Int. No. 1100
By Council Members Ulrich, Chin, Ferreras, Fidler, James, Koo, Koppell, Lander, Mendez, Palma, Recchia, Richards, Rose, Rodriguez, Koslowitz, Arroyo, Garodnick, Mark-Viverito, Wills, Brewer, Barron and Van Bramer
A Local Law to amend the New York city building code, in relation to keeping residential stairwells and hallways lit during blackouts.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section BC 1002 of the New York city building code is amended by adding a new definition to be placed in alphabetical order to read as follows:
LUMENS. The unit of luminous flux, equal to the luminous flux emitted in a unit solid angle by a point source of one candle intensity.
§ 2. Section BC 1006 of the New York city building code is amended by adding a new subdivision 1006.4 to read as follows:
1006.4 Backup lighting system. Exit access corridors, exit passageways, exit stairways, and interior exit discharge elements serving occupancies in Groups I-1, R-1, and R-2 shall be provided with a backup lighting system in accordance with Section 1006.4.1 and Section 1006.4.2.
Exceptions:
1. Buildings in Group R-2 occupancy that are four stories or less and do not contain more than three dwelling units per story.
2. Where the emergency power source for the illumination required in Section 1006.3 is an on-site generator utilizing natural gas from the public utility street main as a fuel supply, as permitted in Section 2702.
3. Any level of a stairwell that is provided with not less than 12 square feet of exterior glazed opening facing onto a public way, or onto a yard or court.
4. Public corridors that are provided with exterior glazed openings facing onto a public way, or onto a yard or court. The net glazed area shall not be less than 6 percent of the floor area of the corridor.
1006.4.1 Backup lighting system power source. The power supply from the backup lighting system power source shall be available no later than 10 seconds after the building's emergency power system fails and shall last for a duration of not less than 120 hours.
1006.4.2 Performance of backup lighting system. Not less than 60 lumens of light output shall be provided at each stairway entrance and discharge. Not less than 60 lumens of light output shall be provided at every 30 feet of public corridor. The backup lighting system shall be designed and installed so that the failure of any individual lighting element shall not leave in total darkness any space the requires emergency illumination.
§ 3. This local law shall take effect January 1, 2014.
JCH
6/21/2013 12:56 PM