BCAB #1552 - Watercloset Requirements for Assembly Occupancy, Sentences 3.7.4.1.(1) and 3.7.4.2.(6)

September 19, 2001

BCAB #1552

Re: Watercloset Requirements for Assembly Occupancy, Sentences 3.7.4.1.(1) and 3.7.4.2.(6)

Project Description

An addition is proposed for a secondary school; being a separate building located about 20 meters from the existing school. The proposed new building does not have adequate waterclosets for its calculated occupant load. The existing school building has an excess of water closets for its calculated occupant load. The cumulative number of water closets of both buildings would exceed the number required by Sentence 3.7.4.2.(6) for the cumulative occupant load of both buildings.

Reason for Appeal

Sentence 3.7.4.1.(1) requires buildings to be provided with or have accessible to its occupants toilet fixtures. Sentence 3.7.4.2.(6) stipulates the number of waterclosets required for assembly occupancies.

Appellant’s Position

The appellant indicates the nature of secondary school education is that students move from class to class, block to block and do not stay within the same building for an entire day. This rotation places the transient student population in close proximity to washroom facilities in either the new addition or the existing block. For this reason the appellant contends it would be a reasonable approach to consider the buildings as one facility for the purpose of calculating water closet requirements.

Building Official’s Position

The Building Official considers each building should provide adequate waterclosets as required by Sentence 3.7.4.2.(6) for the calculated occupant load of each building.

Appeal Board Decision #1552

It is the determination of the Board that provided the school undertakes to ensure the washroom facilities of both buildings are accessible to the occupants of each building, a cumulative washroom count can be applied.

George Humphrey, Chair