I wish that were true. It is for combustible construction like houses. For non-combustible, sprinklered buildings like high-rises, the requirement is two means of egress for each dwelling unit, within a maximum distance to egress. Having an operable window in each bedroom of a high-rise for escape purposes would not be a life-saving measure!
Sadly, there are multiple buildings under construction and already occupied in West Campus with windowless bedrooms. It should not be allowed for health and safety reasons unrelated to fire safety. There is a movement among local architects to get the City to make it illegal to build a bedroom without a window, but currently it is perfectly legal.
There was a ton of discourse on twitter about this exact thing a few weeks ago. At the end of the day, I don't care if windowless units are built as long as housing continues to get built. There are a lot of units with "windowless" bedrooms out there that have an interior window or a false wall that will let in light from the living area.
[QUOTE=dilliam;9792168]There was a ton of discourse on twitter about this exact thing a few weeks ago. At the end of the day, I don't care if windowless units are built as long as housing continues to get built. There are a lot of units with "windowless" bedrooms out there that have an interior window or a false wall that will let in light from the living area.[/QUOTE/]
Build away, friend, you only need provide 70 sf per bedroom and you don't need money-wasters like interior windows or false walls.
Location: Anchorage-Austin-Anchorage-Austin and so forth...
Posts: 1,606
Quote:
Originally Posted by H2O
I wish that were true. It is for combustible construction like houses. For non-combustible, sprinklered buildings like high-rises, the requirement is two means of egress for each dwelling unit, within a maximum distance to egress. Having an operable window in each bedroom of a high-rise for escape purposes would not be a life-saving measure!
Sadly, there are multiple buildings under construction and already occupied in West Campus with windowless bedrooms. It should not be allowed for health and safety reasons unrelated to fire safety. There is a movement among local architects to get the City to make it illegal to build a bedroom without a window, but currently it is perfectly legal.
Interesting. I must have been thinking about houses regarding egress windows and assumed it applied to multi family also.
Location: Austin -> San Antonio -> Columbia -> San Antonio -> Chicago -> Austin -> Denver -> Austin
Posts: 5,710
Quote:
Originally Posted by IluvATX
Good point. I believe fire code requires a window in any bedroom.
Going further than H20, for combustible building, depending on the jurisdiction, it is either a window or any source of natural light (for instance: things like interior bedrooms with pony walls to grab light from the living room’s window).
Avenue lofts have some pretty unique units. A friend lived here on the first level and those units are multi-story. Main space on the first floor/ground level with the bedroom and bathroom a staircase below.
Avenue lofts have some pretty unique units. A friend lived here on the first level and those units are multi-story. Main space on the first floor/ground level with the bedroom and bathroom a staircase below.
I had a buddy who lived in a condo taking up the top two floors of the rounded glass part in the middle. It was a pretty sweet place.
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