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Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT

Section 1204

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2022 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

1204.1 General.

Every space intended for human occupancy shall be provided with natural light by means of exterior glazed openings in accordance with Section 1204.2 or shall be provided with artificial light in accordance with Section 1204.3. Exterior glazed openings shall open directly onto a public way or onto a yard or court in accordance with Section 1205.

[HCD 1] Glazed openings may open into a passive solar energy collector provided the area of exterior glazed open- ings in the passive solar energy collector is increased to com- pensate for the area required by the interior space.

1204.2 Natural light.

The minimum net glazed area shall be not less than 8 percent of the floor area of the room served.

1204.2.1 Adjoining spaces. For the purpose of natural lighting, any room is permitted to be considered as a portion of an adjoining room where one-half of the area of the common wall is open and unobstructed and provides an opening of not less than one-tenth of the floor area of the interior room or 25 square feet (2.32 m 2 ), whichever is greater.

Exception: Openings required for natural light shall be permitted to open into a sunroom with thermal isolation or a patio cover where the common wall provides a glazed area of not less than one-tenth of the floor area of the interior room or 20 square feet (1.86 m 2 ), whichever is greater.

1204.2.2 Exterior openings. Exterior openings required by Section 1204.2 for natural light shall open directly onto a public way, yard or court, as set forth in Section 1205.

Exceptions:

  1. Required exterior openings are permitted to open into a roofed porch where the porch meets all of the following criteria:

1.1. Abuts a public way, yard or court.

1.2. Has a ceiling height of not less than 7 feet (2134 mm).

1.3. Has a longer side at least 65 percent open and unobstructed.

INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT

  1. Skylights are not required to open directly onto a public way, yard or court.

1204.3 Artificial light.

Artificial light shall be provided that is adequate to provide an average illumination of 10 footcandles (107 lux) over the area of the room at a height of 30 inches (762 mm) above the floor level.

1204.4 Stairway illumination.

Stairways within dwelling units and exterior stairways serving a dwelling unit shall have an illumination level on tread runs of not less than 1 footcandle (11 lux). Stairways in other occupancies shall be governed by Chapter 10.

1204.4.1 Controls. The control for activation of the required stairway lighting shall be in accordance with the California Electrical Code .

1204.5 Emergency egress lighting.

The means of egress shall be illuminated in accordance with Section 1008.1.

1204.6 Light pollution reduction. [BSC-CG]

See California Green Building Standards Code, Chapter 5, Division 5.1 for additional light pollution reduction requirements.

1204.7 Campus lighting for parking facilities and primary

walkways at California state universities, colleges and com- munity colleges. [BSC] Artificial light shall be provided for parking facilities and primary walkways at California State Universities, colleges and community colleges in accordance with provisions of this subsection. This subsection shall not apply to the University of California unless the Regents of the University of California, by resolution, make it applicable.

1204.7.1 Lighting requirements. Based on the recommen- dations of the most current edition of the Illumination Engineering Society lighting handbook, the following lighting standards shall be used for all new construction of open parking facilities, covered parking facilities and primary walkways:

1. Open and covered parking facilities.

1.1. Medium-level activity usage when medium usage is present.

1.2. High-level activity usage when high usage is present.

2. Primary campus walkways.

2.1. Medium-level activity usage when medium usage is present.

2.2. High-level activity usage when high usage is present.

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▸Contents — California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  2. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT
  3. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING
  4. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED
  5. Appendix N — REPLICABLE
  6. Appendix O — PERFORMANCE-BASED
  7. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  8. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  9. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY A…
  10. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  11. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  13. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  14. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  15. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  16. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  17. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  18. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  19. ▸Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
    Overview
    1. Section 1201
    2. Section 1202
    3. Section 1203
    4. Section 1204
    5. Section 1205
    6. Section 1206
    7. Section 1207
    8. Section 1208
    9. Section 1209
    10. Section 1210
    11. Section 1211 — [HCD 1 & HCD 2]
    12. Section 1212 — [HCD 1]
    13. Section 1213
    14. Section 1214
    15. Section 1215
    16. Section 1216
    17. Section 1217
    18. Section 1218
    19. Section 1219
    20. Section 1220
    21. Section 1221
    22. Section 1222
    23. Section 1223
    24. Section 1224 — [OSHPD 1]
    25. Section 1225 — [OSHPD 2]
    26. Section 1226 — [OSHPD 3]
    27. Section 1227 — [OSHPD 4]
    28. Section 1228 — [OSHPD 5]
    29. Section 1229
    30. Section 1230 — [BSCC]
    31. Section 1231 — [BSCC]
    32. Section 1232
    33. Section 1233
    34. Section 1234
    35. Section 1235 — [DPH]
    36. Section 1236 — [DPH]
    37. Section 1237 — [DPH]
    38. Section 1238
    39. Section 1239
    40. Section 1240 — [AGR]
    41. Section 1241 — [AGR]
    42. Section 1242 — [AGR]
    43. Section 1243 — [AGR]
    44. Section 1244
    45. Section 1245
    46. Section 1246
    47. Section 1247
    48. Section 1248
    49. Section 1249
    50. Section 1250 — [CA]
    51. Section 1251 — [CA]
    52. Section 1252 — [CA]
    53. Section 1253 — [CA]
    54. Section 1254 — [CA]
  20. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  21. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  22. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  23. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  24. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  25. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  26. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  27. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  28. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  29. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  30. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  31. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  32. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  33. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  34. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  35. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  36. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  37. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  38. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  39. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  40. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  41. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  42. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  43. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  44. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  45. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  46. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  47. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  48. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  49. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  50. Appendix H — SIGNS
  51. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  52. Appendix J — GRADING
  53. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  54. Appendix P — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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