In this article, we want to share with you an excerpt from Bulletin 2020-002-BU of Vancouver Building By-law providing building permit guidance on the upgrade category for demising walls in tenant improvements.

What is a Demising Wall?

A demising wall is a specially constructed wall or partition that separates spaces of two different uses or occupancies. The walls are typically found in retail shopping malls and commercial or residential buildings with multiple tenants.  It is also used to define the wall that separates private tenant areas from common areas used by more than one tenant.  An example of a demising wall can be found in an apartment complex where two apartments share a common wall, and this wall is what separates the two apartments.

City of Vancouver Building By-law defines demising wall as typically a non-loadbearing partition that separates adjoining tenants from one another and is constructed as a fire-separation with an assigned time-based, endurance rating, unless otherwise exempted within the By-law.

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Purpose of Demising Walls

One of the main purposes of a demising wall is to protect the building’s structural components from a total breakdown. Another purpose is to create separation in case of fire and this is the reason a demising wall is also called a firewall.  

Considering that the most important aspect of building safety is to contain or prevent the spread of a fire if one occurs, the demising wall can impede the spread of smoke throughout the building in case of fire, giving occupants enough time to exit the building safely. Apartment complexes could have hundreds or even thousands of separate units, all protected by demising walls.

That said, it’s not only demising walls that protect occupants from a fire in a building. Sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and numerous other systems all contribute to fire safety to protect occupants in the event of building fires. 

However, properly designed and constructed demising walls play a vital role in public safety.  It needs to follow strict building code guidelines and be built to meet the city’s specific governing standards. Architects and structural engineers must specify the exact assembly and material for use in constructing demising walls. Typically, inspections are held as they are built to assure the architect’s and structural engineer’s specifications have been carried out during construction.

Demising Walls and the Building Code

The construction of a demising wall is predominantly important to comply with building codes related to fire, smoke and sound. There are many types of demising walls, some of which are reusable and movable to give flexibility or to redefine a space.  Construction of demising walls in areas such as elevator shafts, stairways, hallways and between private apartments requires special construction assemblies.

In this article, we want to share with you an excerpt from Bulletin 2020-002-BU of Vancouver Building By-law providing building permit guidance on the upgrade category for demising walls in tenant improvements.

The 2019 Vancouver Building By-law now provides guidance when demising walls are categorized as a Minor Renovation and has amended text under Division B, Notes to Part 11, A-11.2.1.2. reading:

MINOR RENOVATION – Minor renovation means a project whose scope of work includes construction limited to the improvement, renovation, reconfiguration, or refurbishment of a single suite contained within a single tenant space and those demising walls shared with the adjoining suites, but does not include the public or common floor areas of the building.

Minor renovations may include the following:

• Reconfiguration of the interior space of the suite which may occupy multiple levels in a building,
• Retention of existing interconnected floor spaces that do not create new connections to previously unconnected floor areas,
• Retention of existing mezzanines that do not add floor area,
• Renovation in adjacent suites to the extent necessary to support the relocation of shared demising walls, and
• Exterior renovations pertaining to the subject suite.

Where the renovation includes a new interconnected floor space, this work would not be considered to be a minor renovation. New mezzanines are considered to be  additions.

Outlined below are two broad scenarios when demising walls are constructed, along with the corresponding upgrading requirement associated with each case:

Scenario 1:  Relocated/Removed Demising Wall

This scenario is applicable where two or more existing suites are separated by a demising wall and the proposed work involves relocation or removal of the demising wall such that the number of units is less than or equal to what existed. In this case the applicable Category of Work is a Minor Renovation.

Examples:

• Removal of an existing demising wall to create a larger tenant space
• A permit for the relocation/re-demising of existing tenant space(s)
• Demising wall work is included with the tenant improvement (TI) permit
• Related tenant improvement (TI) permit that is a result of the demising wall work permitted under this Category of Work

Despite the minor renovation upgrading level (F1,S2,N1,A2,E2), all new work shall conform to the current Building By-law requirements and any created non-conformance shall be corrected (eg: number of exits, distance between egress, direction of door swing, mezzanine area limits, travel distance, etc.) and does not include other Categories of Work.

Scenario 2:  Newly Created Demising Wall

This scenario is applicable where one or more suites are newly created through the construction of a demising wall(s) such that there is an increase in the number of units than had previously existed. In this case the applicable Category of Work is a Major Renovation.

Example:

• New tenant spaces are created by constructing new demising wall(s).
• The related tenant improvement (TI) permit will follow the major renovation design upgrade levels relating to this space

Despite the major renovation upgrade levels (F2,S2,N3,A3,E4), all new work shall conform to the current Building By-law requirements and any created non-conformance shall be corrected. A major renovation involves upgrading areas outside the tenant spaces such as within the public areas (F2), entire building exits (N3) and public areas (A3) and shall be coordinated with the building owners.

Building owners that complete the required building upgrade that is consistent with the Major Renovation category of work will allow future tenant improvement projects to be proceed with only the tenant space needing to meet the current Building Bylaw requirements, provided it does not include other Categories of Work and meets the requirements of Sentence 11.2.1.2.(3).

Conclusion

It’s the architect and structural engineer’s job to specify the specific demising walls to satisfy the local building codes. And it’s the construction contractor’s job to assure the walls (and the rest of the building) are built exactly to the standards laid out in the plans and specifications. It’s also the local building inspectors’ job to verify and confirm all instructions were carried out to the fullest extent.

Seek advice from experts   

We, at Southeast Gateway Engineering and Construction Corp. are experts in tenant improvement construction. We are a one-stop shop for the design and building of demising walls which is not an easy task and requires guidance from professional experts like us.  

We also specialize in Office, Retails and Warehouse space renovations and interior solutions. 

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