N.Y. Public Service Law 135-F – Energy audits
§ 135-f. Energy audits. 1. Upon the request of either an eligible customer or a landlord, each utility shall conduct an energy audit of the customer's residential premises or the landlord's multiple dwelling and promptly provide the results of the audit to such customer or landlord in a manner prescribed by the chairman. No charge shall be made for such audits. In addition, on or before March first, nineteen hundred eighty-two, each utility shall, as part of the promotional program established by the chairman, (i) inform each of its eligible customers in writing that an energy audit of the customer's residential premises is available without charge, and (ii) inform each landlord in writing that an energy audit of his multifamily dwelling is available at a charge which shall be set by the chairman and not exceed five hundred dollars for each building; except in multiple building complexes, heated by a single, central boiler system. In such cases, the commission shall set fair and reasonable audit fees. A customer or landlord shall only be eligible for one audit under this section, provided however, that a customer who received an audit prior to the inclusion of solar or wind energy systems within the home conservation plans authorized by this article shall be entitled to a second limited audit to consider the energy savings and costs that would result from adding solar or wind energy systems to his premises.
Terms Used In N.Y. Public Service Law 135-F
- Commission: means the public service commission of the state of New York. See N.Y. Public Service Law 135-B
- Eligible customer: means any person who:
(a) holds legal title to a one, two, three, or four family home constructed prior to January first, nineteen hundred eighty which receives electric or gas service from a utility other than a person who is the original contractor or builder of any such home unless he lives in such home, or
(b) is in rightful possession under a lawful lease of a one, two, three, or four family home constructed prior to January first, nineteen hundred eighty who (i) receives at such home and pays for electric or gas services, from a utility, (ii) has the written permission of the holder of legal title to such home to enter into a financing contract and security agreement pursuant to this article, and has the consent of such holder for the financing utility to obtain a security interest in and lien upon the premises, (iii) if the financing utility so requests, provides security of a type and in an amount approved by the commission, and (iv) does not present an undue credit risk as determined in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated for this purpose by the commission. See N.Y. Public Service Law 135-B - Energy conservation measures: means :
(a) caulking and weatherstripping of all exterior doors and windows;
(b) furnace efficiency modifications including but not limited to:
(i) replacement burners designed to reduce the firing rate or to achieve a reduction in the amount of fuel consumed as a result of increased combustion efficiency;
(ii) devices for modifying flue openings which will increase the efficiency of the heating system, and
(iii) electrical or mechanical furnace ignition systems which replace standing gas pilot lights;
(c) furnace and boiler retrofits, including but not limited to burner and system derating;
(d) furnace and boiler replacements regardless of the fuel used, provided that such replacement furnaces or boilers shall meet minimum efficiency standards established by the commission;
(e) heat pumps provided that such heat pumps shall meet such minimum efficiency standards for heating and cooling purposes established by the commission in the absence of any provision establishing such standards in the energy law;
(f) clock thermostats;
(g) ceiling, attic, wall, foundation, air duct, heating pipe and floor insulation;
(h) hot water heater insulation;
(i) storm and thermal windows and doors;
(j) solar and wind systems; and
(k) load management devices and energy use meters, together with associated wiring; and
(l) such other measures that the commission shall specify. See N.Y. Public Service Law 135-B - Landlord: means any person (i) who is the owner or managing agent of a multifamily dwelling with five or more residential units or (ii) who is authorized to act for either the board of directors of a cooperative apartment building or board of managers of a multifamily dwelling which is owned as a condominium under Article 9-B of the real property law, who receives at such building or dwelling and pays for electric or gas service. See N.Y. Public Service Law 135-B
- Utility: means an investor-owned gas or electrical corporation regulated by the commission whose gross revenues for the preceding calendar year exceeded three hundred fifty million dollars. See N.Y. Public Service Law 135-B
2. Each audit shall include:
(a) estimates of the energy conservation measures, if any, needed to comply with applicable minimum criteria;
(b) estimates of available options for meeting such criteria, together with their relative costs and pay-back periods, and relative potential energy and cost savings on a monthly and yearly basis, a comparison of initial cost and pay-back periods for customer installation and for contractor installation and the price of fuel on which any comparison is based;
(c) for the purposes of this section, the term "energy conservation measures" shall mean, when used with respect to audits provided landlords, those measures set forth for multifamily dwellings in Title VII of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act together with such other measures consistent with the standards of this article as the chairman shall specify.