I was just asked this question

Does a 1.5 million sqft ground floor warehouse have to comply with the baseline system in Table G3.1.1A of ASHRAE Std90 (page 176, 2004 Std)? The baseline system would be 7.
Fan Control: Packaged rooftop variable air volume with reheat
Cooling Type: Chilled Water
Heating Type: Hot Water Fossil Fuel Boiler

Assume the warehouse stores lumber or auto tires or some other stuff that is indestructible and does not decay, freeze or breathe. Does it have to comply with the envelope, lighting, mechanical and domestic HW standards? Why can?t a space like this use several packaged rooftop units with gas furnace heating and DX coils for cooling? Does it have to have chillers, cooling towers, HW boilers and VAV systems with reheat?

If there is occasional people activity in the space, what would be the ventilation and lighting requirements? I would think the design of a warehouse depend on what is being stored and the activities in the space. There is a wide variety of possibilities.

Varkie