The British Columbia Building Code | Notes to Part 1 | Compliance Pt 1

Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements Notes to Part 1 – Compliance
British Columbia Building Code 2018 Division A
Notes to Part 1
Compliance
A-1.1.1.1.(3) Factory-Constructed Buildings. The British Columbia Building Code applies the same requirements to
site-built and factory-constructed buildings. However, it can often be difficult to determine whether a factory-constructed building
complies with the Code once it has been delivered to the construction site because many of the wall, roof and floor assemblies are
closed in and so their components cannot be inspected. CSA A277, “Procedure for Factory Certification of Buildings,” was developed
to address this problem with regard to residential, commercial and industrial buildings. This standard describes a procedure whereby
an independent certification agency can review the quality control procedures of a factory and make periodic unannounced inspections
of its products. The standard is not a building code, only a procedure for certifying compliance of factory-constructed components
with a building code or other standard. If a factory-constructed building bears the label of an accredited certification agency indicating
that compliance with the National Building Code has been certified using the CSA A277 procedure, the accepting authority will have
some assurance that the concealed components do not require re-inspection on site.
On the other hand, standards in the CSA Z240 MH Series, “Manufactured Homes,” do resemble a building code. These portions
contain requirements in many of the areas where the British Columbia Building Code also has requirements and frequently the
requirements are different. Other portions of these requirements are different. Other portions of the Z240 standards deal with special
requirements for manufactured homes related to the fact that these houses must be moved over roads, which is an issue the British
Columbia Building Code does not address. The British Columbia Building Code considers mobile homes certified to the Z240
standard as acceptable housing and they are permitted under Clause 1.1.1.1.(2)(g).
The British Columbia Building Code does reference CSA Z240.10.1, “Site Preparation, Foundation, and Anchorage of Manufactured
Homes,” which is not actually part of the CSA Z240 MH Series. This standard contains requirements for surface foundations where
buildings – not just houses – comply with the deformation resistance test provided in CSA Z240.2.1, “Structural Requirements for
Manufactured Homes.”
A-1.1.1.1.(5) Heritage Buildings. Many local governments have identified conservation of selected heritage properties, or
protection of the heritage character of certain areas, as being community planning objectives. The Province’s planning objectives and
growth strategy encourage and support local government in this effort. The key is to find ways to make restoration and rehabilitation
of heritage buildings economically viable for the properties’ owners.
It is generally recognized that the present British Columbia Building Code was primarily written for new construction and provides for
a performance level that is significantly higher than what exists with many older buildings. To apply present Code provisions to
existing buildings is, in many cases, impractical and with heritage buildings may compromise historic appearances or authenticity.
Therefore, the Table of Alternate Compliance Methods for Heritage Buildings was developed to provide alternate methods for
complying with the performance level intended by the Code. The use of sprinklers is advocated as one of the primary methods in
assuring this performance level for heritage buildings. Sprinkler systems not only control the fire, which aids evacuation, but also
provides the added benefit of protecting the building from possible destruction by fire.
The Table of Alternative Compliance Methods for Heritage Buildings represents some of the ways that restoration and rehabilitat
ion
of
heritage buildings can be facilitated without compromising the objectives of the Code. Only buildings which have been identified
by the provincial or a local government are included in the definition of “heritage building.” For these buildings, conservation is also a
public objective. Heritage buildings often offer unique problems and opportunities, and each situation must be assessed individually.
The use of the Alternate Compliance Methods in Table A-1.1.1.5
. is not mandatory, and an owner may choose
to apply acceptable solutions in Division B,
to apply alternate solutions under Clause 1.2.1.1.(1)(b),
to apply alternate compliance methods in Table A-1.1.1.5
., or
to combine these options.
A-1.1.1.2.(1) Application to Existing Buildings. This Code is most often applied to existing or relocated buildings when
an owner wishes to rehabilitate a building, change its use, or build an addition, or when an enforcement authority decrees that a
building or class of buildings be altered for reasons of public safety. It is not intended that the British Columbia Building Code be used
to enforce the retrospective application of new requirements to existing buildings or existing portions of relocated buildings, unless
specifically required by local regulations or bylaws. For example, although the British Columbia Fire Code could be interpreted to
Effective December 10, 2018 to December 11, 2019
Notes to Part 1 – Compliance Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements
Division A British Columbia Building Code 2018
require the installation of fire alarm, standpipe and hose, and automatic sprinkler systems in an existing building for which there were
no requirements at the time of construction, it is not intended that the British Columbia Fire Code be applied in this manner to these
buildings unless the authority having jurisdiction has determined that there is an inherent threat to occupant safety and has issued an
order to eliminate the unsafe condition, or where substantial changes or additions are being made to an existing building or the
occupancy has been changed. (See also Note A-1.1.1.1.(1) of Division A of the British Columbia Fire Code.)
Relocated buildings that have been in use in another location for a number of years can be considered as existing buildings, in part,
and the same analytical process can be applied as for existing buildings. It should be noted, however, that a change in occupancy may
affect some requirements (e.g. loads and fire separations) and relocation to an area with different wind, snow or earthquake loads will
require the application of current code requirements. Depending on the construction of the building and the changes in load,
structural modifications may be required. Similarly, parts of a relocated or existing building that are reconstructed, such as foundations
and basements, or parts being modified are required to be built to current codes.
Whatever the reason, Code application to existing or relocated buildings requires careful consideration of the level of safety needed for
that building. This consideration involves an analytical process similar to that required to assess alternative design proposals for new
construction. See Clause 1.2.1.1.(1)(b) for information on achieving compliance with the Code using alternative solutions.
In developing Code requirements for new buildings, consideration has been given to the cost they impose on a design in relation to the
perceived benefits in terms of safety. The former is definable; the latter difficult to establish on a quantitative basis. In applying the
Code requirements to an existing building, the benefits derived are the same as in new buildings. On the other hand, the increased cost
of implementing in an existing building a design solution that would normally be intended for a new building may be prohibitive.
The successful application of Code requirements to existing construction becomes a matter of balancing the cost of implementing a
requirement with the relative importance of that requirement to the overall Code objectives. The degree to which any particular
requirement can be relaxed without affecting the intended level of safety of the Code requires considerable judgment on the part of
both the designer and the authority having jurisdiction.
Further information on the application of Code requirements to existing or relocated buildings can be found in the following
publications:
“User’s Guide – NBC 1995, Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility (Part 3)”
“Guidelines for Application of Part 3 of the National Building Code of Canada to Existing Buildings”
Commentary entitled “Application of NBC Part 4 of Division B for the Structural Evaluation and Upgrading of Existing
Buildings” of the “User’s Guide – NBC 2015, Structural Commentaries (Part 4 of Division B)”
“User’s Guide – NBC 1995, Application of Part 9 to Existing Buildings”
CBD 230, “Applying Building Codes to Existing Buildings”
These publications can be ordered through NRC’s Web site.
A-1.2.1.1.(1)(a) Code Compliance via Acceptable Solutions. If a building design (e.g. material, component, assembly
or system) can be shown to meet all provisions of the applicable acceptable solutions in Division B (e.g. it complies with the applicable
provisions of a referenced standard), it is deemed to have satisfied the objectives and functional statements linked to those provisions
and thus to have complied with that part of the Code. In fact, if it can be determined that a design meets all the applicable acceptable
solutions in Di
vision B, there is no need to consult the objectives and functional statements in Division A to determine its compliance.
A-1.2.1.1.(1)(b) Code Compliance via Alternative Solutions. Where a design differs from the acceptable solutions in
Division B, then it should be treated as an “alternative solution.” A proponent of an alternative solution must demonstrate that the
alternative solution addresses the same issues as the applicable acceptable solutions in Division B and their attributed objectives and
functional statements. However, because the objectives and functional statements are entirely qualitative, demonstrating compliance
with them in isolation is not possible. Therefore, Clause 1.2.1.1.(1)(b) identifies the principle that Division B establishes the
quantitative performance targets that alternative solutions must meet. In many cases, these targets are not defined very precisely by the
acceptable solutions – certainly far less precisely than would be the case with a true performance code, which would have quantitative
performance targets and prescribed methods of performance measurement for all aspects of building performance. Nevertheless,
Clause 1.2.1.1.(1)(b) makes it clear that an effort must be made to demonstrate that an alternative solution will perform as well as a
design that would satisfy the applicable acceptable solutions in Division B – not “well enough” but “as well as.”
In this sense, it is Division B that defines the boundaries between acceptable risks and the “unacceptable” risks referred to in the
statements of the Code’s objectives, i.e. the risk remaining once the applicable acceptable solutions in Division B have been
implemented represents the residual level of risk deemed to be acceptable by the broad base of Canadians who have taken part in the
consensus process used to develop the Code.
Effective December 10, 2018 to December 11, 2019
Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements Notes to Part 1 – Compliance
British Columbia Building Code 2018 Division A
Level of Performance
Where Division B offers a choice between several possible designs, it is likely that these designs may not all provide exactly the
same level of performance. Among a number of possible designs satisfying acceptable solutions in Division B, the design
providing the lowest level of performance should generally be considered to establish the minimum acceptable level of
performance to be used in evaluating alternative solutions for compliance with the Code.
Sometimes a single design will be used as an alternative solution to several sets of acceptable solutions in Division B. In this case,
the level of performance required of the alternative solution should be at least equivalent to the overall level of performance
established by all the applicable sets of acceptable solutions taken as a whole.
Each provision in Division B has been analyzed to determine what it is intended to achieve. The resultant intent statements clarify
what undesirable results each provision seeks to preclude. These statements are not a legal component of the Code, but are
advisory in nature, and can help Code users establish performance targets for alternative solutions. They are published as part of
the online Code subscriptions and as a separate electronic document entitled “Supplement to the NBC 2015: Intent Statements,”
which is available on NRC’s Web site. These intent statements should be cross referenced with the associated requirements of the
British Columbia Building Code.
Areas of Performance
A subset of the acceptable solutions in Division B may establish criteria for particular types of designs (e.g. certain types of
materials, components, assemblies, or systems). Often such subsets of acceptable solutions are all attributed to the same objective:
Fire Safety for example. In some cases, the designs that are normally used to satisfy this subset of acceptable solutions might also
provide some benefits that could be related to some other objective: Fire Protection of the Building for example. However, if none
of the applicable acceptable solutions are linked to Objective OP1, Fire Protection of the Building, it is not necessary that
alternative solutions proposed to replace these acceptable solutions provide a similar benefit related to Fire Protection of the
Building. In other words, the acceptable solutions in Division B establish acceptable levels of performance for compliance with
the Code only in those areas defined by the objectives and functional statements attributed to the acceptable solutions.
Applicable Acceptable Solutions
In demonstrating that an alternative solution will perform as well as a design that would satisfy the applicable acceptable solutions
in Division B, its evaluation should not be limited to comparison with the acceptable solutions to which an alternative is
proposed. It is possible that acceptable solutions elsewhere in the Code also apply. The proposed alternative solution may be
shown to perform as well as the most apparent acceptable solution which it is replacing but may not perform as well as other
relevant acceptable solutions. For example, an innovative sheathing material may perform adequately as sheathing in a wall system
that is braced by other means but may not perform adequately as sheathing in a wall system where the sheathing must provide the
structural bracing. All applicable acceptable solutions should be taken into consideration in demonstrating the compliance of an
alternative solution.
A-1.2.1.2.(1) Responsibility of Owner. Sentence 1.1.1.1.(1) is not intended to imply that a person who becomes the owner
of a building must bring the entire building into compliance with the Code. The Code applies only in the cases and to the extent
specified by Article 1.1.1.1., and the owner of a building is therefore made responsible for ensuring the building complies with the
Code by Sentence 1.2.1.2.(1) only in the cases and to the extent specified by Article 1.1.1.1. If none of the provisions in Sentence
1.1.1.1.(1) apply to the building, the owner is not required to make any changes to the building.
A-1.3.3.4.(1) Buildings Divided by Firewalls. This concept relates to the provisions directly regulated by this Code and
does not apply to electrical service entrance requirements, which are regulated by other documents.
A-1.3.3.4.(2) Buildings on Sloping Sites. Application of the definition of grade to stepped buildings on sloping sites often
results in such buildings being designated as being greater than 4 storeys in building height even though there may be only 2, 3 or
4 storeys at any one location. Figure A-1.3.3.4.(2) illustrates this application compared to a similar building on a flat site.
Under Sentence 1.3.3.4.(2), Building A can be considered as being 4 storeys in building height instead of 7 storeys in building height.
Both Building A and B are comparable with regard to fire safety and egress.
This relaxation applies to the determination of building height only. All other requirements continue to apply as appropriate.
Effective December 10, 2018 to December 11, 2019
Notes to Part 1 – Compliance Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements
Division A British Columbia Building Code 2018
Figure A-1.3.3.4.(2)
Application of the definition of grade
A-1.4.1.2.(1) Defined Terms.
Access or Accessible and Persons with Disabilities
The terms “access” or “accessible” and the term “persons with disabilities” are revised in this edition of the Code for greater
alignment with the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This does not alter the
objectives and functional statements attributed to the provisions of this Code regarding access for persons with disabilities.
The revised definitions are to provide greater clarity as to why the Code applies requirements the way it does.
ASTC and STC
The higher the ASTC or STC rating, the more the assembly or the system of assemblies protects occupants from noise in
adjacent spaces.
These ratings, which are determined in accordance with ASTM E 413, “Classification for Rating Sound Insulation,” roughly
describe the noise reduction in decibels (dB) provided by the separating floor or wall, or in the case of the ASTC rating, by the
system of separating and adjoining walls and floors. For example, where an 80 dB sound on one side of a wall/floor/ceiling is
reduced to 30 dB on the other side, that partition is said to have an STC of 50.
The dB scale is a logarithmic one and the human ear perceives a 10 dB reduction in sound as roughly halving the volume:
for example, a 40 dB noise, subjectively, seems half as loud as a 50 dB one.
Care Occupancy
Support services rendered by or through care facility management refer to services provided by the organization that is responsible
for the care for a period exceeding 24 consecutive hours. They do not refer to services provided by residents of dwelling units or
suites, or to services arranged directly by residents of dwelling units or suites with outside agencies.
In the context of care occupancies, these services may include a daily assessment of the resident’s functioning, awareness of their
whereabouts, the making of appointments for residents and reminding them of those appointments, the ability and readiness to
intervene if a crisis arises for a resident, supervision in areas of nutrition or medication, and provision of transient medical services.
Services may also include activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and assistance in the use of washroom
facilities, etc. No actual treatment is provided by or through care facility management.
EG00907B
grade for each
stepped portion
1 h fire
separation at
each stepped
portion
Building A
Building B
grade
for entire
building
Effective December 10, 2018 to December 11, 2019
Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements Notes to Part 1 – Compliance
British Columbia Building Code 2018 Division A
Dangerous Goods
In previous editions of the British Columbia Building Code
, the terminology used to identify dangerous goods came from
TC SOR/2008-34, “Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR).” The TDGR apply solely to the adequate
identification of hazards related to dangerous goods in the contexts of transportation and emergency response.
Dangerous goods in the workplace are identified in accordance with the “Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
(WHMIS),” established in accordance with the “Hazardous Products Act.” The WHMIS identification system is specifically
designed with the users of the product in mind.
This edition of the British Columbia Building Code
identifies dangerous goods as products regulated by the TDGR or classified
under the WHMIS. In order to harmonize these two nomenclatures for dangerous goods, class descriptors were developed taking
into consideration both the TDGR and WHMIS classification systems. The proposed nomenclature introduces a descriptive
approach to classifying dangerous goods, which is similar to the one proposed by the Globally Harmonized System of
Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) developed by the United Nations (UN). Canada has actively participated in the
development of the GHS and has committed to its implementation through the TDGR and WHMIS regulations.
The British Columbia Building Code
2018 nomenclature takes a common sense approach that corresponds more closely to how
people refer to dangerous goods on a daily basis, blending TDGR and WHMIS terminology without using nondescript numbers
and letters as previously found in the British Columbia Building Code
, TDGR and WHMIS.
Table A-1.4.1.2.(1)
UN, TDGR, WHMIS and British Columbia Building Code
Class Descriptors for Dangerous Goods
UN TDGR WHMIS British Columbia Building Code 2018
1 Explosives Explosives Explosives
2 Gases Gases under pressure Compressed gases
2.1 Flammable gases Flammable gases; Flammable aerosols Flammable gases; Flammable aerosols
2.2 Non-flammable, non-toxic gases Gases under pressure Non-flammable, non-toxic gases
2.2 (5.1) Oxidizing gases Oxidizing gases
2.3 Toxic gases Toxic gases
3 Flammable liquids Flammable liquids Flammable liquids
4.1 Flammable solids Flammable solids Flammable solids
4.2 Substances liable to spontaneous
combustion
Pyrophoric liquids; pyrophoric solids Pyrophoric materials
4.3 Water-reactive substances Substances and mixtures which, in contact with
water, emit flammable gases
Water-reactive substances
5.1 Oxidizing substances Oxidizing liquids; oxidizing solids Oxidizers
5.2 Organic peroxides Organic peroxides Organic peroxides
6.1 Toxic substances
(1)
Toxic substances
6.2 Infectious substances
(1)
Infectious materials
7 Radioactive materials Not covered by GHS Radioactive materials
8 Corrosives
(2)
Corrosives
9 Miscellaneous products,
substances, or organisms
(2)
Miscellaneous dangerous goods
Previously Class F Dangerously reactive materials
Notes to TableA-1.4.1.2.(1):
(1) The WHMIS has various descriptors for this Class of products based on their toxicity.
(2) The WHMIS has various descriptors for this Class of products based on the nature of the danger presented by the product.
Effective December 10, 2018 to December 11, 2019
Notes to Part 1 – Compliance Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements
Division A British Columbia Building Code 2018
Exit
Exits include doors or doorways leading directly into an exit stair or directly to the outside. In the case of an exit leading to a
separate building, exits also include vestibules, walkways, bridges or balconies.
Farm Building
Farm buildings as defined in Article 1.4.1.2. include, but are not limited to, produce storage and packing facilities, livestock and
poultry housing, milking centres, manure storage facilities, grain bins, silos, feed preparation centres, farm workshops,
greenhouses, farm retail centres, and horse riding, exercise and training facilities. Farm buildings may be classed as low or high
human occupancy, depending on the occupant load.
Examples of farm buildings likely to be classed as low human occupancy as defined in Article 1.2.1.2. of the National Farm
Building Code of Canada are livestock and poultry housing, manure and machinery storage facilities and horse exercise and
training facilities where no bleachers or viewing area are provided.
Examples of farm buildings that would be classed as other than low human occupancy include farm retail centres for feeds,
horticultural and livestock produce, auction barns and show areas where bleachers or other public facilities are provided.
Farm work centres where the number of workers frequently exceeds the limit for low human occupancy will also be in this
category.
It is possible to have areas of both high and low human occupancy in the same building provided that the structural safety and fire
separation requirements for high human occupancy are met in the part thus designated.
Fire Separation
It is generally understood that the term “fire” refers to all products of combustion, including heat and smoke. Although a fire
separation is not always required to have a fire-resistance rating, it should act as a barrier to the spread of smoke and fire until
some type of response is initiated. If the fire-resistance rating of a fire separation is permitted to be waived on the basis of the
presence of an automatic sprinkler system, it is nonetheless the intent of the Code that the fire separation be constructed so that
it will remain in place and act as a barrier against the spread of smoke until the sprinklers have actuated.
Flight
Figure A-1.4.1.2.(1)-A
Flight
Grade
Localized depressions that need not be considered in the determination of the elevation of grade include such features as vehicle
and pedestrian entrances and other minor depressions that do not affect accessibility for firefighting or evacuation.
EG01395A
landing landing
landing landing
landing
Stair with one flight
Stair with two flights
flight
flight
flight
Effective December 10, 2018 to December 11, 2019
Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements Notes to Part 1 – Compliance
British Columbia Building Code 2018 Division A
Mechanically Vented
The definition of this term is intended to include all types of appliances and venting systems that rely entirely on fans to evacuate
the products of combustion. Systems variously referred to as “forced draft,” “power vented” and “induced draft” in standards and
industry terminology may be covered by this definition. The key characteristic of such systems is that they are more resistant to
depressurization-induced spillage of combustion products into the building in which they are housed because the combustion
venting system downstream of the fan is “sealed,” i.e. includes no draft hood or draft control device.
Post-disaster Building
There may be circumstances where the authority having jurisdiction would choose to exempt certain types of buildings or parts
thereof from being designated as post-disaster buildings in order to permit them to be governed by Part 9 rather than by the rest
of the Code. Such is the case in the following examples: an ambulance that is stored at a volunteer’s residence or a police station
that is housed in a small shopping mall. The circumstances where such exemptions are permitted are intentionally limited by the
definition of post-disaster building.
Public Corridor
A covered mall is considered to be a public corridor and, as such, is subject to the same requirements as a public corridor.
Rim Joist
In the field, rim joists may also be referred to as rim boards, headers or header joists.
Service Room
Typical examples of service rooms include boiler rooms, furnace rooms, incinerator rooms, garbage handling rooms and rooms to
accommodate air-conditioning or heating appliances, pumps, compressors and electrical equipment. Rooms such as elevator
machine rooms and common laundry rooms are not considered to be service rooms.
Solid Masonry Units
The net solid area of a masonry unit is calculated by determining the gross area of the bed face of the unit (L × T) and subtracting
the cumulative areas of the hollow portions. As long as the total area of the hollow portions is 25% or less of the gross area, the
unit is considered to be a solid masonry unit.
Figure A-1.4.1.2.(1)-B
Net solid area of masonry unit
L
T
gross area = length × thickness
net solid area = shaded area
EG01325A
end
f
a
c
e
b
e
d
f
a
c
e
Effective December 10, 2018 to December 11, 2019
Notes to Part 1 – Compliance Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements
Division A British Columbia Building Code 2018
Storage Garage
Entrances at which vehicles stop for a short time beneath an unenclosed canopy to pick up and drop off passengers are not
considered as storage garages. As a subsidiary use, storage garages may also contain space for parking or storing other vehicles
(bicycles, boat, etc.).
Suite
Tenancy in the context of the term “suite” applies to both rental and ownership tenure. In a condominium arrangement,
for example, dwelling units are considered separate suites even though they are individually owned. In order to be of
complementary use, a series of rooms that constitute a suite must be in reasonably close proximity to each other and have access to
each other either directly by means of a common doorway or indirectly by a corridor, vestibule or other similar arrangement.
The term “suite” does not apply to rooms such as service rooms, common laundry rooms and common recreational rooms that
are not leased or under a separate tenure in the context of the Code. Similarly, the term “suite” is not normally applied in the
context of buildings such as schools and hospitals, since the entire building is under a single tenure. However, a room that is
individually rented is considered a suite. A warehousing unit in a mini-warehouse is a suite. A rented room in a nursing home
could be considered as a suite if the room was under a separate tenure. A hospital bedroom on the other hand is not considered to
be under a separate tenure, since the patient has little control of that space, even though he pays the hospital a per diem rate for
the privilege of using the hospital facilities, which include the sleeping areas.
For certain requirements in the Code, the expression “room or suite” is used (e.g., travel distance). This means that the
requirement applies within the rooms of suites as well as to the suite itself and to rooms that may be located outside the suite.
In other places the expression “suite, and rooms not located within a suite” is used (e.g., for the installation of smoke and heat
detectors). This means that the requirement applies to individual suites as defined, but not to each room within the suite.
The rooms “not within a suite” would include common laundry rooms, common recreational rooms and service rooms, which are
not considered as tenant-occupied space.
Tapered Tread
The definition of tapered tread includes treads in curved stairs and treads in winder stairs, However, requirements for winders
differ from those for other tapered treads. Requirements for tapered treads are found in Articles 3.3.1.16., 3.4.6.9., and 9.8.4.3. of
Division B. Requirements for winders are found in Article 9.8.4.6. of Division B.
Treatment
The ability to evacuate unassisted implies that a person is capable of recognizing and responding to an emergency given their
physical, cognitive and behavioural abilities, and able to move to a safe location without the assistance of another person.
For example, such persons must be able to arise and walk, or transfer from a bed or chair to a means of mobility, and leave the
building or move to a safe location on their own.
Treatment Occupancy
“Treatments” may include such things as surgery, intensive care, and emergency medical intervention. Treatment services differ
from the services provided by care occupancies like personal care assistance or the administration of medication, and from those
provided by business and personal services occupancies like dentistry or day procedures.
A-1.5.1.1.(1) Application of Referenced Documents. Documents referenced in the British Columbia Building Code
may contain provisions covering a wide range of issues, including issues that are unrelated to the objectives and functional statements
stated in Parts 2 and 3 of Division A respectively; e.g. aesthetic issues such as colour-fastness or uniformity. Sentence 1.5.1.1.(1) is
intended to make it clear that, whereas referencing a document in the code generally has the effect of making the provisions of that
document part of the Code, provisions that are unrelated to buildings or to the objectives and functional statements attributed to the
provisions in Division B where the document is referenced are excluded.
Furthermore, many documents referenced in the code contain references to other documents, which may also, in turn, refer to other
documents. These secondary and tertiary referenced documents may contain provisions that are unrelated to buildings or to the
objectives and functional statements of the code: such provisions – no matter how far down the chain of references they occur – are not
included in the intent of Sentence1.5.1.1.(1).
Effective December 10, 2018 to December 11, 2019
Notes to Part 1 – Compliance Division A: Compliance, Objectives and Functional Statements
Division A British Columbia Building Code 2018
Storage Garage
Entrances at which vehicles stop for a short time beneath an unenclosed canopy to pick up and drop off passengers are not
considered as storage garages. As a subsidiary use, storage garages may also contain space for parking or storing other vehicles
(bicycles, boat, etc.).
Suite
Tenancy in the context of the term “suite” applies to both rental and ownership tenure. In a condominium arrangement,
for example, dwelling units are considered separate suites even though they are individually owned. In order to be of
complementary use, a series of rooms that constitute a suite must be in reasonably close proximity to each other and have access to
each other either directly by means of a common doorway or indirectly by a corridor, vestibule or other similar arrangement.
The term “suite” does not apply to rooms such as service rooms, common laundry rooms and common recreational rooms that
are not leased or under a separate tenure in the context of the Code. Similarly, the term “suite” is not normally applied in the
context of buildings such as schools and hospitals, since the entire building is under a single tenure. However, a room that is
individually rented is considered a suite. A warehousing unit in a mini-warehouse is a suite. A rented room in a nursing home
could be considered as a suite if the room was under a separate tenure. A hospital bedroom on the other hand is not considered to
be under a separate tenure, since the patient has little control of that space, even though he pays the hospital a per diem rate for
the privilege of using the hospital facilities, which include the sleeping areas.
For certain requirements in the Code, the expression “room or suite” is used (e.g., travel distance). This means that the
requirement applies within the rooms of suites as well as to the suite itself and to rooms that may be located outside the suite.
In other places the expression “suite, and rooms not located within a suite” is used (e.g., for the installation of smoke and heat
detectors). This means that the requirement applies to individual suites as defined, but not to each room within the suite.
The rooms “not within a suite” would include common laundry rooms, common recreational rooms and service rooms, which are
not considered as tenant-occupied space.
Tapered Tread
The definition of tapered tread includes treads in curved stairs and treads in winder stairs, However, requirements for winders
differ from those for other tapered treads. Requirements for tapered treads are found in Articles 3.3.1.16., 3.4.6.9., and 9.8.4.3. of
Division B. Requirements for winders are found in Article 9.8.4.6. of Division B.
Treatment
The ability to evacuate unassisted implies that a person is capable of recognizing and responding to an emergency given their
physical, cognitive and behavioural abilities, and able to move to a safe location without the assistance of another person.
For example, such persons must be able to arise and walk, or transfer from a bed or chair to a means of mobility, and leave the
building or move to a safe location on their own.
Treatment Occupancy
“Treatments” may include such things as surgery, intensive care, and emergency medical intervention. Treatment services differ
from the services provided by care occupancies like personal care assistance or the administration of medication, and from those
provided by business and personal services occupancies like dentistry or day procedures.
A-1.5.1.1.(1) Application of Referenced Documents. Documents referenced in the British Columbia Building Code
may contain provisions covering a wide range of issues, including issues that are unrelated to the objectives and functional statements
stated in Parts 2 and 3 of Division A respectively; e.g. aesthetic issues such as colour-fastness or uniformity. Sentence 1.5.1.1.(1) is
intended to make it clear that, whereas referencing a document in the code generally has the effect of making the provisions of that
document part of the Code, provisions that are unrelated to buildings or to the objectives and functional statements attributed to the
provisions in Division B where the document is referenced are excluded.
Furthermore, many documents referenced in the code contain references to other documents, which may also, in turn, refer to other
documents. These secondary and tertiary referenced documents may contain provisions that are unrelated to buildings or to the
objectives and functional statements of the code: such provisions – no matter how far down the chain of references they occur – are not
included in the intent of Sentence1.5.1.1.(1).
Effective December 10, 2018 to December 11, 2019