The 2007 California Building Codes became effective January 1, 2008. Some of the most notable areas of change in this installment of building codes center around fire safety, equal access for people with disabilities, and green building. The new set of codes is based on the latest model national and international building codes.
Rosario Marin, Secretary of State and Consumer Services Agency and Chair of the Building Standards Commission, said, “This will once again put California at the forefront as a leader in the use of the latest technology for vehicle safety. buildings, fire prevention, safe construction, and code enforcement.
With California’s 2006 global warming law requiring a reduction in carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, there is pressure to change the way we build. Some California cities, like Los Angeles, are taking the changes seriously. Los Angeles is doing its part by adopting new construction plans that require large new developments to be 15% more energy efficient than in previous years.
California State Fire Marshal Rueben Grijalva pushed through many of the changes to the 2007 Building Codes in response to the devastation resulting from recent wildfires in the state. New 2007 California Building Code changes include additional fire protection standards at the land-urban interface for vulnerable structures located in wildfire-prone areas.
However, the new changes are met with some resistance related to the drastic increase in costs required to comply with the new codes. One of the proposed changes requires two-hour fire-rated floor ratings for buildings over three stories and two-hour fire-rated construction that extends supporting structural elements to grade. This change affects the cost of a new construction building by adding $6 per square foot and $250 per square foot for an existing structure.
Compliance with this code requires additional:
oFlame retardant materials
oShaft Construction
o Longer penetration protection
o Design fees
o Permit and inspection fees
o Additional sprinklers
Additional code changes include the approval of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) plastic pipe for use in residential water supply systems. The federal Department of Justice (DOJ) certification requirements for barrier-free entrances for people with disabilities were also presented.
Additional changes for residential buildings:
Wood siding and wood-slat ceilings are prohibited in fire-prone areas.
shortened stairs with wider treads
Landscaping near the house should be free of trees, brush, and other sources of fire fuel.
heating requirements reduced to 68°F at three feet above the floor
3rd floor exit soon required regardless of square footage
The minimum kitchen floor area is now 50 square feet with a minimum clearance of 3 feet between counters and walls and appliances.
taller railings for stairs
oMinimum attic access opening reduced to 20″ x 30″
Wall between garage and home can now use ½” type X drywall instead of 5/8″
o Reduced size of emergency exit window for at-grade floor openings
oMinimum clear width for doors cleared as 32″ with a height of 80″
spiral stairs can be used as a second exit regardless of the size of the house
o light requirements reduced to 8% of floor space
mechanical ventilation is now allowed instead of natural ventilation
minimum required distance of five feet for unrated walls and unprotected openings from the property line
Notable changes for commercial buildings:
The allowable layouts of all of them would frame the building’s history are less restrictive.
Wood frame buildings can now be built up to 70 feet tall and up to four stories
Sprinklers can now be used to increase height and area and can be used in place of classified corridors if the building is equipped with a building-wide sprinkler system.
Structures that comply with the 2007 California Building Codes will receive reduced insurance rates and higher resale values, but pledges do little to ease the pressure of additional upfront construction costs.