In this article, we will discuss the new Upgrade Mechanism Model under the Vancouver City’s building permit process. This new model was approved for determining the “acceptable” level of Building By-law upgrade for existing buildings undergoing alterations.

The City of Vancouver is enabled under the Vancouver Charter to adopt by-laws to regulate the design and construction of buildings. It is the only municipality in Canada that enacts its own building codes. Other cities instead use the National Building Code of Canada and the provincial codes that are derived from it. Vancouver’s code is also derived from these but includes some local changes.  Vancouver’s ability to adopt its own Building By-law allows City Council the opportunity to quickly respond to issues that have an impact on building safety within the City.

The Vancouver Building By-law regulates the design and construction of buildings, as well as the administrative provisions related to permitting, inspections, and the enforcement of these requirements.

In this article, we will discuss the new Upgrade Mechanism Model under the Vancouver City’s building permit process. This new model was approved for determining the “acceptable” level of Building By-law upgrade for existing buildings undergoing alterations.

When work is carried out to an existing building, the Building By-law requires that the building be upgraded to an “acceptable” level. Prior to April 20, 2004, the Upgrade Mechanism Model was based primarily on construction values. 

The new Upgrade Mechanism Model determines the required “acceptable” level of upgrade for an existing building using the concept of “Project Types and Categories of Work”. 

The intent of the Upgrade Mechanism Model is to provide a road map for building owners and designers to determine the required level of Building By-law upgrade for the existing portion of a building as a function of the project types and the related categories of work.

The Upgrade Mechanism Model is not generally intended for existing residential buildings containing not more than two principal dwelling units. The general upgrade requirement for these types of buildings is defined in Article 11.2.1.4.of Division B.

Voluntary Building By-Law Upgrades

Where a voluntary upgrade for fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems, exits, accessibility, seismic work, building envelope repair, energy efficiency, or water efficiency is performed, it is not the intent of this By-law to require the owner to further upgrade the building provided no other work is included in the project. If other work is included in the project, the upgrade requirement will only be based on the non-voluntary work proposed.

Procedure for using the Upgraded Mechanism Model

The following steps outline a recommended procedure for using the Upgrade Mechanism Model.

STEP 1: Determine Any Other Requirements that may be Applicable. 

Other Building By-law requirements may be applicable to the existing building project. Review the Overall Conditions for the Upgrade Mechanism Model to determine if other requirements are applicable.

STEP 2: Determine the appropriate Project Type(s) and Related Category or Categories of Work as a function of the scope of work for the alteration.

If the renovation includes more than one category of work or project type, then the most restrictive upgrade levels from each project type would be applied.

STEP 3:  Determine the Required Design Upgrade Level Based on the Category of Work for the Project 

The required upgrade levels for fire, life & health safety; structural safety; non-structural safety; accessibility for persons with disabilities; and energy efficiency are to be determined using each of the applicable project type flow charts and the related category of work

• For Rehabilitation Type Projects – use Flow Chart No. 1.
• For Change of Major Occupancy Type Projects –  use Flow Chart No. 2.
• For Addition Type Projects – use Flow Chart No. 3.

NOTE:  Where a project involves more than one category of work, the most restrictive upgrade level, as determined from each category of work, shall determine the upgrade design level.

STEP 4: Determine the objective and acceptable solution for the most restrictive upgrade level for fire, life and health safety; structural safety; non-structural safety; accessibility for persons with disabilities; and energy efficiency. 

The most restrictive upgrade levels are the design upgrade levels that are to be applied to the existing building.

The model is based on incremental upgrade levels for each of the fire, life and health safety (F), structural safety (S); non-structural safety (N); accessibility (A); and energy (E) objectives. For each of the upgrade levels, the model states the objective of the upgrade level as well as the corresponding acceptable solution that is deemed to meet the intended objective of the applicable upgrade level. 

The objective statement and acceptable solution for each F, S, N and A upgrade level is defined in Table A-11.2.1.2.-B. The objective statement and acceptable solution for each E upgrade level is defined in Table A-11.2.1.2.-C.

The alternative acceptable solution for energy efficiency requires that the determined E design upgrade level from Flow Chart No. 1 is used to enter Table A-11.2.1.2.-C to determine the Objective Statement and review the list of options of alternative acceptable solutions. Within Table A-11.2.1.2.-C and the appropriate E Level section, the user selects one alternative acceptable solution from within the Building System chosen by the user to be upgraded. Only one (1) of the solutions in the Alternative acceptable solutions.

Options column in Table A-11.2.1.2.-C is required to meet the objective. It is up to the user to determine which system in the Building System column and corresponding upgrade solution in the Alternative acceptable solution Option column shall be chosen to satisfy the objective. Within any 5 year period, when an alternative acceptable solution has been used previously within the project area, then that option is not permitted to be used as an alternative acceptable solution.

Project Types and their Related Categories of Work

The Upgrade Mechanism Model is based on the following defined three Project Types and related Categories of Work as illustrated in Table A-11.2.1.2.-A below. If the renovation includes more than one category of work or project type, then the most restrictive upgrade levels from all the applicable project types would be applied.

Rehabilitation Project Type

(Flow Chart No. 1)

Voluntary Building By-law upgrades are limited to alterations that directly contribute to the improvement of the fire alarm, sprinkler, exit, accessibility, seismic, building envelope, and energy or water efficiency systems in an existing building.

Repair

Repair pertains to a limited scope of interior or exterior renovation work to replace existing building components with functionally equivalent components. Repair work may not include work that increases the usable floor area of a building, creates an interconnected floor space, supports an addition or change of use, or the consolidation of more than one existing suite into a single tenant space. For Repairs, an E1 level of energy upgrade shall be applied.

Small Suite

The upgrade trigger for a Small Suite pertains to limited renovation work within a small suite as defined in Division A, Article 1.4.1.2. Small Suite work may include reconfiguration of the interior space of the suite, but may not include work on more than level (storey or mezzanine), interconnected floor spaces, exterior renovations, or the consolidation of more than one existing suite into a single new tenant space. For Small suite renovations, an E2 level of energy upgrade shall be applied.

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, or
• 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.

Major Renovation 

Major renovations means work within multiple tenant spaces that is not otherwise considered a minor renovation. Major renovations may include (singly or in combination): Interior re-configuration of multiple tenant spaces, creation of interconnected floor spaces, exterior alterations, or alterations that create a new tenant space. However, where such renovation includes a change of major occupancy classification or a new mezzanine, this work would not be considered solely as a major renovation. New mezzanines are considered to be additions. 

Reconstruction 

Reconstruction means the extensive removal of the majority of construction to expose the building’s primary structure on interior and exterior walls, floors and roof with only the primary structural elements remaining in place (building skeleton). Reconstruction also includes substantial reconfiguration of the interior floor space. Where work, which might otherwise be considered as reconstruction, is undertaken solely to facilitate the repair or the abatement of a health hazard of a building, then such work need not be considered a reconstruction and would be considered a repair, minor renovation or a major renovation as defined in this By-law.

Reconstruction project typically include:

• extensive renovations throughout the entire building and the building is gutted.
• removal of the majority of drywall and plaster from the interior walls.
• the removal of the majority of drywall, plaster, insulation and exterior cladding from the exterior walls, or
• the removal of floor and roof membranes and coverings

FLOW CHART NO.1

Change of Major Occupancy Classification Project (Flow Chart No.2)

Change of major occupancy 

This classification means a change of major occupancy within a building, a suite, or its constituent floor areas where the proposed occupancy is outside of the currently defined occupancies of the existing major occupancy classification permitted for the building, the suite, or its constituent floor areas.

Small Suite Change of Major Occupancy 

This classification means a change of occupancy within a small suite, or the constituent floor areas of a small suite, where the occupant load for the entire suite does not exceed 60 persons and the small suite is limited to a Group A, Division 2, Group D, Group E, Group F, Division 2 (wholesale showroom), or Group F, Division 3 major occupancy.

FLOW CHART NO.2

Addition Project (Flow Chart No.3)

Horizontal Addition

Horizontal additions include both “minor” and “major” horizontal additions. A minor horizontal addition is any expansion of a floor area beyond the extents of the existing floor area in which it is located by not more than 25 per cent of the existing building area, or by not more than 500 m2  in aggregate floor area. A major horizontal addition is any expansion of a floor area beyond the extents of the existing floor area that exceeds the limits permitted by a minor horizontal addition. Any construction that creates new floor area, in-fills existing roof or deck areas, or is superimposed over existing building structure or floor area is not considered a horizontal addition.

Vertical Addition

Vertical additions include both “minor” and “major” vertical additions. A minor vertical addition is the addition of new floor area (storey, mezzanine, decks or other roof areas intended for occupancy) that in-fills existing unoccupied roof or deck areas, or is superimposed over existing building structure or floor area, with an aggregate floor area increase of not more than 25 per cent of the building area, or by not more than 500 m2  in aggregate floor area. A major vertical addition is an addition that increases the aggregate floor areas or mezzanine area increase that exceeds the limits permitted by a minor vertical addition.

FLOW CHART NO. 3

Design Upgrade Level Tables

Please click Table A-11.0.1.2.-B to view details of design upgrade levels.

Reference: Vancouver Building By-law 2019, Notes to Part 11 – Existing Buildings, Division B: Acceptable solutions

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