• 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.
• The rule makes several modifications to the 2015 IECC due to cost concerns. Although the 2015 provisions are not mandatory, they may be voluntarily implemented in a building project. These modifications include substitution of the 2015 IECC requirements in the following areas:
• Certain insulation requirements related to the building envelope, efficiency package options, and total energy performance compliance requirements (SPS 363.0402, 363.0406, 363.0407, 363.5402, and 363.5403 (3)).
• Building mechanical systems (SPS 363.0403 (6) to (11)).
• System commissioning (SPS 363.0403 (9), 363.0404 (5), and 363.0408).
• Requirements for high-efficiency lighting and lighting controls (SPS 363.0405, 363.0503, and 363.5404).
Chapter SPS 364 establishes standards related to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning requirements and modifies provisions from the 2015 edition of the IMC. Significant changes include: • SPS 364.0202 is revised to include new definitions for “enclosed parking garage”, “living area,” and “motorized vehicle” and revises the definition of health care facility to include community-based residential facility.
• SPS 364.0309 (3) allows spot heating to be used to heat individual work stations in an industrial building in lieu of heating the entire space if the design temperature at the station is at least 60°.
• SPS 364.0401 clarifies how the distance of intake openings from the lot line should be measured.
• SPS 364.0403 (5) (d) 4. provides an exception to air exchange requirements.
• SPS Table 364.0403 is modified to update ventilation requirements and explanatory notes for nail salons, aircraft hangars, enclosed parking garages, and warehouses. Clarifies that a mezzanine floor area open to a service or repair area may not be included as floor area when determining the exhaust rate from a room or space.
• SPS 364.0404 revises mechanical ventilation requirements for enclosed parking garages to provide additional options and clarify current requirements for ventilating enclosed parking garages over those required in the IMC.
• SPS 364.0505 and 364.0507 (1) to (3) creates exemptions and modifies the requirements under IMC section 505.4 relating to domestic and commercial kitchen exhaust equipment.
• SPS 364.0602 modifies the requirements under IMC section 602.2.1.1 relating to non-combustible materials within plenums.
• SPS 364.0607 (1) creates new language describing a condition under which supply and return smoke dampers shall be closed.
• SPS 364.0802 creates an exemption for the requirements under IMC section 802.9 relating to door swing.
• This rule does not incorporate all of the 2015 IMC requirements due to cost concerns. However, owners and designers may voluntarily implement the excluded provisions in their building project plans.
Chapter SPS 365 establishes standards for the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of fuel gas piping systems and utilization equipment, and gaseous hydrogen system. This rule adopts the 2015 edition of the International Fuel Gas Code. This rule revision clarifies that barometric dampers may not be used for combustion air and creates an exemption from the requirements relating to door swings, which compliment requirements in ch. SPS 364. This rule revision also updates and clarifies language related to unvented heaters, and updates the reference to ANSI Z223.1/NFPA 54. Chapter SPS 366 establishes standards for the repair, alteration, change of occupancy, addition, or relocation of existing buildings. This rule adopts the 2015 edition of the International Existing Building Code with certain modifications. This rule renumbers provisions to reflect changes in numbering between the 2009 and 2015 editions and clarifies language and cross references throughout. In addition, ch. SPS 366 includes the following revisions: • SPS 366.0202 creates a definition of a “work area”.
• SPS 366.1102 creates new language that allow buildings that meet the legacy Wisconsin unlimited area provisions to have unlimited area additions without a separating firewall.
• SPS 366.1204 exempts historic buildings from building envelope requirements in the IECC except for certain provisions outlined in the rule.
• SPS 366.1401 (4) creates an additional requirement under IEBC section 1401.2 relating to providing plumbing fixtures in quantities specified in the IBC if occupant load increases by more than 20 percent.
General Rule Revisions
Many of the revisions included in this rule revision were made to improve style, format, and clarity, to align the rule with industry practice, and to renumber provisions to align with the revised format of the 2015 model building codes.
Summary of, and comparison with, existing or proposed federal regulations:
Energy Conservation Requirements - Section 304 (a) of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (ECPA) (Pub. L. No. 94-385), as amended, requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to establish energy conservation standards and encourage states and local governments to adopt and enforce those standards through their building codes and other construction control mechanisms.
42 U.S.C. 6833 requires the DOE secretary to review any new revision of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA) Standard 90.1 within 12 months after the publication date to determine whether the revision will improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings. If the DOE secretary determines that the standard will achieve energy savings, each state is required to review the standards no later than 2 years after publication and certify that the state has reviewed and updated provisions of the state’s commercial building code to incorporate provisions of the revised standards to the extent that the code will meet or exceed the revised standard. On September 26, 2014, DOE issued a determination that the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 would achieve greater energy efficiency in buildings subject to the code. DOE estimates national savings in commercial buildings of approximately 8.7% energy cost savings, 8.5% source energy savings, and 7.6% site energy savings.
