Gender-neutral toilet facilities

[manifold]

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 in Table 2902.1. Type of occupancies not shown in Table 2902.1 shall be considered individually by the Code Official. The number of occupants shall be determined by the International Building Code, Table 1004.1.2. Occupancy classification shall be determined in accordance with the International Building Code.

[P] Section 2902.2.1 Family or assisted-use or gender-neutral toilet facilities serving as separate facilities is replaced in its entirety with the following:

[P] 2902.2.1 Family or assisted-use or gender-neutral toilet facilities serving as separate facilities. Where a building or tenant space requires a separate toilet facility for each sex and each toilet facility is required to have only one water closet; two family or assisted-use, or gender-neutral toilet facilities are required to serve as the required separate facilities. Toilet facilities shall be provided with signage in accordance with Section 2902.4.2. Both toilet facilities shall be fully accessible in accordance with IBC Chapter 11 and ICC A117.12009.

Section 2902.2.2 Gender-neutral toilet facilities and its subsections is added.

2902.2.2 Gender-neutral toilet facilities. The following provision may be applied in lieu of Section 2902.2 for the purpose of separate toilet facilities for each sex. In no case shall the total number of fixtures provided be less than that as calculated in accordance with Section 2902.1.1.

2902.2.2.2 Separate facilities when more than two water closets are required. Where a building or tenant space requires separate toilet facilities for each sex and either toilet facility is required to have more than one water closet, separate gender-neutral single-occupant toilet facilities shall be permitted to serve as the code required facilities when each toilet facility is provided with one water closet and one lavatory in a separate single-occupant room. Lavatories shall be provided in each toilet room in accordance with the International Plumbing Code. Such facilities shall not be required to be identified for exclusive use by either sex as required by Section 2902.4, and shall provide signage in accordance with Section 2902.4.2. Not less than 50% of the provided toilet facilities shall be fully accessible in accordance with IBC Section 1109. This section shall not be applied to multiple stalls within a single room and /or shared lavatories.

I am designing a new tenant finish for an A-2 Restaurant that will have 220 occupants. It is my interpretation that the fixture count would be calculated at 1 WC per 75 occupants for a total of 3 single occupant toilets. This seems to meet the intent of the amendment, referring to amended Section 2902.2.2 in lieu of Section 2902.2 (which requires separate facilities for each sex). That said, I keep getting hung up on the note that "In no case shall the total number of fixtures provided be less than that as calculated in accordance with Section 2902.1.1."

Is there a consensus on whether 3 or 4 single-occupant toilets would be required?

 

[ADAguy]

Always include more that less, use 4. You are serving liquor?

 

[manifold]

Always include more that less, use 4. You are serving liquor?

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.

 

[ADAguy]

Yes but, you have over 200 seats, that is a lot of fluids consummed.

 

[JCraver]

I vote 4, per the amended 2902.2.2 and In no case shall the total number of fixtures provided be less than that as calculated in accordance with Section 2902.1.1

On a related note - that's ridiculous code. Whatever Denver builders' associations there are should have had some builders show up at the meeting this was passed at.

 

[Sifu]

If 2902.1.1 is unaltered from the IBC, and the table it references is unaltered from the IBC, I would say 4. The easiest way to find out is submit the plan and see what they say but I don't believe the intent of that amendment was to reduce the number of fixtures. Your plan based on that code would theoretically provide 3 fixtures for men, and 3 for women, albeit non-concurrently, whereas the traditional method would provide only 2 fixtures each, but concurrently. Not sure how that will work out from a human usage perspective.