# Child care center?



## JPohling (May 14, 2019)

looking for any pitfalls I may have overlooked.

California location.  
Have a client looking to build out a child care center.  Zoning may require CUP but that's another issue.
This will be a "E" occupancy in a previous "B" occupancy, so change in use applies.  5,500 sf in a Type 1A non fire sprinklered building on the ground floor.

Approximately 70 children and 12 staff members.
Occupant load 1/35 net  
Non separated occupancies looks viable due to construction type and SF  CBC508.4 
Fire sprinklers are not required until fire area is over 12,000sf.  CBC 903.2.3
Standpipe system is existing
Automatic fire alarms will be required  CBC 907.2.3.8.   could be eliminated by sprinklering building.
Egress from rooms/spaces with10 or more children two or less requires two exits.  CBC 1006.2.2.4
"E" travel distance to two exits = 75' regardless of sprinklers CBC 1006.2.1
"E" Exit access travel distance = 200' w/o fire sprinklers
Corridor fire resistance rating for "E" occupant load over 10 requires 1 Hour corridors. regardless of sprinklers CBC 1020.1
Minimum corridor width "E" for corridor having required capacity of 100 or more = 72"

So far that is what I am seeing as the special requirements that we will need to address.
what else should we be looking out for?


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## cda (May 14, 2019)

You will have some type of fire alarm if you sprinkle 

Does calif require smoke detector in the class/ sleeping rooms?

  Any I-4 children???


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## steveray (May 15, 2019)

I think we have something that an unsprinklered E needs direct egress to the exterior from the classrooms, but that might be a CT thing....


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## my250r11 (May 15, 2019)

IBC 2015 903.2.3 (2)exc. requires 1 exterior exit if not sprinklered


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## RLGA (May 15, 2019)

The exterior exit exception for a sprinkler system applies to areas below the level of exit discharge.

You'll need 2-hour fire barriers separating the Group E occupancy from the rest of the building unless you know for a fact that there are other fire barriers complying with Section 707.3.10 that ensures the fire area that the Group E is within is not more than 12,000 sq. ft.


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## JPohling (May 15, 2019)

CDA,  all rooms used for sleeping or napping are required to have fire alarms.

RLGA  this center will use nearly the entire first floor area and is well under 12,000 sf.  1A construction has 2 hour rating between floors.  S-2 parking below which is sprinklered, and B above which is non sprinklered.


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## ADAguy (May 15, 2019)

Restrooms and changing tables, staff RR's.
What about vehicle drop-off?


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## steveray (May 15, 2019)

JPohling said:


> 1A construction has 2 hour rating between floors.  S-2 parking below which is sprinklered, and B above which is non sprinklered.



So it also has 2hr walls supporting those floors?


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## mark handler (May 15, 2019)

Day Care Partial Check list 
BUILDING ANALYSIS
Chapter 3 - Use and Occupancy Classification
1. Building or structure used for educational purposes for more than six children through the 12th grade at any one time shall be classified as Group E occupancy. CBC 305.1
2. Religious educational rooms and religious auditoriums accessory to places of religious worship with occupant load of less than 100 shall be classified as Group A-3. CBC 305.1
3. Training and skill development not within a school or academic program, including tutoring centers, martial arts studios, gymnastics and similar uses regardless of the ages served, where not classified as a Group A occupancy, shall be classified as Group B occupancy. CBC 304.1
4.  Day care facility shall be classified as Group E occupancy when the facility provides day care for more than 6 children aged 2 and over. Day care facility providing care for more than 6 but no more than 100 children aged under 2 on less than 24 hour basis when the rooms are located on the exit discharge level and each room has an exit door directly to the exterior may be classified as Group E occupancy. CBC 305.2 CBC 308.6.1

Chapter 4 - Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy
5. Rooms classified as Group I-4 or Group E for day care shall not be located above or below the first story unless one of the exceptions in sec.436.1 for Group I-4 or sec. 452.1.4 for Group E are met. CBC 436.1 & 452.1.4
6. All buildings housing Group E occupancies shall front directly on a public street or an exit discharge not less than 20 ft in width. At least one required exits shall be located on the public street or on the exit discharge. CBC 452.1.1
7. Every room in Group E occupancies with an occupant load of 300 or more shall have one of its exits or exit-access doorways lead directly into a separate means of egress system with min. of two paths of exit travel, which are separated by a smoke barrier to provide an atmospheric separation that precludes contamination of both paths of exit travel by the same fire. Not more than two required exits or exit-access doorways shall enter into the same means of egress system. 452.1.2
8. When fence or gates with locks are installed around the school grounds, a safe dispersal areas based on 3 sq ft per occupant shall be provided at least 50 ft between the school and the fence or gate. 452.1.3

Chapter 5 - General Building Heights and Areas
9. The max. hight and max. number of stories of a building housing Group E or I-4 occupancy shall not exceed the limits specified in the referenced tables. Table 504.3 504.4
10. The total maximum allowable area for unseparated occupancies in building two or more stories above grade plane shall not exceed twice of the max allowable area per floor. 506.2.3
11. The sum of the ratios on all floors for separated mixed occupancies shall not exceed 2 for building two stories or higher above grade plane. 506.2.4
12. The sum of the ratios on each floor for separated mixed occupancies shall not exceed 1. 508.4.2

C. FIRE-RESISTANCE CONSTRUCTION AND FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM
Chapter 7 - Fire Resistance Rated Construction
13. Exterior walls in Group E or I-4 occupancies shall be fire-resistance rated in accordance with Tables 601 and 602 for exposure to fire from both sides regardless of fire separation distance. 705.5
14. Fire walls separating Group E or I-4 occupancies shall be 3 hr fire rated except in Type II or V construction, where fire wall may be 2 hr fire rated. CBC Table 706.4
15. Fire barriers for separating fire areas in Group E or I-4 occupancies shall be 2 hr fire rated. Table 707.3.10
16. Duct and air transfer openings in smoke partitions shall be provided with a smoke damper in Group E or I-4 occupancies. 717.5.7
18. Approved fire- and smoke dampers are required in ducts and air transfer openings of fire barriers in Group E or I-4 occupancies. 717.5.2
19. For Group E or I-4 occupancies, a listed smoke damper designed to resist the passage of smoke shall be provided at each point a duct or air transfer opening penetrates a fire resistance rated corridor enclosure required to have smoke and draft doors. 717.5.4.1 716.5.3

Chapter 9 - Fire Protection Systems
20. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout all day care facilities under Group E occupancies with fire areas greater than 12,000 sq ft. 903.2.3
21. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings with day care facilities under Group I-4 occupancies. CBC 903.2.6
22. A manual and automatic fire alarm system shall be installed in Group E occupancies with an occupant load of 50 or more or containing more than one classroom or one or more rooms used for day care purposes. When automatic sprinkler system or smoke detectors are installed, such systems or detectors shall be connected to the building fire alarm system. CBC 907.2.3
23. Every large-family day care home in Group R-3 shall be provided with at least one manual fire alarm box at a location approved by the Fire Department. CBC 907.2.6.4

D. MEANS OF EGRESS
Chapter 10 – Means of Egress
24. Two exits or exit access doorways from any room or space for day care purposes shall be provided when the occupant load exceeds 49 or 10 for ages 2 years or less for day care in Groups E, I-4 or R occupancies CBC 1006.2.1 CBC 1006.2.2.4
25. Every story or basement of a large-family day care home in Group R-3 occupancy shall be provided with two exits, which are remotely located from each other. CBC 1006.2.2.7
26. The max exit access travel distance for day care facilities in Group E occupancy shall be 200 ft for buildings without fire-sprinkler system and 250 ft with fire-sprinkler system. CBC Table 1017.2
27. The max exit access travel distance for day care facilities in Group I-4 occupancy shall be 200 ft. CBC Table 1017.2
28. Corridors serving more than 6 occupants in Group I-4 day care shall be equipped with fire sprinkler system and provided with 1-hr fire rated walls. Corridors serving more than 10 occupants in Group E day care shall be 1 hr fire rated with or without fire-sprinkler system provided. CBC Table 1020.1
29. The minimum corridor width in Group E day care facilities shall be 44”, except facilities having a required capacity of 100 or more shall be 72” minimum. CBC Table 1020.2
30. The minimum corridor width in Group I-4 day care facilities shall be 44”. CBC 1020.2


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## my250r11 (May 15, 2019)

Sorry Ron, it is 2015 IBC 903.2.6(2) that requires the exterior exit door for Group I-4


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## JPohling (May 15, 2019)

mark handler said:


> Day Care Partial Check list
> BUILDING ANALYSIS
> 
> C. FIRE-RESISTANCE CONSTRUCTION AND FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM
> ...



Mark,  regarding #13.  This would be an "E".  I read this to then require 1 hour fire rated exterior walls per 602.  These are predominantly existing glass and aluminum storefront systems.  Would these need to be removed and replaced with a rated storefront glazed system?  seems crazy expensive.

#14 and #15  I do not believe would come into play with the small area of this tenant in a Type 1A constructed building  non separated occupancies should work?


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## JPohling (May 15, 2019)

steveray said:


> So it also has 2hr walls supporting those floors?


The existing Type 1A construction would have 3 hour primary structure supporting the 2 hour floor and secondary members.


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## ADAguy (May 15, 2019)

Would or should? What year was it built? How many stories?


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## JPohling (May 15, 2019)

ADAguy said:


> Would or should? What year was it built? How many stories?


1986,  5 stories.  2 below grade S-2  parking, 2 levels above grade currently B occupancy, 1 level rooftop parking.  concrete structure.


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## cda (May 15, 2019)

I-4?????


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## JPohling (May 15, 2019)

cda said:


> I-4?????


No,  this would be an E per CBC 308.6.1  as the child care center is on the level of discharge


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## mark handler (May 15, 2019)

just a check list, my not apply to your job


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## cda (May 15, 2019)

Each      classroom      for under 2 has a door directly         to outside?




*308.6 Institutional Group I-4, day care facilities*


This group shall include buildings and structures occupied by more than _six clients_ of any age who receive custodial care for fewer than 24 hours per day by persons other than parents or guardians, relatives by blood, marriage or adoption, and in a place other than the home of the _clients_ cared for. This group shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Adult day care
Child day care


*308.6.1 Classification as Group E*

A child day care facility that provides care for more than _six_ but no more than 100 children _under 2 years of age,_ where the rooms in which the children are cared for are located on a level of exit discharge serving such rooms and each of these child care rooms has an exit door directly to the exterior, shall be classified as Group E.


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## ADAguy (May 16, 2019)

1986 eh? Pre ADA. Has the owner removed existing barriers to access?


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## DonnaWilson (Jan 17, 2022)

California, recently moved in. Tell me, how is the construction going? Is your client finished yet? We would like to contact you on a recommendation from homecareassistance.com where my child has been getting help and support from a nurse. We were very fortunate to happen to find your old post but our problem is still unresolved and acutely building today. The baby is almost eight years old and can't walk on his own. If this facility has special norms for babies like this, we would love to get to you. We were in the hospital for a long time, then the child was taken care of by a nurse from the center. She told us that there is such a center for children. We still want to try to put the child on his feet, he walks very badly (consequences of covid), there were surgeries and the prognosis is good. But there is no one to take care of him and we have no acquaintances here in CA.


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