A common code question I receive is whether or not stairs are permitted to be open on both floors.  All stairs are required to be enclosed unless noted otherwise per the Chicago Building Code (CBC) 7(15-8-140). Stairway enclosures shall not be required in buildings of Types I-A, I-B, and I-C Construction for stairs from the second floor to the main exit floor and serving the second floor only, except in Hazardous Use Units, in Multiple Dwellings and in Institutional Units where habitable rooms are located on the second floor and stairs in Mercantile and Business Units from a basement sales space to the main exit floor level, constituting not more than fifty percent of the total required width of exit stairs. Stairway enclosures shall not be required in buildings of any type of construction in Residential Units, stairs serving one dwelling unit only and entirely contained within such dwelling unit, in Assembly Units, stairs connecting any balcony level with the main floor level and in all occupancies, stairs connecting a mezzanine floor to the floor immediately below.

While commonly incorporated into multi-level tenant floors, an open stair between these floors is not specifically permitted per CBC.  However, two years ago, an interpretation to the CBC code requirements was posted on the Department of Buildings website that allows for additional stairs to be open as long as they meet the following noted parameters.

Stairway enclosure shall not be required for the stairway serving any two floors in buildings of Type I-A, I-B, and I-C construction with the following conditions:

1. The entire building is protected by an automatic sprinkler system.

2. The open stairway is not used as a required exit, except where permitted by the

Section 7(15-8-140)(b)&(c).

3. The occupancy of the floors served by the open stairway is not Hazardous Use,

Multiple Dwellings or Institutional Use.

4. All shafts within 100 feet horizontal distance from the unenclosed stairway opening, on both levels, have minimum one (1) hour enclosure, except the shafts for pipes and ducts passing from one floor to the other as per section 7(15-8-160).

This ruling is based on the fact that Section 7(15-8-140)(b) allows stairway between two floors, between the ground floor and the second floor, without any enclosure, and with the life safety features and restrictions in place, it shall be permitted between any two floors of a Type I building.  Stairs that are open for more than one floor would have to comply with the requirements for Atriums or apply to the Committee on Building Standards and Tests.

Submitted by Leah Riley

Related Posts:

• Life Safety, Code and Politics – The Residential Sprinkler Debate
• Burnham Celebrates It’s 20th Anniversary!
• Sprint Chicago Service Outage?
• What the Deck? Wood that is ‘Noncombustible’
• How green can you go?

A small tenant build-out has been submitted to the Chicago Department of Buildings for Permit Review.  While there are some minor changes to the configuration of the floor plan, there are no significant changes.  When the plans are released from DOB, there is a correction from the Accessibility Plan Examiner, which typically states:

“Architect to comply with the alteration section CBC (Chicago Building Code) Chapter 18-11-1117.3.4 regarding “alterations affecting an area containing a primary function.  Also review the Exceptions section regarding the cost to provide the accessible route is not required to exceed 20 % of the costs of the alterations affecting the area of primary function.  In addition, review any existing toilet rooms and drinking fountains, (if any), for full accessibility.”

Chicago Building Code notes that if an alteration affects the accessibility to an area of primary function, or contains an area of primary function, the route to the primary function area shall be accessible. The accessible route to the primary function area shall include an accessible entrance to the building, vertical accessibility, toilet facilities or drinking fountains serving the area of primary function.

It is our understanding that the area of primary function is the space being altered. Where a tenant space is being altered and the estimated alteration costs divided by the estimated reproduction costs is less than 15%, only requiring the areas being altered to be accessible, if a toilet room is not accessible and not being altered, and accessibility modifications could be done at 20% of the alteration cost for the project, it should be incorporated into the scope of work.  If existing toilet rooms appear to meet compliance, an assessment should be done to determine if any additional modifications would be required to meet the current accessibility requirements such as vertical grab bars, coat hooks, toilet paper dispenser location, etc.

In order to address this correction, the drawings should demonstrate that:

1)    Compliance can’t be met at 20% of the alteration costs;

2)    The existing elements meet full compliance or;

3)    Specific elements that are being altered shall show compliance with these requirements.

Submitted by Leah Riley

Related Posts:

• What the Deck? Wood that is ‘Noncombustible’
• Life Safety, Code and Politics – The Residential Sprinkler Debate
• NY Concrete Testing Laboratory
• To Swing or Not to Swing?
• Are Open Stairs Permitted in Chicago?

In 2008 we saw a spike in the number of grant of privileges required for public way obstructions in Chicago. Although it’s hard to point to an exact date of the change; clearly the city has changed its enforcement policy.

Traditionally enforcement focused on new obstructions over the public way, e.g., signs, planters, building projections, canopies, sidewalk cafes, or new foundations that incrementally cross into the public way. It’s not that existing obstructions were necessarily grandfathered, but rather that the city just wasn’t actively citing existing non-conforming buildings.

That policy seemed to change in 2008. We began seeing existing items such as fire escapes, tree grates, sidewalk vaults, etc., receiving citations requiring that a Grant of Privilege be processed.

Although it’s not a burdensome submittal, as municipal submittals go, the fact that City Council approval is required does make it a lengthy process.

I recommend a proactive approach. Submit prior to being cited and you can avoid a fine, and by submitting prior to being cited you are in a stronger position with roving inspectors, or an administrative hearing. It also enhances your credibility with inspectors. No building owner/manager wants to have a building, which is viewed as non-compliant. With respect to Grants of Privilege, it can truly be said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Posted by Mike Foley

Related Posts:

• >Burnham Takes a Bite Out of the Big Apple
• Burnham Celebrates It’s 20th Anniversary!
• Sprint Chicago Service Outage?
• How green can you go?
• Does Your Project Have Renewable Energy Features?

As a society, our demand for forest products has exploded over the last 10 years, especially in our homes.  We have hardwood floors, kitchen cabinets, furniture and don’t forget about the framing.  This isn’t something that’s going to change, since our population is rapidly growing, but we do need to stop and think about where the wood comes from and the impacts the process has on the environment.  Take your wood floor for example; it may have come from a rainforest in Brazil that was irresponsibly harvested which exacerbates erosion, may cause social conflict, may extinct plants and animals, and contributes negatively to climate change.  That’s just the first step in it getting to your home.  The problem is, not only are we using an excessive amount of resources but the ways in which we’re acquiring them is very irresponsible.

So what’s the solution?  Selecting wood based products that come from sustainable forests.  According to Wikipedia, these forests create a balance between society’s increasing demands for forest products and benefits, and the preservation of forest health and diversity.” Sustainable means something is “capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing ecological damage.” We should be following the principles of sustainability in many aspects of life.  Sustainable forest management maintains biodiversity and productivity.  It prevents extinction of plants and animals and it sustains the local and global economies.

So next time you need to replace your cabinets, flooring or a piece of furniture look into where it’s coming from and think about the resources and energy that went into making it.

Posted by Diana Urlaub, Sustainability Consultant

Related Posts:

• 9 Benefits of Wind Farms
• What Can LEED Sustainability Offer Academic Institutions?
• How green can you go?
• Does Your Project Have Renewable Energy Features?
• Building Materials Galore!

In its pursuit to be the recognized name nationally in building permits and related services, Burnham Nationwide is proud to announce the launch of its newest division, Burnham Energy. Burnham Energy was formed as a partnership between Burnham Nationwide, Inc and StablSolar, a solar panel installation company based in Morgan Hill, California. StablSolar’s founder, Greg Sellers, is now the President of Burnham Energy. Having been very involved in the solar industry, Greg recognized a need for permitting, inspections and other related services, and he is excited about the chance to grow with Burnham Nationwide.

"The idea of providing permitting, inspections, and a whole range of other compliance services to the solar industry germinated from conversations with dozens of solar installers who found the regulatory process a significant barrier to growth. Burnham Nationwide visualized the need and understood clearly how that need could be met. Burnham Energy is blossoming due to the nurturing, the vision, the resources, and most importantly the reputation for excellence that Burnham Nationwide has developed over two decades in cities throughout the United States. As the solar energy industry grows, Burnham Energy will continue to leverage the strength of Burnham Nationwide to distinguish itself as the nation’s premier solar industry services firm." ~ Greg Sellers

For more information about how Burnham Energy began, please read our blog How Burnham Energy Came to BE.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts