Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 12, March 20, 2024
(a)
Definitions. The
following words and phrases as used in this Part shall have the following
meanings, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context:
(1)
Building. A combination
of any materials, whether portable or fixed, forming a structure in which
energy usage takes place in the normal course, affording shelter for persons or
property.
(2)
Dwelling. A building other than a mobile home, designed or
used as a living unit for one or more families.
(3)
Living unit. A dwelling
or portion thereof, providing complete living facilities for one family,
including permanent provision for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and
sanitation.
(4)
Commercial
building. Any building that cannot be classified as a dwelling or
mobile home.
(5)
Insulation. Any material which has a relatively high
resistance to heat flow, and which is used principally to retard the flow of
heat.
(6)
Btuh.
British thermal units per hour.
(7)
Heat transmission. The amount of heat, measured in Btuh,
transferred from one location to another location as a result of the
temperature difference in the two locations.
(8)
Coefficient of heat
transmission. The amount of heat transfer through a material or
arrangement of material expressed in Btuh per square foot per degree Fahrenheit
temperature difference. For outside surfaces, the wind velocity is 15 miles per
hour. The coefficient of heat transmission is represented by the symbol "U".
For wood frame construction, the effect of normal framing members may be
neglected in the determination of U values.
(9)
Basement. A space of
full-story height below the first floor of a building which is not designed or
used primarily for living accommodations.
(10)
Unheated basement. A
basement in a dwelling which is not provided with a heat source sufficient to
maintain a minimum temperature of 50°F.
(11)
Crawl space. Any
unfinished, accessible space below the first floor which is less than
full-story height.
(12)
Unheated crawl space. A crawl space in a one- or two-family
dwelling or multifamily dwelling which is not provided with a heat source
sufficient to maintain a minimum temperature of 50°F.
(13)
Heated space. Any space
within the building which is provided with a heat source sufficient to meet the
design dry bulb temperature, but which is neither a heated basement nor heated
crawl space as determined by application of the definitions in this
section.
(14)
Mobile
home. This means a structure, transportable in one or more sections,
which is 8 body feet or more in width and is 32 body feet or more in length,
and which is built on a permanent chassis, and designed to be used as a
dwelling, with or without permanent foundation, when connected to the required
utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and electrical
systems contained therein.
(15)
Utility. A municipal electric or rural electric cooperative
system which receives its full power requirements from the Power
Authority.
(16)
Power
Authority. The Power Authority of the State of New York.
(17)
Combined thermal
transmittance. An overall coefficient of heat gain expressed in units
or Btuh per square foot as calculated using Equation 1.
(18)
System. A combination
of central or terminal equipment or components and/or controls, accessories,
interconnecting means, and terminal devices by which energy is transformed so
as to perform a specific function, such as HVAC, service water heating or
illumination.
(19)
Automatic. Self-acting, operating by an internal mechanism
when actuated by some impersonal influence, as for example, a change in current
strength, pressure, temperature or mechanical configuration.
(20)
Automatic setback
thermostat. An automatic control device actuated by temperature and
designed to be responsive to temperature capable of automatically reducing its
set-point temperature during a predesignated period.
(21)
Setback controller. An
automatic control device capable of reducing the set-point temperature of
several thermostats during a predesignated period.
(22)
Hydronic heating
system. A heating system using primarily liquid or gaseous water to
distribute heating energy throughout the building.
(23)
Zone. A space or group
of spaces within a building with heating and/or cooling requirements
sufficiently similar so that comfort conditions can be maintained throughout by
a single controlling device.
(24)
Thermostatic control valve. An automatic control valve
designed to be responsive to room air temperature.
(25)
Energy audit. An
engineering analysis which shall consider all possible energy conservation
measures and shall identify the estimated costs and energy cost savings likely
to be realized from their implementation.
(b)
Standards for existing
dwellings. Existing residential dwellings converting to electric heat
shall meet the following requirements:
(1)
Minimum insulation standards shall be as follows:
(i) The maximum coefficient of heat
transmission, U-value, through roof and ceiling assemblies adjacent to heated
space shall be as follows:
| Heating degree days |
U-value |
| 5,000 |
0.05 |
| 6,000 |
0.04 |
| 7,000 |
0.04 |
| 8,000 |
0.03 |
| 9,000 |
0.03 |
The degree days to be used to determine the required U-value
shall be those in Table 1.
(ii) The maximum coefficient of heat
transmission of floors over an unheated basement shall be 0.08.
(iii) The dwelling shall have storm windows
or thermal windows with multiple glazing with a maximum U-value of
0.69.
(iv) The entrances to the
dwelling shall have storm doors or thermal doors with a maximum U-value of
0.40.
(v) Vapor barriers,
weather-stripping and window caulking shall be used where applicable and
practical.
(2) Minimum
heating systems standards shall be as follows:
(i) For systems using baseboard radiation,
one of the following control methods is required:
(a) A separate automatic setback thermostat
shall be installed in each room (provided that no more than one such thermostat
need be installed in any two-room living unit).
(b) A central setback controller connected to
individual room thermostats shall be installed.
(ii) For the conversion from a fossil-fueled
hydronic heating system to electric heat, the following is required:
(a) Conversion of an existing fossil-fuel
boiler to an electric resistance boiler is prohibited.
(b) An electric boiler specifically designed
for use as a heating boiler with the appropriate American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME) approvals shall be installed.
(c) One of the following control methods is
required:
(1) a separate zone with an
automatic setback thermostat for each floor, or for each living unit, if there
is more than one living unit on a floor;
(2) thermostatic control valves be installed
on each radiator and an automatic setback thermostat be installed for the
boiler.
(iii)
For the installation of an electric resistance warm air system or the
conversion of a fossil-fueled warm air heating system to electric resistance
heat, the following is required:
(a) A
separate duct heater or furnace is provided for each floor, or for each living
unit, if there is more than one living unit on a floor.
(b) For each duct heater or furnace, a
separate automatic setback thermostat shall be required.
(iv) For heat pump systems, an automatic
setback thermostat shall be required.
(v) For all electric heating system
conversions, existing fireplaces shall be equipped with a tight-fitting shutoff
damper. Where applicable, a source of combustion air ducted from the outdoors
of sufficient quantity to support combustion shall be installed. This source
shall be equipped with a damper capable of being fully closed.
(3) In unusual circumstances, when
the application of these standards appears impracticable or inequitable, the
utility or the applicant will refer the matter to the Power Authority for
special ruling or for the approval of special conditions which may be mutually
agreed upon.
(c)
Standards for existing commercial buildings. Existing
commercial buildings converting to electric heat shall meet the following
requirements:
(1) Minimum insulation standards
shall be as follows:
(i) The maximum combined
thermal transmittance value for exterior wall systems,
Uo as calculated using Equation 1 shall be as follows:
| Heating degree days |
Uo |
| 5,000 |
0.36 |
| 6,000 |
0.33 |
| 7,000 |
0.31 |
| 8,000 |
0.28 |
| 9,000 |
0.28 |
The degree days to be used to determine U
o shall be those listed in Table 1.
(ii) The maximum coefficient of heat
transmission, U-value, for roof and ceiling assemblies adjacent to heated space
shall be as follows:
| Heating degree days |
U-value |
| 5,000 |
0.08 |
| 6,000 |
0.08 |
| 7,000 |
0.07 |
| 8,000 |
0.06 |
| 9,000 |
0.06 |
The degree days to be used to determine U-value shall be
those in Table 1.
(iii) The
maximum coefficient of heat transmission of floors over an unheated basement
shall be 0.08.
(iv) Vapor barriers,
weather-stripping and window caulking shall be used where applicable and
practical.
(2) Minimum
heating system standards shall be as follows:
(i) The system shall have at least one
independent zone per floor.
(ii)
One of the following control methods is required:
(a) A separate automatic setback thermostat
shall be installed for each zone.
(b) A central setback controller connected to
individual zone thermostats shall be installed.
(iii) For the conversion from a fossil-fueled
hydronic heating system to electric heat, the following is required:
(a) Conversion of an existing fossil-fuel
boiler to an electric resistance boiler is prohibited.
(b) An electric boiler specifically designed
for use as a heating boiler with the appropriate American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME) approvals shall be installed.
(iv) Where electric heating is to be used for
zone temperature control in heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC)
systems, the following control methods are required:
(a) Reheat systems. Systems employing reheat
and serving multiple zones (other than those employing variable air volume for
temperature control) shall be provided with controls that will automatically
reset the system cold air supply to the highest temperature level that will
satisfy the zone requiring the coolest air. Single-zone reheat systems shall be
controlled to sequence reheat and cooling.
(b) Dual duct and multizone systems. These
systems shall be provided with controls to reset the cold deck air supply to
the highest temperature that will satisfy the zone requiring the coldest air
and to reset the hot deck air supply to the lowest temperature that will
satisfy the zone requiring the warmest air.
(3) In unusual circumstances, when the
application of these provisions appears impractical or inequitable, the utility
or applicant will refer the matter to the Power Authority for special ruling or
for the approval of special conditions which may be mutually agreed upon. The
applicant will submit, along with the request for special ruling or for the
approval of special conditions, a copy of an energy audit performed on the
building by a registered architect or professional engineer.
(d)
Standards for mobile
homes.
Existing mobile homes converting to electric heat (built
prior to the effective date of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) "Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards"), shall meet the
following requirements:
(1) glazing U =
0.69
(2) entrance doors U = 0.40
Unusual circumstances. In unusual circumstances when the
application of these standards appears impracticable or inequitable, the
utility or applicant will refer the matter to the Power Authority for special
ruling or for the approval of special conditions which may be mutually agreed
upon.
(e)
Effective date.
The standards specified herein shall be effective on and
after September 1, 1981 as a precondition for the expansion of existing
electric service for the purpose of providing electric heat to all existing
buildings and to existing mobile homes not subject to HUD "Mobile Home
Construction and Safety Standards".
(f)
Relationship to other
standards.
The requirements imposed by these standards represent the
minimum standards for existing buildings and mobile homes for which utilities
may provide electric service. However, some utilities may require a greater
degree of thermal protection than these standards impose. These standards, are
not intended to supersede more stringent municipal requirements or standards
nor are they intended in any way to contravene the State Energy Conservation
Construction Code Act. The thermal protection for mobile homes is controlled by
the Department of Housing and Urban Development "Mobile Home Construction and
Safety Standards". In accordance with the Housing and Community Development Act
of 1974, Title VI (cited as the National Mobile Home Construction and Safety
Standards Act of 1974), the Federal standards take precedence over all State or
local standards.
(g)
Certificate of compliance.
A form of certificate of compliance, included as Appendix
10-B of this Title, shall be provided to the builder or contractor when the
builder/contractor first contacts the utility concerning electrical service for
conversion to electric heat of existing buildings or of existing mobile homes
covered by these standards. The applicable form shall be completed before the
utility supplies permanent new or expanded electric service. In addition, an
inspection of the premises by an employee of the municipal electric department,
building code enforcement inspector, or qualified representative of the
municipal government is required to verify compliance with these
standards.
TABLE 1
HEATING DEGREE DAYS-NEW YORK STATE
(For use in selecting required U-values)
| Counties |
Degree days |
| Albany |
7,000 |
| Allegany |
7,000 |
| Bronx |
5,000 |
| Broome |
7,000 |
| Cattaraugus |
7,000 |
| Cayuga |
7,000 |
| Chautauqua |
7,000 |
| Chemung |
7,000 |
| Chenango |
8,000 |
| Clinton |
8,000 |
| Columbia |
7,000 |
| Cortland |
8,000 |
| Delaware |
7,000 |
| Dutchess |
7,000 |
| Erie |
7,000 |
| Essex |
9,000 |
| Franklin |
8,000 |
| Fulton |
8,000 |
| Genesee |
7,000 |
| Greene |
7,000 |
| Hamilton |
9,000 |
| Herkimer (Adirondack |
N. 9,000 |
| Park Boundary) |
S. 8,000 |
| Jefferson |
7,000 |
| Kings |
5,000 |
| Lewis |
8,000 |
| Livingston |
7,000 |
| Madison |
8,000 |
| Monroe |
7,000 |
| Montgomery |
7,000 |
| Nassau |
5,000 |
| New York |
5,000 |
| Niagara |
7,000 |
| Oneida |
8,000 |
| Onondaga |
7,000 |
| Ontario |
7,000 |
| Orange |
6,000 |
| Orleans |
7,000 |
| Oswego |
7,000 |
| Otsego |
8,000 |
| Putnam |
6,000 |
| Queens |
5,000 |
| Rensselaer |
7,000 |
| Richmond |
5,000 |
| Rockland |
6,000 |
| St. Lawrence |
8,000 |
| Saratoga |
7,000 |
| Schenectady |
7,000 |
| Schoharie |
7,000 |
| Schuyler |
7,000 |
| Seneca |
7,000 |
| Steuben |
7,000 |
| Suffolk |
6,000 |
| Sullivan |
7,000 |
| Tioga |
7,000 |
| Tompkins |
7,000 |
| Ulster |
7,000 |
| Warren |
9,000 |
| Washington |
9,000 |
| Wayne |
7,000 |
| Westchester |
6,000 |
| Wyoming |
7,000 |
| Yates |
6,000 |
EQUATION 1
Uo =
UwAw + UgAg + UdAd. .
./Ao
Where:
Uo = the average or combined transmittance of the gross
exterior wall area in Btu/hr/sq ft/°F.
Ao = the gross exterior wall assembly area in square
feet.
Uw = the coefficient of heat transmission of the components
of the opaque wall area in square feet.
Aw = opaque wall area in square feet.
Ug = the coefficient of heat transmission of the glazing
area. The Ug of glazing shall be the average value of the window, including
frames and glazing areas.
Ag = glazing area (shall be the area of the finished
opening), in square feet.
Ud = the coefficient of heat transmission of the door, or
similar opening.
Ad = door area (shall be the area of the finished opening),
in square feet.
Note:
Where more than one type of wall, window or door is used, the
U and A terms for those items shall be expanded into subelements as:
Uw1Aw1 + Uw2Aw2 + Uw3Aw3 + etc.
