THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY EVERETT, BAKER, BENNINGHOFF, BARRAR, BEAR, BOYD, R. BROWN, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, CAUSER, CHRISTIANA, CLYMER, D. COSTA, COX, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, DAY, DeLUCA, DENLINGER, DUNBAR, FLECK, FRANKEL, GABLER, GEIST, GILLEN, GODSHALL, GROVE, HAHN, HALUSKA, HARKINS, HARRIS, HELM, HESS, HORNAMAN, M.K. KELLER, KIRKLAND, KNOWLES, KRIEGER, LAWRENCE, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MALONEY, MASSER, METCALFE, METZGAR, MILLARD, MUSTIO, OBERLANDER, PEIFER, PETRARCA, PICKETT, PYLE, RAPP, REED, REICHLEY, ROAE, ROCK, SACCONE, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, CULVER, S. H. SMITH, SONNEY, STERN, STEVENSON, TALLMAN, TURZAI AND VULAKOVICH, JANUARY 31, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND INDUSTRY, JANUARY 31, 2011  

AN ACT

Amending the act of November 10, 1999 (P.L.491, No.45), entitled

"An act establishing a uniform construction code; imposing

powers and duties on municipalities and the Department of

Labor and Industry; providing for enforcement; imposing

penalties; and making repeals," further providing for

exemptions.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 901(a) of the act of November 10, 1999

(P.L.491, No.45), known as the Pennsylvania Construction Code

Act, amended July 7, 2006 (P.L.1052, No.108), is amended and the

section is amended by adding subsections to read:

Section 901.  Exemptions.

(a)  Manufactured housing.--This act shall not apply to

manufactured housing which bears a label, as required by and

referred to in the act of November 17, 1982 (P.L.676, No.192),

known as the Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety

Standards Authorization Act, which certifies that it conforms to

Federal construction and safety standards adopted under the

Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Public Law

93-383, 88 Stat. 633), nor shall it apply to industrialized

housing, as defined in the act of May 11, 1972 (P.L.286, No.70),

known as the Industrialized Housing Act, with the exception that

any model code enacted pursuant to the Industrialized Housing

Act shall not include code provisions specifically omitted from

adoption pursuant to this act.

* * *

(f)  Log walls.--Log walls with a minimum average wall

thickness of five inches or greater which comply with the

International Code Council Standard on the Design and

Construction of Log Structures, ICC 400-2007, or other successor

standard which the department may specify by regulation, shall

be permitted in residential buildings if:

(1)  the area weighted average U-factor for fenestration

products in the log walls is a maximum of 0.31; and

(2)  (i)  the building heating equipment meets or exceeds

the following Department of Energy ratings:

(A)  Gas furnace - 90 annual fuel utilization

efficiency (AFUE).

(B)  Oil furnace - 85 annual fuel utilization

efficiency (AFUE).

(C)  Boilers - 85 annual fuel utilization

efficiency (AFUE).

(D)  Air source heat pumps - 8.2 heating seasonal

performance factor (HSPF) split systems.

(E)  For water-to-air geothermal heat pumps:

(I)  Closed loop water-to-air, an energy

efficiency rating of 14.1 and coefficient of

performance of 3.3.

(II)  Open loop water-to-air, an energy

efficiency rating of 16.2 and coefficient of

performance of 3.6.

(F)  For water-to-water geothermal heat pumps:

(I)  Closed loop water-to-water, an energy

efficiency rating of 15.1 and coefficient of

performance of 3.0.

(II)  Open loop water-to-water, an energy

efficiency rating of 19.1 and coefficient of

performance of 3.4.

(G)  For direct geothermal exchange, an energy

efficiency rating of 15.0 and coefficient of

performance of 3.5;

or

(ii)  the building heating equipment is qualified

under the Energy Star program jointly operated by the

Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection

Agency as provided for in 10 CFR Pt. 430 (relating to

energy conservation program for consumer products); and

(iii)  all energy efficiency requirements of this act

applicable to components other than log walls are met.

(g)  Automatic fire sprinkler systems in one-family and two-

family dwellings.--

(1)  Section R313.2 (relating to automatic fire sprinkler

systems in one- and two-family dwellings) of the

International Residential Code (2009 edition), and any

successor triennial revisions, is excluded from this act and

shall not be part of Chapter 3.

(2)  A builder of a one-family or two-family dwelling

subject to the International Residential Code shall, at or

before the time of entering into the purchase contract, do

all of the following:

(i)  Offer to a buyer the option to install or equip,

at the buyer's expense, an automatic fire sprinkler

system in the building or dwelling unit designed and

installed in accordance with the provisions of section

R313.2.1 (relating to design and installation of

automatic fire sprinkler systems) of the International

Residential Code (2009 edition).

(ii)  Provide the buyer with information which

explains the initial and ongoing cost of installing and

equipping an automatic fire sprinkler system in the

building or dwelling unit.

(3)  An applicant for a construction permit that has been

approved under section 502, prior to the effective date of

this subsection, may opt to utilize the provisions of this

subsection on construction authorized under the permit.

(h)  Fire protection of floors.--Section R501.3 of the 2012

International Residential Code shall be part of the Uniform

Construction Code. This subsection shall apply to construction

under which the permit applicant opts to not apply the automatic

sprinkler requirement under subsection (g)(3).

Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.