Exception to Section 120.7(d): Fenestration installed in buildings meeting Part 7 of the California Building Code, California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, and where the building is located in Fire Hazard Severity Zones or Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Areas as designated by the local enforcement agency.
- All doors opening into and out of the vestibule shall be equipped with self-closing devices. Vestibules shall be designed so that in passing through the vestibule it is not necessary for the interior and exterior doors to open at the same time. The installation of one or more revolving doors in the building entrance shall not eliminate the requirement that a vestibule be provided on any main entrance doors adjacent to revolving doors.
- Where provided, the heating system for heated vestibules and air curtains with integral heating shall be provided with controls configured to shut off the source of heating when the outdoor air temperature is greater than 45°F. Vestibules heating and cooling systems shall be controlled by a thermostat located in the vestibule which is configured to limit heating to a temperature not greater than 60°F and cooling to a temperature not less than 85°F.
Exceptions to Section 120.7(e): Vestibules are not required for the following:
- Doors not intended to be used by the public, such as doors to mechanical or electrical equipment rooms, or intended solely for employee use.
- Doors opening directly from a sleeping unit or dwelling unit.
- Doors that open directly from a space less than 3,000 square feet in area.
- Revolving doors installed where a public entrance to a newly constructed building is required.
- Doors used primarily to facilitate vehicular movement or material handling and adjacent personnel doors.
- Doors that have an air curtain with a velocity of not less than 6.56 feet per second at the floor that have been tested in accordance with ANSI/AMCA 220 and installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Manual or automatic controls shall be provided that operate the air curtain with the opening and closing of the door.
- Public entrances in buildings that are located in Climate Zones 2 through 13 where the building is less than four stories above grade and less than 10,000 square feet in of gross conditioned floor area.
- Buildings with building plans that have been submitted to the local planning department before the effective date of the 2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, where compliance with the vestibules requirements of Section 120.7(e) would require a resubmittal for approval.