Habitable room

Approved document F, Ventilation, suggests that a ‘habitable room’ is:

‘…a room used for dwelling purposes but which is not solely a kitchen, utility room, bathroom, cellar or sanitary accommodation.’

Whereas an ‘occupiable room’ is:

‘…a room in a building other than a dwelling that is occupied by people, such as an office, workroom, classroom or hotel bedroom, but not a bathroom, sanitary accommodation, utility room or rooms or spaces used solely or principally for circulation, building services plant or storage purposes.

Other definitions include:

• Approved document B, Fire Safety, Volume 2, Buildings other than dwellinghouses (2019 edition), defines a habitable room as: 'A room used, or intended to be used, for people to live in (including, for the purposes of Approved Document B Volumes 1 and 2, a kitchen, but not a bathroom).'
• Approved document M1, Access to and use of buildings: dwellings, defines a habitable room as: 'A room used, or intended to be used, for dwelling purposes, including a kitchen but not a bathroom or utility room.'
• The English Housing Survey Housing Stock Report, 2014-15, prepared by the Department of Communities and Local Government, defines a habitable room as: 'A room in the dwelling that offers ‘living accommodation’. Includes bedrooms, kitchens if there is additional space to provide a dining area large enough to accommodate a table and chairs (typically an area of 2m² in addition to kitchen space). A fully converted room in the loft space is classified as a habitable room even if it can only be reached by a fixed ladder or unsafe staircase.' This definition is repeated in The English Housing Survey, Profile and condition of the English housing stock, 2018-19, Published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government in August 2020.
• The Scottish Building Standards refer to a 'principal habitable room' in relation to the provision of fire detection and fire alarm systems. They define a principal habitable room as ‘…a frequently used room by the occupants of a dwelling for general daytime living purposes.’
• The Home Quality Mark defines a habitable room as ‘…a room used for home purposes, but which is not solely a kitchen, utility room, bathroom, cellar or sanitary accommodation.’ Ref Home Quality Mark One, Technical Manual SD239, England, Scotland & Wales, published by BRE in 2018. http://www.homequalitymark.com/standard
• BREEAM UK New Construction, Non-domestic Buildings (United Kingdom), Technical Manual, SD5078: BREEAM UK New Construction 2018 3.0, published by BRE Global Limited suggest that in relation to acoustic performance; '...habitable rooms include any room where individuals will sit or lie down and require a reasonably quiet environment in which to concentrate or rest. Such rooms are bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, studies as well as kitchen-dining and kitchen-living rooms.'
• Land measurement for planning and development purposes, Guidance Note, Global 1st edition, Published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in May 2021, states: ‘Different jurisdictions may define habitable rooms differently. Typically, habitable rooms provide the living accommodation of the dwelling. They include living room, dining room, study, home office, conservatory and bedrooms. They exclude the bathroom, WC, utility room, storeroom, circulation space and kitchen (unless it provides space for dining).’

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Approved documents.
• Bathroom definition.
• Bedroom standard.
• Curtilage.
• Dwellinghouse.
• Flat definition.
• Home Quality Mark.
• Household.
• Principal habitable room.
• Residential definition.
• Sanitary accommodation.
• Sheltered housing definition.
• Use class.