets, plus energy forms for equipment nobody has chosen yet. The general contractor (GC) is often the person who has to close that gap, and the schedule is usually set by the lease start date.
This guide is for GCs, architects and developers in the United States who need an MEP permit set for commercial interior work. It explains what counts as altered work under the energy code. It shows which sheets three real city checklists asked for and which COMcheck reports apply. It also covers where the schedule usually slips. The wider MEP design services hub covers the design disciplines behind these sheets.
Quick answer. A commercial TI permit set normally needs mechanical, electrical and plumbing plans for the work area. It also needs a separate path for fire sprinkler and alarm drawings, and energy code reports for the new systems. What applies depends on the adopted IECC or ASHRAE 90.1 edition, the IEBC alteration level and the local checklist. Fix the scope of altered work first, survey existing conditions second, then draw only what the AHJ lists.
Sources were checked on 31 October 2026. The International Code Council site (codes.iccsafe.org) was not reachable from our research environment. The code text below comes from the sources named beside each claim. They are UpCodes viewers of adopted editions, a city interpretation, ASHRAE’s own addendum, and DOE and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) material. Adoption is set by each state and city, so the edition on your permit date and the local amendments control. Where this guide gives practitioner judgement instead of a source, it says so.
What makes a tenant improvement different for MEP design?
A TI is an alteration to an existing building, so the energy code asks a narrower question than it asks of new construction. It asks whether the new work meets the code and whether the building ends up no less conforming than before. It does not normally ask the whole building to be rebuilt to current code.
The 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), Section C503.1, says alterations must not leave the building less conforming. Altered portions meet new-construction requirements, and unaltered portions do not need to. We read that text in the UpCodes viewer of the 2024 IECC, Chapter 5, which shows no state amendment to this chapter. The 2021 edition’s Section C503.3 says new heating, cooling and duct systems in the alteration comply with Sections C403 and C408. We read it in the Denver 2021 energy code on UpCodes. Denver adds some local provisions to this chapter, so treat it as a reading aid for the base text, not as your jurisdiction’s rule.
Three scope calls decide what the MEP set contains. Make them before anyone draws a sheet:
- Is this space an alteration at all? A first-time fit-out of a new shell may be treated as part of a new building. San Antonio says so in its Information Bulletin 221. A first-time tenant finish out “should NOT be considered a remodel” and must comply as a phase of a new building. It defines an existing building, for energy purposes, as one where a certificate of occupancy was previously issued. Other cities may draw the line elsewhere.
- Which IEBC alteration level applies? The International Existing Building Code (IEBC) sorts work into levels, covered next.
- Which systems are new or altered? Only those systems carry energy code obligations in an alteration. A new rooftop unit, a new lighting layout and a new water heater each bring their own sections.
Which IEBC alteration level applies, and what does it change for MEP?
The 2021 IEBC classifies alterations into Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3, and the level decides which chapters apply. The classification is set by the type of work and by the size of the work area compared with the building area.
| Level | 2021 IEBC section | What triggers it | Chapters that apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 602 | Removal and replacement, or covering, of existing materials, elements, equipment or fixtures with new ones that serve the same purpose | 7 |
| Level 2 | 603 | Adding or eliminating a door or window, reconfiguring or extending a system, or installing additional equipment, where the work area is 50 percent of the building area or less | 7 and 8 |
| Level 3 | 604 | Work area exceeds 50 percent of the building area | 7, 8 and 9 |
Source: 2021 IEBC Sections 601 to 604, read in the Fort Worth 2021 IEBC viewer on UpCodes. That viewer is marked as adopted with amendments, but the text of these sections shows no marked change. Section 601.2 requires the work area to be identified on the construction documents. The work area itself is defined in Chapter 2, which we did not read, so use the definition in your adopted edition.
Most office, retail and clinic TI work lands in Level 2 because it reconfigures walls and systems. The MEP consequences sit in Chapter 8 of the same viewer:
- Ventilation (Section 807). Reconfigured or converted occupied spaces need natural or mechanical ventilation under the International Mechanical Code. Altered, reconfigured or extended mechanical ventilation systems must supply at least 5 cfm per person of outdoor air and 15 cfm per person of ventilation air. The alternative is the amount found by the ASHRAE 62.1 Indoor Air Quality Procedure.
- Electrical (Section 806). New electrical equipment and wiring in the work area comply with NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Our commercial electrical load calculation guide for NEC 220 shows how the service and panel numbers behind those sheets are built.
- Fire protection and egress (Sections 803 and 804). Requirements reach the full tenant space bounded by smoke-resistant walls. Some egress rules extend to a whole floor when the work area exceeds 50 percent of that floor. Sprinkler, standpipe and alarm requirements in that viewer point to the local fire code.
- Energy (Section 809). Level 2 work does not require the whole building to meet the IECC. The altered work meets the energy requirements for new construction.
City of Longmont, Colorado asks designers to state the IEBC Chapter 6 classification of work in the code analysis or on the cover sheet. That is a cheap line to add on any TI set, and it forces the scope decision into writing. Reviewers in other cities may not ask, but the architect’s code sheet is the natural home for it. A short AHJ conversation before design can confirm which adopted edition and local amendments apply.
What does IECC Section C503 require for MEP in an alteration?
Section C503 tells you which MEP provisions follow new equipment. The table compares the 2021 and 2024 editions for the three systems a TI usually touches. Both editions apply the same idea: the new or altered system carries the requirement, not the existing building.
| System | 2021 IECC (Section C503) | 2024 IECC (Section C503) |
|---|---|---|
| Heating, cooling and duct | C503.3: new heating, cooling and duct systems that are part of the alteration comply with C403 and C408 | C503.3 keeps that rule and adds items: acceptance testing (C503.3.2, with an exemption below 10,000 sq ft and 960,000 Btu/h combined capacity), duct leakage testing when 25 percent or more of a high-pressure duct run is relocated or added (C503.3.3), and sizing for the altered building (C503.3.5) |
| Service hot water | C503.4: new systems comply with C404 and C408 | C503.4 requires C404 for new systems and adds acceptance testing (C503.4.1) |
| Lighting | C503.5: new lighting systems comply with C405 and C408, except where an alteration replaces less than 10 percent of the luminaires in a space without raising installed interior lighting power | C503.5.1: no luminaire-percentage exception. Adding or relocating full-height partitions, or altering interior lighting, brings C405.2, C405.3 and C408.3. Altering controls only brings C405.2 and C408.3 |
Sources: 2021 Chapter 5 as shown for Denver, the 2021 C503.5 text quoted by the City of Philadelphia, and the 2024 Chapter 5 on UpCodes. Section numbers and thresholds in your state’s amended edition can differ.
The 2024 edition also adds Section C503.6, which asks alterations that qualify as a “substantial improvement” to earn additional efficiency credits under Section C406. The definition of substantial improvement sits in Chapter 2, which we did not read. On a TI, confirm with the AHJ whether your project could meet it before you assume the section does not apply.
For the mechanical sheets, equipment sizing starts with a load calculation. Our guide to HVAC load calculation services explains which method suits which building and what inputs the reviewer expects. San Antonio asks for mechanical load calculations on engineered designs, and the reviewer checks the totals against the equipment schedule.
How do lighting rules treat alterations: IECC against ASHRAE 90.1?
The two documents use different triggers, and a TI lighting change is where this bites. The IECC 2021 trigger is a share of luminaires. ASHRAE 90.1-2022 uses connected wattage.
ASHRAE 90.1-2022. Section 4.2.1.3 requires alterations to existing building assemblies, systems and equipment to comply with Sections 4.2.2 through 4.2.5. They also follow one of three paths: Sections 5 to 11, the Energy Cost Budget Method, or Appendix G. For interior lighting, Section 9.1.1.3.1 sets a 2,000 W line. If the total wattage of all new and retrofitted luminaires is greater than 2,000 W, the alteration complies with Section 9.2 in full. At 2,000 W or less, each altered space meets one of two tests. One test is the lighting power allowance (LPA) in Tables 9.5.2.1-1 and 9.5.2.1-2 and Section 9.5.2.2. The other is a new wattage at least 50 percent below the original. The new lighting also meets a subset of the controls in Sections 9.4.1.1(a), (h) and (i).
We read this text in the 2025 NYC ASHRAE 90.1 publication, which reproduces the standard with New York City changes. Its addenda table states that Standard 90.1-2022 incorporates all addenda to 90.1-2019. The rule traces to Addendum p to 90.1-2019, approved by ASHRAE and ANSI on 26 February 2021. Its foreword says it closes loopholes that let alteration projects comply without meeting all of Section 9. Check the exact text in the edition your jurisdiction adopted.
An illustrative comparison. These assumptions are ours, not a code example. A tenant suite has 150 luminaires. The team replaces 20 of them with LED luminaires rated 32 W each, and the layout does not raise total installed lighting power.
| Test | Calculation | Result under 2021 IECC | Result under 90.1-2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share of luminaires replaced | 20 of 150 = 13.3 percent | Above 10 percent, so the C503.5 exception is lost and C405 and C408 apply to the new lighting | Not the trigger |
| Wattage of new luminaires | 20 x 32 W = 640 W | Not the trigger | Below 2,000 W, so each altered space meets the LPA or a 50 percent wattage cut, plus the subset controls |
| Where the trigger flips | IECC: 15 luminaires, because 15 of 150 is no longer less than 10 percent. 90.1: 63 luminaires at 32 W, which is 2,016 W | Full C405 and C408 path from 15 replaced | Full Section 9.2 path from 63 replaced |
The same scope can carry full lighting compliance under one document and a reduced set under the other. Philadelphia adds an interpretation that matters for the percentage test. Its Department of Licenses and Inspections reads “space” in C503.5 as the entire tenant space, not a room. Under the 2024 IECC text we read, no percentage exception exists at all. Before the lighting sheet is drawn, ask which edition applies and whether the AHJ accepts the IECC or the ASHRAE route. Our ASHRAE 90.1 compliance drawings guide covers how to decide the edition and where each result goes in a full commercial set.
What does an existing-condition survey need to capture?
The survey decides how much of the existing system the design can reuse, and it feeds the forms. Every item below can change a sheet or a calculation. The list is practitioner judgement unless a source is named.
| Item to record | Why the MEP set needs it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Existing and proposed floor plans, with demolished, retained and new walls | Reviewers want to see what changes | City of Puyallup, WA commercial TI checklist (undated; PDF created November 2023) |
| Ceiling height, plenum depth and obstructions above the grid | Duct and sprinkler routing | Practitioner judgement |
| Rooftop unit or air handler nameplate data, age and capacity | Reuse decision, load comparison and the mechanical COMcheck inputs | Practitioner judgement; San Antonio requires equipment type, size and efficiency on mechanical sheets |
| Fire-rated walls, floors and shaft penetrations | Fire, smoke and ceiling radiation damper locations | City of Longmont, CO Submittal Requirement Guide (revised 16 July 2025) |
| Panel capacity, spare ways, meter location and service rating | Whether a one-line diagram and a service upgrade are needed | City of Longmont, CO (one-line diagram required for a new service or service upgrade) |
| Existing lighting fixtures, counts and controls in the tenant space | The baseline for the lighting percentage or wattage test | See the lighting section above |
| Sanitary and water stub locations, water heater type, gas meter | Plumbing layout and fixture counts | Practitioner judgement |
| Roof and ceiling load limits for added equipment | Structural trigger | Longmont asks for structural plans when added equipment exceeds 250 lb on the ceiling or roof; Puyallup asks for engineered design when equipment adds 5 percent to a structural element or new loads exceed 400 lb |
| Existing sprinkler layout, head types and alarm panel | Fire sheets and the water supply data | Practitioner judgement |
Walk the space with the base-building drawings in hand. Mark each item as verified on site, taken from drawings or assumed. A concealed condition that appears after demolition is a change order, and the assumptions column is where it can be traced back.
How do you work from base-building drawings?
Treat base-building drawings as evidence of the building as designed, not as a record of the building as it stands. The steps below are practitioner judgement.
- Request the right set. Ask the landlord or property manager for the latest MEP drawings, the as-builts if any exist, and the shell permit reference. A permit number lets the AHJ pull earlier approvals.
- Date every source. Note the revision date on each sheet. A drawing older than the last renovation can be wrong in the exact area where you will cut.
- Compare against the field. Check equipment nameplates and the ceiling against the drawings. Record differences on a field-verification sheet that stays with the project file.
- Rebuild only what you need. If the work area needs a clean base, redraw the walls, ceiling, equipment and main routes in the work area. Redrawing the whole floor is rarely needed for a permit set.
- Tag the status of every element. Use existing to remain, existing to be removed, relocated and new. Reviewers and installers both read these tags.
- Decide 2D or model early. A permit set can be 2D. If the contractor wants coordination in a model, the base geometry must be built to the same standard as the new work. The Revit MEP LOD 300 vs 400 guide lists field-verified existing conditions among its deliverable inputs and explains how to write that into a scope.
If your own drafting capacity is the limit, read the MEP design services page. It describes mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design for commercial and industrial buildings, including brownfield sites. It also states that you can share PDFs, CAD files, BIM models or site photos so the team can scope the work.
Which MEP and fire sheets does a TI permit set need?
No national rule lists the sheets. Each AHJ publishes its own checklist, and the checklists we opened overlap heavily. The table below is an illustrative sheet list built from three checklists. Sheet numbers are placeholders, so follow your office or project CAD standard. The last column shows which checklist supports each row.
| Illustrative sheet | What it shows | Checklist support |
|---|---|---|
| M-001 Mechanical notes and schedules | Equipment type, size, efficiency, make and model, fan motor horsepower, economizer description, control description, duct and pipe insulation R-values | San Antonio (efficiencies, controls, economizer, fan motors, insulation); Springville (HVAC units) |
| M-101 Mechanical demolition and new work plan | Existing duct and units to remain or go, new duct sizes, return air locations, outdoor air ventilation calculation, fire, smoke and ceiling radiation damper locations | Longmont (ventilation per IMC, dampers); Springville (duct sizes, return air, fire dampers, combustion air, kitchen hoods) |
| E-001 Electrical legend, panel schedules, lighting fixture schedule | Panel schedules, load calculations, fixture wattage, control narrative, daylight zones | Springville (calculations, panel schedules); San Antonio (fixture schedule, control narrative, daylight zones, lighting power calculation) |
| E-101 Lighting plan | Fixture locations, circuits, emergency and exit lighting and power supply | Longmont; Springville |
| E-102 Power plan | Power locations, circuit numbers, panel and meter locations, working clearances, electrical room egress, tenant address and meter labeling | Longmont |
| E-201 One-line diagram | Service, metering and main distribution | Longmont (required for a service upgrade or new service) |
| P-001 Plumbing notes and schedules | Fixture schedule (the fixture unit totals behind pipe sizes), water heater type, size and efficiency, hot water controls and pipe insulation | San Antonio (hot water systems on plumbing sheets); Longmont (fixture calculations in the code analysis) |
| P-101 Plumbing plan | Fixtures, locations, pipe sizes, layout, traps or interceptors, gas sizing, penetration details | Longmont; Springville; Puyallup |
| FP-101 Fire sprinkler and fire alarm | Sprinkler layout and alarm devices, submitted on the fire office route where the AHJ splits review | Longmont (submitted separately to its fire office); Springville (sprinkler plan as additional information) |
| Energy sheet or summary | Compliance path, COMcheck reports, commissioning and testing plan | San Antonio; Longmont; Springville |
The architect usually owns the code analysis sheet, the life safety plan and the reflected ceiling plan. The MEP sheets must agree with them. Sprinkler layouts are commonly produced by the sprinkler contractor, which is practitioner judgement. The fire sprinkler hydraulic calculation guide explains what that drawing set contains and how the calculation ties to it.
What did three real checklists ask for?
The three AHJ documents below were opened on 31 October 2026. They show the shared core and the local extras. None of them is a rule for your city.
| Item | City of Longmont, CO | City of San Antonio, TX | City of Springville, UT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document and date | Submittal Requirement Guide, revised 16 July 2025 | Information Bulletin 221, revised September 2026 | Tenant Improvement Checklist, PDF dated April 2026 |
| Codes named | 2021 IEBC, IBC, IMC, IPC, IECC, IFC; NEC 2023 | 2021 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2019 | 2021 IBC, IMC, IPC, IFC, IECC; 2023 NEC |
| Mechanical | Outside air ventilation per the IMC; fire, smoke and ceiling radiation damper locations | Load calculations for engineered designs; equipment schedule with efficiencies; economizer; controls; insulation | Mechanical schematic, duct sizes, return air, fire dampers, HVAC units, hoods |
| Electrical | Lighting and power plans, one-line diagram for new service, IECC C405 check | Fixture schedule, daylight zones, lighting power calculation | Electrical plan, calculations, emergency lighting, panel schedules |
| Plumbing | Engineering calculations, diagrams, penetrations, traps or interceptors | Hot water equipment, controls, insulation | Plumbing plan and schematic |
| Fire | Sprinkler and alarm plans go to the fire office, separate from building review | Not in the energy bulletin | Sprinkler plan as additional information; fire department may inspect at final |
| Energy forms | COMcheck copy required; envelope, lighting and mechanical certificates by the architect, electrical engineer and mechanical engineer of record | Mechanical and lighting COMcheck that match the plans; envelope only in specific cases; commissioning plan | COMcheck or equivalent |
| Stated timing | First review time of 3 to 4 weeks after a complete submittal | Not stated in the bulletin | Reviewed first come, first served; “several weeks” |
Sources: Longmont guide, San Antonio IB 221 and Springville checklist. Longmont also warns that digital signatures must be signed but not certified, because certifying prevents reviewers from completing review functions. It requires an original stamp from a Colorado licensed design professional where a space is designed for 10 or more occupants. Springville asks for plans endorsed and signed by an architect and all other professional designers.
Who signs and seals which sheet is a contract and licensing question. Stamping requirements are confirmed at quote stage when Heaven Designs scopes MEP work, and the project team should settle it before drawing starts.
Which energy code forms belong in a TI set?
COMcheck is the free tool most AHJs name for commercial energy compliance. The U.S. Department of Energy Building Energy Codes Program supports it. The COMcheck page on energycodes.gov says it covers new commercial or high-rise residential buildings, additions and alterations. Current COMcheck-Web lists the 2015, 2018, 2021 and 2024 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022, plus state-specific codes. DOE says all future codes go only into COMcheck-Web, with the desktop version heading toward unsupported status.
The 2023 DOE National Energy Codes Conference slides on COMcheck basics, prepared by a PNNL engineer, describe an alteration project in the tool:
- The user specifies only the envelope components, lighting fixtures and mechanical systems that will exist when the project is complete.
- Envelope and lighting show pass or fail. Mechanical has no pass or fail metric. It is a checklist of efficiency, economizer, fan power and mandatory requirements.
- Reports can include an Envelope Compliance Certificate, an Interior Lighting Compliance Certificate, an Exterior Lighting Compliance Certificate and a Mechanical Compliance Certificate. Inspection checklists follow, split by plan review, footing and foundation, rough-in and final.
- Every requirement must be addressed in the software or compliance cannot be determined. Plan reference fields flow into the inspection checklist.
Use the scope of work to pick the forms. This table reflects the three checklists and the DOE material. Your AHJ decides.
| TI scope | Likely form | Note |
|---|---|---|
| New or replaced HVAC equipment | Mechanical COMcheck | San Antonio wants the report to list equipment and performance matching the plans |
| New lighting layout or fixtures | Interior lighting COMcheck | San Antonio wants fixture counts and types that match the lighting plans |
| New exterior lighting | Exterior lighting COMcheck | Only if exterior lighting changes |
| New water heater | Mechanical COMcheck, plus the plumbing sheet data | San Antonio wants the mechanical report to list hot water equipment; Longmont also asks for water heater drawings |
| Interior walls only, no envelope change | No envelope report in many cities | San Antonio says a thermal envelope report is generally not required unless the building is taken down to structural framing |
| Work that also adds floor area | Use the Addition project type | DOE lists New Construction, Addition and Alteration as COMcheck project types |
Reports are signed by different people in different cities. Longmont assigns the lighting certificate to the electrical engineer of record and the mechanical certificate to the mechanical engineer of record. The architect of record completes the envelope certificate. If an outsourced MEP team prepares the reports, agree early which licensed party signs each one.
Compliance does not end at permit. San Antonio’s bulletin clears up to ten energy inspections with letters before a certificate of occupancy. The architect, engineer, contractor, installer, commissioning agent or owner’s agent can write them. It also asks for a commissioning plan at plan review and, where commissioning is required, a preliminary commissioning report at closeout. It states that the testing of lighting controls applies where new controls are installed and an electrical engineered design exists. These are closeout items, not design items, but the MEP engineer usually writes the plan.
How does AHJ review run on a TI?
Review is a gate with separate lanes. The details differ by city, and the checklist is the best guide.
- Complete submittals only. Longmont states incomplete submittals will not be accepted. Springville says applications will not be accepted as incomplete submissions. A missing energy report can stop the clock.
- One combined plan set. Longmont asks for one combined PDF plan set, bookmarked by sheet, with separate PDFs for items such as soils reports and specifications.
- Separate fire lane. Longmont sends sprinkler and alarm plans straight to its fire office, apart from building review. Permits cannot issue before other departments approve. A TI schedule has to carry that parallel track.
- Interpretations. Philadelphia’s lighting FAQ states that it is guidance to staff and may change without notice. If an AHJ gives a written interpretation, keep it in the project file with the calculations.
- Post-permit clocks. Springville states a permit expires 180 days after issue or after the last inspection. That affects TI projects with long-lead equipment.
Read the IBC edition on the checklist and match it to the sheets. A code analysis that cites the wrong edition is an easy comment to avoid.
What are the schedule risks on a TI MEP set?
These risks come from practitioner judgement. The cited checklists support only the triggers noted. We do not put a day count on any of them because review time depends on the AHJ and on the quality of the submittal.
| Risk | Where it shows up | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Base-building drawings are late or wrong | Survey and demolition plans | Request them before design starts; verify equipment and ceiling on site |
| Scope of altered work is unsettled | Energy forms and sheet list | Record the IEBC level and the lighting test result in writing |
| Equipment is selected after the forms are drawn | Mechanical COMcheck | Hold the report until the schedule is final; San Antonio expects the match |
| Lighting changes mid-design | Lighting COMcheck and controls narrative | Freeze the fixture schedule before the report is run |
| Added roof equipment exceeds a structural trigger | Structural coordination | Ask for weights early; Longmont and Puyallup state different triggers |
| Fire sprinkler and alarm drawings are on a separate track | Fire office review | Start the fire submittal in parallel, not after building comments |
| Edition or amendment confusion | Code analysis | Confirm the adopted edition with the AHJ on the permit date |
| Closeout letters and commissioning are left to the end | Certificate of occupancy | Put the testing plan and the letters in the schedule at kickoff |
After the permit issues, trades still prepare submittals and shop drawings. Our MEP shop drawings guide covers that stage and why a model alone does not replace a submittal.
When does it make sense to outsource the TI MEP set?
Outsourcing helps when TI work arrives in clusters and in-house engineers are committed elsewhere. Several tenants take occupancy in the same quarter, or a landlord program repeats the same scope across suites. Keep authority and scope explicit. Our MEP design outsourcing guide for US contractors explains how to set scope, authority, inputs and reviews before work starts.
The MEP design services hub page describes Heaven Designs’ mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design, with BIM delivery. The facilities listed are residential, commercial, healthcare, industrial and aviation. The page says the team takes on CAD-to-BIM conversion or full discipline design on greenfield or brownfield sites. It can follow your templates and standards when you provide them. It also lists commercial fit-outs among the packages owners and developers can request. Scope, deliverables and turnaround are agreed at scoping.
FAQ
Does every TI need a COMcheck report?
No. The DOE tool lets you specify only the systems that will exist after the alteration. San Antonio says a mechanical or electrical report may be required when new systems are designed and installed. It adds that an envelope report is generally not required unless the building is taken to structural framing. Longmont asks for one copy of each COMcheck where new mechanical equipment or light fixtures are installed. Ask the AHJ which reports it needs.
Is a first-time tenant fit-out treated as a remodel?
Not in every city. San Antonio says a first-time tenant finish out should not be considered a remodel. It must comply as a phase of a new building. The city defines an existing building by a previously issued certificate of occupancy. Longmont uses one guide for remodels and first tenants. Check how your AHJ defines the term before choosing the compliance route.
Do I need an HVAC load calculation for a TI?
Check the checklist. San Antonio asks for mechanical load calculations on engineered designs and Manual N or equivalent for non-engineered ones. Longmont does not list a load calculation separately, but it asks for outside air ventilation and equipment data. Our HVAC load calculation guide covers which method fits which building.
Does replacing some light fixtures trigger lighting compliance?
It can. Under the 2021 IECC, the exception covers replacing less than 10 percent of the luminaires in a space without raising installed interior lighting power. Beyond that, C405 and C408 apply to the new lighting. The 2024 IECC text we read has no percentage exception. ASHRAE 90.1-2022 uses a 2,000 W line. Which one governs depends on your state or city.
Who submits the sprinkler and fire alarm drawings?
Practitioner judgement says the sprinkler contractor commonly prepares the sprinkler drawings and calculation, with the alarm designer covering devices. Longmont routes both to its fire office separately from building review. Confirm the route with your AHJ and plan the fire lane as a parallel schedule item.
How current are these checklists?
They are current to the dates shown, and cities revise them. Longmont revised its guide on 16 July 2025, San Antonio’s bulletin shows a September 2026 revision and the Springville file is dated April 2026. Download the live version for your city before you issue the set.
Plan the permit set before the lease clock runs
Start with the sheet list above and the AHJ checklist for your city. Settle the IEBC level, the edition and the lighting test in writing, walk the space and mark each existing condition as verified or assumed. Then decide who produces each sheet and who signs each energy report.
If your team needs more MEP capacity for the set, review the MEP design services page. Check whether the listed disciplines and deliverables match your TI scope. Use our contact page to describe the space, the drawings you hold and the permit office involved. Turnaround is agreed at scoping, and stamping requirements are confirmed at quote stage.