• SPS 361.03 (14) updates adoption of individual sections of the International Fire Code®, published by the International Code Council, that are referenced throughout chs. SPS 361 to 366. • SPS 361.04 updates and creates new definitions for compliance assurance programs, crematory, home-based businesses, mausoleum, secretary, and Wisconsin insignia.
• SPS 361.05 updates the model building codes used in chs. SPS 361 to 366 from the 2009 edition to the 2015 editions of the model building codes. • SPS 361.30 (1) (b) exempts certain single-story buildings located at state fair parks as well as fire service drill towers used exclusively for hands-on training from plan submittal and review. These buildings will still be required to meet requirements found in chs. SPS 361 to 366. • SPS 361.30 clarifies industry practice for calculating total building volume.
SPS 361.36 (1) (g) clarifies that plan approval for bleachers and canopies will expire 2 years after the approval date.
• SPS 361.40 (3) (b) requires the owner to retain a new supervising professional within 30 days if the supervising professional withdraws from a construction project.
• SPS 361.41 (1) creates a provision for on-site inspections to be conducted within 5 business days, when required, and permits construction to proceed if the inspection has not been completed within that timeframe.
• SPS 361, Subchapter V is created to establish procedures for approving and inspecting modular multifamily dwellings and their components. Standards for modular dwellings are established as part of Wisconsin’s uniform dwelling code. However, this revision recognizes that standards for multifamily dwellings are established under chs. SPS 361 to 366 and incorporates requirements into the commercial building code. • SPS 361.51 (8) is created to allow building owners or supervising professionals to use a more recent version of a model building code in lieu of the standard code adopted under SPS 361.05 if the model building code is used in its entirety and the code is identified in plan documents. Currently, a building owner or supervising professional must either submit a petition for variance or a request to use an alternate standard under SPS 361.51 to use a more current version of a building code. This provision allows the use of such code without requiring payment of a separate fee or application. This section also contains a note that provides guidance to municipalities and permits municipalities to contract with a third-party inspection agency to perform plan reviews.
This rule adopts the 2015 edition of the International Building Code (IBC). Chapter SPS 362 establishes standards related to buildings and structures and modifies provisions from the IBC. This rule revision makes the following significant changes to SPS 362: • SPS 362.0202 reorganizes and renumbers some existing definitions and creates new definitions for “neutral plane for a deep foundation”, “self-storage building”, “automatic sprinkler system”, “commercial motor vehicle”, “fire area”, “fire separation distance,” “fuel-burning appliance”, “immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)”, “Live/work unit”, and “sealed combustion appliance.”
• SPS 362.0202 creates a provision that classifies cheese factories as low-hazard factory industrial Group F-2 occupancies.
• SPS 362.0308 creates exemptions from the International Residential Code for institutions with 5 or fewer persons receiving medical care and classified as Group R-3 occupancies.
• SPS 362.0423 creates an exemption from the storm shelter requirements for educational Group E occupancies.
• SPS 362.0504 creates an exception from height and story requirements for A-2 occupancies listed under SPS 362.0903 (18) (b) 2. relating to sprinkler exemptions for repurposed agricultural buildings located on a farm premise.
• SPS 362.0506 creates a new provision relating to IBC Table 506.2 that includes factors for allowable building area based on the occupancy classification and type of construction. This provision is necessary to substitute new factors to correct an error that appears in the 2015 IBC Table 506.2 for I-3, Type IIA construction.
• SPS 362.0717 (1) creates a new provision in addition to the requirements in IBC section 717.3.3.2 describing a condition under which supply and return smoke dampers shall be closed.
• SPS 362.0903 (5) modifies the automatic sprinkler requirements for multifamily dwellings containing over 20 dwelling units to incorporate requirements under s. 101.14 (4m) (b) 2., Stats. • SPS 362.0903 (12) creates an exemption from automatic fire sprinkler requirements under certain conditions for upholstered furniture stored in Group S-1 occupancies.
• SPS 362.0903 (13) clarifies that the automatic fire sprinkler requirements apply to recycling chutes in addition to rubbish and linen chutes.
• SPS 362.0903 (14) clarifies that the department will accept FM Global Loss Prevention Data Sheets 2-0 Installation Guidelines for Automatic Sprinklers and 8-9 Storage of Class 1,2,3,4 and Plastic Commodities as alternate design standards for sprinklers.
• SPS 362.0903 (15) incorporates requirements from 2015 Wisconsin Act 240, which prohibits the department or local jurisdictions from establishing or enforcing ordinance that requires automatic fire suppression systems on a building on fairgrounds if the building is used for 180 cumulative days or fewer per year and public access is provided by garage style doors that remain open to the public when the building is open. • SPS 362.0903 (16) creates an exemption from automatic fire sprinkler requirements under IBC section 903.2.1.6 relating to assembly occupancies on roofs.
• SPS 362.0903 (17) modifies the requirements under IBC section 903.3.8.1 relating to the number of sprinklers for limited area sprinkler systems.
• SPS 362.0903 (18) creates an exemption from fire sprinkler requirements in certain buildings, including rural restaurants, taverns, and bars, farm buildings temporarily repurposed for use for weddings or similar events, places of religious worship, and cabins, camp or lodge buildings that do not have access to a municipal water supply to operate a fire sprinkler system. Currently, these buildings are already exempt from fire sprinkler requirements under the IBC if they meet certain size and occupant load limits. If a building exceeds those requirements, owners must request a petition for variance to exclude a fire sprinkler system in these buildings.
• This provision creates a new administrative option that will allow for buildings not exempt from fire sprinkler requirements under current IBC requirements to build without seeking a petition for variance if the building meets the requirements under this provision and is approved by the local commercial building inspector and fire code official.
• SPS 362.0907 (2m) modifies the requirements under IBC section 907.3.3 relating to emergency operations for elevators and requires installations in accordance with ch. SPS 318. • SPS 362.1006 (4) creates an exemption for the number of exits and common path of travel for buildings used for salt and sand storage, to provide more flexibility for buildings used to store salt and sand used on roads.
• SPS 362.1010 (3) modifies the requirements under IBC section 1010.1.10 relating to installation of panic and fire exit hardware on doors in electrical rooms.
• SPS 362.1013 creates an exemption from the requirements for floor-level exit signs.
• SPS 362.1015 clarifies where guards located along elevated open-sided walking surfaces are required, including roofs.
• SPS 362.1107 modifies the requirements under IBC section 1107.7.2 and maintains 2009 IBC requirements related to multistory units.
• SPS 362.1210 (2m), 362.2900 (3), 362.2901, and 362.2902 modify the requirements relating to urinals and toilet fixtures.
• SPS 362.1405 (1m) and (2m) modifies the requirements under IBC section 1405.3.1 to require that Class I or II vapor retarders be provided on the interior side of frame walls and ceiling assemblies and extends vapor retarder requirements to ceiling assemblies, providing requirements that are consistent with the UDC.
• SPS 362.1809 exempts floating slabs used with non-masonry, unheated, single-story buildings that are less than 12,000 square feet from requirements for frost protection.
• SPS 362.3500 repeals or modifies the standards incorporated by reference into chs. SPS 361 to 366. The rule makes several modifications to the 2015 IBC to maintain current 2009 IBC provisions due to cost concerns. Although the 2015 provisions are not mandatory, they may be voluntarily implemented in a building project.
This rule adopts the 2015 edition of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Chapter SPS 363 establishes standards related to energy conservation and modifies provisions from the IECC or ASHRAE 90.1 to adapt the requirements to Wisconsin’s needs. This rule revision makes the following changes to SPS 363: • SPS 363.0100 (Note) explains the numbering system for SPS 363. The 2015 IECC presents energy requirements for commercial buildings in a separate section from residential energy requirements, which is substantially different than the organization used in the 2009 IECC. Many of the modifications to SPS 363 were to renumber provisions to correspond to the new numbering system used in the 2015 IECC.
• SPS 363.0202 creates new definitions for “effective aperture”, “approved”, and “daylight responsive controls.”
• SPS 363.0401 excludes automatic receptacle control requirements under ASHRAE 90.1 section 8.4.2 from the requirements.
• SPS 363.0600 updates several standards incorporated by reference related to materials, systems, and equipment.
