2015 IECC - Alterations

[Steve Vetter]

First post here and thank you in advance for any help anyone can offer. As with many sections of the code I am having trouble wrapping my head around the language with:

Section R503 Alterations

R503.1 General

Alterations to any building or structure shall comply with the requirements of the code for new construction. Alterations shall be such that the existing building or structure is no less conforming to the provisions of this code than the existing building or structure was prior to the alteration.

Alterations to an existing building, building system or portion thereof shall conform to the provisions of this code as they relate to new construction without requiring the unaltered portions of the existing building or building system to comply with this code. Alterations shall not create an unsafe or hazardous condition or overload existing building systems. Alterations shall be such that the existing building or structure (post alteration?) uses no more energy than the existing building or structure prior to the alteration. Alterations to existing buildings shall comply with Sections R503.1.1 through R503.2.

Is this to mean I cannot go into an existing office space with very minimal existing lighting/receptacles etc. and upgrade it by adding more adequate lighting/receptacles with an added load? That's what the language seems to imply.

 

[JCraver]

Hi Steve.

I read that code like this: You can add new features to the building as long as the new features meet the requirements as if the building was new, and you can alter existing building features as long as you don't make those existing features any less conforming than they are now.

So you can add lights that meet the current code to an existing building, as long as you don't make the lights that are already in that building less conforming than they are now.

It's poorly written, like the entire energy code. But that's how I read that section, and that's how I'd enforce it.

FWIW, the Commentary says pretty much the same thing:

As stated for additions, new work must comply with the current requirements for new work. Any alteration to an existing system involving new work is subject to the requirements of the code. Just like additions, an alteration could place additional loads or different demands on an existing system and those loads or demands could necessitate changing all or part of the existing system. Alterations must not cause an existing building or system to be any less in compliance with the code than it was before the changes. The exceptions address common types of alterations where the need for upgrading to new code requirements is not warranted.