Les Muniak

The applicant sought a building permit for a 6-storey residential building containing dwelling units with dens, some of which had built-in closets but no windows.

The Chief Building Official argued that dens are principal rooms requiring minimum window areas under the Building Code.

The Building Code Commission found that dens, with or without closets, are not principal rooms used for primary living purposes and therefore do not require windows.

The Commission ruled that the proposed design provided sufficiency of compliance with the Building Code.

The applicant sought resolution of a dispute with the Chief Building Official regarding the construction of a flour mill.

The issue was whether protecting floor penetrations for process piping with additional sprinklers, rather than conventional fire stopping, complied with the Building Code.

The Building Code Commission found that providing a firestop around the sifter boxes would disrupt the manufacturing process, engaging the exception in Sentence 3.2.8.2.(3).

The Commission ruled that the applicant's proposal to provide additional sprinklers around the sifter box piping, and to fire stop all other process piping openings with concrete and steel plates, provided sufficiency of compliance with the Building Code.