The B.C. government has issued a request for proposal (RFP) seeking a response from consultants with expertise in building design, engineering, and fire and life safety to better understand the potential for single egress stair (SES) designs in buildings.
“We’re leaving no stone unturned in our work to deliver more homes faster for people,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “This work will focus on developing an understanding of if and how this innovation can be incorporated into building and fire codes in a way that maintains and enhances safety, supports access and egress, while providing more homes for people in B.C.”
Current British Columbia Building Code (BCBC) and British Columbia Fire Code (BCFC) requirements call for at least two egress, or exit, stairwells per floor in many buildings three storeys and higher. The RFP seeks options for what would be needed to protect safety, access and egress of occupants, while achieving the benefits of single egress stair designs in buildings up to eight storeys – more flexibility for multi-bedroom apartments, more density within areas of transit-oriented development and the potential to improve energy efficiency in buildings.
SES building designs can build on advancements in fire and life safety, while requiring only one exit stairwell per floor. Single egress designs promote efficiency by removing requirements for space dedicated to internal corridors and staircases, allowing for better use of space for building occupants. SES building designs are currently implemented in major cities such as Seattle and New York.
Consultants, if selected, will be required to engage with the Ministry of Housing, fire professionals, members of the accessibility community, engineers and architects, code users, technical safety specialists, and others to identify considerations and mitigation measures relating to access, egress, fire and life safety.
In fall 2023, the province adopted the British Columbia Building and Fire Codes (BC Codes 2024) to provide people with a greater level of building safety and to make new buildings more cost-effective and efficient.
The RFP will be open to consultants until Feb. 22, 2024.
