4.1 This guide and the use of consensus performance standards for housing can significantly contribute to the removal of barriers to the acceptance of housing innovation in the global marketplace. This guide in conjunction with the balance of the set of standard guides can also serve to improve communications between producers and consumers leading to enhanced quality and performance of housing.

4.2 This guide is not intended for use in specifying and evaluating residential construction other than single family attached and detached dwellings.

4.3 Although this guide addresses site planning as it affects functionality of single family attached and detached dwellings, the site-planning issues considered are not be construed as a comprehensive site specification.

4.4 This guide can be useful to managers of housing procurement projects, home builders, designers, product manufacturers, and evaluation services in addressing functionality issues related to single family attached and detached dwellings. Such applications can require that the examples of performance statements be written in mandatory language.

4.5 Methodology/Special Conditions:

4.5.1 In order to provide the specifier added flexibility in the choice of specific building elements, the specifier may choose to require that the providers submit information on certain building elements representing alternative levels of quality, beyond those which are defined by the attributes in the complete set of standard guides. For each of these the providers should be required to submit details, specifications, or other appropriate information as determined by the specifier.

4.5.2 Some elements that may need these alternatives are finishes, fixtures and hardware.

4.6 Code Compliance-This guide does not intend to take precedence over applicable standards, federally regulated standards local rules, codes and regulations.

4.7 Data and Dimensions:

4.7.1 Anthropometric-The specifier should provide the potential providers with important dimensions such as the height, width, reach, stretch, eye level of potential occupants standing and sitting, as well as other relevant anthropometric dimension so the occupants can conveniently use the dwelling unit. The Specifier should take into consideration occupants who do not fit into the population mean; the dimensions should be adjusted as required. See the standard Guide "I"-Accessibility for Dimensions Associated with Access for the Disabled.

4.7.1.1 Discussion-The 97.5 percentile (large male) dimensions may be used to determine space envelopes, the 2.5 percentile (small person) may be used to determine the maximum reach areas by hand or foot, and the 50 percentile (average person) may be used to establish control and display heights. Reference: "Humanscale 7/8/9" (see Section 2).

4.7.2 Furniture Sizes-The specifier may provide potential providers with typical furniture dimensions that will be used in conjunction with the performance statements that address furnishability to evaluate the appropriateness of room shapes and layouts. Providers wishing to suggest other furniture types for the purpose of evaluation should provide justification, dimensions, and documentation that a variety of each of these furniture types to be substituted is readily available. Reference: Residential chapter of "Time-Saver Standards For Building Types," Residential Furnishings section of "Architectural Graphic Standards" (see Section 2).

4.7.3 Movement and Circulation Minima-See the Ease of Movement Performance Statements, in Appendix X2 for minimum movement and circulation. Where such movement and circulation conditions exist, the guidelines are intended to be used with the furniture size information (see 4.7.2) and with the furnishability criteria in section X2.2.3 and the Performance Statements in Appendix X2. The specifier may choose to modify and add to these minimum guidelines based on project specific objectives. Providers wishing to use alternative minimum circulation dimensions should be required to provide documentation from a source acceptable to the specifier indicating that the intended dimensions are adequate. Also, where the specifier has included accessibility considerations see ASTM Designation: I-__ Pre-Standard Guide for Specifying and Evaluating Performance of Single Family Attached and Detached Dwellings-Accessibility.

4.8 Provisions for a Functional Building Site-See Section 6.

4.8.1 Site Planning-See Section 6.

4.9 Automobile Parking-See Section 6.