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BUILDING CODE 2016 Edition
PUBLISHER'S NOTE
PREFACE
Chapter 1 SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
Chapter 1A SAN FRANCISCO ADMINISTRATION
Chapter 2 DEFINITIONS
Chapter 3 USE AND OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION
Chapter 4 SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON USE AND OCCUPANCY
Chapter 5 GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
Chapter 6 TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
Chapter 7 FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
Chapter 7A [SFM] MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS FOR EXTERIOR WILDFIRE EXPOSURE
Chapter 8 INTERIOR FINISHES
Chapter 9 FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS
Chapter 10 MEANS OF EGRESS
Chapter 10A SECURITY REQUIREMENTS
Chapter 11 RESERVED
Chapter 11A HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
Chapter 11B ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND PUBLICLY FUNDED HOUSING
Chapter 11C RESERVED
Chapter 11D MANDATORY ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR BUILDINGS WITH A PLACE OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION
Chapter 12 INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
Chapter 13 ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Chapter 13A COMMERCIAL WATER CONSERVATION
Chapter 13B CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION DEBRIS RECOVERY PROGRAM
Chapter 13C [RESERVED]
Chapter 13D COMMERCIAL LIGHTING EFFICIENCY
Chapter 14 EXTERIOR WALLS
Chapter 15 ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
Chapter 16 STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Chapter 16A STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Chapter 17 SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
Chapter 17A SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
Chapter 18 SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
Chapter 18A SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
Chapter 19 CONCRETE
Chapter 19A CONCRETE
Chapter 20 ALUMINUM
Chapter 21 MASONRY
Chapter 21A MASONRY
Chapter 22 STEEL
Chapter 22A STEEL
Chapter 23 WOOD
Chapter 24 GLASS AND GLAZING
Chapter 25 GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
Chapter 26 PLASTIC
Chapter 27 ELECTRICAL
Chapter 28 MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
Chapter 29 PLUMBING SYSTEMS
Chapter 30 ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
Chapter 31 SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
Chapter 31A SYSTEMS FOR WINDOW CLEANING OR EXTERIOR BUILDING MAINTENANCE
Chapter 31B [DPH] PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS
Chapter 31C [DPH] RADIATION
Chapter 31D [DPH] FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
Chapter 31E RESERVED
Chapter 31F [SLC] MARINE OIL TERMINALS
Chapter 32 ENCROACHMENTS INTO PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
Chapter 33 SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
Chapter 34 RESERVED
Chapter 34A EXISTING STRUCTURES
Chapter 35 REFERENCED STANDARDS
Chapter 36 CALIFORNIA RESIDENTIAL CODE (CRC)
CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE (CBC) APPENDICES
ADMINISTRATIVE BULLETINS
ELECTRICAL CODE 2016 Edition
EXISTING BUILDING CODE 2016 Edition
GREEN BUILDING CODE 2016 Edition
HOUSING CODE 2016 Edition
MECHANICAL CODE 2016 Edition
PLUMBING CODE 2016 Edition
Table of Amendments

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Chapter 12
INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
SECTION 1203 – VENTILATION
1203.5  Add a second paragraph and a third paragraph as follows:
   In other than high-rise buildings, public corridors, public hallways and other public spaces having openings into adjoining dwelling units, guest rooms, or congregate residences within R-1 and R-2 Occupancies, shall be provided with natural ventilation by means of openable exterior openings with an area of not less than 1/25 of the floor area of such rooms or spaces with a minimum of 4 square feet (0.37 m2 ).
   In lieu of required exterior openings for natural ventilation, a mechanical ventilating system may be provided. Such system shall be capable of providing two air changes per hour in public corridors, public hallways and other public spaces having openings into adjoining dwelling units, guest rooms, or congregate residences with R-2 occupancies, with a minimum of 7-1/2 cubic feet per minute (3-1/2 L/s) of outside air per occupant during such time as the building is occupied.
1203.6  Add a second paragraph as follows:
   For all buildings containing any sensitive land use located within the Air Pollutant Exposure Zone, as determined by the Director of Public Health pursuant to Article 38 of the San Francisco Health Code, that are:
   (a)   Newly constructed;
   (b)   Undergoing a “Major Alteration to Existing Building” as defined by the San Francisco Green Building Code; or
   (c)   Applying for a San Francisco Planning Department-permitted Change of Use, such buildings shall incorporate an enhanced ventilation system designed and constructed to be in compliance with San Francisco Health Code Article 38.
SECTION 1205 – LIGHTING
1205.1  Add an exception after the first paragraph:
   Exception: Habitable rooms (excluding kitchens, home offices and media rooms) within a dwelling unit or congregate residence shall be provided with natural light by means of exterior glazed openings in accordance with Section 1205.2.
1205.2.2  Add the following paragraphs after the Exceptions:
   The depth of all structural projections, including balconies, decks, porches, rooms or roofs, shall not exceed 9 feet (2.134 m) when extending over exterior wall openings that provide required natural light or natural ventilation for spaces intended for human occupancy.
   The height of a balcony, deck or porch shall not be less than 7 feet (2.134 m) measured from the floor to the lowest projection above.
1205.4  Revise this section as follows:
1205.4  Stairway Illumination.  Stairways within dwelling units and exterior stairways serving a dwelling unit shall have an illumination level on tread runs and landings of not less than 1 foot-candle (11 lux). Stairs in other occupancies shall be governed by Chapter 10.
   Exception: An artificial light source is not required at the top and bottom landing, provided an artificial light source is located directly over each stairway section.
SECTION 1207 – SOUND TRANSMISSION
1207  Add the following sections:
1207.6  Definitions.  The following definitions apply to Sections 1207.4 through 1207.9 of this Code.
   COMMUNITY NOISE EQUIVALENT LEVEL (CNEL) is a metric similar to the Ldn, except that a 5 dB adjustment is added to the equivalent continuous sound exposure level for evening hours (7 p.m. to 10 p.m.) in addition to the 10 dB nighttime adjustment used in the Ldn.
   DAY-NIGHT AVERAGE SOUND LEVEL (Ldn) is the A-weighted equivalent continuous sound exposure level for a 24-hour period with a 10 dB adjustment added to sound levels occurring during nighttime hours (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.).
   NORMALIZED A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVEL DIFFERENCE (Dn) means for a specified source room sound spectrum, the difference, in decibels, between the average sound levels produced in two rooms after adjustment to the expected acoustical conditions when the receiving room under test is normally furnished.
1207.7  Exterior Sound Transmission Control.
1207.7.1  Application.  Residential structures located in noise critical areas, such as in proximity to highways, county roads, city streets, railroads, rapid transit lines, airports, nighttime entertainment venues, or industrial areas, shall be designed to prevent the intrusion of exterior noises beyond levels prescribed by the Municipal Code. Proper design to accomplish this goal shall include, but not be limited to, orientation of the residential structure, setbacks, shielding, and sound insulation of the building.
1207.7.2  Allowable interior noise levels.  Interior noise levels attributable to exterior sources shall not exceed 45 dB in any habitable room. The noise metric shall be either the day-night average sound level (Ldn) or the community noise equivalent level (CNEL), whichever results in a higher measurement of noise level.
1207.7.3  Other noise sources.  Residential structures to be located where the Ldn or CNEL exceeds 60 dB shall require an acoustical analysis showing that the proposed design will limit exterior noise to the prescribed allowable interior level. The Planning Department’s map titled Areas Potentially Requiring Noise Insulations, and similar maps and guidance produced by the Planning Department, shall be used where possible to identify sites with noise levels potentially greater than 60 dB.
1207.8  Compliance.
   (a)   Evidence of compliance with Section 1207.7 shall consist of submittal of an acoustical analysis report, prepared under the supervision of a person experienced in the field of acoustical engineering, with the application for a building permit. The report shall show topographical relationships of noise sources and dwelling sites, identification of noise sources and their characteristics, predicted noise spectra and levels at the exterior of the proposed dwelling structure considering present and future land usage, the basis or bases for the prediction (measured or obtained from published data), noise attenuation measures to be applied and an analysis of the noise insulation effectiveness of the proposed construction showing that the prescribed interior noise level requirements are met.
   (b)   If interior allowable noise levels are met by requiring that windows be unopenable or closed the design for the structure must also specify a ventilation or air-conditioning system to provide a habitable interior environment. The ventilation system must not compromise the dwelling unit or guest room noise reduction.
1207.9  Field Testing.
   (a)   When inspection indicates that the construction is not in accordance with the approved design, or that the noise reduction is compromised due to sound leaks or flanking paths, field testing may be required. A test report showing compliance or noncompliance with prescribed interior allowable levels shall be submitted to the building official.
   (b)   Field measurements of outdoor sound levels shall generally follow the guidelines prepared by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) in ASTM E 1014.
   (c)   Field measurements of the A-weighted airborne sound insulation of buildings from exterior sources shall generally follow the guidelines prepared by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) in ASTM E 966.
   (d)   For the purpose of this Section 1207.9, sound level differences measured in unoccupied units shall be normalized to a receiving room reverberation time of one-half second. Sound level differences measured in occupied units shall not be normalized to a standard reverberation time.
1207.10  The Department of Building Inspection shall consult with the Planning Department to ensure that notice to sponsors of residential development projects affected by Sections 1207.6 through 1207.9 are provided with notice of the requirements of this Section as soon as practicable in the project approval process.
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