32C-017 adventure room code 2
CODE REVIEW October 27, 2014
“Adventure Rooms”
76 Main Street, Lower level
Northampton, MA
Applicable Building Code: MA 780 CMR Eighth Addition
IBC, IEBC International EXISTING Building Code, 2009
ZONING DISTRICT: CB
PROPOSED RENOVATIONS:
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Reconfigure the former B office space to be used as series of interconnected conference room-like spaces that are called “mazes”. New sheetrock partition walls will be used to create
these rooms. See definitions of B use below.
New exterior entry from rear alley
New wheelchair accessible lift at grade change between entry and floor level.
New entry lobby.
New egress to existing stair linking this tenant space to the Building lobby and exterior egress to Main Street.
New windows in rear façade- subject to fire rating and proximity to property boundaries.
New HVAC systems
New accessible toilet rooms
New lighting
New Fire alarm system to be tied into the existing building-wide system
New fire separations between adjacent tenants, egress stairs, storage rooms, elevator mechanical room, and boiler room where necessary.
New sprinkler systems are not proposed.
Building Areas
Total Area (square feet)
Lower Level (basement)
4,125
1st Floor
4,125
2nd Floor
4,125
3rd Floor
4,125
4th Floor
4,125
5th Floor
4,125
Total Building area
24,750
Adventure Rooms area (work area)
2,798
% of aggregate area of total building
11.3%
Occupant Load Calculation (1004.4.1)
Former tenant
Proposed tenant “Adventure Rooms”
Unknown
30 (approximately 10 occupants per “maze”)
Construction Type
3B
Sprinkler System
No sprinkler systems exist in the building. No new systems are proposed. See below.
704.4 Fire alarm and detection:
There is a fire alarm system in the building. The system will be modified as needed to meet the building codes.
Use Groups
This is a former B space
There is no change of use. The use will remain under the B, business use group.
In the 2009 IBC, section 304, the closest description of this type of B Business use is “Training and Skill Development, not within a school or academic program.”
Additionally, Table 303.1 lists small assembly uses which have fewer than 50 people, as B uses. Section 303.1, exception 1
Existing separation of uses within the overall building: unknown
Proposed separation of uses:
Table 508.4: Required separation of Occupancies: Separations of B use from B use: o hours required.
Since this building does not have sprinklers, we propose a 1-hour separation between Adventure Rooms and other building tenants. We will install a 2-hour separation between Adventure
Rooms and the boiler/mechanical room and the building’s main egress stair.
This building is classified as type 3B construction. This is comprised of Brick exterior walls and wood framed interior walls. The exterior walls are required to be at least 2 hour rated.
Openings in a 2 hour wall which is located adjacent to an unoccupied space or public way, 30 feet in width, accessed from a street by a posted fire lane are not required to be rated.
Openings in a 2-hour wall adjacent to a public way that is less than 30 feet are required to be rated.
The exterior wall (entry wall) of Adventure Rooms is located ??? feet from the property line.
The alley is not a public way or a posted fire lane.
According to the IEBC this renovation is being reviewed as:
Work Area Method, Chapter 4
Compliance with Chapter 6- Alterations Level 1- new finishes and fixtures
Chapter 7- Alterations Level 2 - Construction of new walls, toilet rooms, and exits.
Fire Resistive Required Types of Construction, Table 601 IBC
Building Element
Type 3B
Primary Structural Frame
0
Bearing walls, Exterior
2
Bearing walls, Interior
1
Nonbearing walls and partitions, exterior
0
Nonbearing walls and partitions, interior
0
Floor construction and secondary members
0
Roof construction and secondary members
0
704 Fire Protection:
704.2, 912.2.1 Automatic sprinkler systems
Automatic sprinkler systems are NOT required in this project because of the exceptions in 704.2.2 and MGL 148 26G
The following conditions are present: (IEBC)
The B use area is less than 12,000 square feet
The B occupancy is less than 50 occupants
The Level 2 work area does not exceed 50% of the building floor area
MGL 148 26G:
Sprinklers are required if: The overall building area is greater than 7,500 square feet.
The total building area for this building is greater than 7,500 square feet (24,750 square feet).
Major alterations are work which is “major” in scope or expenditure, and which results in changes affecting a substantial portion of the building” as defined in MGL 148 26G
Major alterations or modifications are reasonably considered major in scope when such work affects 33% or more of the total gross square footage of the building, calculated in accordance
with 26G.
The reconfigurations in the work area do not rise to the level of “major alterations” because the work area for this project is less than 33% of the total gross square footage of the
building and does not result in changes affecting a substantial portion of the building
Major alterations or modifications are reasonably considered major in scope or expenditure when the total cost of the work (excluding costs relating to sprinkler installation) is equal
to or greater than 33% of the assessed value of the subject building, as of the date of permit application.
The costs for this project are less than 33% of the assessed value of the building.
Assessed valuation from City of Northampton: (building) $1,765,720
Approximate construction cost: $100,000
Construction cost as a percentage of assessed value: 5.6%
Level 1 work requirements:
The removal and replacement or the covering of existing materials, elements, equipment or fixtures using new materials, elements, equipment or fixtures that serves the same purpose
This Project will have new metal-framed walls and will have new interior finishes and lighting.
602.1 Interior finishes: All newly installed wall and ceiling finishes shall comply with the IBC
603 Fire Protection:
Alterations shall be done in a manner that maintains the level of fire protection provided. This Project will improve the level of fire protection that is currently provided by installing
fire rated enclosures.
604 Means of Egress
Repairs shall be made in a manner that maintains the level of protection provided for the means of egress.
This project will have 1 additional means of egress to meet the minimum number of 2 exits.
606 Structural:
Jake Smith Structural engineer will design a new steel lintel for the expanded entry door in the exterior brick wall.
607 Energy Conservation:
See 711 below
Level 2 work requirements:
The reconfiguration of space, the addition or elimination of any door or window, the reconfiguration or extension of any system, or the installation of any additional equipment.
This project will have 1 exterior wall. It is currently an exposed brick wall approximately 24” thick. This brick will remain exposed to the interior space.
701.3 Compliance
The new exterior door and windows will comply with the code minimum of:
New replacement windows will have a maximum U value of 0.4
New entrance doors will have a maximum U value of 0.8
New electrical equipment must comply with section 708
Length of dead end corridors, comply with 705.6 There are no proposed dead end corridors.
Minimum ceiling height of newly created habitable and occupied spaces shall be 7 feet.
705 Means of Egress
The proposed tenant space will include 2 means of egress
Door Hardware, General
The main exit doors shall have panic hardware.
All other doors in this project will have lever handles with cylinder locksets.
Lever door hardware that is subject to locking shall be the: toilet rooms, interior doors within the maze, and storage closets.
The entry door to a maze shall have a “passage lockset” (the latch bolt is retracted by the grip on either side)
The inner maze doors shall have “public restroom locksets”. The latch bolt is retracted by the inside grip or an outside key. The latch bolt is retracted by the outside grip unless the
grip is locked by a key from the inside. The latch bolt/outside grip cannot be locked by a key from the outside.
705.4.4 & 1008.1.10 Panic Hardware
In level 2 work areas, Panic hardware is only required for A uses with occupancies over 50.
1008.1.9.3 Locks and Latches. Locks and latches shall be permitted to prevent operation of doors where any of the following exists:
Item 2 In buildings in occupancy Group A, B, F, M, S having an occupant load of 300 or less, … the main exterior door or doors are permitted to be equipped with key-operated locking
devices from the egress side provided:
2.1 The locking device is readily distinguishable as locked,
2.2 A readily visible durable sign is posted on the egress side on adjacent to the door stating “ this door to remain unlocked when building is occupied. The sign shall be in letters
1 inch high on a contrasting background and,
2.3 The use of the key-operated locking device is revocable by the building official for due cause,
1008.9.4 Bolt Locks
Manually operated flush bolts or surface bolts are not permitted.
705.7 Means of Egress lighting
All means of egress shall have compliant exit signs.
705.7 Exit Signs
The tenant space shall have compliant egress lighting
711 and 607 Energy Conservation:
Level 1 and 2 alterations are permitted without requiring the entire building to comply with the International Energy Conservation Code. Alterations (new construction) shall comply with
the International Energy Conservation Code.
A building that undergoes Level 2 alterations is required to meet a certain level of energy compliance.
Where there are reconfigurations of the space or new doors or windows, any such new element is required to meet the International Energy Conservation Code.
Elements within the building that are not being affected do not heed to be evaluated and do not nee to comply with the energy provisions. Essentially the entire building is not required
to meet the energy provisions; only a degree of possible improvement in the energy performance of the building is intended to be achieved by making the new elements meet the IECC. In
certain cases where the reconfiguration of the space might have resulted in the creation of new spaces the newly created space should be evaluated as a whole for compliance with the
energy provisions even though some of the element within the space might actually not have been altered. Likewise, in a case where an existing mechanical system is being extended to
other areas or new ductwork is being installed to reconfigure and reroute the ducts to various spaces, it is only required to have the new elements meet the energy provisions and not
the entire system.
Any new replacement windows will have a maximum U value of 0.4
Any new entrance doors will have a maximum U value of 0.8
None of the existing exterior walls or the roof are being altered, so no new insulation is required.
806 Accessibility
CMR 521
Valuation of Project:
The costs for this project are less than 30% of the assessed value of the building.
Assessed valuation from City of Northampton: (building) $1,765,720
Approximate construction cost: $100,000
Construction cost as a percentage of assessed value: 5.6%
3.3.1 b. If the work costs $100,000 or more, then the work being performed is required to comply with 521 CMR. In addition, an accessible public entrance and an accessible toilet room
shall be provided.
3.3.2 If the work performed, including the exempted work, amounts to 30% or more of the full and fair cash value of the building, the entire building is required to comply with 521 CMR.
3.3.3 Alterations by a tenant do not trigger the requirements of 3.3.1B and 3.3.2 for other tenants.
The proposed tenant space will have 2 accessible toilet rooms and 2 accessible entries. A new wheelchair lift will be installed next to the new exterior door allowing accessible entry
from the alleyway.
The Adventure room tenant space is designed to be fully accessible.
End of Document