# Unisex bathroom - Does it count toward minimum number of fixtures?



## nealderidder (Jan 17, 2020)

In CA. The CPC requires min. number of toilets based on occupant load. If I've got an occ. load of 50 I can meet the minimum requirement for toilets with one single occupant unisex bathroom.

So in a larger building, when I'm figuring the overall requirement for toilets can I allocate 25 men and 25 women to the unisex bathroom and then provide fixtures per 422 for the remainder?

That unisex bathroom must be good for something, right?


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## RLGA (Jan 17, 2020)

See Section 2902.2 of the 2019 CBC. If the occupancy is mercantile, yes; otherwise, no.


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## rgrace (Jan 17, 2020)

No, for the time being. I don't know what the future CBC looks like but the future IBC/IPC will change things up a bit and permit alternatives like this. I will attempt to upload a file that I put together identifying those changes. Enjoy


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## nealderidder (Jan 17, 2020)

rgrace said:


> No, for the time being. I don't know what the future CBC looks like but the future IBC/IPC will change things up a bit and permit alternatives like this. I will attempt to upload a file that I put together identifying those changes. Enjoy



Interesting changes. This is saying that single-occ toilets count toward the total required but it doesn't really tell me how that works. Does a single-occ toilet cover X occupants or X male and X female? Maybe that will be handled in the tables...


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## rgrace (Jan 17, 2020)

It will permit "x occupants" in all occupancies except for those with male/female diversity (Group A - A-5, A-4, some A-3 and A-1, or approved by the building official as if for an all girls school). 2021 IPC Section 403.1.1 Exception 3 can benefit the total fixture count by not having to divide the occupancy in half first. Take an example of WC for business with an occupancy of 80. Current calc. divides occupants to 40/40. Each sex applies 1/25 for the first 50. This results in 1.6 WC for male and 1.6 WC for female. Round up. This will require a male toilet room with two WC and the same for female; 4 WC total. Using this exception, 80 occupants do not divide. 1/25 for the first 50 and 1/50 thereafter results in 2.6 WC. Here, 3 WC will satisfy 403.1.1 rather than 4 WC. Only caveat is that three single-user toilet facilities must be provided rather than one men's room and one women's room. Each single-user toilet facility shall be identified as being available for use by all persons regardless of their sex.

Now for a really interesting fact. Same parameters, except the occupant load is 50 (simplest example possible, but functional in more complex designs). 2021 Section 403.1.2 will permit two single-user toilet facilities in lieu of separate male and female toilet facilities. Agreed? The two single-user toilet facilities will be placed side-by-side in the business space, clustering them together. Now apply IBC 1109.2 Exception 3. This will require that only one of these rooms be accessible, not both. If these were identified as male and female, both would be required to be accessible.


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## ADAguy (Jan 17, 2020)

I see, "first come, first served" then you have to wait.


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## mark handler (Jan 18, 2020)

RLGA said:


> See Section 2902.2 of the 2019 CBC. If the occupancy is mercantile, yes; otherwise, no.


The Building Standards Commission in CA *did not adopt *the CBC Chapter 29. So anything in that chapter is not enforceable in CA.


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## mark handler (Jan 18, 2020)

*CPC 422.2.2 Family or Assisted-Use Toilet Facilities* Where a separate toilet facility is required for each sex, and each toilet facility is required to have only one water closet, two family or assisted-use toilet facilities *shall be permitted in place of the required separate toilet facilities.*

*CPC 422.4 Toilet Facilities Serving Employees and Customers*
* [Not adopted for OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 3, 4 & 5]* Each building or structure shall be provided with toilet facilities for employees and customers. Requirements for customers and employees *shall be permitted to be met with a single set of restrooms accessible to both groups.*


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## Mike_Es (Feb 10, 2020)

I was in one office recently, and they had a couple of these "totos"  (they are from Japam, originally, I guess), you know. Here, just for you to understand. And the toilet facility was not separated. I asked what's the reason, and they told me these toilets cost them too much


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## ADAguy (Feb 11, 2020)

Shared lavs? Common entrance to facility?


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## workley (Aug 18, 2022)

an interesting publication I just found 
Gender Neutral White Paper 6/18/2020  By John England CBO, MCP   on the IPC vs Gender Neutral RR.       

Our firm is planning a tenant that WANTS only one toilet - we were concerned if we can do only one GN restroom for the floor. and guess this proves we can, with communications to local AHJ.   



			https://www.ibcode.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/gender-netural-bathrooms.pdf


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