3.7.2.1. Window Areas

(1) Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (3) or otherwise permitted, every room used for sleeping in any building, and every principal room such as living room, dining room or combination of them in dwelling units shall be provided with windows having areas conforming to Part 9, except that Article 9.9.10.1. does not apply.

(2) Long-term care homes shall have,

(a) in an activity room, a sitting room or a lounge, one or more windows with a total unobstructed glass area, exclusive of skylights, of not less than 10% of the area of the room, and

(b) in a residents’ sleeping room, one or more windows that,

(i) have a total unobstructed glass area, exclusive of skylights, of not less than 10% of the area of the room,

(ii) open to the outdoors and have a total unobstructed glass area, exclusive of skylights, of not less than 5% of the area of the room, and

(iii) are installed with the bottom edge of the glass of every window not more than 660 mm above the floor.

(3) Play activity rooms in a child care facility and work areas in live/work units shall have one or more windows that conform to Clause (2)(a).

9.9.10.1. Egress Windows or Doors for Bedrooms

(1) Except where a door on the same floor level as the bedroom provides direct access to the exterior, every floor level containing a bedroom in a suite shall be provided with at least one outside window that,

(a) is openable from the inside without the use of tools,

(b) provides an individual, unobstructed open portion having a minimum area of 0.35 m² with no dimension less than 380 mm, and

(c) maintains the required opening described in Clause (b) without the need for additional support.

(2) Except for basement areas, the window required in Sentence (1) shall have a maximum sill height of 1 000 mm above the floor.

(3) When sliding windows are used, the minimum dimension described in Sentence (1) shall apply to the openable portion of the window.

(4) Where the sleeping area within a live/work unit is on a mezzanine with no obstructions more than 1 070 mm above the floor, the window required in Sentence (1) may be provided on the main level of the live/work unit provided the mezzanine is not more than 25% of the area of the live/work unit or 20 m2, whichever is less, and an unobstructed direct path of travel is provided from the mezzanine to this window.

(5) Where a window required in Sentence (1) opens into a window well, a clearance of not less than 550 mm shall be provided in front of the window.

(6) Where the sash of a window referred to in Sentence (5) swings towards the window well, the operation of the sash shall not reduce the clearance in a manner that would restrict escape in an emergency.

(7) Where a protective enclosure is installed over the window well referred to in Sentence (5), such enclosure shall be openable from the inside without the use of keys, tools or special knowledge of the opening mechanism.