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Section 3412 Compliance Alternatives
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The provisions of this section are intended to maintain or increase the current degree of public safety, health and general welfare in existing buildings while permitting repair, alteration, addition and change of occupancy without requiring full compliance with Chapters 2 through 33, or Sections 3401.3, and 3403 through 3409, except where compliance with other provisions of this code is specifically required in this section.
Structures existing prior to [DATE TO BE INSERTED BY THE JURISDICTION. NOTE: IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THIS DATE COINCIDE WITH THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF BUILDING CODES WITHIN THE JURISDICTION], in which there is work involving additions, alterations or changes of occupancy shall be made to comply with the requirements of this section or the provisions of Sections 3403 through 3409. The provisions in Sections 3412.2.1 through 3412.2.5 shall apply to existing occupancies that will continue to be, or are proposed to be, in Groups A, B, E, F, M, R, S and U. These provisions shall not apply to buildings with occupancies in Group H or I.
Where an existing building is changed to a new occupancy classification and this section is applicable, the provisions of this section for the new occupancy shall be used to determine compliance with this code.
Where a portion of the building is changed to a new occupancy classification, and that portion is separated from the remainder of the building with fire barriers or horizontal assemblies having a fire-resistance rating as required by Table 508.4 for the separate occupancies, or with approved compliance alternatives, the portion changed shall be made to comply with the provisions of this section.
Where a portion of the building is changed to a new occupancy classification, and that portion is not separated from the remainder of the building with fire barriers or horizontal assemblies having a fire-resistance rating as required by Table 508.4 for the separate occupancies, or with approved compliance alternatives, the provisions of this section which apply to each occupancy shall apply to the entire building. Where there are conflicting provisions, those requirements which secure the greater public safety shall apply to the entire building or structure.
Where a portion of the building is changed to a new occupancy classification, and that portion is not separated from the remainder of the building with fire barriers or horizontal assemblies having a fire-resistance rating as required by Table 508.4 for the separate occupancies, or with approved compliance alternatives, the provisions of this section which apply to each occupancy shall apply to the entire building. Where there are conflicting provisions, those requirements which secure the greater public safety shall apply to the entire building or structure.
Additions to existing buildings shall comply with the requirements of this code for new construction. The combined height and area of the existing building and the new addition shall not exceed the height and area allowed by Chapter 5. Where a fire wall that complies with Section 706 is provided between the addition and the existing building, the addition shall be considered a separate building.
An existing building or portion thereof, which does not comply with the requirements of this code for new construction, shall not be altered or repaired in such a manner that results in the building being less safe or sanitary than such building is currently. If, in the alteration or repair, the current level of safety or sanitation is to be reduced, the portion altered or repaired shall conform to the requirements of Chapters 2 through 12 and Chapters 14 through 33.
For existing buildings located in flood hazard areas established in Section 1612.3, if the alterations and repairs constitute substantial improvement of the existing building, the existing building shall be brought into compliance with the requirements for new construction for flood design.
All portions of the buildings proposed for change of occupancy shall conform to the accessibility provisions of Section 3411.
For repairs, alterations, additions and changes of occupancy to existing buildings that are evaluated in accordance with this section, compliance with this section shall be accepted by the building official.
Where the building official determines that an unsafe condition exists, as provided for in Section 116, such unsafe condition shall be abated in accordance with Section 116.
Buildings that are evaluated in accordance with this section shall comply with the International Fire Code and the International Property Maintenance Code.
For proposed work covered by this section, the building owner shall cause the existing building to be investigated and evaluated in accordance with the provisions of this section.
The owner shall have a structural analysis of the existing building made to determine adequacy of structural systems for the proposed alteration, addition or change of occupancy. The analysis shall demonstrate that the building with the work completed is capable of resisting the loads specified in Chapter 16.
The results of the investigation and evaluation as required in Section 3412.4, along with proposed compliance alternatives, shall be submitted to the building official.
The building official shall determine whether the existing building, with the proposed addition, alteration or change of occupancy, complies with the provisions of this section in accordance with the evaluation process in Sections 3412.5 through 3412.9.
The evaluation shall be comprised of three categories: fire safety, means of egress and general safety, as defined in Sections 3412.5.1 through 3412.5.3.
Included within the fire safety category are the structural fire resistance, automatic fire detection, fire alarm, automatic sprinkler system and fire suppression system features of the facility.
Included within the means of egress category are the configuration, characteristics and support features for means of egress in the facility.
Included within the general safety category are the fire safety parameters and the means of egress parameters.
The evaluation process specified herein shall be followed in its entirety to evaluate existing buildings. Table 3412.7 shall be utilized for tabulating the results of the evaluation. References to other sections of this code indicate that compliance with those sections is required in order to gain credit in the evaluation herein outlined. In applying this section to a building with mixed occupancies, where the separation between the mixed occupancies does not qualify for any category indicated in Section 3412.6.16, the score for each occupancy shall be determined and the lower score determined for each section of the evaluation process shall apply to the entire building.
Where the separation between mixed occupancies qualifies for any category indicated in Section 3412.6.16, the score for each occupancy shall apply to each portion of the building based on the occupancy of the space.
Where the separation between mixed occupancies qualifies for any category indicated in Section 3412.6.16, the score for each occupancy shall apply to each portion of the building based on the occupancy of the space.
The value for building height shall be the lesser value determined by the formula in Section 3412.6.1.1. Chapter 5 shall be used to determine the allowable height of the building, including allowable increases due to automatic sprinklers as provided for in Section 504.2. Subtract the actual building height in feet from the allowable and divide by 121/2 feet. Enter the height value and its sign (positive or negative) in Table 3412.7 under Safety Parameter 3412.6.1, Building Height, for fire safety, means of egress and general safety. The maximum score for a building shall be 10.
The following formulas shall be used in computing the building height value.
 | (Equation 34-1) |
| Height value, feet = (AS EBS) × CF | (Equation 34-2) |
where:
| AH | = | Allowable height in feet from Table 503. |
| EBH | = | Existing building height in feet. |
| AS | = | Allowable height in stories from Table 503. |
| EBS | = | Existing building height in stories. |
| CF | = | 1 if (AH) — (EBH) is positive. |
| CF | = | Construction-type factor shown in Table 3412.6.6(2) if (AH) — (EBH) is negative. |
Note: Where mixed occupancies are separated and individually evaluated as indicated in Section 3412.6, the values AH, AS, EBH and EBS shall be based on the height of the occupancy being evaluated.
The value for building area shall be determined by the formula in Section 3412.6.2.2. Section 503 and the formula in Section 3412.6.2.1 shall be used to determine the allowable area of the building. This shall include any allowable increases due to frontage and automatic sprinklers as provided for in Section 506. Subtract the actual building area in square feet from the allowable area and divide by 1,200 square feet. Enter the area value and its sign (positive or negative) in Table 3412.7 under Safety Parameter 3412.6.2, Building Area, for fire safety, means of egress and general safety. In determining the area value, the maximum permitted positive value for area is 50 percent of the fire safety score as listed in Table 3412.8, Mandatory Safety Scores.
The following formula shall be used in computing allowable area:
| Aa = [At + (At × If) + (At × Is)] | (Equation 34-3) |
where:
| Aa | = | Allowable building area per story (square feet). |
| At | = | Tabular building area per story in accordance with Table 503 (square feet). |
| Is | = | Area increase factor due to sprinkler protection as calculated in accordance with Section 506.3. |
| If | = | Area increase factor due to for frontage as calculated in accordance with Section 506.2. |
The following formula shall be used in computing the area value. Determine the area value for each occupancy floor area on a floor-by-floor basis. For each occupancy, choose the minimum area value of the set of values obtained for the particular occupancy
 | (Equation 34-4) |
where:
| i | = | Value for an individual separated occupancy on a floor. |
| n | = | Number of separated occupancies on a floor. |
Evaluate the compartments created by fire barriers or horizontal assemblies which comply with Sections 3412.6.3.1 and 3412.6.3.2 and which are exclusive of the wall elements considered under Sections 3412.6.4 and 3412.6.5. Conforming compartments shall be figured as the net area and do not include shafts, chases, stairways, walls or columns. Using Table 3412.6.3, determine the appropriate compartmentation value (CV) and enter that value into Table 3412.7 under Safety Parameter 3412.6.3, Compartmentation, for fire safety, means of egress and general safety.
| OCCUPANCY | CATEGORIESa | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a Compartment size equal to or greater than 15,000 square feet |
b Compartment size of 10,000 square feet |
c Compartment size of 7,500 square feet |
d Compartment size of 5,000 square feet |
e Compartment size of 2,500 square feet or less |
|
| A-1, A-3 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 18 |
| A-2 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 18 |
| A-4, B, E, S-2 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 |
| F, M, R, S-1 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 16 | 22 |
For SI: 1 square foot = 0.093 m2.
- For areas between categories, the compartmentation value shall be obtained by linear interpolation.
A wall used to create separate compartments shall be a fire barrier conforming to Section 707 with a fire-resistance rating of not less than 2 hours. Where the building is not divided into more than one compartment, the compartment size shall be taken as the total floor area on all floors. Where there is more than one compartment within a story, each compartmented area on such story shall be provided with a horizontal exit conforming to Section 1025. The fire door serving as the horizontal exit between compartments shall be so installed, fitted and gasketed that such fire door will provide a substantial barrier to the passage of smoke.
A floor/ceiling assembly used to create compartments shall conform to Section 711 and shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 2 hours.
Evaluate the fire-resistance rating of floors and walls separating tenants, including dwelling units, and not evaluated under Sections 3412.6.3 and 3412.6.5. Under the categories and occupancies in Table 3412.6.4, determine the appropriate value and enter that value in Table 3412.7 under Safety Parameter 3412.6.4, Tenant and Dwelling Unit Separations, for fire safety, means of egress and general safety.
| OCCUPANCY | CATEGORIES | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a | b | c | d | e | |
| A-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A-2 | -5 | -3 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| A-3, A-4, B, E, F, M, S-1 | -4 | -3 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| R | -4 | -2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| S-2 | -5 | -2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
The categories for tenant and dwelling unit separations are:
- Category a—No fire partitions; incomplete fire partitions; no doors; doors not self-closing or automatic-closing.
- Category b—Fire partitions or floor assemblies with less than a 1-hour fire-resistance rating or not constructed in accordance with Sections 708 or 711.
- Category c—Fire partitions with a 1-hour or greater fire-resistance rating constructed in accordance with Section 708 and floor assemblies with a 1-hour but less than 2-hour fire-resistance rating constructed in accordance with Section 711, or with only one tenant within the floor area.
- Category d—Fire barriers with a 1-hour but less than 2-hour fire-resistance rating constructed in accordance with Section 707 and floor assemblies with a 2-hour or greater fire-resistance rating constructed in accordance with Section 711.
- Category e—Fire barriers and floor assemblies with a 2-hour or greater fire-resistance rating and constructed in accordance with Sections 707 and 711, respectively.