Scribd
Upload
164 views

2012 Building Code, O. Reg 332/12: Building and Development Branch Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

The document provides an overview of changes included in Ontario's 2012 Building Code regulations. Some key changes include enhanced property protection, health and fire safety requirements. The code also includes new energy conservation requirements for both large buildings and houses that will take effect between 2014-2017. It focuses on water conservation and improving on-site sewage systems. The changes are aimed at maintaining health and safety while allowing flexibility and innovation.

Uploaded by

Sen Hu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
164 views

2012 Building Code, O. Reg 332/12: Building and Development Branch Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

The document provides an overview of changes included in Ontario's 2012 Building Code regulations. Some key changes include enhanced property protection, health and fire safety requirements. The code also includes new energy conservation requirements for both large buildings and houses that will take effect between 2014-2017. It focuses on water conservation and improving on-site sewage systems. The changes are aimed at maintaining health and safety while allowing flexibility and innovation.

Uploaded by

Sen Hu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 17

2012 Building Code, O.

Reg 332/12
Building and Development Branch
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Introduction
• This slide deck is intended as a brief overview that highlights the
changes included in the new 2012 Building Code

• For definitive information concerning the revised Building Code please


consult O. Reg 332/12

2 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Next Edition of the Building Code:
Status
• On November 2, 2012, the 2012 Building Code was filed as O.Reg. 332/12
– It can be found at e-Laws
– The new Building Code will, for the most part, come into force on
January 1, 2014
– Certain energy efficiency related provisions will come into force on
January 1, 2014, 2015 and 2017
– Certain changes related to on-site sewage systems will come into force
December 31, 2016
– This timeline gives the industry time to learn about the new changes and
prepare for implementation

3 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Next Edition of the Building Code
• The 2012 Building Code changes provide a balanced package that:
– Builds on health and safety and environmental protection requirements
– Helps the competitiveness of Ontario’s building sector through:
• New and updated standards
• Clarifying Building Code requirements
• Allowing for the use of new products
• Recognition of best practices
• More flexible requirements
• Maintaining Ontario’s harmonization with model National Building Code
requirements in areas such as structural design
– Maintains Ontario’s leadership in energy and water conservation
– Has potential for savings of operating costs over time for building owners
(e.g. through energy and water savings)

4 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Property Protection and Health
• The 2012 Building Code contains enhancements to property protection
and health, including:
– Removing window screens as an acceptable fall protection device
• Window guards or controlled sashes will still be required under the Code
– Revising the average annual concentration of radon threshold in the Building
Code to reflect the new national threshold (from 250 Bq/m3 to 200 Bq/m3)
• i.e., less radon is needed to trigger radon protection requirements
• Change affects only three areas in Ontario currently identified in the Code
– Clarifying that sewage back-water valves are required in residential buildings
connected to a public sewage system, if deemed necessary at a local level
– Protecting public water supplies from contamination from “medium hazard”
uses (e.g. multi-unit residential buildings, commercial buildings, hotels,
manufacturing plants) by requiring backflow preventers

5 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Fire Safety
• The 2012 Building Code contains specific requirements in order to enhance
fire protection of large and small buildings, including:
– Requiring hard-wired smoke alarms with battery back-up in each
sleeping room for houses and large buildings (Part 3 and Part 9)
– Requiring integrated sprinkler and fire alarm systems in multi-unit
residential buildings

6 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Code Objectives

• The 2012 Building Code expands the list of Building Code sub-objectives
and related functional statements to reference:
– Limiting the extent to which construction strains infrastructure capacity
(e.g., electrical grid capacity)
– Protecting atmospheric quality
• Limiting green house gas emissions
• Limiting the release of pollutants
– Protecting water and soil quality

7 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Energy Conservation Requirements
•Large Buildings

• The 2012 Building Code promotes energy conservation through building


design and construction by:
– Requiring that large buildings for which building permits are applied, on
or after January 1, 2017, meet an energy efficiency level that is 13%
higher than that required in 2012

• Similar to the approach taken with the energy requirements included in the
2006 Code, MMAH intends to work with the building sector to develop
compliance alternatives

8 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Energy Conservation Requirements 2
•Houses
• The 2012 Building Code promotes energy conservation through building
design and construction by:
– Requiring that houses for which building permits are applied, on or
after January 1, 2017, meet an energy efficiency level that is 15%
higher than that required in 2012
– Providing compliance alternatives on how to achieve that goal
– Over the 5-year Code cycle, requiring a number of other energy-
conserving incremental changes
• As with the approach taken with large buildings, MMAH intends to work
with the building sector to develop compliance alternatives to achieve
these future requirements

9 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Water Conservation

• The 2012 Building Code promotes the conservation of Ontario’s


water by:
– Requiring newly installed toilets in residential occupancies to be high
efficiency
– Requiring newly installed urinals to be high efficiency
– Requiring high-efficiency showerheads in residential occupancies

• Opportunities for innovation are provided by:


– Allowing for drainless composting toilets in areas with municipal
services
– Expanding the end uses of rainwater and other non-potable water
– Clarifying the design requirements of non-potable water systems

10 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


On-Site Sewage Systems
• The 2012 Building Code contains new requirements for on-site sewage systems,
including:
• Referencing a new national industry standard (CAN-BNQ 3680-600) for certifying
residential wastewater treatment technologies
• Manufacturers will have until 2016 to meet the new standard

• Setting standards for two different types of on-site sewage dispersal beds to
manage effluent from certain residential wastewater treatment technologies
• Two types of dispersal beds, one with prescriptive requirements and one
with performance requirements

• Adopting a number of changes and updating technical, maintenance, and


monitoring requirements
• Examples include adding detailed specifications for effluent filters and
clarifying requirements for filter bed construction

11 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Harmonization and Consistency

• The 2012 Building Code enhances harmonization with the model National
Building and Plumbing Codes, including:
– Editorial changes and updated standard references, stemming from
changes to the model national codes
– Clarifying technical requirements to ensure consistency and clarity in
enforcement
– Allowing more flexible, performance-oriented methods design and
installation of some building elements

• Amendments to the Building Code enhance consistency with the


Electrical Safety Code (no changes to Electrical Safety Code required)

12 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Administrative Changes
• The 2012 Building Code:
– Requires that copies of Minister’s Rulings authorizing the use of
innovative building materials be kept at the construction site where a
Ruling applies
– Requires thermal protection for foam plastic insulation as a condition for
residential occupancy
– Removes requirement for final site grading as a condition of occupancy
permit issuance for certain residential uses

13 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Knowledge Maintenance
• The 2012 Building Code contains “knowledge maintenance” requirements
for qualified practitioners
• These replace the requalification requirements set out in the 2006 Code
• Practitioners will have 18 months to successfully complete a knowledge
maintenance exam for a given qualification category, following the release
of that exam
• The ministry will determine the date, no sooner than the date the regulation
takes effect, of the release and the qualification categories of Knowledge
Maintenance exams
• Options for design, maintenance and delivery of online courses are being
explored

14 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Accessibility
• Ontario’s Building Code has included requirements for barrier-free design
since 1975
• The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) called for
the creation of standards to make Ontario accessible for persons with
disabilities by 2025
• In July 2010, a Final Proposed Accessible Built Environment Standard was
submitted for government’s consideration
• Public consultation on updated accessibility requirements in Ontario’s
Building Code concluded March 1, 2013
• Feedback received is being considered by government to determine what
will become law and when

15 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Implementation of the Next Edition

• Code Publication:
• MMAH is working towards the publication of the 2012 Building Code:
• Hard copy “compendium” version
• Potential development of an electronic version
• MMAH has conducted a survey to seek input of business needs for an
e-version
• Updated Guidelines and Best Practices:
• MMAH is reviewing current guidelines and best practices to determine
which ones should be updated to reflect the content of the next edition of
the Code
• Additional material on the 2012 Building Code will be available shortly

16 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing


Further Information

• More detailed material will be posted on this website in coming months


• For updates, follow the ministry on Twitter.com/OntMMAH or subscribe to
Code News at http://www.mah.gov.on.ca

17 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

You might also like