10.3.2.1 — General

(1) Except as provided in Sentence (2), the performance level of a building or part of a building is reduced where the existing structural floor and roof framing systems and their supporting members are not adequate to support the proposed dead loads and live loads of the new major occupancy that the building is to support. (2) The inadequacy of the existing structural floor or roof framing system and its supporting members to support the proposed dead loads and live loads does not reduce the performance level of the building if the portion of the floor affected by the proposed loads is restricted to the loading it will support and signs stating the restrictions are posted. (3) Except as provided in Section 10.4., the performance level of a building or part of a building is reduced where the early warning and evacuation systems requirements of the building do not meet the early warning and evacuation systems requirements set out in Table 10.3.2.2.A. for the new major occupancy that the building is to support. (4) Except as provided in Sentence (5), the performance level of an existing building is reduced where a change in use will result in a change of the major occupancy of all or part of an existing building to another major occupancy of a greater hazard index. (5) Except as provided in Sentence (6), if the hazard index of the new major occupancy is greater than the hazard index of the existing major occupancy, the performance level is not reduced where the hazard index of the new major occupancy is not greater than the construction index of the existing building. (6) Small or medium sized existing buildings as determined in Tables 11.2.1.1.B. to 11.2.1.1.N. facing multiple streets may be assigned a hazard index credit of 1, which may be subtracted from the hazard index of the new major occupancy provided, (a) the building does not contain a Group B, Division 1, a Group C, or a Group F, Division 1 occupancy, and (b) firefighting access complying with Articles 3.2.5.1. to 3.2.5.5. or Subsection 9.10.20. is provided. (7) Except as provided in Sentence (8), the performance level of a building or part of a building is reduced in an existing building of combustible construction where, (a) the occupancy is changed to a residential occupancy in all or part of the building, and (b) if the building was new, it would have been required to be of noncombustible construction or to be constructed in accordance with Article 3.2.2.43A. or 3.2.2.50A. (8) A change in the occupancy of a building or part of a building to a residential occupancy does not reduce the performance level of the building or part of the building where, (a) the building is sprinklered, and (b) the building does not exceed 6 storeys in building height. (9) The performance level of a building or part of a building is reduced where the new major occupancy in an existing building of multiple occupancy is not separated from adjoining major occupancies by fire separations having fire-resistance ratings conforming to Article 3.1.3.1., Subsection 9.10.9. or Table 10.3.2.2.B. (10) The performance level of a building is reduced where the building after the change of major occupancy will not comply with Article 3.1.3.2. or 9.10.9.12. (11) The performance level of a building or part of a building is reduced where, after a change of major occupancy, (a) the total daily design sanitary sewage flow of the new major occupancy, calculated in accordance with Article 8.2.1.3., exceeds the capacity of any component of a sewage system serving the building, or (b) the type or amount of sanitary sewage that will, under the new major occupancy, be discharged to a sewage system serving the building is prohibited by Article 8.1.3.1. (12) The performance level of an existing building or part of an existing building is reduced where, (a) the use of the building or part of the building is changed to a retirement home, and (b) any of the following applies: (i) the retirement home is not sprinklered, (ii) Clause 3.2.6.8. (1)(b) or (c), as applicable, requires that a voice communication system conforming to Article 3.2.4.23. be provided in the building and such a system is not provided in the building, or (iii) the retirement home contains one or more doors to suites or sleeping rooms not within suites, other than doors leading directly to the exterior, that are not equipped with self-closing devices.