African Design Magazine ADM #37 February 2018 | Page 42

Two proposals are being developed by the International Code Council (ICC) that, if adopted, will
affect covered mall properties. These and other building code changes were considered at the ICC
hearings September 30-October 5, 2015 in Long Beach, CA.
uilding code requirements generally apply to the construction of new buildings and
alterations or additions to existing buildings, changes in the use of buildings, and the
demolition of buildings or portions of buildings at the end of their useful or economic lives.
Updated editions of the International Building Code are published on a three-year cycle.
2018 Revisions: Covered Mall Issues Specifically, there are
two major proposed changes that will affect the design and
construction of covered mall buildings in the areas of: Exit
Passageway (G77-15 and G78-15) and Property Line (FS27-
15). 1. Exit Passageway Revision (G77 and G78): The Code
change G-77 and G-78 proposal alters the Mall Building exit
passageway scoping section to state the following:
“Where exit passageways provide a secondary means of egress
from a tenant space, the exit passageway shall be constructed
in accordance with Section 1024.”
This code change ignores the unique challenges of a mall
building in which access to utilities in a common space is
necessary for the functions of a mall building. This code
change may result in reduced Gross Leasable Area (GLA) by requiring the incorporation of
dual corridor systems in the “back of house” – one corridor for utilities and one for customer
exit passageway. Compliant options will also create security concerns and occupant
confusion.
Existing shopping malls all around the country have incorporated utility distribution in exit
passageways and serviced tenants via exit passageways without any adverse effects, and
thus, this code change lacks substantiation. Outcome: Code Change G77 was rejected and
G78 passed in the code hearings.
This means the 2018 code will maintain the current covered mall building language
regarding exit passageways. There will not be a reference to Section 1024 which could have
provided a great deal of negative interpretations and prohibited a number of “back of house”
activities in covered mall building projects.
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