Renovating a commercial property built in 2002 in BC. Renovating it to a residential property. Do the bedroom windows have to be able to open to meet meet code? Currently has large windows which do not open.
Provincial codes vary slightly from province to province. All are based on the National Building Code and each province adopts their own revisions each printing of the Code. Residential buildings can fall under either Part 9 (Housing and Small Buildings) or Part 3 of the Code. Part 3 residential buildings are buildings exceeding 600 m2 in building area (footprint) OR 3 stories in building height. All residential Part 3 buildings are required to be sprinklered. Egress windows are required for any residential building falling under Part 9; however, under Part 3 rules openable bedroom windows are NOT required.
I did consult with the provincial authority (Alberta Safety Services) to confirm this information and they were kind enough to reply to this out-of-province question. They did not confirm it against the BC Code, which likely is not going to be any different. They only referenced three Code articles: 3.2.5.2. - Access to Basements, 3.2.6.6. Venting to Aid Fiirefighting, and 3.3.4.8. - Protection of Openable Windows, none of which relate to the question asked.
It is a common mistake for individuals not familiar with the distinction between Part 3 and Part 9 buildings to believe Part 9 articles apply to all residential buildings whereas there is only one link between the two (to do with the subject of interior finishes). I do suggest you consult with your local building officials to confirm mine as well as other responses to your question.
Ian Derksen
Safety Codes Officer - Building
The BC Building Code generally requires every bedroom in a house and every bedroom in a small multi-family residential building to have an outside window that can be used as an emergency exit. The window opening must be 0.35M2 with no dimension less than 380mm.
Mike's comment is correct.
The Windows must open and have the minimum dimensions listed on his post.
So if the window doesn't open, it doesn't meet code. Thanks
Yes all bedrooms in Canada are to have an operable window that opens. I recommend you call your local city hall they will have no issues explaining what is required and the exact required sizes. Better to be safe than sorry
I have to assume based on your location that the building you are referring to falls under Part 9 of the Code (small buildings) as opposed to a larger (high rise) Part 3 building.
The general Part 9 rule is that egress windows must be provided in bedrooms; however there is a possibility there might be cause to grant an exception. Building Codes are becoming more 'performance' based with the term 'alternate solutions' recently introduced.
If you can demonstrate to the satisfaction of your local authority that you have some satisfactory combination of alternate solutions there is a possibility they could make an exception.
Examples of equivalencies might be: if the building is noncombustible construction and/or sprinklered when it doesn't have to be; there is ready access to protected exits; or the bedroom is perhaps an open mezzanine to the ground floor where the whole area could be thought of as bedroom.
One very notable exception recently granted by the authorities is the 18 storey wood frame UBC high-rise - the normal current rule for Part 3 combustible residential is no occupied floor level more than 11 m above the lowest exit level - typically meaning no more than 3-4 storeys.
Good luck
Ian
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