Fenestration Design Consultant at Layton Consulting. I focus on finding balanced solutions to all the needs of fenestration products.
A common question I am asked regarding fenestration and the code is regarding existing buildings. Do you need to upgrade existing windows to current code U values? Part 1 of the BCBC notes that you are only obligated to meet the code the building was originally designed to, while Part 10 implies a requirement for energy upgrades to current codes. So the answerer would be yes in this case. But these 2 sections kind of contradict in a way and Part 1 exists for a very specific reason and I am making this assumption because old codes only covered life safety and health and did not consider energy requirements. My recommendation to anyone doing a window renovation is to bring them up to current codes and rebates help drive that initiative, however there is a big BUT to this. When an existing bedroom window that was a siding double pane window is upgraded to a triple glazed casement window, the size of the opening may no longer meet egress. So unless you alter the rough opening size which has a high cost impact, you have to decide if energy efficiency is more important or life safety. This is how you can use Part 1 as a decision making process. Another one is when the existing sill height in a 1980's Part 3 building is 900mm and no restrictor is in place, and the current code requires a sill height of 1070mm but in old unsprinklered buildings the window needs to meet egress. So adding a restrictor can violate egress. In these cases, bring existing windows up to one aspect of the code may result in another code violation. Long story short, renovations are tricky and knowing where the life safety risk is your core responsibly. Never silo code items and know the whole code is my recommendation.
Thanks for posting. Should bring this up at our next FGIA meeting. I've asked about these scenarios several times. Here's the answer. Thanks!
Construction and Building product Sales & Installations Professional
7moLife Safety must always take precedence over any and all other code requirements. That should be the ultimate standard that all decisions are measured by.