National Building Code of Canada 1995

National Building Code

of Canada

1995

Issued by the

Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes

National Research Council of Canada

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First Edition 1941 Second Edition 1953 Third Edition 1960 Fourth Edition 1965 Fifth Edition 1970 Sixth Edition 1975 Seventh Edition 1977 Eighth Edition 1980 Ninth Edition 1985 Tenth Edition 1990 Eleventh Edition 1995 ISBN 0-660-17714-5 NR36-1/1995E

© National Research Council of Canada 1995 Ottawa

World Rights Reserved NRCC 38726

Printed in Canada Fourth printing

Includes the revisions and errata published in July 1998, November 1999, June 2001,

April 2002 and June 2003

Aussi disponible en français : Code national du bâtiment – Canada 1995

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Preface ... ix

Relationship between the

National Building Code and the

National Fire Code ... xi

A Guide to the Use of the Code ... xiii

Canadian Commission on Building

and Fire Codes and Standing

Committees ... xvii

Part 1

Scope and Definitions

1.1. General

1.1.1. Administration ... 1-1 1.1.2. Scope ... 1-1 1.1.3. Definitions of Words and Phrases .. 1-1 1.1.4. Abbreviations ... 1-6

Part 2

General Requirements

2.1. Application

2.1.1. Parts 1, 2, 7 and 8 ... 2-1 2.1.2. Parts 3, 4, 5 and 6 ... 2-1 2.1.3. Part 9 ... 2-1 2.1.4. Site Assembled and

Factory-Built Buildings ... 2-1 2.1.5. Farm Buildings ... 2-1 2.1.6. Building Size Determination ... 2-1

2.2. Climatic Data 2.2.1. General ... 2-2 2.3. Plans, Specifications and Calculations 2.3.1. General ... 2-2 2.3.2. Site Plans ... 2-2 2.3.3. Fire Protection Components ... 2-2 2.3.4. Structural and Foundation

Drawings and Calculations ... 2-2 2.3.5. Heating, Ventilating and

Air-Conditioning Drawings and

Specifications ... 2-3

2.4. Materials, Appliances,

Systems and Equipment

2.4.1. General ... 2-3

2.5. Equivalents

2.5.1. General ... 2-3 2.5.2. Structural Equivalents ... 2-4

2.5.3. Equivalent Test Standards ... 2-4

2.6. Review

2.6.1. General ... 2-4 2.6.2. Review of Construction ... 2-4 2.6.3. Review of Shop Drawings ... 2-4 2.6.4. Workmanship and Materials ... 2-4 2.6.5. Off-Site Review ... 2-4

2.7. Referenced Documents

2.7.1. Application ... 2-4 2.7.2. Conflicting Requirements ... 2-4 2.7.3. Effective Date ... 2-5

Part 3

Fire Protection,

Occupant Safety and

Accessibility

3.1. General

3.1.1. Scope and Definitions ... 3-1 3.1.2. Classification of Buildings or

Parts of Buildings by Major

Occupancy ... 3-1 3.1.3. Multiple Occupancy

Requirements ... 3-2 3.1.4. Combustible Construction ... 3-3 3.1.5. Noncombustible Construction ... 3-5 3.1.6. Tents and Air-Supported

Structures ... 3-11 3.1.7. Fire-Resistance Ratings ... 3-12 3.1.8. Fire Separations and Closures ... 3-12 3.1.9. Building Services in Fire

Separations and Fire Rated

Assemblies ... 3-16 3.1.10. Firewalls ... 3-17 3.1.11. Fire Stops in Concealed Spaces ... 3-18 3.1.12. Flame-Spread Rating and

Smoke Developed Classification .. 3-20 3.1.13. Interior Finish ... 3-20 3.1.14. Roof Assemblies ... 3-22 3.1.15. Roof Covering ... 3-23 3.1.16. Occupant Load ... 3-23

3.2. Building Fire Safety

3.2.1. General ... 3-24 3.2.2. Building Size and Construction

Relative to Occupancy ... 3-25 3.2.3. Spatial Separation and

Exposure Protection ... 3-45 3.2.4. Fire Alarm and Detection

Systems ... 3-56

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High Buildings ... 3-64 3.2.7. Lighting and Emergency Power

Systems ... 3-67 3.2.8. Mezzanines and Openings

through Floor Assemblies ... 3-69

3.3. Safety within Floor

Areas

3.3.1. All Floor Areas ... 3-70 3.3.2. Assembly Occupancy ... 3-76 3.3.3. Care or Detention Occupancy ... 3-79 3.3.4. Residential Occupancy ... 3-81 3.3.5. Industrial Occupancy ... 3-83

3.4. Exits

3.4.1. General ... 3-84 3.4.2. Number and Location of Exits

from Floor Areas ... 3-84 3.4.3. Width and Height of Exits ... 3-86 3.4.4. Fire Separation of Exits ... 3-87 3.4.5. Exit Signs ... 3-88 3.4.6. Types of Exit Facilities ... 3-89 3.4.7. Fire Escapes ... 3-93

3.5. Vertical Transportation

3.5.1. General ... 3-94 3.5.2. Standards ... 3-94 3.5.3. Fire Separations ... 3-95 3.5.4. Dimensions and Signs ... 3-95

3.6. Service Facilities

3.6.1. General ... 3-95 3.6.2. Service Rooms ... 3-96 3.6.3. Vertical Service Spaces and

Service Facilities ... 3-97 3.6.4. Horizontal Service Spaces and

Service Facilities ... 3-98 3.6.5. Air Duct and Plenum Systems ... 3-99

3.7. Health Requirements

3.7.1. Height of Rooms ... 3-101 3.7.2. Windows ... 3-101 3.7.3. Ventilation ... 3-102 3.7.4. Plumbing Facilities ... 3-102 3.7.5. Medical Gas Piping Systems ... 3-103

3.8. Barrier-Free Design

3.8.1. General ... 3-104 3.8.2. Occupancy Requirements ... 3-104 3.8.3. Design Standards ... 3-105

Part 4

Structural Design

4.1. Structural Loads and

Procedures

4.1.1. General ... 4-1 4.1.2. Specified Loads and Effects ... 4-2 4.1.3. Limit States Design ... 4-2

4.1.7. Live Loads Due to Snow, Ice

and Rain ... 4-8 4.1.8. Live Loads Due to Wind ... 4-9 4.1.9. Live Loads Due to Earthquakes ... 4-11 4.1.10. Other Effects ... 4-17

4.2. Foundations

4.2.1. General ... 4-18 4.2.2. Subsurface Investigations,

Drawings and Reviews ... 4-18 4.2.3. Materials Used in Foundations ... 4-19 4.2.4. Design Requirements ... 4-20 4.2.5. Excavations ... 4-21 4.2.6. Shallow Foundations ... 4-22 4.2.7. Deep Foundations ... 4-22 4.2.8. Special Foundations ... 4-23

4.3. Design Requirements for

Structural Materials

4.3.1. Wood ... 4-23 4.3.2. Plain and Reinforced Masonry ... 4-23 4.3.3. Plain, Reinforced and

Prestressed Concrete ... 4-23 4.3.4. Steel ... 4-23 4.3.5. Aluminum ... 4-23 4.3.6. Glass ... 4-23

4.4. Design Requirements for

Special Structures 4.4.1. Air-Supported Structures ... 4-24 4.4.2. Parking Structures ... 4-24

Part 5

Environmental

Separation

5.2. Loads and Procedures

5.2.1. Environmental Loads ... 5-2 5.2.2. Procedures ... 5-2 5.3. Heat Transfer 5.3.1. Thermal Resistance of Assemblies ... 5-2 5.4. Air Leakage

5.4.1. Air Barrier Systems ... 5-3

5.5. Vapour Diffusion

5.5.1. Vapour Barriers ... 5-4

5.6. Precipitation

5.6.1. Protection from Precipitation ... 5-5

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5.8. Moisture in the Ground

5.8.1. Foundation and Floor Drainage ... 5-7 5.8.2. Protection from Moisture in the

Ground ... 5-7

Part 6

Heating, Ventilating

and Air-Conditioning

6.1. General

6.1.1. Application ... 6-1 6.1.2. Definitions ... 6-1 6.1.3. Plans and Specifications ... 6-1

6.2. Design and Installation

6.2.1. General ... 6-1 6.2.2. Ventilation ... 6-2 6.2.3. Air Duct Systems ... 6-3 6.2.4. Air Ducts for Low Capacity

Heating Systems ... 6-5 6.2.5. Heating Appliances, General ... 6-6 6.2.6. Incinerators ... 6-6 6.2.7. Unit Heaters ... 6-7 6.2.8. Radiators and Convectors ... 6-7 6.2.9. Piping for Heating and Cooling

Systems ... 6-7 6.2.10. Refrigerating Systems and

Equipment for Air-Conditioning ... 6-7 6.2.11. Storage Bins ... 6-8

6.3. Chimneys and Venting

Equipment

6.3.1. General ... 6-8

Part 7

Plumbing Services

7.1. General

7.1.1. Scope ... 7-1 7.1.2. Design and Installation ... 7-1 7.1.3. Required Facilities ... 7-1 7.1.4. Definitions ... 7-1

Part 8

Safety Measures at

Construction and

Demolition Sites

8.1. General

8.1.1. Scope ... 8-1 8.1.2. Application ... 8-1

8.2. Protection of the Public

and Fire Safety

8.2.1. Fencing and Barricades ... 8-1 8.2.2. Fire Safety at Demolition Sites ... 8-2 8.2.3. Fire Safety at Construction Sites .... 8-3 8.2.4. Excavation ... 8-4 8.2.5. Use of Streets or Public Property ... 8-5 8.2.6. Direction of Vehicular Traffic ... 8-5 8.2.7. Waste Material ... 8-6

9.1. General

9.1.1. Scope ... 9-1

9.2. Definitions

9.2.1. General ... 9-1

9.3. Materials, Systems and

Equipment

9.3.1. Concrete ... 9-1 9.3.2. Lumber and Wood Products ... 9-2 9.3.3. Metal ... 9-3 9.4. Structural Requirements 9.4.1. General ... 9-4 9.4.2. Specified Loads ... 9-4 9.4.3. Deflections ... 9-5 9.4.4. Foundation Conditions ... 9-5

9.5. Design of Areas and

Spaces 9.5.1. General ... 9-6 9.5.2. Barrier-Free Design ... 9-6 9.5.3. Ceiling Heights ... 9-6 9.5.4. Hallways ... 9-7 9.6. Doors 9.6.1. General ... 9-7 9.6.2. Required Doors ... 9-7 9.6.3. Doorway Sizes ... 9-7 9.6.4. Door Sill Height ... 9-7 9.6.5. Exterior Doors ... 9-8 9.6.6. Glass ... 9-8 9.6.7. Thermal Breaks ... 9-9 9.6.8. Resistance to Forced Entry ... 9-9

9.7. Windows and Skylights

9.7.1. General ... 9-10 9.7.2. Window Standards ... 9-11 9.7.3. Glass ... 9-11 9.7.4. Caulking and Glazing ... 9-11 9.7.5. Protection of Windows in Public

Areas ... 9-11 9.7.6. Resistance to Forced Entry ... 9-12 9.7.7. Skylights ... 9-12

9.8. Stairs, Ramps, Handrails

and Guards

9.8.1. Scope ... 9-12 9.8.2. General ... 9-12 9.8.3. Stair Dimensions ... 9-12 9.8.4. Landings ... 9-13 9.8.5. Curved Stairs and Winders ... 9-13 9.8.6. Pedestrian Ramps ... 9-13 9.8.7. Handrails ... 9-13 9.8.8. Guards ... 9-14 9.8.9. Construction ... 9-15 9.8.10. Cantilevered Precast Concrete

Steps ... 9-16

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9.9.2. General ... 9-16 9.9.3. Dimensions of Means of Egress ... 9-17 9.9.4. Fire Protection of Exits ... 9-17 9.9.5. Obstructions and Hazards in

Means of Egress ... 9-18 9.9.6. Doors in a Means of Egress ... 9-19 9.9.7. Access to Exits ... 9-20 9.9.8. Exits from Floor Areas ... 9-20 9.9.9. Egress from Dwelling Units ... 9-21 9.9.10. Signage ... 9-22 9.9.11. Lighting ... 9-22 9.10. Fire Protection 9.10.1. General ... 9-23 9.10.2. Occupancy Classification ... 9-23 9.10.3. Ratings ... 9-24 9.10.4. Building Size Determination ... 9-24 9.10.5. Permitted Openings in Wall and

Ceiling Membranes ... 9-24 9.10.6. Construction Types ... 9-25 9.10.7. Steel Members ... 9-25 9.10.8. Fire Resistance in Relation to

Occupancy and Height ... 9-25 9.10.9. Fire Separations between

Rooms and Spaces within

Buildings ... 9-26 9.10.10. Service Rooms ... 9-29 9.10.11. Firewalls ... 9-30 9.10.12. Prevention of Fire Spread at

Exterior Walls and between

Storeys ... 9-30 9.10.13. Doors, Dampers and Other

Closures in Fire Separations ... 9-31 9.10.14. Spatial Separations between

Buildings ... 9-33 9.10.15. Fire Stops ... 9-36 9.10.16. Flame Spread Limits ... 9-36 9.10.17. Alarm and Detection Systems ... 9-37 9.10.18. Smoke Alarms ... 9-38 9.10.19. Fire Fighting ... 9-39 9.10.20. Fire Protection for Construction

Camps ... 9-39 9.10.21. Fire Protection for Gas and

Electric Ranges ... 9-40

9.11. Sound Control

9.11.1. Sound Transmission Class

Rating (Airborne Sound) ... 9-41 9.11.2. Required Sound Control

Locations (Airborne Sound) ... 9-41

9.12. Excavation

9.12.1. General ... 9-41 9.12.2. Depth ... 9-41 9.12.3. Backfill ... 9-42 9.12.4. Trenches beneath Footings ... 9-42

9.13. Dampproofing,

Waterproofing and Soil

9.13.4. Dampproofing of

Floors-on-Ground ... 9-44 9.13.5. Waterproofing of Walls ... 9-44 9.13.6. Waterproofing of

Floors-on-Ground ... 9-44 9.13.7. Soil Gas Control in Walls ... 9-44 9.13.8. Soil Gas Control in Floors ... 9-44

9.14. Drainage

9.14.1. Scope ... 9-45 9.14.2. Foundation Drainage ... 9-45 9.14.3. Drainage Tile and Pipe ... 9-45 9.14.4. Granular Drainage Layer ... 9-46 9.14.5. Drainage Disposal ... 9-46 9.14.6. Surface Drainage ... 9-46 9.15. Footings and Foundations 9.15.1. Scope ... 9-47 9.15.2. General ... 9-47 9.15.3. Footings ... 9-47 9.15.4. Foundation Walls ... 9-48 9.15.5. Support of Joists and Beams

on Masonry Foundation Walls ... 9-49 9.15.6. Parging and Finishing of

Masonry Foundation Walls ... 9-50

9.16. Floors-On-Ground

9.16.1. Scope ... 9-50 9.16.2. Material beneath Floors ... 9-50 9.16.3. Drainage ... 9-50 9.16.4. Concrete ... 9-51 9.16.5. Wood ... 9-51 9.17. Columns 9.17.1. Scope ... 9-51 9.17.2. General ... 9-51 9.17.3. Steel Columns ... 9-51 9.17.4. Wood Columns ... 9-51 9.17.5. Unit Masonry Columns ... 9-52 9.17.6. Solid Concrete Columns ... 9-52

9.18. Crawl Spaces 9.18.1. General ... 9-52 9.18.2. Access ... 9-52 9.18.3. Ventilation ... 9-52 9.18.4. Clearance ... 9-53 9.18.5. Drainage ... 9-53 9.18.6. Ground Cover ... 9-53 9.18.7. Fire Protection ... 9-53 9.19. Roof Spaces 9.19.1. Venting ... 9-53 9.19.2. Access ... 9-54 9.20. Above-Grade Masonry 9.20.1. Scope ... 9-54 9.20.2. Masonry Units ... 9-54 9.20.3. Mortar ... 9-55

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9.20.8. Support of Loads ... 9-57 9.20.9. Bonding and Tying ... 9-58 9.20.10. Lateral Support ... 9-59 9.20.11. Anchorage of Roofs, Floors and

Intersecting Walls ... 9-60 9.20.12. Corbelling ... 9-60 9.20.13. Control of Rain Water

Penetration ... 9-61 9.20.14. Protection during Work ... 9-62 9.20.15. Reinforcement for Earthquake

Resistance ... 9-62 9.20.16. Corrosion Resistance ... 9-62

9.21. Chimneys and Flues

9.21.1. General ... 9-63 9.21.2. Chimney Flues ... 9-63 9.21.3. Chimney Lining ... 9-65 9.21.4. Masonry and Concrete Chimney

Construction ... 9-65 9.21.5. Clearance from Combustible

Construction ... 9-66 9.22. Fireplaces 9.22.1. General ... 9-66 9.22.2. Fireplace Liners ... 9-66 9.22.3. Fireplace Walls ... 9-67 9.22.4. Fire Chamber ... 9-67 9.22.5. Hearth ... 9-67 9.22.6. Damper ... 9-67 9.22.7. Smoke Chamber ... 9-67 9.22.8. Factory-Built Fireplaces ... 9-67 9.22.9. Clearance of Combustible Material ... 9-67 9.22.10. Fireplace Inserts and

Hearth-Mounted Stoves ... 9-68 9.23. Wood-Frame Construction 9.23.1. Scope ... 9-68 9.23.2. General ... 9-68 9.23.3. Fasteners ... 9-69 9.23.4. Maximum Spans ... 9-71 9.23.5. Notching and Drilling ... 9-72 9.23.6. Anchorage ... 9-73 9.23.7. Sill Plates ... 9-73 9.23.8. Beams to Support Floors ... 9-73 9.23.9. Floor Joists ... 9-74 9.23.10. Wall Studs ... 9-75 9.23.11. Wall Plates ... 9-77 9.23.12. Framing over Openings ... 9-77 9.23.13. Roof and Ceiling Framing ... 9-78 9.23.14. Subflooring ... 9-80 9.23.15. Roof Sheathing ... 9-81 9.23.16. Wall Sheathing ... 9-83 9.23.17. Wall Sheathing Membrane ... 9-84

9.24. Sheet Steel Stud Wall

Framing

9.24.1. General ... 9-85 9.24.2. Size of Framing ... 9-85

9.25. Heat Transfer,

Air Leakage and Condensation Control

9.25.1. Scope ... 9-87 9.25.2. Thermal Insulation ... 9-87 9.25.3. Air Barrier Systems ... 9-89 9.25.4. Vapour Barriers ... 9-89 9.26. Roofing 9.26.1. General ... 9-90 9.26.2. Roofing Materials ... 9-90 9.26.3. Roof Slope ... 9-91 9.26.4. Flashing at Intersections ... 9-91 9.26.5. Eave Protection for Shingles

and Shakes ... 9-92 9.26.6. Underlay beneath Shingles ... 9-93 9.26.7. Asphalt Shingles on Slopes of

1 in 3 or Greater ... 9-93 9.26.8. Asphalt Shingles on Slopes of

less than 1 in 3 ... 9-94 9.26.9. Wood Roof Shingles ... 9-94 9.26.10. Cedar Roof Shakes ... 9-95 9.26.11. Built-Up Roofs ... 9-95 9.26.12. Selvage Roofing ... 9-96 9.26.13. Sheet Metal Roofing ... 9-96 9.26.14. Glass Reinforced Polyester

Roofing ... 9-96 9.26.15. Hot Applied Rubberized

Asphalt Roofing ... 9-96 9.26.16. Polyvinyl Chloride Sheet

Roofing ... 9-96 9.26.17. Concrete Roof Tiles ... 9-96 9.26.18. Roof Drains and Downspouts ... 9-96

9.27. Cladding 9.27.1. Scope ... 9-97 9.27.2. General ... 9-97 9.27.3. Flashing ... 9-97 9.27.4. Caulking ... 9-97 9.27.5. Attachment of Cladding ... 9-98 9.27.6. Lumber Siding ... 9-98 9.27.7. Wood Shingles and Shakes ... 9-99 9.27.8. Asbestos-Cement Shingles and

Sheets ... 9-100 9.27.9. Plywood ... 9-100 9.27.10. Hardboard ... 9-101 9.27.11. OSB and Waferboard ... 9-101 9.27.12. Metal ... 9-102 9.27.13. Vinyl Siding ... 9-102 9.28. Stucco 9.28.1. General ... 9-102 9.28.2. Stucco Materials ... 9-103 9.28.3. Fasteners ... 9-103 9.28.4. Stucco Lath ... 9-103 9.28.5. Stucco Mixes ... 9-104 9.28.6. Stucco Application ... 9-104

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9.29.1. General ... 9-105 9.29.2. Waterproof Wall Finish ... 9-105 9.29.3. Wood Furring ... 9-105 9.29.4. Plastering ... 9-105 9.29.5. Gypsum Board Finish (Taped

Joints) ... 9-105 9.29.6. Plywood Finish ... 9-106 9.29.7. Hardboard Finish ... 9-107 9.29.8. Insulating Fibreboard Finish ... 9-107 9.29.9. Particleboard, OSB or

Waferboard Finish ... 9-107 9.29.10. Wall Tile Finish ... 9-108

9.30. Flooring

9.30.1. General ... 9-108 9.30.2. Panel-Type Underlay ... 9-108 9.30.3. Wood Strip Flooring ... 9-109 9.30.4. Parquet Flooring ... 9-110 9.30.5. Resilient Flooring ... 9-110 9.30.6. Ceramic Tile ... 9-110 9.31. Plumbing Facilities 9.31.1. Scope ... 9-110 9.31.2. General ... 9-110 9.31.3. Water Supply and Distribution .... 9-110 9.31.4. Required Facilities ... 9-110 9.31.5. Sewage Disposal ... 9-111 9.31.6. Service Water Heating

Facilities ... 9-111

9.32. Ventilation

9.32.1. General ... 9-111 9.32.2. Non-Heating-Season

Ventilation ... 9-112 9.32.3. Heating Season (Mechanical)

Ventilation ... 9-112

9.33. Heating and

Air-Conditioning

9.33.1. General ... 9-120 9.33.2. Required Heating Systems ... 9-121 9.33.3. Design Temperatures ... 9-121 9.33.4. General Requirements for

Heating and Air-Conditioning

Systems ... 9-121 9.33.5. Heating and Air-Conditioning

Appliances ... 9-121 9.33.6. Air Duct Systems ... 9-122 9.33.7. Radiators and Convectors ... 9-125 9.33.8. Piping for Heating and Cooling

Systems ... 9-126 9.33.9. Refrigerating Systems

and Equipment for

Air-Conditioning ... 9-126 9.33.10. Chimneys and Venting

Equipment ... 9-127

9.34. Electrical Facilities

9.34.1. General ... 9-127

9.35.2. General ... 9-128 9.35.3. Foundations ... 9-128 9.35.4. Walls and Columns ... 9-129

Span Tables ... 9-131

Appendix A Explanator y Material

Appendix B

Fire Safety in High

Buildings

...

Appendix C Climatic Infor mation

..

Appendix D Fire

-Per for mance

Ratings

...

Index

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The National Building Code of Canada (NBC) is prepared by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) and is published by the National Research Council. It is prepared in the form of a recommended model code to permit adoption by an appropriate authority.

The NBC is essentially a code of minimum regulations for public health, fire safety and structural sufficiency with respect to the public interest. It establishes a standard of safety for the construction of buildings, including extensions or alterations, the evaluation of buildings undergoing a change of occupancy and upgrading of buildings to remove an unacceptable hazard.

The content of the NBC pertains primarily to the needs of health and safety. Requirements unrelated to health and safety are kept to a minimum; any requirements that would increase the scope of the NBC are only considered after thorough consultation with regulatory authorities, provincial governments, other affected parties and Code users. Requirements for workmanship related to aesthetics only are not considered appropriate for the NBC although requirements for quality and durability that affect health and safety are appropriate.

Under the terms of the Constitution Act, regulation of building in Canada is the responsibility of

provincial and territorial governments. The NBC has received wide use as the basis for municipal bylaws and provincial building codes. Liaison with provincial and territorial code authorities is maintained through the Provincial/Territorial Committee on Building Standards, established by these authorities to provide policy guidance to the Commission.

Committees.The Code has been developed and continues to be developed through the voluntary assistance of many experts from coast to coast. The Commission has direct responsibility under the National Research Council for the preparation and publication of the Code. The members of the Commission are appointed by the National Research Council. They serve as individuals and not as designated appointees of any organization and the membership is broadly representative of all major phases of construction in Canada.

The Commission is assisted in the technical aspects of code writing by standing committees, each of which is responsible for specific portions of the Code or its associated documents. The members of each standing committee are knowledgeable in the particular field for which the committee is responsible. Building and fire officials, architects, engineers, contractors, building owners and others share their experience in the national interest. These committees and their memberships are listed in the following pages. The Commission wishes to acknowledge the assistance provided by the many individuals who have contributed to the production of this edition of the Code. The Commission also wishes to express its appreciation to the standards writing organizations whose standards are referenced throughout the Code documents.

IRC Staff. The staff of the Institute for Research in Construction (IRC) of the National Research Council provides technical and administrative support at the direction of the Commission. Technical problems revealed through the use of the Code are referred to the Institute for study. IRC’s participation makes available to the Commission the most up-to-date information on building technology.

Related Documents.The National Research Council of Canada publishes other code-related documents that are of interest to code users.

National Fire Code of Canada 1995.A model set of technical requirements designed to provide an acceptable level of fire protection and fire prevention within a community.

National Plumbing Code of Canada 1995. Contains detailed requirements for the design and installation of plumbing systems in buildings.

National Farm Building Code of Canada 1995.A model set of minimum requirements affecting human health, fire safety and structural sufficiency for farm buildings.

National Housing Code of Canada 1998 and Illustrated Guide.A compilation of all requirements from the National Building Code 1995 that apply to houses, including detached, semi-detached and

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User’s Guide – NBC 1995, Structural Commentaries (Part 4).Provides commentaries on the structural design requirements of Part 4 of the NBC 1995, including a new commentary on Application of NBC Part 4 for the Structural Evaluation and Upgrading of Existing Buildings.

Model National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings 1997.A set of minimum requirements that provide the basis for improving the energy use characteristics of new buildings.

Model National Energy Code of Canada for Houses 1997.A set of minimum requirements that provide the basis for improving the energy use characteristics of new houses.

User’s Guide – NBC 1995, Environmental Separation (Part 5).Describes the general principles and objectives behind many of the requirements of Part 5 of the NBC 1995.

User’s Guide – NBC 1995, Housing and Small Buildings (Part 9).Describes the principles behind many of the requirements of Part 9 of the NBC 1995 and some of the historical background, where this will assist users in understanding the objectives of certain provisions.

User’s Guide – NBC 1995, Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility (Part 3).Explains the intent of requirements in Part 3 of the NBC 1995 and how these requirements might be applied to existing buildings. Composed of three Commentaries: Commentary A, Application of Part 3 of the NBC to New Construction; Commentary B, Application of Part 3 of the NBC to Existing Buildings; and Commentary C, Measures for Fire Safety in Existing High Buildings.

CCBFC Policies and Procedures 1992.Contains the terms of reference and operating procedures of the CCBFC and its standing committees, a statement on the supporting role of the Institute for Research in Construction of NRC and the membership matrices for the various standing committees.

Copyright.Copyright in the National Building Code is owned by the National Research Council of Canada. All rights are reserved. Reproduction of the Council’s copyright material by any means is prohibited without the written consent of NRC. Requests for permission to reproduce the National Building Code must be sent to: Head, Canadian Codes Centre, Institute for Research in Construction, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6.

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Building Code and the National Fire Code

A special relationship exists between the National Building Code and the National Fire Code with respect to fire safety. The contents of both Codes must be considered in building design, construction and maintenance. The role of each Code with respect to fire safety can be summarized as follows:

National Building Code (NBC)— establishes a satisfactory standard of fire safety for the construction of new buildings, the reconstruction of buildings, including extensions, alterations, or changes in occupancy and upgrading of buildings to remove an unacceptable fire hazard.‡

National Fire Code (NFC)— establishes a satisfactory standard for fire prevention, fire fighting and life safety in buildings in use,‡_including

standards for the conduct of activities causing fire hazards, maintenance of fire safety equipment and egress facilities, standards for portable extinguishers, limitations on building contents and the establishment of fire safety plans, including the organization of supervisory staff for emergency purposes. In addition, the NFC establishes the standard for prevention, containment and suppression of fires originating outside buildings, which may present a hazard to a community, and sets standards for the storage and handling of dangerous goods, and flammable and combustible liquids.

The two Codes have been developed as

complementary and coordinated documents in order to reduce to a minimum the possibility of conflict in their respective contents. To aid in their effective application, fire and building officials must be fully conversant with the fire safety standards of both Codes. Such officials should be involved both in the review and the approval of plans with respect to fire safety prior to granting a building permit and with the inspection of buildings for fire safety. This is the only way to determine that all known hazards have been considered and a satisfactory standard of fire safety has been achieved.‡

‡ The extent of application of the NBC and the NFC to the upgrading of buildings to remove an unacceptable fire hazard should be based on the judgement of the authority having jurisdiction, who must deal with each case on its merits.

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

The Code is drafted in such a way that it may be adopted or enacted for legal use by any jurisdictional authority in Canada. It is divided into 9 Parts. A decimal numbering system has been used throughout the Code. The first number indicates the Part of the Code; the second, the Section in the Part; the third, the Subsection and the fourth, the Article in the Subsection. Code requirements are provided at the Sentence level (indicated by numbers in brackets), and Sentences may be broken down into Clauses and Subclauses. This structure is illustrated as follows:

3 Part 3.5. Section 3.5.2. Subsection 3.5.2.1. Article 3.5.2.1.(2) Sentence 3.5.2.1.(2)(a) Clause 3.5.2.1.(2)(a)(i) Subclause

A summary of the contents of the Code follows: Part 1: Scope and Definitions

Part 1 contains the definitions of all words throughout the Code that appear in italic type. This Part also contains a list of abbreviations used in the Code.

Part 2: General

Part 2 contains provisions of an administrative nature, such as the use of referenced documents, climatic data, plans and specifications, provision for equivalent materials, systems, equipment, and procedures, and the construction review process.

Part 3: Fire Protection, Occupant Safety and Accessibility

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 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, fire safety within floor areas, exit requirements, requirements for service spaces and health requirements. Section 3.8. contains specific requirements for those buildings required to be accessible to persons with physical or sensory disabilities.

Part 4: Structural Design

This Part is made up of 4 Sections. The first 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. Section 4.3. deals with design in wood, masonry, concrete, steel and aluminum and the structural design of air-supported structures. Section 4.4. contains only short performance requirements referring to the design methods outlined in detail in the relevant CSA standards.

Part 5: Environmental Separation This Part provides criteria for the design and construction of building elements that separate environments that differ one from another. These include elements that separate conditioned interior spaces from exterior spaces or the ground, and elements that separate adjacent interior spaces that are conditioned differently. The requirements address the control of condensation, and the control of heat, air and moisture transfer, including precipitation, surface water and moisture in the ground. Part 6: Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning

Part 6 is concerned with the effective and safe functioning of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning equipment installed in a building.

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This Part contains only the basic legal statements with reference to Scope, Application, Required Facilities and conformance to the appropriate regulations. All detailed technical requirements are contained in the National Plumbing Code (NPC), which is published separately. The NPC contains requirements for the size and quality of fixtures and related pipes and fittings for plumbing systems and, in its Appendix, has explanatory sketches and notes to further clarify these requirements.

Part 8: Safety Measures at Construction and Demolition Sites

Part 8 regulates the precautions that must be taken for fire safety and to protect the public at construction and demolition sites.

Part 9: Housing and Small Buildings This Part provides detailed requirements for the construction of houses and small buildings up to 600 m2_{per floor and 3 storeys high, and applies to all}

occupancies except assembly, care or detention, and high hazard industrial.

Appendix A: Explanatory Material Appendix A contains additional explanatory information to assist Code users in understanding the intent of the requirements contained in Parts 1 to 9. It is not a mandatory section of the Code.

Appendix B: Fire Safety in High Buildings Appendix B contains material formerly found in Chapter 3 of the Supplement to the NBC 1990 as applied to sprinklered buildings, updated for 1995. It contains information in support of the high-rise requirements in Part 3. It is not a mandatory section of the Code.

Appendix C: Climatic Information for Building Design in Canada

Appendix C contains material formerly found in Chapter 1 of the Supplement to the NBC 1990, updated for 1995. It contains information on the climatic loads to be expected in all parts of Canada. It is through the use of these climatic factors, with appropriate adjustments for climate variation in different localities, that the Code can be used nationally. It is not a mandatory section of the Code. Appendix D: Fire-Performance Ratings

Appendix D contains material formerly found in Chapter 2 of the Supplement to the NBC 1990, updated for 1995. It provides a guide to the

of the Code. It gives a procedure for calculating the fire-resistance rating of construction assemblies based on generic descriptions of materials used in the assemblies. It is not a mandatory section of the Code. Change Indication

Where a technical change or addition to the 1990 edition has been made, the requirements affected are indicated by a vertical line in the margin. No indication is provided where requirements have been renumbered or deleted.

Renumbering

There is extensive renumbering due to additions, deletions and relocation of requirements. Care should be taken therefore in relating requirements in previous codes with the 1995 edition.

Administration

The separate document entitled Administrative Requirements for Use with the National Building Code of Canada 1995 is available. It is automatically adopted under Subsection 1.1.1. of the Code when the adopting authority has not provided other administrative requirements.

Metric Conversion

All values in the Code are given in metric units. A conversion table of imperial equivalents for the most common units used in building design and construction is located at the end of the document. Coordination with NFC

An important feature of this Code is its close coordination with its companion document, the National Fire Code, which is also prepared under the direction of the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes. To avoid duplication of requirements in the two Codes, the National Building Code makes reference to appropriate requirements in the National Fire Code and vice versa.

The Commission has designed the two Codes to be administered as complementary documents, with both building and fire officials being involved in their enforcement. The relationship statement following the preface to this document takes on a special significance in light of the strong, continuing interest being shown by provincial and territorial governments in the use of both of these documents as the basis for uniform standards for building safety.

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Comments and inquiries on the use of this Code and suggestions for its improvement are welcomed and should be submitted to: The Secretary, Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6.

As Code revisions are developed by the committees, they will be made available for public review and comment prior to the next edition of the Code being published.

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Fire Codes and Standing Committees

Canadian Commission on Building

and Fire Codes

(formerly the Associate Committee on the National Building Code and the Associate Committee on the

National Fire Code)

E.I. Lexier (Chair) D.O. Monsen

R.J. Desserud(1)_{(Deputy Chair) G.R. Morris}

H.E. Carr F.L. Nicholson

B.E. Clemmensen F.-X. Perreault

B.R. Darrah W.A. Porter

J.G. Delage T.L. Powell

R.H. Duke W. Purchase

G.S. Dunlop(2) _{J. Reimer}(2)

F.H.C. Edgecombe(2) _{J.M. Rubes}

A. Forcier C.A. Skakun

C. Frégeau M. Soper

P. Guérin A.C. Spurrell

R.B. Hasler G.M. Taylor

J.C. Jofriet A.M. Thorimbert

R.M.B. Johnson D.K. Turner

S. Lacroix E.Y. Uzumeri

J.G. MacGregor F. Vaculik

E.I. Mackie H.P. Vokey

D.E.J. Magnusson

M. Maillet A.J.M. Aikman(1)

R.J. McGrath J.C. Haysom(1)

M. Miller M. Walsh(3)

Associate Committee on the

National Building Code

(disbanded October 31, 1991 to form the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes)

E.I. Lexier (Chair) D.O. Monsen

J.F. Berndt(3)_{(Deputy Chair) F.L. Nicholson}

H.E. Carr F.-X. Perreault

B.E. Clemmensen J. Perrow

J.G. Delage W. Purchase

G.S. Dunlop C.A. Skakun

F.H.C. Edgecombe A.C. Spurrell

A. Forcier A.M. Thorimbert

C. Frégeau D.K. Turner

S. Hamel E.Y. Uzumeri

D. Hodgson F. Vaculik

J.C. Jofriet H.P. Vokey

L. Lithgow

J.G. MacGregor A.J.M. Aikman(1)

E.I. Mackie R.J. Desserud(1)

D.E.J. Magnusson J.C. Haysom(1)

R.J. McGrath M. Walsh(3)

Standing Committee on Fire

Protection

F.-X. Perreault (Chair) R.A. McPhee

R. Chamberland L.A. Munn

F.G. Clarke N.W. Ravenscroft

A. Crimi J. Reeves

T.J. Dunfield R.W. Rush

B. Eger R. Sharma(2)

E.B. Gibson M.I. Steele

L.G. Hamre A. Tabet

G. Harvey

F.P. Higginson(2) _{A.J.M. Aikman}(1)

C.L. Kimball R.B. Chauhan(1)

A.E. Larden(2) _{H.W. Nichol}(3)(4)

J.-G. Lavigne(2) _{I. Oleszkiewicz}(3)

T.K. Lenahan M.A. Sultan(1)

D. Livingston

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C.A. Skakun (Chair) R. Pouliot C. Bell G.J. Sereda S.B. Biggings J. Soucy R. Dubeau W.T. Sproule C.T. Fillingham F.J. Verge D.W. Graham R.T. Wayment

G. Harrington D.E. Weber

J.H. Johnson

W.M. Kirkpatrick A.J.M. Aikman(1)

R.J. Light R.B. Chauhan(1)

T. MacDonald A.K. Kim(1)

L.S. Morrison H.W. Nichol(3)(4)

Standing Committee on

Barrier-Free Design

H.E. Carr (Chair) W.G.R. Partridge

J. Beattie(2) _{P.J. Pepin}

A.B. Bridger L. Pringle

S. Brink P. Richard

W.E. Burningham R.P.W. Ryan(2)

E.J. de Grey W.J. Schmid

I. Fraser S. Tillekeratne

J.E. Hooper

R. Keith A.J.M. Aikman(1)

G. Laneuville R.P. Dussault(1)

G.F. Maguire H.W. Nichol(3)(4)

J. Mark G. Proulx(1)

T.O. Parker J.K. Summers(3)

Standing Committee on

Structural Design

J.G. MacGregor (Chair) L.C. King

L.D. Baikie C. Marsh

A.G. Davenport W.C. McEwen

B. deV. Batchelor(2) _{D. Mitchell}

R.H. DeVall W. Noseworthy

G.A. Dring R. Pouliot(2)

D.G. Eyre R.F. Riffell

V.C. Fenton J.K. Ritchie

M.J. Frye R. Schuster

L.S. Graham R.V. Switzer

R. Halsall

P.A. Irwin D.E. Allen(1)

D.J.L. Kennedy D.A. Lutes(1)

M. Walsh(3)

R.M.B. Johnson (Chair) A. Markus

R.L. Blanchette R.R. Marshall

D. Clancey A. Patenaude

K.A. Coulter M.V. Petrone

J.R.S. Edgar M. Rickard

D.A. Figley D. Stones

J.S. Frain G.R. Sturgeon J. Gibson D. Surry R.F. Gray C.M. Tye R.M. Kobrick R.L. Maki W.C. Brown(1) G.A. Chown(1)

Standing Committee on Heating,

Ventilating and Air-Conditioning

F. Vaculik (Chair) S. Levine

G.F. Anderson D. Musabay

H.M. Chorney K.W. Newbert

J.D. Cochrane(4) _{M. Premovic}

A.R. Dallaway V.J. Royce

W.S. Drummond H. Singh

J. Frangakis

P.R. French S.A. Barakat(2)

D.A. Hill R.B. Chauhan(2)

D.W. Johnson J.C. Haysom(2)

Standing Committee on

Plumbing Services

A.C. Spurrell (Chair) W.L. McNamara

M.J. Birks G.A. Pellerin

M.J. Cook S.A. Remedios

P.J. Cook J. Riley

J. Cooney C.R. Roy

K.A. Fenning D. Walker(4)

F. Holland D. Wilson

A.A. Knapp J. Wood(4)

B. Lagueux

H.C. Martin G.A. Chown(1)

D.S. McDonald D.A. Lutes(1)

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W. Purchase (Chair) K. Rauch

J.E. Burns J.-M. Rousseau

P.E. Dumouchel G.D. Shortreed

M.B. Ellison R.J. Sloat

S.T. Gertsman R. Stewart

T.A. Hale J. Timusk

K. Harris(1) _{D.C. Verge}

J.-C. Havard J.S. Yamashita

C. Héroux

E.D. Jones S.A. Barakat(2)

O.I. Luciw W.C. Brown(2)

L.T. Nakatsui G.A. Chown(2)

A.W. Nytepchuk J.C. Haysom(2)

G. Proskiw M. Lacroix(2)

Standing Committee on Fire

Performance Ratings

E.Y. Uzumeri (Chair) R.R. Philippe

P.H. Colquhoun D.R. Pilling

R.E.H. de Launay J. Roberts

H.A. Grisack J. Saj

L.G. Hamre G.D. Shortreed

F.P. Higginson(1) _{L.W. Vaughan}

J.C. Johnson A.F. Wong

G. Laneuville

M.H. Legay(1) _{R.B. Chauhan}(2)

H.A. Locke R.P. Dussault(2)

J.W. Marshall R.A. Kearney(3)

J.R. Mehaffey T.T. Lie(2)

CCBFC French Technical

Verification Committee

F.-X. Perreault (Chair) J.-P. Perreault

G. Bessens(2) _{I. Wagner}

A. Gobeil

L. Hallé(2) _{C. Bois}(3)

G. Harvey Y.E. Forgues(1)

S. Larivière C. St-Louis(3)

C. Millaire L. Tessier(1)

G. Paré(2) _{J. Wathier}(3)

(1) _{IRC staff who provided assistance to the Committee.} (2) _{Term completed during preparation of the 1995 Code.} (3) _{IRC staff whose involvement with Committee ended}

during the preparation of the 1995 Code.

(4) _Deceased.

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Scope and Definitions

Section 1.1. General

1.1.1.

Administration

1.1.1.1. Conformance with Administrative Requirements

1) This Code shall be administered in conformance with the appropriate provincial or municipal regulations or, in the absence of such regulations, in conformance with the Administrative Requirements for Use with the National Building Code of Canada 1985. e3

1.1.2.

Scope

1.1.2.1. Application

1) This Code applies to the design, construction and occupancy of new buildings, and the alteration, reconstruction, demolition, removal, relocation and occupancy of existing buildings. (See Appendix A.)

1.1.3.

Definitions of Words and

Phrases

1.1.3.1. Non-defined Terms

1) Definitions of words and phrases used in this Code that are not included in the list of definitions in this Part shall have the meanings that are commonly assigned to them in the context in which they are used in this Code, taking into account the specialized use of terms with the various trades and professions to which the terminology applies. 1.1.3.2. Defined Terms

1) The words and terms in italics in this Code have the following meanings:

Access to exit means that part of a means of egress

within a floor area that provides access to an exit serving the floor area.

Adfreezing means the adhesion of soil to a foundation unit resulting from the freezing of soil water. (Also

referred to as “frost grip.”)

Air barrier system means the assembly installed to

provide a continuous barrier to the movement of air.

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 an audible signal transmitted

throughout a zone or zones or throughout a

building to advise occupants that a fire emergency

exists.

Alert signal means an audible signal to advise

designated persons of a fire emergency.

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 fuel into energy

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

Artesian groundwater means a confined body of water

under pressure in the ground.

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, educational, 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 the governmental

body responsible for the enforcement of any part of this Code or the official or agency designated by that body to exercise such a function.

Barrier-free means that a building and its facilities can

be approached, entered, and used by persons with physical or sensory disabilities.

Basement means a storey or storeys of a building located

below the first storey.

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 flue gases from one or more flue connections and

for discharging these gases through a single flue connection.

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Building means 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 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 thereof for

the transaction of business or the rendering or receiving of professional or personal services.

Caisson (see Pile).

Care or detention occupancy means the occupancy

or use of a building or part thereof by persons who require special care or treatment because of cognitive or physical limitations or by persons who are restrained from, or are incapable of, self preservation because of security measures not under their control.

Cavity wall means a construction of masonry units

laid with a cavity between the wythes. The wythes are tied together with metal ties or bonding units, and are relied on to act together in resisting lateral loads.

Chimney means a primarily vertical shaft enclosing

at least one flue for conducting flue gases to the outdoors.

Chimney liner means a conduit containing a chimney flue used as a lining of a masonry or concrete chimney.

Closure means a device or assembly for closing an

opening through a fire separation or an exterior wall, such as a door, a shutter, wired glass or glass block, and includes all components such as hardware, closing devices, frames and anchors.

Combustible means that a material fails to meet the

acceptance criteria of CAN4-S114-M, “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.

Combustible liquid means a liquid having a flash point

at or above 37.8C and below 93.3C.

Conditioned space means any space within a building

the temperature of which is controlled to limit variation in response to the exterior ambient temperature by the provision, either directly or indirectly, of heating or cooling over substantial portions of the year.

Constructor means a person who contracts with an owner or his authorized agent to undertake a

or undertakes the work on a project or any part thereof.

Contained use area means a supervised area containing

one or more rooms in which occupant movement is restricted to a single room by security measures not under the control of the occupant.

Dead load means the weight of all permanent

structural and nonstructural components 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 which it is placed. Piles are the most common type of deep foundation.

Designer means the person responsible for the

design.

Dwelling unit means a suite operated as a

housekeeping unit, used or intended to be used as a domicile by one 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.

Exit means that part of a means of egress, including

doorways, that leads from the floor area it serves, to a separate building, an open public thoroughfare, or an exterior open space protected from fire exposure from the building and having access to an open public thoroughfare. (See Appendix A.)

Exit level (as applying to Subsection 3.2.6.) means the

level of an enclosed exit stair at which an exterior

exit door or exit corridor leads to the exterior. Exit storey (as applying to Subsection 3.2.6.) means a

storey having an exterior exit door.

Exposing building face means that part of the exterior

wall of a building which faces one direction and is located between ground level and the ceiling of its top storey or, where a building is divided into fire

compartments, the exterior wall of a fire compartment

which faces one direction.

Factory-built chimney means a chimney consisting

entirely of factory-made parts, each designed to be assembled with the other without requiring fabrication on site.

Farm building means a building or part thereof

which does not contain a residential occupancy and which is associated with and located on land devoted to the practice of farming, and used essentially for the housing of equipment or livestock, or the production, storage or processing

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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 compartment means an enclosed space in a building

that is separated from all other parts of the building by enclosing construction providing a fire separation having a required fire-resistance rating.

Fire damper means a closure which consists of a

damper installed in an air distribution system or in a wall or floor assembly, which is normally held open but is designed to close automatically in the event of a fire in order to maintain the integrity of the fire separation.

Fire detector means a device which detects a fire

condition and automatically initiates an electrical signal to actuate an alert signal or alarm signal and includes heat detectors and smoke detectors.

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.

Fire-protection rating means the time in minutes or

hours 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. e

Fire-resistance rating means the time in minutes or

hours 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. e

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. (See Appendix A.)

Fire stop flap means a device intended for use

in horizontal assemblies required to have a

fire-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 means the uppermost storey having its

floor level not more than 2 m above grade.

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.

Flammable liquid means a liquid having a flash point

below 37.8C and having a vapour pressure not more than 275.8 kPa (absolute) at 37.8C as determined by ASTM D 323, “Vapor Pressure of Petroleum Products (Reid Method).”

Flash point means the minimum temperature at

which a liquid within a container gives off vapour in sufficient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near the surface of the liquid.

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

partitions, but not including exits, vertical service spaces, and their enclosing assemblies.

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.

Forced-air furnace means a furnace equipped with a fan

that provides the primary means for the circulation of 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 unit means one of the structural members

of the foundation of a building such as a footing, raft or pile.

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.

Gas vent means that portion of a venting system

designed to convey vent gases to the outdoors

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