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  1. manifold

    House wrap debate. To wrap or not to wrap

    Closed cell spray foam will be an excellent air and vapor seal upon initial installation. But over the years the foam will shrink, the building will flex and shift slightly, and the foam will pull away from the edges of framing leaving myriad gaps for air/moisture to leak through. Spray foam...
  2. manifold

    SB9: Duplex

    As others have said, check the definitions in the zoning code and discuss with zoning office. Typically, a Duplex has a common wall or floor. Two free standing houses on the same lot would be a Tandem House.
  3. manifold

    Means of Egress

    This is an interesting topic. See this link for how Seattle has modified their building code to allow single stair R-2 buildings: https://www.theurbanist.org/2021/12/20/seattles-lead-on-single-stair-buildings/ And this link looks at how this configuration has been applied in other countries...
  4. manifold

    Egress path past emergency generator

    I am adding a new exterior exit door to an existing building. The new walk connecting the door to the public way passes by a small 35KW/45KVA emergency generator (existing), plumbed to the building natural gas. Due to site constraints, the walk will be adjacent to the existing generator pad...
  5. manifold

    Cover Fire-retardant Treated Wood with untreated wood

    1. Yes 2. Yes 3. The building has a sprinkler system. The canopy is not sprinklered. Nothing is stored under the canopy, it is primarily a decorative element at the entry.
  6. manifold

    Cover Fire-retardant Treated Wood with untreated wood

    The 1x would be an exterior finish, non-structural. Seems like 1405.5 might allow it, though would a canopy beam and purlins that extend 8 feet from the face of the building really be considered as an exterior wall?
  7. manifold

    Cover Fire-retardant Treated Wood with untreated wood

    Right, one of the items that I am curious about is if the canopy falls under "balconies and similar projections" listed in 603.1 #13 that would allow some combustible material per 1406.2.1
  8. manifold

    Cover Fire-retardant Treated Wood with untreated wood

    IBC 2012, Type II-B In a small exterior canopy structured with fire-retardant treated wood, can the treated wood structure (beam, ledger, purlins) be covered with 1x wood that is not fire-retardant treated?
  9. manifold

    ADA door clearance in 8" girt wall

    I am working on a pre-manufactured metal building, 8" horizontal girts support insulated metal panel exterior walls. Exterior doors with closer and latch are mounted in the insulated metal panel, which is necessary to maintain the integrity of the envelope. In order to meet FDA requirements...
  10. manifold

    Themal Barrier in insulated panel building with Mezzanine

    Would a thermal barrier be required on exterior insulated metal panel walls per IBC 2603.4.1.4 for a building being classified as a one story building with an enclosed mezzanine? IBC 2015. Type II-B. F-1 occupancy. Sprinklered. 50,000 SF footprint with an enclosed 14,000 SF mezzanine (access...
  11. manifold

    stair tread max length

    If the change of elevation is less than 6" and a sloped walk is used instead of a ramp, would handrails or contrasting floor finish be required?
  12. manifold

    Line location between buildings on the same lot

    IBC 2015. We are looking at constructing two buildings on a single lot. Can the imaginary line between them (per 705.3) be located at unequal distances from each building? I.e. 5' from one building and 15' from the other? My goal for this specific instance is to not have to build parapets on...
  13. manifold

    List of Amendments to MI Building Code

    Does anyone have a list of amendments to the 2015 IBC that were incorporated in to the 2015 Michigan Building Code? My initial search has only come up with residential amendments.
  14. manifold

    Gender-neutral toilet facilities

    Liquor will be served. Of course it is always nice to include more than less. However, due to the layout of the existing shell, getting 4 restrooms in there is going to have a significant impact on the space. Would like to be able to make an argument for 3 restrooms if justified by the amendment.
  15. manifold

    Gender-neutral toilet facilities

    Denver, CO 2016 Amendments to the 2015 IBC includes the following section: Section 2902.1 Minimum number of fixtures is replaced in its entirety with the following: 2902.1 Minimum number of fixtures. Plumbing fixtures shall be provided for the type of occupancy and in the minimum number shown...
  16. manifold

    Extent of new sprinkler in existing strip mall

    Designing to 2009 IBC. Existing building is not sprinklered, Type II-B. The building is a strip mall with multiple tenants. We are combining 3 tenant spaces into one for a new liquor store, Group M occupancy. A new walk-in cooler is being installed (it will have a wall of glass doors into...
  17. manifold

    Parapet Exceptions

    This is applicable on one side, but the opposite side has less than 3' separation so no openings are permitted. Still hoping Exception 2 will work.
  18. manifold

    Parapet Exceptions

    IBC 2015. Type V-B. Sprinklered. First floor @ 2,400 SF and Second Floor @ 900 SF. For a new building, the east and west walls are required to be rated 1-hour based on separation distance from the lot lines. Section 705.11 requires parapets at these rated walls but Exception 2 states that a...
  19. manifold

    Shared Lavatories

    Thanks, RLGA. I will see if I can make this section work. I am skeptical though, "single user" implies that there is a single person using a at any given time, regardless of sex. A counter with 2 shared lavatories in the hallway would be used by multiple users at the same time of whichever sex.
  20. manifold

    Restroom Rqmts for Small Restaurant in Colorado

    No, that should not matter.
  21. manifold

    Shared Lavatories

    I see that 2018 IBC added section 2902.1.3 Lavatory Distribution. This does not seem to help though. We'll have 2 WCs total. 2902.2 still requires separate facilities for each sex.
  22. manifold

    Shared Lavatories

    Several bars/restaurants are popping up in town that have separate WC's in enclosed rooms and shared lavatories in the hall between. A client has asked for this in their design. Looking at the 2015 IBC Section 2902.2 Separate Facilities, all plumbing fixtures are required to be separate per...
  23. manifold

    Restroom Rqmts for Small Restaurant in Colorado

    Based on your description, it sounds like this would be a Level 3 alteration under the IEBC (no change of occupancy since it was previously permitted as a yogurt shop). In which case this section could be helpful: 810.1 Minimum fixtures. Where the occupant load of the story is increased by more...
  24. manifold

    Occupant distribution to exits

    2 Story, 12,500 SF; Group B, F-1, and S-1 - unseparated
  25. manifold

    Occupant distribution to exits

    New building. Sprinklered. Corridor rating is not an issue. One of the egress doors at the vestibule needs to swing in so I need to show that it serves less than 50 occupants.
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