Wis. Admin. Code Public Service Commission PSC 136.04 - Conservation standards for converting existing structures to natural gas spaceheating service

(1) The provisions of this section shall apply only to those investor-owned utilities set forth below:

(b) Madison Gas and Electric Company.

(c) Northern States Power Company.

(d) Superior Water, Light and Power Company.

(e) Wisconsin Electric Power Company.

(f) Wisconsin Gas LLC.

(h) Wisconsin Power and Light Company.

(i) Wisconsin Public Service Corporation.

(2) Nothing in this section shall preclude special and individual consideration being given to exceptional or unusual situations. The rule may be modified or waived by the public service commission in particular cases whenever said rules are shown to be impracticable for special reasons. Upon due investigation of the facts and circumstances involved and after hearing if required, the commission may order requirements as to individual utilities or service which shall be lesser, greater, other or different from those provided in the rules of this section.

(3) Before natural gas spaceheating service can be rendered to existing residential structures converting to a gas spaceheating system, each utility listed in sub. (1) shall perform an energy audit and require that the following conservation standards be met:

(a) Ceiling or attic insulation: If a structure has insulating material with insulation value less than R-19, the customer shall install insulation to a level of R-38. If insulation materials equal to a level of R-38 cannot be installed because of inadequate space between the ceiling and the roof, then as much insulation as space permits shall be installed. Exception: If the structure has existing insulation material with a value of R-11 or more and the customer is installing batt insulation, the customer need only install additional insulation material with a value of R-19.

(b) Sill box area insulation shall be installed to a level of R-19, unless physically impractical.

(c) Floor insulation over vented crawl spaces or unheated basements shall reach a level of R-19. In a heated crawl space, insulation materials with an R factor of at least 5 shall be installed on the walls.

(d) In unheated areas, insulation shall be installed on all heating ducts, cold air returns, and hot water pipes.

(e) Windows shall be double-glazed or have storms.

(f) All doors exposed to the outside atmosphere shall have a storm door or equivalent insulated door.

(g) Weatherstripping shall be installed on all movable doors and windows exposed to an unheated space. Caulking shall be installed whenever 2 different materials or parts of a structure meet, such as chimney openings, around windows and doors, etc.

(h) If a new central heating unit is to be installed, the equipment shall meet the energy efficiency requirements of s. Comm 22.13, which are as follows: Combustion spaceheating equipment shall be provided with electronic ignition and automatic flue dampering, except sealed combustion equipment or equipment located in enclosures and provided with combustion air need not be provided with flue dampering.

Note: Section Comm 22.13 no longer exists.

(i) Ventilation above the ceiling/attic insulation shall be installed. The free ventilating area shall be at least 1/300 of the horizontal area. One half of the venting should be near the eaves and the other half near the top of the roof.

(j) If a structure is unable to meet all required standards, other methods of energy conservation may be substituted such that the energy savings will be the same or greater. This substitution shall be based on heat loss calculations performed in a normally accepted manner. Such substitutions may include but are not limited to the following:

1. Furnace modifications as suggested by the utility; or

2. Insulation materials equal to R-5 on the inside walls of a heated basement.

(4) Before natural gas service can be rendered for commercial or industrial spaceheating use in buildings constructed before July 1, 1978, each utility listed in sub. (1) shall require that the following conservation standards be met:

(a) Design heat loss, excluding infiltration and ventilation, through above-grade gross walls and roofs facing heated interiors shall not exceed 13 BTU per hour per square foot for the total building envelope;

(b) If a building exceeds the heat loss of par. (a), the building may receive gas service provided that it demonstrates additional innovative building or system designs that will reduce fuel consumption to a level equal to or less than fuel consumption which results from complying with par. (a);

(c) All exterior windows and doors shall be designed to limit leakage into or from the building and shall be weatherstripped; and

(d) Special use buildings such as greenhouses, inflatable structures, and the like, or any building exempt from the heating and ventilating requirements of ch. SPS 363 are exempt from these requirements.

(5) Prior to rendering natural gas spaceheating service to an existing rental unit, as defined in s. SPS 367.04(17), which is converting to natural gas spaceheating, each utility shall inform the rental unit owner of the additional energy efficiency requirements of s. SPS 367.11. The requirement of this subsection is in addition to subs. (3) and (4).

Notes

Wis. Admin. Code Public Service Commission PSC 136.04

Emerg. CR eff. 5-2-80; CR Register, January, 1981, No. 301, eff. 2-1-81; CR (5), Register, December, 1983, No. 336, eff. 1-1-84; reprinted to correct error, Register, June, 1984, No. 342; am. (3), Register, February, 1985, No. 350, eff. 3-1-85; corrections in (3) (h) and (4) (d) made under s. 13.93(2m) (b) 7, Stats., Register, December 2003, No. 576; CR 06-046: r. (1) (a), (g) and (j), am. (1) (b) to (f), (h) and (i) Register April 2007 No. 616, eff. 5-1-07; correction in (5) made under s. 13.93(2m) (b) 7, Stats., Register April 2007 No. 616; correction in (4) (d), (5) made under s. 13.92(4) (b) 7, Stats., Register February 2012 No. 674; correction in (5) made under s. 13.92(4) (b) 7, Stats., Register December 2012 No. 684. Amended by, correction in (5) (Note) made under s. 13.92(4) (b), Stats., Register October 2021 No. 790, eff. 11/1/2021

Chapter SPS 367 has been repealed.