LGA Architectural Partners reposted this
🚀 Another step forward for gentle density housing as BC allows single stairwells in buildings up to six storeys! At Small Housing, we've long advocated for the introduction of single egress stairs. This change could provide the design flexibility needed to make these projects more financially viable. The two-egress requirement made sense back in the 1940s when the National Building Code was developed—wood frame buildings were more combustible, and fire safety features were less advanced. However, our research shows that modern innovations like advanced fire alarms, automated sprinklers, fire-resistant separations (walls, doors, ceilings), and updated firefighting practices have made the two-egress model outdated for low-rise buildings. Today, it's possible to design multi-unit wood frame buildings with a single egress that are just as safe, if not safer, than the two-egress buildings of the past. For a deeper dive into this topic, check out our full report on the work of LGA Architectural Partners and David Hine Engineering, who have really led the movement on this important topic: https://lnkd.in/gathe7DG Daniel Winer Akua Schatz Aina Adashynski Vienna Braux Jeff Waters, P.Eng. David Sisk #housing #policysolutions #gentledensity