Alberta Building Code: 1981

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alberta

building

code

'1BB'1

LABOUR

General Safety Services Division

Building Standards Branch

Reproduced with the permission of Alberta Municipal Affairs and the National Research Council of

Canada, copyright holders

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

·A Guide to the Use of the Code

Part 1 Administration

Part 2 General Requirements

Part 3 Use and Occupancy

Part 4 Design

Part 5 Wind, Water and Vapour Protection

Part 6 Heating, Ventilating and Air-Con'ditioning

Part 7 Plumbing Services

Part 8 Construction Safety Measures

Part 9 Housing and Small Buildings

Part 1

O

Relocatable Industrial Accommodation

Part 11 Climatic Data for Building Design in Alberta

Index

Fire Performance Ratings

Building Design for the Handicapped

The Alberta Uniform Building Standards Act

Appendix A Explanatory Material for the National

Building Code 1980

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PREFACE

The National Building Code of Canada 1980, that has· been adopted as the base document for the Alberta Building Code 1981, is published by the National Research Council through its Associate Committee on the National Building Code. It comprises a model set of technical requirements for ensuring public safety in buildings.

The Code has received wide use in Canada through adoption, either as municipal Bylaws or more recently as the basis of provincial building Codes. Liaison with the provincial Code authorities has been maintained through the Provincial Advisory Committee on the National Building Code which was established by these authorities for that purpose. The Code has been developed with the voluntary assistance of many experts from coast to coast who contribute to the operation of the Associate Committee on the National Building Code, thus ensuring that the document keeps pace with advances in building technology. The Associate Committee members are appointed by the National Research Council to serve as individuals and not as representatives of any organization. They are broadly representative of all major phases of building in Canada. The Committee has direct responsibility under the National Research Council for the preparation and publica-tion of the Code, thus ensuring the autonomy of this document.

The staff of the Division of Building Research of the National Research Council provides technical and secretarial support, all of which is carried out at the direction of the Associate Committee. The many technical problems revealed through the use of the Code are referred to the Division of Building Research for study in an attempt to make available to the Associate Committee the most up-to-date information on building tech-nology.

The Associate Committee is assisted in the technical aspects of Code writing by a number of Standing Committees, each of which is responsible for one major part of the Code, or for one of the associated documents. Each Standing Committee is made up of experts in the particular field for which it is responsible. Building and fire officials, architects, engineers, contractors and other experts share their experience in the national interest. All values are now given in metric units. The establishment of common metric pipe sizes has not as yet been attained by all segments of the pipe manufacturing industry. Until the industry reaches such agreement, it is considered appropriate to continue to identify pipe sizes in inches.

Part 5, which formerly dealt with materials, now contains the requirements from Section 4.8 of Part 4 relating to wind, water and vapour protection. The requirements from Part 5 have either been transferred to Part 2 or have been deleted because of duplication elsewhere.

Part 6 of the Code has been completely revised to include the material from the former Canadian Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Code, which has been discontinued. Certain fire related requirements formerly in Part 6 have been transferred to Part 3 in order that all material of a similar nature is grouped_in the same Part.

Part 8 of the Code relating to construction safety measures no longer references the Canadian Construction Safety Code, as this document has been discontinued. The relevant requirements relating to the safety of the public are included in Part 8. A vertical line in the margin relates to a change or addition in the 1980 edition to the 1977 edition of the National Building Code and may be ignored in the Alberta Building Code 1981.

An asterisk in the margin indicates a change or addition to the 1980 National Building Code at the time it was adopted in Alberta as the Alberta Building Code 1981. Permission to reprint extracts from the documents issued by the Associate Committee on the National Building Code is gratefully acknowledged.

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Comments on the Alberta Building Code 1981 'and suggestions for its improvement are welcomed and should be submitted to

Director

Building Standards Branch Alberta Labour

707 - 10808 - 99 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5KOG2

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A GUIDE TO THE USE OF THE CODE

The Alberta Building Code 1981 is essentially a set of minimum requirements respecting safety of buildings with reference to public health, fire protection and structural sufficiency. It is not intended to be a textbook of building design, advice upon which should be sought from professional sources. Its primary purpose is the promotion of public safety through the application of appropriate uniform building standards.

The Code is divided into eleven Parts. A summary of the contents of these Parts follows: Part 1: Administration

The scope of the Code, definitions of words that are italicized in the Code and administra-tive requirements appear in this Part.

The administrative requirements include professional seals on documents, notification, provision of information about equivalent materials, conditions relating to occupancy, correction of unsafe conditions and prohibitions.

Part 2: General

Part 2 contains requirements of a semi-administrative nature such as information to be shown on drawings, provision for equivalents and material of a general nature. Part 3: Use and Occupancy

This Part contains the requirements with respect to health and fire safety, which depend upon the use to which a building is put and its type of occupancy. The first Section contains the interpretive material relating to occupancy classification and the more general features of fire protection. Sections that follow contain specific requirements relating to building size and occupancy and fire safety within floor areas, exit require-ments, requirements for service spaces and health requirements.

Part 4: Design

This Part is made up of seven Sections. The first (4.1) deals with the loads to be used in design calculations and the methods of design to be followed. Section 4.2 regulates foundation design and construction. The other Sections (4.3 to 4. 7) deal with design in wood, masonry, concrete, steel and aluminum. Sections 4.3 to 4.7 contain only short performance requirements referring to the design methods outlined in detail in the relevant CSA standards.

Part 5: Wind, Water and Vapour Protection

This Part includes that material formerly contained in Section 4.8 of the Code. It includes requirements for the prevention of condensation and cladding requirements.

Part 6: Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning

Part 6 is concerned with the safe functioning of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning equipment installed in a building. The requirements deal mainly with installation. Part 7: Plumbing

This Part contains only basic statements with reference to Scope, Application and Administration. All detailed technical requirements are contained in regulations under The Plumbing and Drainage Act.

Part 8: Construction Safety Measures - Public Safety at

\, Construction Sites

Part 8 regulates the precautions that must be taken to protect the safety of the public in the vicinity of construction sites.

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Part 9: Housing and Small Buildings

This Part provides detailed requirements for the construction of houses and small build-ings up to 600 m2 per floor and three storeys in height, and applies to all occupancies except assembly, institutional and high hazard industrial. Span tables for joists, rafters, trusses and beams are included at the end of Part 9.

Part 10: Relocatable Industrial Accommodation

This Part sets out specific modifications of other Parts of the Code and recognizes the special requirements for this class of building. It is emphasized that this Part does not replace or waive requirements of other Parts unless it is stated.

Part 11:

This Part sets out climatic data needed for building design, such as temperature, wind forces, rainfall and snowfall. Unless a municipality has specific values assigned in the Table the values should be taken from the Charts.

SUPPLEMENTARY DOCUMENTS

Three documents have been inserted after the Index.

Fire Performance Ratings - Chapter 2 - Supplement to the National Building Code 1980:

This provides a guide to the determination of the fire resistance, flame spread and smoke-developed ratings of materials in construction in relation to the provisions of the Code. It gives a procedure for calculating the fire-resistance ratings of construction assemblies based on generic descriptions of materials used in the assemblies. Building Standards for the Handicapped 1980:

This provides a guide to requirements to provide accessibility to buildings and water closet facilities for physically disabled persons.

The Alberta Uniform Building Standards Act

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PART I

ADMINISTRATION

Section 1.1

Section 1.2

Section 1.3

Section 1.4

· Section 1.5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Referencing

It • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Scope ... ;

Definitions of Words and Phrases ... .

Abbreviations

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Administration . . . ... . .... .. . .. . . ... . . .. ..

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PART 1 ADMINISTRATION

SECTION 1.1

REFERENCING

SUBSECTION 1.1.1. SHORT TITLE

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1.1.1.1. This Code may be cited as the Alberta Building Code 1981. SUBSECTION 1.1.2. NUMBERING SYSTEM

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1.1.2.1. In the numbering system used in this Code the first number indicates the Part,

the second number indicates the Section of the Part, the third number indicates the Subsection of the Section, and the fourth number indicates the Article of the Subsection.

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1.1.2.2. An Article in this Code may be divided into Sentences, which are indicated by

numbers in parentheses, the Sentences may be divided into Clauses, which are indicated by lower case letters in parentheses, and the Clauses may be divided into Subclauses, which are indicated by roman numerals in parentheses.

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1.1.2.3. A reference in this Code by number to two or more Sections, Subsections,

Articles, Sentences, Clauses or Subclauses shall be read as including the number first· mentioned and the number last mentioned.

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1.1.2.4. A reference in this Code to a Sentence, Clause or Subclause shall, unless a

contrary intention is given, be read as a reference to a Sentence, Clause or Subclause of the Article, Sentence or Clause, as the case may be, in which the reference is made.

SECTION 1.2 SCOPE

SUBSECTION 1.2.1. APPLICATION

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1.2.1 ;1.(1) This Code applies to any one or more of the following

(a) the design of a new building;

(b) the construction of a new building;

(c) the occupancy of any building;

(d) the change in occupancy of any building;

(e) an alteration to any building;

(f) an addition to any building;

(g) the demolition of any building;

(h) the reconstruction of any building that has been damaged by fire, earthquake or other cause;

(i) the correction of an unsafe condition in or about any building or property;

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all parts of any building affected by a change in occupancy;

(k) the work necessary to ensure safety in parts of any building

(i) that remain after demolition;

(ii) that are not directly involved in alterations;

(iii) that are not directly involved in additions;

(I) the installation, replacement, or alteration of materials regulated by this Code; (m) the installation, replacement or alteration of equipment regulated by this Code; (n) the work necessary to ensure safety in a relocated building during and after

relocation;

(o) safety during construction of a project, including protection of the public and neighbouring properties.

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(2) In Sentence (1) the term "any building'' includes new buildings and existing

buildings. ·

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1.2.1.2. The rehabilitation or change in occupancy of an existing building, that has been designated by an acceptable authority as having a significant historic value, shall be permitted if it can be shown that the level of safety is acceptable tor its intended use.

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SUBSECTION 1.2.2. EXCLUSIONS

1.2.1.1.(1) This Code does not apply to

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(a) a building for the housing of livestock or the storage or maintenance of equip-ment or materials or produce associated with the operation of the farm on which it is located;

(b) utility towers and poles, television and radio or other communication antennas or towers, except that loads resulting from those located on or attached to

buildings shall be included in the building design;

(c) flood control and hydro-electric dams, except for buildings provided for occu~

pancy;

(d) highway and railway bridges;

(e) mechanical and other equipment and appliances not required for building services and not specifically regulated by this Code;

(f) an accessory building not greater than 1 O m2 _{in building area if it is acceptable}

as not creating a hazard.

SECTION 1.3 DEFINITIONS OF WORDS AND

PHRASES

SUBSECTION 1.3.1. For definitions of words that are not included in Subsection 1.3.2.

reference should be made to Websters Third New International Dictionary.

SUBSECTION 1.3.2. The words and terms in italics in this Code have the follow-ing meanfollow-ings:

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Acceptable means acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction or, where speci-

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tied, to the fire authority.

Accepted means accepted by the authority having jurisdiction. Access to exit (see Exit, access to).

Adfreezing means the adhesion of soil to a foundation unit resulting from the freezing of soil water. (Also referred to as "frost grip.")

Air-supported structure means a structure consisting of a pliable membrane which achieves and maintains its shape and support by internal air pressure.

Alarm signal means a signal indicating an emergency requiring immediate action such as an alarm for fire from a manual box, a water flow alarm, an alarm from an automatic fire alarm system or other emergency signal.

Allowable bearing pressure (see Bearing pressure, allowable). Allowable load (see Load, allowable).

Alteration means a change or extension to any matter or thing or to any occupancy

regulated by this Code.

Appliance means a device to convert electrical energy or fuel into thermal energy, and

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includes all components, controls, wiring and piping required to be part of the device by the applicable standard referred to in this Code.

Architect means a person who is legally permitted to practise as an architect in Alberta.

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Artesian groundwater (see Groundwater, artesian).

Assembly occupancy means the occupancy or the use of a building, or part thereof, by a gathering of persons for civic, political, travel, religious, social, educa-tional, recreational or like purposes, or for the consumption of food or drink.

Attic or roof space means the space between the roof and the ceiling of the top storey

or between a dwarf wall and a sloping roof.

Authority having jurisdiction means an inspector appointed pursuant to Section 2 of The Alberta Uniform Building Standards Act.

Bachelor dwelling unit means a dwelling unit for 1 or 2 adults with or without 1 bedroom.

Barrier free building (as applying to requirements for the design of buildings for

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physically handicapped persons) means a building to which the public is admitted,

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but does not include apartment buildings less than 4 storeys in building height,

houses, boarding houses, or relocatable industrial accommodation or buildings of

Group F major occupancy.

Bearing pressure, allowable (as applying to foundations) means the maximum pressure that may be safely applied to a soil or rock by the foundation unit considered in design under expected loading and subsurface conditions.

Bearing pressure, design (as applying to foundations) means the pressure applied by a foundation unit to a soil or rock and which is not greater than the allowable

bearing pressure.

Bearing surface means -the contact surface between a foundation unit and the soil or

rock upon which it bears.

Boiler means an appliance intended to supply hot water or steam for space heating, processing or power purposes.

Breeching means a flue pipe or chamber for receiving}iue gases from I or more flue connections and for discharging these gases through a single flue connection.

Building meai:s any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.

Building area means 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.

Building face, exposing (see Exposing building face).

Building height (in storeys) means the number of storeys contained between the roof and the floor of the first storey.

Business and personal services occupancy means the occupancy or use of a building or part thereoffor the transaction of business or the rendering or receiving of professional or personal services.

Caisson (see Pile).

Chimney means a primarily vertical shaft enclosing at least I flue for conductingflue gases to the outdoors.

Chimney, factory-built means a chimney consisting entirely of factory-made parts, each designed to be assembled with the other without requiring fabrication on site.

Chimney liner means a conduit containing a chimney flue used as a lining of a

masonry or concrete chimney.

Chimney, masonry or concrete means a chimney of briCk, stone, concrete or masonry units constructed on site.

Chimney, metal means a single-wall chimney of metal constructed on site.

Cladding, exterior means those components of a building which are exposed to the outdoor environment and are intended to provide protection against wind, water or vapour.

Closure means a device or assembly for closing an opening through afire

separa-tion, such as a door, a shutter, wire_d glass or glass block, and includes all components such as hardware, closing devices, frames and anchors.

Combustible (as applying to an elementary building material) means that such material fails to conform to CAN4-S114-78, "Standard Method of Test for Determination of Non-Combustibility in Building Materials."

Combustible construction means that type of construction that does not meet the

· requirements for noncombustible construction.

Constructor meahs a person who contracts with an owner or his authorized agent to undertake a project, and includes an owner who contracts with more than 1 person for the work on a project or undertakes the work on a projector any part thereof.

Dead load means the weight of all permanent structural and nonstructural compo-nents of a building.

Deep foundation means a foundation unit that provides support for a building by transferring loads either by end-bearing to a soil or rock at considerable depth below the building, or by adhesion or friction, or both, in the soil or rock in

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which it is placed. Piles are the most common type of deep foundation.

Design bearing pressure (see Bearing pressure, design). Designer means the person responsible for the design. Design load (see Load, design).

Dwelling unit means a suite operated as a housekeeping unit, used or intended to be

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used by 1 or more persons and usually containing cooking, eating, living, sleeping and sanitary facilities.

Excavation means the space created by the removal of soil, rock or fill for the

purposes of construction.

Exhaust duct means a duct through which air is conveyed from a room or space to

the outdoors.

Existing building means

(a) a building that was completed on or before May 31, 1981, or

(b) a building for which an application for a permit was accepted by the authority

having jurisdiction on or before May 31, 1981. _

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Exit means that part of a means of egress that leads from the floor area it serves,

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including a doorway leading directly from a floor area, to an acceptable public

thoroughfare or to an acceptable open space, both of which are essentially

unobstructed from the ground to the sky throughout their length and breadth.

Exit, access to means that part of a means of egress within a floor area that provides

access to an exit serving the floor area.

Exit, horizontal means that type of exit connecting 2floor areas at substantially the

same level by means of a doorway, vestibule, bridge or balcony, _such floor

areas being located either in different buildings or located in the same building

and fully separated from each other by afirewall.

Exit level (as applying to Subsection 3.2.6.) means the lowest level in an enclosed exit stairway from which an exterior door provides access to a public

thorough-fare or to an acceptable open space with access to a public thoroughthorough-fare at approximately the same level either directly or through a vestibule or exit corridor.

Exit storey (as applying to Subsection 3 .2.6.) means a storey from which an exterior

door provides direct access at approximately the same level to a public thor-oughfare or to an acceptable open space with access to a public thorthor-oughfare.

Exposing building face means that part of the exterior wall of a building which faces

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one direction and is located between ground level and the ceiling of its top

storey and any exterior wall that encloses an attic or roof space, or where a

building is divided into fire compartments, the exterior wall of afire compart-ment which faces one direction.

Exterior cladding (see Cladding, exterior).

Factory-built chimney (see Chimney, factory-built).

Fill means soil, rock, rubble, industrial waste _such as slag, organic material or a

combination of these that is transported and placed on the natural surface of a

soil or rock or organic terrain. It may or may not be compacted.

Fire authority means the Fire Commissioner or a local assistant to the Fire Commis-

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sioner authorized by him to act on his behalf with respect to this Code.

Fire compartment means an enclosed space in a building that is separated from all

other parts of the building by enclosing construction providing afire separation having a required fire-resistance rating.

Fire damper means a closure which consists of a normally held open damper

installed in an air distribution system or in a wall or floor assembly, and designed to close automatically in the event of a fire in ·order to maintain the integrity of the fire separation.

Fire load (as applying to an occupancy) means the combustible contents of a room or floor area expressed in terms of the average weight of combustible materials

per unit area, from which the potential heat liberation may be calculated based_ on the calorific value of the materials, and includes the furnishings, finished floor, wall and ceiling finishes, trim and temporary and movable partitions.

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Fire-protection rating means the time in hours or fraction thereof that a closure will

withstand the passage of flame when exposed to fire under specified conditions of test and performance criteria, or as otherwise prescribed in this Code.

Fire resistance means the property of a material or assembly to withstand fire or give

protection from it; as applied to elements of buildings, it is characterized by the ability to confine a fire or to continue to perform a given structural function, or both.

Fire-resistance rating means the time in hours or fraction thereof that a material or

assembly of materials will withstand the passage of flame and the transmission of heat when exposed to fire under specified conditions of test and performance criteria, or as determined by extension or interpretation of information derived therefrom as prescribed in this Code.

Fire-retardant treated wood means wood or a wood product that has had its

surface-burning characteristics such as flame spread, rate of fuel contribution and density of smoke developed, reduced by impregnation with fire-retardant chemicals.

Fire separation means a construction assembly that acts as a barrier against the

spread of fire and may not be required to have a fire-resistance rating or a

fire-protection rating.

Fire stop means a draft-tight barrier within or between construction assemblies that

acts to retard the passage of smoke and flame.

Fire stop flap means a device intended for use in horizontal assemblies required to

have afire-resistance rating and incorporating protective. ceiling membranes, which operates to close off a duct opening through the membrane in the event of a fire.

Firewall means a type of fire separation of noncombustible construction which

subdivides a building or separates adjoining buildings to resist the spread of fire and which has a fire-resistance rating as prescribed in this Code and has' structural stability to remain intact under fire conditions for the required fire-rated time.

First storey (see Storey, first).

Flame-spread rating means an index or classification indicating the extent of

spread-of-flame on the surface of a material or an assembly of materials as determined in a standard fire test as prescribed in this Code.

Floor area means the space on any storey of a building between exterior walls and

required firewalls, including the space occupied by interior walls and

parti-tions, but not including exits and vertical service spaces that pierce the storey. Flue means an enclosed passageway for conveying flue gases.

Flue collar means the portion of a fuel-fired appliance designed for the attachment

of the flue pipe or breeching.

Flue pipe means the pipe connecting the flue collar of an appliance to a chimney.

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Foamed plastic means all materials which are homogeneous systems comprised of at least two phases, one of which is a continuous polymeric organic material, and a second of which is deliberately introduced for the purpose of distributing a gas in voids throughout the material, thereby achieving a reduction in density of the base material. Examples include but are not limited to polyisocyanurate foam, poly-styrene foam, polyurethane foam, polyvinylchloride foam and ureaformaldehyde foam.

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Foamed plastic interior trim means foamed plastic products with a density of at least · 320 kg/m3 _{used around openings or on walls and ceilings, including casing,}

baseboards, chair rails, and moldings applied for decoration.

Forced-air furnace (see Furnace, forced-air).

Foundation means a system or arrangement of foundation units through which the

loads from a building are transferred to supporting soil or rock.

Foundation, deep (see Deep foundation). Foundation, shallow (see Shallow foundation).

Foundation unit means one of the structural members of the foundation of a building

such as a footing, raft or vile.

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Frost action means the phenomenon that occurs when water in soil is subjected to freezing which, because of the water ice phase change or ice lens growth, results in a total volume increase or the build-up of expansive forces under confined conditions or both,· and the subsequent thawing that leads to loss of

soil strength and increased compressibility.

Furnace means a space-heating appliance using warm air as the heating medium and usually having provision for the attachment of ducts.

Furnace, forced-air means a furnace equipped with a fan that provides the primary means for circulation of air.

Garage, repair means a building or part thereof where facilities are provided for the repair or servicing of motor vehicles.

Garage, storage means a building or part thereof intended for the storage or parking of motor vehicles and which contains no provision for the repair or servicing of such vehicles.

Gas vent means that portion of a venting system designed to convey vent gases to the . outdoors from the vent connector of a gas-fired appliance or directly from the

appliance when a vent connector is not used.

Grade (as applying to the determination of building height) means the lowest of the average levels of finished ground adjoining each exterior wall of a building, except that localized depressions such as for vehicle or pedestrian entrances need not be considered in the determination of average levels of finished

ground. (See Storey, first.) ·

Groundwater means a free standing body of water in the ground.

Groundwater, artesian means a confined body of water under pressure in the ground.

Groundwater level (groundwater table) means the top surface of a free standing body of water in the ground.

Groundwater, perched means a free standing body of water in the ground extending to a limited depth.

Guard means a protective barrier around openings in floors or at the open sides of stairs, landings, balconies, mezzanines, galleries, raised walkways or other locations to prevent accidental falls from one level to another. Such barrier may or may not have openings through it.

Heat detector means a device for sensing an abnormally high air temperature or an abnormal rate of heat rise and automatically initiating a signal indicating this condition.

Heavy timber construction means that type of combitstible construction in which a degree of fire safety is attained by placing limitations on the sizes of wood structural members and on thickness and composition of wood floors and roofs and by the avoidance of concealed spaces under floors and roofs.

High hazard industrial occupancy (see Industrial occupancy, high hazard).

Horizontal exit (see Exit, horizontal).

Horizontal service space means a space such as an attic, duct, ceiling, roof or crawl space oriented essentially in a horizontal plane, concealed and generally inaccessible, through which building service facilities such as pipes, ducts and wiring may pass.

Independent central station means a continually supervised station under the control of a company independent of the owners of the building to be protected that conforms with NFPA 71-1977, ''Installation, Maintenance and Use of Central Station Signaling Systems."

Indirect service water heater (see Service water heater, indirect).

Industrial occupancy means the occupancy or use of a building or part thereof for assembling, fabricating, manufacturing, processing, repairing or storing of goods and materials.

Industrial occupancy, high hazard (Group F, Division 1) means an industrial

occupancy containing sufficient quantities of highly combustible and flamm-able or explosive materials. which, because of their inherent characteristics, constitute a special fire hazard.

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Industrial occupancy, medium hazard (Group F, Division 2) means an industrial occupancy in which the combustible content is more than 50 kg/m2 or I 200

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MJ/m2 of floor area and not classified as high hazard industrial occupancy.

Industrial occupancy, low hazard (Group F, Division 3) means an industrial occupancy in which the combustible content is not more than 50 kg/m2 _{or I 200}

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MJ/m2 of floor area.

Infirm persons means.all institutionalized persons whose age or health is such that

they require institutional care or treatment.

Institutional occupancy means the occupancy or use of a building or part thereof by

persons who are involuntarily detained, or detained for penal or correctional purposes, or whose liberty is restricted, or require special care or treatment because of age, mental or physical limitations.

Interconnected floor space means superimposed floor areas or parts of floor areas

in which floor assemblies that are required to be fire separations are pene-trated by openings that are not provided with closures.

Limiting distance means the distance from an exposing building face to a property

line, the centre line of a street, lane, public thoroughfare or an imaginary line between 2 buildings on the same property, measured at right angles to the

exposing building face.

Live load means the load other than dead load to be assumed in the design of the

structural members of a building. It includes loads resulting from snow, rain,

wind,. earthquake and those due to occupancy.

Load, allowable (as applying to foundations) means the maximum load that may be

safely applied to a foundation unit considered in design under expected loading and subsurface conditions.

Loadbearing (as applying to a building element) means subjected to or designed to

carry loads in addition to its own dead load, excepting a wall element subjected only to wind or earthquake loads in addition to its own dead load.

Load, design (as applying to foundations) means the load applied to a foundation unit and which is not greater than the allowable load.

Load, fire (see Fire load).

Load, occupant (see Occupant load)-.

Low hazard industrial occupancy (see Industrial occupancy, low hazard). Masonry or concrete chimney (see Chimney, masonry or concrete).

Means of egress means a continuous path of travel provided by a doorway, hallway,

corridor, exterior passageway, balcony, lobby, stair, ramp 9r other egress

facility or combination thereof, for the escape of persons from any point in a

building,floor area, room or contained open space to a public thoroughfare or

other acceptable open space. (Means of egress includes exits and access to

exits.)

Medium hazard industrial occupancy (see Industrial occupancy, medium hazard). Mercantile occupancy means the occupancy or use of a building or part thereof for

the displaying or selling of retail goods, wares or merchandise.

Metal chimney (see Chimney, metal).

Mezzanine means an intermediate floor assembly between the floor and ceiling of

any room or storey and includes an interior balcony.

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Mobile home means a factory constructed detached dwelling unit readily relocatable

singly or in double modules.

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New building means a building that was not completed on or before May 31, 1981 and

for which an application for a permit, was not accepted by the authority having

jurisdiction on or before May 31, 1981. ·

Noncombustible (as applying to an elementary building material) means that such

material conforms to CAN4-Sl14-78, "Standard Method of Test for Deter-mination of Non-Combustibility in Building Materials."

Noncombustible construction means that type of construction in which a degree of

fire safety is attained by the use of noncombustible materials for structural members and other building assemblies.

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Occupancy means the use or intended use of a building or part thereof for the shelter or support of persons, animals or property. ·

Occupancy, major means the principal occupancy for which a building or part thereof is used or intended to be used, and shall be deemed to include the subsidiary occupancies which are an integral part of the principal occupancy.

Occupant load means the number of persons for which a building or part thereof is designed.

Owner means

(a) a person who is registered under provincial legislation as the owner of a freehold estate in possession of land,

(b) a person who has purchased or otherwise acquired land, whether he has purchased or otherwise acquired the land directly from the owner or from another purchaser, and has not become the registered owner thereof, (c) a person holding himself out as the person having the powers and authority of

ownership or who for the time being exercises the powers and authority of ownership, or

(d) a person controlling the property under consideration.

Partition means an interior wall 1 storey or part-storey in height that is not

loadbearing.

Party wall (see Wall, party).

Perched groundwater (see Groundwater, perched).

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Permit means permission, or authorization in writing, to undertake any activity reg-

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ulated by this Code and, in the case of an occupancy permit, to use or occupy a

building tor the sheltering or support of persons, animals or property.

Pile means a slender deep foundation unit, made of materials such as wood, steel or concrete or combination thereof, which is either premanufactured and placed by driving, jacking, jetting or screwing, or cast-in-place in a hole formed by driving, excavating or boring. (Cast-in-place bored piles are often referred to as caissons in Canada.)

Plenum means a chamber forming part of an air duct system.

Plumbing system means a drainage system, a venting system and a water system or parts thereof.

Post-disaster building means a building essential to provide services in the event of a disaster, and includes hospitals, fire stations, police stations, radio stations, telephone exchanges, power stations, electrical substations, pumping stations (water and sewage) and fuel depot buildings.

Private sewage disposal system means a privately owned plant for the treatment and disposal of sewage (such as a septic tank with an absorption field).

Professional engineer means a person who is legally permitted to practise as a

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professional engineer in Alberta and is qualified to engage in the appropriate combination of those branches of professional engineering that are applicable to building design and construction.

Project means any construction, alteration or demolition operation.

Proprietary control centre means a continually supervised station under the control of the owner or others interested in the building or buildings to be protected that conforms with Class A proprietary signalling systems in NFPA 72D-1975, "Installation, Maintenance and Use of Proprietary Protective Signaling Sys-tems for Watchman, Fire Alarm and Supervisory Service."

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Public corridor means a corridor that provides access to exit from more than 1 suite.

Public way means a sidewalk, street, highway, square or other open space to which

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the public has access, as of right or by invitation, expressed or implied.

Range means a cooking appliance equipped with a cooking surface and 1 or more ovens.

Repair garage (see Garage, repair).

Residential occupancy means the occupancy or use of a building or part thereof by persons for whom sleeping accommodation is provided but who are not harboured or detained to receive medical care or treatment or are not involun-tarily detained.

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Return duct means a duct for conveying air from a space being heated, ventilated or air-conditioned back to the heating, ventilating or air-conditioning appliance.

Rock means that portion of the earth's crust which is consolidated, coherent and relatively hard and is a naturally formed, solidly bonded, mass of mineral matter which cannot readily be broken by hand.

Sanitary drainage system means a drainage system that conducts sewage.

Separation, fire (see Fire separation).

Service room means a room or space provided in a building to accommodate building service equipment such as air-conditioning or heating appliances, electrical services, pumps, compressors and incinerators.

Service space means space provided in a building to facilitate or conceal the installation of building service facilities such as chutes, ducts, pipes, shafts or wires.

Service space, horizontal (see Horizontal service space).

Service space, vertical (see Vertical service space).

Service water heater means a device for heating water for plumbing services.

Service water heater, indirect means a service water heater that derives its heat from a heating medium such as warm air, steam or hot water.

Service water heater, storage type means a service water heater with an integral hot water storage tank.

Shallow foundation means afoundation unit which derives its support from soil or

rock located close to the lowest part of the building which it supports.

Smoke alarm means a combined smoke detector and audible alarm device designed to sound an alarm within the room or suite in which it is located upon the detection of smoke within that room or suite.

Smoke detector means a device for sensing the presence of visible or invisible particles produced by combustion, and automatically initiating a signal indicat-ing this condition.

Soil means that portion of the earth's crust which is fragmentary, or such that some individual particles of a dried sample may be readily separated by agitation in water; it includes boulders, cobbles, gravel, sand, silt, clay and organic matter.

Space heater means a space-heating appliance for heating the room or space within which it is located, without the use of ducts.

Space-heating appliance means an appliance intended for the ~upplying of heat to a room or space directly, such as a space heater, fireplace or unit heater, or to rooms or spaces of a building through a heating system such as a central

furnace or boiler.

Sprinklered (as applying to a building or part thereof) means that the building or part thereof is equipped with a system of automatic sprinklers.

Stage means a space designed primarily for theatrical performances with provision for quick change scenery and overhead lighting, including environmental control for a wide range of lighting and sound effects and which is traditionally, but not necessarily, separated from the audience by a proscenium wall and

curtain opening. ·

Storage garage (see Garage, storage).

Storage-type service water heater (see Service water heater, storage type).

Storey means that portion of a building which is situated between the top of any floor and the top of the floor next above it, and if there is no floor above it, that portion between the top of such floor and the ceiling above it.

Storey, first means the uppermost stqrey having its. floor level not more than 2.m

above grade. ·

. Stove means an appliance intended for cooking and space heating.

Street means any highway, road, boulevard, square or other improved thoroughfare 9 m or more in width, which has been dedicated or deeded for public use, and is accessible to fire department vehicles and equipment.

Subsurface investigation means the appraisal of the general subsurface conditions at a building site by analysis of information gained by such methods as geological

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surveys, in situ testing, sampling, visual inspection, laboratory testing of

samples of the subsurface materials and groundwater observations and

measurements.

Suite means a single room or series of rooms of complementary use, operated under

a single tenancy, and includes dwelling units, individual guest rooms in

motels, hotels, boarding houses, rooming houses and dormitories as well as

individual stores and individual or complementary rooms for business and

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personal services, and medium and low hazard industrial occupancies. (See Appendix A.)

Supervisory signal means a signal indicating the need for action in connection with

the supervision of sprinkler and other extinguishing systems or equipment, or with the maintenance features of other protection systems.

Supply duct means a duct for conveying air from a .heating, ventilating or

air-conditioning appliance to a space to be heated, ventilated or air-conditioned.

Theatre means a place of public assembly intended for the production and viewing

of the performing arts or the screening and viewing of motion pictures, and consisting of an auditorium with permanently fixed seats intended solely for a viewing audience.

Thermal barrier means a membrane used to protect a foamed plastic or other com-

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bustible material from the effects of heat and flame for a specified period of time.

Unit heater means a suspended space heater with an integral air circulating fan. Unprotected opening (as applying to exposing building face) means a doorway,

window or opening other than one equipped with a closure having the required

fire-protection rating, or any part of a wall forming part of the exposing building face that has a fire-resistance rating less than required for the exposing building face.

Unsafe condition means any condition that is not acceptable and could endanger the

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life, limb or health of any person authorized or expected to be on or about the premises.

Vent connector (as applying to heating or cooling systems) means the part of a

venting system that conducts the flue gases or vent gases from the flue collar of

a gas appliance to the chimney or gas vent, and may include a draft control

device.

Vertical service space means a shaft oriented essentially vertically that is provided

in a building to facilitate the installation of building services including

mechan-ical, electrical and plumbing installations and facilities such as elevators, refuse chutes and linen chutes.

Walkway means a covered or roofed pedestrian thoroughfare used to connect 2 or

more buildings in which the least horizontal dimension of the thoroughfare is

less than 9 m.

Wall, party means a wall jointly owned and jointly used by 2 parties under easement

agreement or by right in law, and erected at or upon a line separating 2 parcels of land each of which is, or is capable of being, a separate real-estate entity.

Work means any activity, duty vr function, regulated by this Code, carried out on or

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about a construction site or on, in or about a building.

SUBSECTION 1.3.3.

1.3.3.1. Except for the definition of permit, definitions in section 1 of The Alberta Uniform

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Building Standards Act also apply in this Code.

SECTION 1.4 ABBREVIATIONS

SUBSECTION 1.4.1. ABBREVIATIONS OF NAMES OF ASSOCIATIONS

1.4.1.1. The abbreviations in this Code for the names of associations shall have the meanings assigned to them in this Subsection. The addresses of such associations are shown in brackets following the name of each association.

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WCLIB ... West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau (1750 S.W. Skyline Blvd., P.O. Box 25406

Portland, Oregon 97225 U.S.A.) WWPA ... Western Wood Products Association

(Yeon Building, Portland, Oregon 97204 U.S.A.)

SUBSECTION 1.4.2. ABBREVIATIONS OF WORDS AND PHRASES 1.4.2.1. The abbreviations of words and phrases in this Code shall have the mean-ings assigned to them in this Subsection.

ASWG . . . American Standard Wire Gage B&SG . . . Brown and Sharpe Gage CLS . . . Canadian Lumber Standard cm ... centimetre(s) db ... decibel(s) 0 • • • • . • • • • • • • degree(s) °C ... degree(s) Celsius diam . . . diameter g ... gram(s) ga ... gauge

GSG . . . Galvanized Sheet Gage h ... hour(s) Hz ... hertz in. . ... inch(es) Inc. . . . Incorporated . J ... joule(s) kg ... kilogram(s) kN ... kilonewton(s) kPa ... kilopascal(s) kW ... kilowatt(s) L ... litre(s) Ix ... lux m ... metre(s) max. . . . maximum min. . . . minimum min ... minute(s) MJ ... megajoule(s) mm ... millimetre(s) MPa ... megapascal(s)

MSG . . . Manufacturers' Standard Gage N ... newton NI A . . . not applicable ng ... nanogram(s) No. . ... number(s) nom. . . . nominal o.c. . . . on centre s . . . second(s)

SWG . . . Standard Wire Gage temp ... temperature

T &G . . . tongue and groove

USSG . . . United States Standard Gage W ... watt(s) wt ... weight

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SECTION 1.5 ADMINISTRATION

SUBSECTION 1.5.1. GENERAL

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1.5.1.1.(1) A permit may be required if work regulated by this Code is to be done.

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(2) In addition to permits that may be required by Sentence (1) for building compo-nents and services, other permits may be required in connection with the proposed work.

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(3) An owner shall have all permits required in connection with proposed work

obtained before starting the work to which they relate.

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1.5.1.2.(1) Except as otherwise allowed by the authority having jurisdiction, every applicant for a permit shall

(a) identify and describe in detail the project or occupancy to be covered by the

permit for which application is made,

(b) describe the land on which the project is to be undertaken by a description that will readily identify and locate the building lot,

(c) submit plans, specifications and documents, and show the proposed occupan-cy of all parts of the building,

(d) state the valuation of the proposed project, and

(e) state, as applicable, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the

owner, architect, professional engineer, or other designer, and constructor.

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(2) If requested by the authority having jurisdiction, the owner shall submit an up-to-date plan of survey, prepared by a registered Alberta Land Surveyor, containing sufficient information regarding the site and the location of the building

(a) to establish before construction starts that all requirements of this Code in relation to this information will be complied with, and

(b) to verify upon completion of the work that all such requirements have been complied with. '

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1.5.1.3.(1) If site conditions, size or complexity of a building warrant, the authority

having jurisdiction may require

(a) that all plans, specifications and documents, or any part of them, be imprinted with a stamp or seal affixed by or on behalf of an architect or professional

engineer, or both,

(b) that the construction or alteration be generally reviewed during construction by

an architect, or professional engineer, or both, or

(c) the appropriate combination of.Clauses (a) and (b).

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(2) An owner, who intends to construct a building described in Sentences 1.5.1.6.(2)

or 1.5.1.7.(1) shall submit evidence to the authority having jurisdiction, before any work

begins, that he has retained (a) an architect,

(b) a professional engineer, or

(c) the appropriate combination of professionals described in Clauses (a) and (b) to carry out construction review during the construction of the building.

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1.5.1.4.(1) Notwithstanding anything in any other Act, in a regulation under any other Act, or in a by-law, no permit for

(a) the use, (b) · the occupancy,

(c) the relocation, (d) the construction, or (e) the demolition

of any building shall be issued by a local authority except in accordance with The Alberta Uniform Building Standards Act or this Code.

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(2) Notwithstanding anything in any other Act, in a regulation under any Act or in a by-law, no person shall submit in support of an application or as an application for a permit

under this Code any plans, drawings or specifications for the construction, erec.;tion or enlargement of any building that is a category or type of building described in Articles

1.5.1.5., 1.5.1.6., or 1.5.1.7. unless the plans, drawings or specifications comply with

those Articles. ·

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1.5.1.5.(1) In this Article and in Article 1.5.1.6., gross area means the area of a building

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that is contained within the outside surface of the exterior walls of the building.

(2) A local authority may issue a permit to an applicant if the application conforms to

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this Code and to their by-laws under section 4(2) of The Alberta Uniform Building Standards Act, and if the application is for a building described in Sentence (3).

(3) The buildings referred to in Sentence (2) are:

(a) a building, 3 storeys or less in building height, for assembly occupancy or

institutional occupancy that,

(i) in the case of a single storey building, has a gross area of 300 m2 _{or less,}

(ii) in the case of a 2 storey building, has a gross area of 150 m2 or less on each floor, or

(iii) in the case of a 3 storey building, has a gro.ss area of 100 m2 _{or less on}

each floor;

(b) a building for residential occupancy that (i) is a single family dwelling unit, or

(ii) is a multiple family dwelling, containing 4 dwelling units or less; (c) a building, 3 storeys or less in building height, for residential occupancy as a

hotel, motel or similar use that ·

(i) in the case of a single storey building, has a gross area of 400 m2 or less, (ii) in the case of a 2 storey building, has a gross area of 200 m2 _{or less on}

each floor, or

(iii) in the case of a 3 storey building, has a gross area of 130 m2 _{or less on}

each floor;

(d) a building 3 storeys or less in building heightfor business and personal services

occupancy, tor mercantile occupancy or for industrial occupancy that

(i) in the case of a single storey building, has a gross area of 500 m2 or less,

(ii) in the case of a 2 storey building, has a gross area of 250 m2 _{or less on}

each floor, or

(iii) in the case of a 3 storey building, has a gross area of 165 m2 _{or less on}

each floor;

(e) a building complying with Part 10.

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1.5.1.6.(1) No local authority shall issue a permit with respect to an application for a

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building described in Sentence (2) unless

(a) the application for the permit is accompanied by plans, drawings or specifica-tions that are

and

(i) imprinted with a stamp or seal affixed by or on behalf of an architect, or (ii) imprinted with a stamp or seal affixed by or on behalf of one .or more

professional engineers,

(b) the application complies with this Code and the by-laws of the local authority made pursuant to section 4(2) of The Alberta Uniform Building Standards Act. (2) The buildings referred to in Sentence (1) are

(a) a building 3 storeys or less in building height for residential occupancy that is a multiple family dwelling containing 20 dwelling units or less, unless another number is prescribed in regulations under The Alberta Uniform Building Stand-ards Act;

(b) a building for industrial occupancy, if the occupant load is designated to be at a ratio of 28 m2 _{per person or more, unless another number is prescribed in}

regulations under The Alberta Uniform Building Standards Act; (c) a building that is classified for more than one type of occupancy, if

(i) the major use of the building is industrial occupancy and the occupant load

is designated to be at a ratio of 28 m2 per person or more, unless another ratio is pr~scribed in regulations under The Alberta Uniform Building Standards Act, and

(ii) any type of occupancy, other than the major use, does not extend over an area exceeding 400 m2

, unless another area is prescribed in regulations

under The Alberta Uniform Building Standards Act.

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1.5.1.7.(1) No local authority shall issue a permit for a building that is not referred to in

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Articles 1.5.1.5. or 1.5.1.6. unless the application is accompanied by architectural and engineering drawings, plans or specifications that are

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