Article need to know!!!

Article need to know!!! #buildingcode

3.1.3.2. Prohibition of Occupancy Combinations

3) A building conforming to Article 3.2.2.50. shall not contain

a) except as provided in Sentence (5), a Group A, Division 1 or 3, Group B, or Group F, Division 2 or 3 major occupancy, or

b) a Group A, Division 2 or Group E major occupancy above the second storey.

4) A building conforming to Article 3.2.2.2.58. shall not contain

a) a Group A, Division 1 or 3,  or Group B, or group F, Division 1 major occupancy, or

b) except as provided in Sentence (5), a Group A, Division 2, Group E, or Group F, Division 2 or 3 major occupancy above the second storey.

5) A building conforming to Article 3.2.2.50. or 3.2.2.58. is permitted to contain a storage garage below the forth storey.

Article need to know!!!

Article need to know!!!

3.2.2.16 Heavy Timber Roof Permitted

1) Unless other wise permitted by Articles 3.2.2.20. to 3.2.2.90., a roof assembly in a building up to 2 storeys in building height is permitted to be heavy timber construction regardless of building area or type of construction required, provided the building is sprinklered throughout.

2) If Sentence (1) permits a roof assembly to be of heavy timber construction, structural members in the storey immediately below the roof assembly are permitted to be of heavy timber construction.

This Article allows one or two storeys sprinklered building to have heavy timber roof. The structure members immediately  below the roof assembly can be heavy timber construction. Please be careful for that it doesn't say  the floor below the roof can be heavy timber construction and it doesn't say non-structure members can be combustible.

How did you find a designer for your tenant space alteration? Had you been considering hiring a code expert to help you saving time and money?

I was a professional plans examiner in the City of Calgary. I reviewed thousands of projects in the past 12 years. I found one fact that more than 50% of the building permit plans have to be on hold after the preliminary review. Some of them are on hold for more than one year to get approved. The main reason for this kind of delay is that the designers have difficulties to understand the  building code requirements. Unfortunately, as  business or building owners, they don't have any idea of which designer is the best for their job. Their might pick one from the yellow pages randomly or be attracted by one with fancy website. It is really hard to avoid a disastrous  result.

Another fact I found is that up to 80% of projects, including interior renovations, additions and new buildings have the space to save at least 20% of the construction cost. Thinking about an unnecessary fire separation, the cost can be saved is more than 50% of that wall.   If you can use wood studs instead of steel studs for your partitions, you can save more than 40% of the studs cost.

One example I have reviewed recently is a six storey new building. It was designed as a noncombustible building. I found if we could make the grade 600mm higher, the whole building can be built as combustible building. The cost saving is more than a million.

One of the extreme projects I found is a primary school building. The Building area is more than 3000sqm. The cost of the building is more than 30 million. It should be built as noncombustible building as per the building code, but it is actually built with combustible materials. What a danger to the school kids and what a waste of the money!

I hope this question is helpful when you plan to hire a designer for your next project. No matter which designer you are going to use, it will be beneficial to have a code expert to back you up.  

3.2.1.8 Height of Combustible Residential Buildings

Do you know this Article?

3.2.1.8 Height of Combustible Residential Buildings

1) Except for building that is constructed in accordance with Article 3.2.2.50., a building of combustible construction that contains a residential occupancy shall have no occupied floor level more than 11m above the lowest exit level.

Important defined terms for building classifications

Important defined terms for building classifications: A. First storey -- The uppermost storey having its floor level not more than 2m above grade. B. Grade -- The lowest of the average levels of finished ground adjoining each exterior wall of a building, except that localized depressions need not be considered in the determination of average levels of finished ground. C. Building height (in storeys) -- The number of storeys contained between the roof and the floor of the first storey. D. Building area -- The greatest horizontal area of a building above grade within the outside surface of exterior walls or within the outside surface of exterior walls and the centre line of firewalls.

Want to be a better plans examiner?

Want to be a better plans examiner? The following one day training sessions will help you:

1. Single family and semi-detached house

This session will review 2 to 3 new projects from your company with you and answer questions like:

What is the process of the examination? 

What are common issues on plans?

What are the key elements to be reviewed?

2. Interior alterations 

This session will review one office, one restaurant and one warehouse alterations from your company with you and answer questions like:

What is the difference between occupancy classification and building classification?

What is the difference of corridor, public corridor and exit corridor?

How to apply barrier free requirements?  

3. Part 9 residential building

This session will review one row house and one stacked apartment from your company with you and answer questions like:

What is the difference of 9.10.14 and 9.10.15?

How to do spatial separation calculation?

How to meet non-combustible requirements for exterior walls?

4. Part 3 new building

This session will review one new building from your company with you and answer questions like:

How to give building classification as per 3.2.2?

How to do spatial separation calculation?

What are the requirements for firefight access?

Want to be a better designer? Want to get building permit earlier?

Want to be a better designer? Want to get building permit earlier? The following one hour training sessions will help you: 1. Inside story of plans examination This session will answer questions like: What are the basic requirements of plans? How does the plans examiners review your plans? Why do you permit being delayed? What are the top issues on plans? 2. Building code analyses This session will answer questions like: What are a complete building code analyses? How to give building classification of existing building without original plans? How to give building classification to additions? 3. Spatial separation calculation This session will answer questions like: When is spatial separation calculation required? How to do spatial separation calculation for Part 3 buildings? How to do spatial separation calculation for Part 9 buildings? 4. Mezzanine design This session will answer questions like: What is a mezzanine? What is a second floor? What is important when designing a mezzanine? How to design a mezzanine?

3.4.6.12. Direction of Door Swing (NEW)

3.4.6.12. Direction of Door Swing (NEW)

2) Exit doors need not conform to Sentence (1) (open in the direction of exit travel), where

a) they serve storage garages serving not more than one dwelling unit,

b) they serve accessory buildings serving not more than one dwelling unit,

c) they

i) serve storage suites not more than 28sqm in area that are on the first storey in warehousing buildings, and 

ii) open directly outdoors at ground level, or

d) they serve individual self-service storage units referred to in Section 3.9.

2.3.3.11 Water Closet Stalls (NEW)

2.3.3.11 Water Closet Stalls (NEW)

1) Water closet stalls and enclosures required by Sentence 3.8.2.8.(5) shall

b) have a clear floor space of 1500mm by 1500mm in front of the accessible stall.

3.3.1.26 Storage Room (OLD)

3.3.1.26 Storage Room (OLD)

Separation of storage room in care or detention occupancy or assembly occupancy is removed from the new code. 

No fire separation is required.