Important

This public review is now closed.
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The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) invited Code users and stakeholders to participate in the fall 2017 public review of proposed changes to Codes Canada publications:

  • National Building Code of Canada 2015 (NBC)
  • National Fire Code of Canada 2015 (NFC)
  • National Plumbing Code of Canada 2015 (NPC)

With an interim change planned for publication in late 2017, no changes were proposed for the National Energy Code for Buildings this public review.

This public review took place from November 6, 2017 to January 2, 2018.

The purpose of this public review was to:

  • provide Code users and stakeholders with a detailed look at proposed technical changes and
  • seek comment on each proposed technical change as to whether it should be approved, altered, or rejected.

The public review closed at 4:00 p.m. EST on January 2nd, 2018, after which comments will no longer be accepted. The relevant committees of the CCBFC will review every comment that was received up to that date. The committees will then either withdraw the proposed change; recommend that it be reviewed further for possible re-submission in revised form in a future public review; or recommend that it be approved by the CCBFC, with or without modification. If approved by the CCBFC, the technical changes will be published in the 2020 editions of Codes Canada publications.

Fire Protection (NBC Part 3 and NFC Part 5)

  • Clarification of the terminology related to emergency water supplies
  • Withdrawal of CAN/CGSB-11.3-M87, the standard for hardboard
  • Expansion of the requirements related to damaged fire separations to include other fire protection materials

Earthquake Design (NBC Part 4)

  • Introduction of options that allow designers to use either linear or log-log interpolations when determining seismic hazards for intermediate time periods
  • Removal of the redundancy regarding site coefficients and replacement of Fa and Fv with F(T)
  • Specification of a category for cladding panels in Table 4.1.8.18.
  • Introduction of an exception in Table 4.1.8.9. for structures with supplemental damping or seismic isolation

Environmental Separation (NBC Part 5)

  • Addition of new material standards: CAN/CSA-A123.16-04, "Asphalt-Coated Glass-Base Sheets," and ASTM C 1280-13a, "Application of Exterior Gypsum Panel Products for Use as Sheathing"

Farm Buildings (NBC Division A)

  • Introduction of application provisions to allow farm building requirements to be moved into the NBC
  • Introduction of a new major occupancy classification: Group G, agricultural occupancy

HVAC and Plumbing (NBC Part 6 and NPC)

  • Clarification of the application of the seismic requirements in the NBC to plumbing systems addressed in the NPC
  • Introduction of PE-RT piping as an acceptable solution in the NPC

Housing and Small Buildings (NBC Part 9)

  • Harmonization of Part 3 and Part 9 requirements on fire separations between a public corridor and a space containing plumbing fixtures in a sprinklered area
  • Permission for smoke alarms between the main unit in a house and a secondary suite to be interconnected by hard-wiring or to be wirelessly interconnected

Use and Egress (NBC Part 3, and NFC Parts 2 and 6)

  • Expansion of the application of visible alarm signals to locations other than sleeping areas
  • Permission to interconnect smoke detectors, heat detectors, CO alarms, other life safety devices and remote monitoring capabilities

Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (NBC Part 3 and NFC Part 5)

  • Introduction and definition of encapsulated mass timber construction (EMTC) as a third construction type permitted for buildings up to 12 storeys in building height

Hazardous Materials and Activities (NFC)

  • Clarification of the application of Part 4 to all isolated construction projects
  • Addition of specification that bitumen kettles are not permitted inside buildings

Asbestos (NBC and NPC)

  • Removal of references to asbestos as an acceptable solution in NBC Part 3 and Part 9, and the NPC

To receive the proposed changes for this public review, please contact the Secretary of the CCBFC.