Department of Building Inspection Annual Report Fiscal Year 2015-2016 | Page 28

Building
Code Cycle
For the last three years, DBI’s Technical Services Division staff have been working to update San Francisco’s
building code standards to follow California state building code standards. Through this process, DBI is ensuring
the safe construction and alteration of San Francisco’s more than 200,000 buildings.
On January 1, 2017, new applicable Building, Existing Building, Historical Building, Plumbing, Mechanical,
Electrical, Green Building and Energy Codes will be in effect.
Highlights of the 2016 San Francisco Building
Code Amendments: Highlights of the 2016 California Building Code
Changes:
1. Better Roofs-Required Solar and/or Green roofs 1. Provisions for multi-tiered, ordinary concentric
braced frames where diaphragms do not occur
at each level.
2. Fire Safety Requirements for Existing Buildings
3. Building Façade Inspection and Maintenance
4. Code Enforcement Procedures
5. Permit Suspension for Repeat Violations
6. Mandatory Disabled Access Improvements
7. Conditional Use Required to Remove Any
Residential Unit
8. Notice to Tenants of Dwelling Unit Merger or
Demolition
9. Definition of Vacant or Abandoned Building was
adopted as California Existing Building Code
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Department of Building Inspection, Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Annual Report
2. Provisions allowing cross-laminated timber (CLT)
for gravity loads were added to the code.
3. Provisions for installing cladding over foam
insulating sheathing on various substrates were
added to the CBC.
4. The 2015 International Existing Building Code
was adopted as California Existing Building
Code. Chapter 34: Existing Structures
regulations were eliminated from the CBC.
Department of Building Inspection, Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Annual Report
29