Habitable Rooms

Minimum Areas, Widths and Heights of Habitable Rooms

See Table 5-1 for Minimum Square Footage of Habitable Rooms

See Minimum Property Standards (Draft) Section 503.5, page 76

 

Table 5-1 shall determine the minimum areas, widths and heights of habitable rooms and lavatories provided that

  1. The areas given in Table 5-1 shall be measured between the structural faces of walls permitted for such individual uses.
  2. No habitable room used for two or more purposes shall be divided by any wall, partition, screen or fitting into areas less than the  minimum areas permitted far such individual uses, unless such  division or partition is not more than 4’0” high.
  3. Any open kitchen recess shall have a minimum floor area of 30 sq.ft.
  4. Every building or apartment of group E(a) shall provide living dining and sleeping accommodation, together with suitable cooking and sanitary facilities, and adequate storage facilities.
  5. In any building or apartment of group E(a) providing only one habitable room, the area of such a room shall not be less than 200 sq.ft.
  6. Where any building of group E(a) or group E(c) is used or intended to be used for the letting or renting of individual rooms or apartments with common cooking and/or sanitary facilities, the area of any such shall be determined in accordance with the following: (i) If shared by two (2) apartments only, the area of the facility shall be not less than 100 sq.ft. in area. (ii) If shared by more than two apartments the area of the facility shall not be less than 65 sq. ft. per unit of accommodation sharing the facility.
  7. Any room used as a place of public assembly for more than 50 persons shall have a minimum height of 10' 0", except that the minimum clear  height under a gallery or balcony or mezzanine of less than 500 sq. ft,  may be reduced to 8 ft. provided that the space under the gallery or  mezzanine is not separately enclosed.
  8. Where ceiling fans are being erected, the minimum height from the floor to the ceiling should not be less than 9'0".

 

Light and Ventilation

  1. Any habitable room not provided with adequate artificial lighting and ventilation shall be provided with one or more window or skylights,  having an area or combined area of not less than 10 percent of the floor  area of the room. Not less than 50 percent of the total area of such  window or skylights shall open to permit the free unobstructed passage  of fresh air.
  2. In the case of buildings provided with full mechanical ventilation systems, then the area of opening light may be reduced to not less than  one third of total window area, at the discretion of the Authority.
  3. In the case of usable rooms or spaces in buildings without natural light  and ventilation, then artificial lighting and full mechanical ventilation  systems or air conditioning must be provided in accordance with design and installation requirements of Section 11 of this Code.