# Fitness Center Occupancy Classification for Plumbing Fixtures



## fj80 (Sep 14, 2016)

I'm renovating and expanding an existing Fitness Center on the first floor of a 12-story apartment building. Code is IBC 2012. 

The new occupant load (using 50 sf/occupant for Exercise Rooms from Table 1004.1.2) is 44 occupants.

For determining the required plumbing fixture counts, do I consider the Fitness Center occupancy to be A-3, or B based on Section 303.1.1 Small buildings and tenant spaces? 303.1.1 says tenant spaces with an occupant load of less than 50 shall be classified as a Group B occupancy.

The local code official I talked to, who is the Fire Protection Manager, said I only needed to provide one single-user restroom for men and one for women, but I hadn't thought of this possibility of it being considered a B occupancy when I was speaking with him. B occupancy would require more fixtures.


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## mtlogcabin (Sep 14, 2016)

22 male and 22 female will meet the 1 per 25 if you install one single-user restroom for men and one for women in a "B" occupancy


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## fj80 (Sep 14, 2016)

Thank you, mtlogcabin. I was forgetting to divide my occupant in half. Whew!


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## JBI (Sep 14, 2016)

fj80 said:


> Thank you, mtlogcabin. I was forgetting to divide my occupant in half. Whew!



Always let the text send you to the tables.


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## JPohling (Sep 14, 2016)

In the California Plumbing Code there is an exception for B and M occupancies less than 50 to allow a single unisex restroom  CPC 422.2 exception 3.  Not sure if you have something like that?


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## Examiner (Sep 28, 2016)

Under 50-people for a space used for assembly/recreation is Business occupancy classification.  You will need to determine the plumbing fixture count on the use group of the space which is A-3 even though the major occupancy is Business.  I say this because the occupant load of each space is determined by the use group of that space.  The individual occupancy use of all the spaces determines the occupant load for the building.  For example you cannot say the entire building is a Group B classification and size its occupant load at 100-sf/person when the building also contains other rooms being used as different occupancy's; such as Storage, small meeting rooms, classroom (not Educational grades 1-12), laboratories etc.  The Table to determine occupant load for the room's intended use list the loading requirements.  You have to total all the different use groups to get the occupant load for egress and the toilet fixture count.  The Plumbing Code also addresses you have to round up the occupant load when you are dealing with a single occupant load but when you have multi occupant loads you can round up the accumulated total load of all the different use groups.  I have made spreadsheets for plumbing fixture counts when a building has a variety of different use groups.  But I have to do a spreadsheet also to determine the individual occupant loads for the different use groups to get my totals for each occupancy use group to use in the Plumbing fixture spread sheet.


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## Sifu (Nov 29, 2022)

When calculating the plumbing fixtures using the IPC for a fitness center (weights, cardio, yoga etc.) be considered a gymnasium, at 1/125 & 65, or a business at 1/25 for the first 50 then 1/50?


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## my250r11 (Dec 13, 2022)

I would use the load for that spaces use. if less than 50 then can be classified as a B but the use is still an assembly use for occupant load.


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