Section 675IAC12-4-12. Existing buildings; additions or alterations

   (a) Buildings, structures, and any part of the permanent:

(1) heating;

(2) ventilating;

(3) air conditioning;

(4) electrical;

(5) plumbing;

(6) sanitary;

(7) emergency detection;

(8) emergency communication; or

(9) fire or explosion suppression;

systems to which additions or alterations are made shall comply with the rules of the commission for new construction except as specifically provided in this section.

  (b) Additions or alterations may be made to any existing building, structure, or any part of the permanent heating, ventilating, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, sanitary, emergency detection, emergency communication, or fire or explosion suppression systems without requiring the entire existing building, structure, or system to comply with all the requirements of the rules of the commission provided:

(1) the construction work within the scope of the addition or alteration conforms to the requirements for new construction; and

(2) subsections (c) through (f) and (h) are not violated.

  (c) No addition or alteration shall cause an existing building, structure, or any part of the permanent:

(1) heating;

(2) ventilating;

(3) air conditioning;

(4) electrical;

(5) plumbing;

(6) sanitary;

(7) emergency detection;

(8) emergency communication; or

(9) fire or explosion suppression;

systems to become noncompliant under the provisions of the current rules of the commission for new construction or with the applicable rules of the commission or its predecessor agencies in effect at the time the original construction or installation was made.

  (d) No addition or alteration shall reduce existing fire protection or detection systems or exit capacities to a level less than that required under the provisions of the rules of the commission for new construction.

  (e) When there is a change in use or occupancy, the existing building or structure shall not exceed the:

(1) height;

(2) number of stories; or

(3) area;

permitted by the rules of the commission for new construction for the new use or occupancy.

  (f) No addition to a building or structure plus the existing building or structure shall exceed the:

(1) height;

(2) number of stories; and

(3) area;

allowed by the rules of the commission for a new building or structure.

  (g) Minor nonstructural alterations to an existing building or structure, which do not adversely affect any structural members or any part of the building or structure having required fire resistance, may be made with the same materials of which the building or structure is constructed.

  (h) Notwithstanding subsection (g), the following shall meet the requirements of the rules of the commission for new construction:

(1) The installation or replacement of glass shall meet the requirements for safety glazing.

(2) The installation or replacement of wall and ceiling finishes shall meet the requirements for flame spread ratings.

(3) The installation or replacement of any potable water distribution system, or portion thereof, shall be only of lead-free pipe, fittings, flux, and solder.

  (i) Repairs to any part of the permanent:

(1) heating;

(2) ventilating;

(3) air conditioning;

(4) electrical;

(5) plumbing;

(6) sanitary;

(7) emergency detection;

(8) emergency communication; or

(9) fire or explosion;

systems may be made in accordance with the current rules of the commission for new construction or with the applicable rules of the commission or its predecessor agencies in effect at the time original installation was made.

  (j) Alterations of buildings built prior to January 21, 1978 (the effective date of the first state rule for energy conservation) need not conform with the new construction standards of 675 IAC 19. This exception is applicable regardless of whether the building or other Class 1 structure has undergone one (1) or more changes of occupancy since its construction prior to January 21, 1978, and applies to all work done in the course of any alteration, regardless of the scope of the alteration work performed. For the purposes of this exception, any remodeling work is deemed to be an alteration. This exception does not apply to any addition to a building or Class 1 structure.

  (k) If the rehabilitation of an existing building is undertaken under Chapter 34 of the Indiana Building Code, 675 IAC 13, full compliance with all rules of the commission shall be required for all construction work done in the rehabilitation.

  (l) The addition of only one (1) or more balconies, each of which does not exceed one hundred (100) square feet in total area, to an existing, non-sprinklered, R-2 occupancy is permitted without either the balconies or the existing building being protected by a sprinkler system in accordance with 675 IAC 13. (Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission; 675 IAC 12-4-12; filed Jul 17, 1987, 2:30 p.m.: 10 IR 2684; filed Dec 2, 1987, 2:22 p.m.: 11 IR 1274, eff Mar 1, 1988; filed Jan 30, 1998, 4:00 p.m.: 21 IR 2085; filed Nov 20, 2000, 3:25 p.m.: 24 IR 999; readopted filed Sep 11, 2001, 2:49 p.m.: 25 IR 530; readopted filed Sep 21, 2007, 9:20 a.m.: 20071010-IR-675070388RFA; readopted filed Oct 10, 2007, 9:16 a.m: 20071031-IR-675070388RFA; filed Oct 27, 2009, 2:36 p.m.: 20091125-IR-675090186FRA; filed Nov 24, 2010, 3:21 p.m.: 20101222-IR-675100251FRA; readopted filed Aug 8, 2012, 8:08 a.m.: 20120905-IR-675120260RFA; filed Aug 1, 2014, 11:12 a.m.: 20140827-IR-675130339FRA, eff Dec 1, 2014)