Commission adopts San Francisco amendments to 2016 California Building Standards Code

DBI Technical Services outlined San Francisco's proposed amendments to the 2016 California Building Standards Code and the process that led to the recommendations. Kirk Means and Code Advisory Committee chair Steve Harris described months of volunteer and staff work to relocate existing-building amendments to the applicable international existing building code chapters, update CalGreen compliance options, align the plumbing fixture table with the California plumbing code, and clarify mechanical and electrical requirements where local conditions merit more restrictive or explicit language.

"So this happens every 3 years that they throw out the old codes and bring in the new codes," Means said, summarizing the triennial cycle and the need to carry forward San Francisco amendments that address the city's unique building conditions.

Steve Harris and multiple commissioners acknowledged the volunteer effort of the code advisory subcommittees and technical contributors. After public comment and a brief discussion, a motion to approve the amendments was seconded and the Commission adopted the San Francisco amendments by unanimous roll-call vote.

Key changes cited in the presentation included: relocation of San Francisco's existing-building provisions into the international existing building code chapters; CalGreen updates and a cost-effectiveness comparison for energy provisions; replacing an older plumbing fixture table with the equivalent updated California plumbing-code table; and clarifications in electrical and mechanical sections to address local conditions such as property-line terminations of utility high-voltage equipment. The updated code package will proceed through environmental review and the Board of Supervisors for final adoption per the triennial schedule.