NYC BC 2008: Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirements

908.7.1.1 Affected dwelling units. Carbon monoxide alarms or detectors shall be required within the following dwelling units:

1. Units on the same story where carbon monoxide-producing equipment or enclosed parking is located.

2. Units on the stories above and below the floor where carbon monoxide-producing equipment or enclosed parking is located.

3. Units in a building containing a carbon monoxide-producing furnace, boiler, or water heater as part of a central system.

4. Units in a building served by a carbon monoxide-producing furnace, boiler, or water heater as part of a central system that is located in an adjoining or attached building.

908.7.1.1.1 Required locations within dwelling units.

Carbon monoxide alarms or detectors shall be located within dwelling units as follows:

1. Outside of any room used for sleeping purposes, within 15 feet (4572 mm) of the entrance to such room.

2. In any room used for sleeping purposes.

3. On any story within a dwelling unit, including below-grade stories and penthouses of any area, but not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics.

908.7.1.1.2 Installation requirements.

Carbon monoxide alarms or detectors shall comply with the power source, interconnection, and acceptance testing requirements as required for smoke alarms in accordance with Sections 907.2.10.2 through 907.2.10.4.

NYC Building Code - 2008: Concrete Testing

1704.4 Concrete construction. The special inspections and verifications for concrete construction shall be as required by this section and Table 1704.4.

Exception: Special inspections shall not be required for the following when specifically exempted on the approved construction documents:

1. Concrete placement of less than 50 cubic yards (38 m³)‡ provided that the concrete is nonstructural and is not subject to the durability requirements of Section 1904. In such case, testing may be waived by the registered design professional who prepared the structural construction documents.

2. Nonstructural concrete slabs supported directly on the ground, including prestressed slabs on grade, where the effective prestress in the concrete is less than 150 psi (1.03 Mpa).

3. Concrete foundation(s) for lightweight fences and recreational equipment.

4. Concrete patios, site furnishings, garden walls, driveways, sidewalks and similar construction.

NYC Zoning Floor Area

Floor Area*
The floor area of a building is the sum of the gross area of each floor of the building, excluding mechanical space, cellar space, floor space in open balconies, elevators or stair bulkheads and, in most zoning districts, floor space used for accessory parking that is located less than 23 feet above curb level.

 

Floor Area Ratio (FAR)* The floor area ratio is the principal bulk regulation controlling the size of buildings. FAR is the ratio of total building floor area to the area of its zoning lot. Each zoning district has an FAR which, when multiplied by the lot area of the zoning lot, produces the maximum amount of floor area allowable on that zoning lot. For example, on a 10,000 square foot zoning lot in a district with a maximum FAR of 1.0, the floor area on the zoning lot cannot exceed 10,000 square feet.

NYC Building Code 2008: Area Definitions

FLOOR AREA, GROSS. The floor area within the inside perimeter of the exterior walls of the building under consideration, exclusive of courts, without deduction for corridors, stairways, closets, the thickness of interior walls, columns or other features. The floor area of a building, or portion thereof, not provided with surrounding exterior walls shall be the usable area under the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above. The gross floor area shall not include interior courts.

FLOOR AREA, NET. The actual occupied area not including the thickness of walls, partitions, columns, furred-in spaces, fixed cabinets, equipment, and unoccupied accessory areas such as corridors, stairways, toilet rooms, mechanical rooms and closets.

NYC Building Code 1968: Parapet Walls

§27-333 PARAPETS ON EXTERIOR WALLS.  Parapets shall be provided on all exterior walls of buildings of construction class II-A, II-B, or II-C that have roof construction of combustible materials.

§27-333(a) Exceptions.  A parapet need not be provided on the exterior wall of any building:

§27-333(a)(1) That is less than twenty-two feet high; or

§27-333(a)(2) Whose roof has a pitch of more than twenty degrees to the horizontal and whose overhang, fascia, cornice or gutter is of noncombustible construction, or if of combustible construction is separated from the roof and ceiling construction by construction having the fire-resistance rating required for the exterior wall of the building.  Combustible members, excluding roof sheathing and its supporting members, if covered by a class A roof covering and complying with the restrictions as required by section 27-335 of this article, shall not extend through this construction, but shall have at least four inches of solid noncombustible material below, at the sides, and at the ends of such members; or

§27-333(a)(3) That is provided with a fire canopy at, or not more than two feet below the roof level, continuous around that portion of the wall that is without a parapet, constructed as required by subdivision 27-331(f) of section 27-331 of this article.

§27-333(b) Construction.  Parapets required under this section shall be of materials and assembly having at least the fire-resistance rating of the wall below, and shall be at least two feet high.

NYC Building Code 2008: Fire Wall Continuity

705.6 Vertical continuity. Fire walls shall extend from the foundation through the roof, to form a parapet at least 30 inches (762 mm) in height. Such parapet shall in no event extend to a point less than 4 inches (102 mm) above the highest point of peaked or gabled roof.

Exceptions:

1. Where a 2-hour fire wall is permitted in accordance with Table 705.4, such wall shall be permitted to terminate at the underside of the roof sheathing, deck or slab provided:

1.1. The lower roof assembly within 4 feet (1219 mm) of the wall has not less than a 1-hour fire-resistance rating and the entire length and span of supporting elements for the rated roof assembly has a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour; and

1.2. Openings in the roof shall not be located within 4 feet (1219 mm) of the fire wall; and

1.3. Each building shall be provided with not less than a Class A roof covering.

2. In buildings of Type I or II construction, fire walls shall be permitted to terminate at the underside of noncombustible roof sheathing, deck, or slabs where both buildings are provided with not less than a Class A roof covering. Openings in the roof shall not be located within 4 feet (1219 mm) of the fire wall.

3. In buildings of Type III, IV and V construction, fire walls shall be permitted to terminate at the underside of noncombustible roof sheathing or decks provided:

3.1. There are no openings in the roof within 4 feet (1219 mm) of the fire wall; and

3.2. The roof is covered with a minimum Class A roof covering.

4. Buildings located above a parking garage designed in accordance with Section 509.2 shall be permitted to have the fire walls for the buildings located above the parking garage extend from the horizontal separation between the parking garage and the buildings.

NYC Building Code: Roof Reflectance Requirements

1504.8 Reflectance. Roof coverings on roofs or setbacks with slope equal to or less than three two units vertical in 12 units horizontal (25 17 percent) shall be white in color or EnergyStar rated as highly reflective for at least 75 percent of the area of the roof or setback surface. have:

1. A minimum initial solar reflectance of 0.7 in accordance with ASTM C 1549 or ASTM E 1918, and a minimum thermal emittance of 0.75 as determined in accordance with ASTM C 1371 or ASTM E 408; or

2. A minimum SRI of 78 as determined in accordance with ASTM E 1980.

Exceptions:

1. Terraces on setbacks comprising less than 25 percent of the area of the largest floor plate in the building.

2. Green roofs Any portion of a roof covered by a green roof system, including such a system with agricultural plantings, in compliance with Section 1507.16 shall be permitted to comprise part or all of the 75 percent required area coverage.

3. Roofs Any portion of a roof used as outdoor recreation space by the occupants of the building shall be permitted to be either that is landscaped, covered by wood decking or covered with a walking surface or other protective surface, provided that such walking surface or protective surface has with an albedo of 30 percent or greater a minimum initial solar reflectance of 0.3 as determined in accordance with ASTM C 1549 or ASTM E 1918.

4. Ballasted roofs, provided that the ballast has a minimum initial solar reflectance of 0.2 as determined in accordance with ASTM C 1549 or ASTM E 1918.

5. Any portion of a roof that is under mechanical equipment, flush mounted solar panels lying directly on the roof surface, duckboarding, decking, platform, roof tank, cooling tower or any other rooftop structure or equipment exempted by rule by the commissioner.

6. Any roof or portion of a roof composed of glass, metal, clay or concrete tile or plastic/rubber intended to simulate clay or concrete tile, wood, or slate.

7. Any portion of a roof used by a school or daycare center as a playground for children.

8. Any roof, if the amount of rooftop space not subject to exceptions 1 through 7 is in the aggregate less than 100 square feet (9.3 m²).