A COMcheck report that clears commercial plan review on the first submittal comes down to confirming the right code baseline, gathering accurate envelope and lighting data, and cross-checking the output against the rest of the permit package. This checklist walks through the process from project setup to final submittal.
Verify whether the local jurisdiction has adopted IECC commercial provisions or ASHRAE 90.1 as its baseline, and confirm which code cycle is currently enforced. This single confirmation prevents running the entire report against the wrong standard.
Identify the correct building and space-use classifications for every area covered by the project — office, retail, warehouse, restaurant, and so on — since lighting power density allowances and some envelope requirements vary by classification. A misclassified space is one of the more common sources of an inaccurate compliance result.
For new construction or projects with new envelope area, pull wall, roof, and fenestration U-factor and SHGC data directly from the architectural plans and product specifications, not from assumed or typical values.
Compile the interior and exterior lighting plan, including fixture wattages and quantities by space, so the lighting power density calculation reflects the actual proposed design rather than a placeholder lighting layout from an earlier design phase.
Where mechanical efficiency factors into the compliance path, confirm the specified equipment matches what's actually being installed, rather than carrying over assumptions from a different project or an earlier design iteration.
Run the COMcheck calculation and review each section — envelope, lighting, and mechanical, where applicable — individually. A passing overall result doesn't guarantee every individual section is comfortably compliant, so reviewing section-by-section helps catch a marginal result before it becomes a problem later.
Compare every input against the architectural and lighting plans submitted in the same package. Mismatches between COMcheck inputs and the plans are a frequent, avoidable cause of rejected submittals.
Does the checklist differ for a full new-construction project versus a tenant improvement?
The overall process is similar, but tenant improvements often only need the lighting section completed if there's no envelope work involved — confirm project scope before assuming all sections are required.
What's the most commonly overlooked step in this checklist?
Confirming space-use classification for every area, since it's easy to apply a generic classification without checking whether it matches the actual intended use of each space.
How much does lighting data affect the overall result?
Significantly, in many building types — lighting power density is one of the more common compliance failure points, so an accurate, current lighting plan matters as much as envelope data.
Psychro.Pro runs this same checklist internally when preparing COMcheck reports — correct code baseline, accurate classifications, and cross-checked documentation — delivered in 24–48 hours.Learn more.
