Residential Fire Sprinklers & On-site Sewage Systems:
A Consultation on Proposed Changes to Ontario’s Building Code
PART 2
Background Information on Residential Fire Sprinklers and Ontario’s Building Code
Ontario’s buildings have an excellent record of fire safety. The province has one of the lowest fire fatality rates in the country. Since Ontario introduced its first Building Code over 30 years ago fire fatality rates have declined steadily and fire safety in residential buildings has improved significantly.
These reductions have been, in part, due to enhanced Building Code requirements over time. For instance, the Building Code now requires:
- Smoke alarms on every level in a house;
- Interconnected smoke alarms in a house; and
- Enhanced early warning/notification and detection systems in larger buildings.
As a result, new residential buildings are much safer than older ones.
Adoption of mandatory fire retrofit requirements under the Fire Code has also contributed to the decline in the number of residential fire deaths. The Fire Code includes requirements for high-rise residential buildings, low rise residential buildings and two-unit houses. The Fire Code also requires smoke alarms on all storeys of existing houses.
Further reductions in fire deaths have been achieved through public fire safety education, awareness and residential inspection programs (e.g., to ensure that smoke alarms are properly installed and remain operational).
As noted, Ontario’s Building Code is harmonized to a large degree with the model National Building Code of Canada. However, Ontario’s Code is different from the mNBC in its approach to the fire safety for large (higher than 3 storey) residential buildings. Where the model National Building Code mandates the installation of fire sprinklers, Ontario’s Code places greater reliance on measures ranging from enhanced fire alarm and detection systems, standpipe systems, firefighters’ elevator protection, limitations on combustible materials, exit travel distance limitation and protection of exits and fire separations from smoke infiltration.
Since the mNBC was amended in 1995 to require fire sprinklers in large residential buildings, other provinces and territories have adopted this approach. Most jurisdictions in the United States also require sprinklers in higher residential buildings.
While Ontario’s past approach has achieved good results with respect to fire safety in residential buildings, the government is looking at new ways to keep Ontario’s buildings at the forefront of fire safety.
What Changes are Proposed for Residential Sprinklering?
This consultation paper proposes that changes be made to the Building Code that would require new multiple-unit residential buildings higher than 3 storeys be sprinklered. Sprinkler requirements within the building would apply to residential suites, service areas, and common areas such as corridors.
The proposed requirements would also cover the residential portions of mixed-use buildings exceeding 3 storeys. Since 1997, the Code has generally required fire sprinklers in other non-residential occupancies in high buildings.
This consultation paper is not proposing to require sprinklers in smaller residential buildings, including houses, nor mandate the retrofit of existing buildings.
As a result of the proposed mandating of residential fire sprinklers, other changes are proposed to coordinate Ontario’s fire safety requirements with those of the mNBC. For example, Ontario-specific requirements for heat detection, smoke management, combustible cladding and firewalls would generally be brought into line with those in the mNBC.
Transition
The Building Code requirements related to residential sprinklers are proposed come into force on September 1, 2009.
Part 1 - Introduction Part 3 - On-Site Sewage Systems