Often, church leaders want to offer families more than children’s spaces that are used only during church building activities. While adding preschool and daycare options can fill the bill perfectly, these types of spaces require adhering to more stringent requirements than those for general church use. In our previous article, we delved into the capacity and business requirements for preschool and childcare. Now let’s move on to codes and regulations that must also be considered for these options in childcare church design.
Special Spaces Impact State Ratings
One factor in designing childcare and preschool spaces is understanding how including different facilities in them can affect the rating state government gives these programs. Childcare facilities might receive different ratings when they offer specialized spaces like art rooms and computer labs. Depending on the requirements in your state, it’s a good idea to explore what the possibilities are when starting the church design.
Building Codes and Necessary Remodeling
One mostly universal mandate from state boards is that childcare and daycare facilities meet current building codes. When constructing a new church building, this won’t be much of a problem, but when doing a remodel, it can necessitate significant upgrades and limitations. For example, take the requirements for egress, especially for children under 30 months. Building codes stipulate that spaces for this age group must have direct access to the outside. Therefore, these spaces can’t be in basements or on second floors, but instead, must be on the ground floor with a direct exit outside. Furthermore, if the building will accommodate over 100 children under 30 months (which is unusual, but possible), it must have a comprehensive fire suppression system installed.
Egress and Corridor Requirements
Apart from direct outside access for younger children, other egress issues will need to be considered. For instance, staircases should have a consistent step height and safe design, avoiding steep inclines and ensuring that they are wide enough. Also, when repurposing existing spaces like sanctuaries or fellowship halls into classrooms, it’s crucial to avoid creating what’s called a “dead-end corridor,” where the only exit is at one end of the hallway. Building codes will also specify the maximum distance that can be traveled to reach an exit, impacting the layout and usage of different areas within the church building.
Kitchen and ADA Compliance
Here are some other important considerations. If your church plans to serve hot meals cooked in the daycare or preschool, the kitchen must comply with health department regulations and inspections. Even if meals are only being warmed up, health inspections are still necessary. Moreover, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is essential. This includes designing features such as elevators, family restrooms, appropriately wide doorways, and ramps to ensure accessibility for all children.
A church design for children’s spaces has many aspects to consider. These are just some of the examples. If you want to learn more about the church building and design process, we invite you to sign-up for our free i3 webinars. Visit our website for more details.