Area of Basement Included for Fire Flow Calc?

3/26/2024

We are trying to determine Fire Flow according to Annex of IFC 2022.

It says: B104.1 General The fire-flow calculation area shall be the total floor area of all floor levels within the exterior walls, and under the horizontal projections of the roof of a building, except as modified in Section B104.3. B104.2 Area Separation Portions of buildings that are separated by fire walls without openings, constructed in accordance with the International Building Code, are allowed to be considered as separate fire-flow calculation areas.

Does this mean we need to add in (include) the area of basement to the floor area for Fire Flow?

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8 Comments

Pete H

3/26/2024 07:09:54 am

I'd say yes unless the basement is separated from the building by fire walls without openings.

chad

3/26/2024 08:03:47 am

100% yes.

Anthony

3/26/2024 08:44:26 am

I agree with Chad and Pete here.

Dan

3/26/2024 08:43:13 am

FLOOR AREA, GROSS. The floor area within the
inside perimeter of the exterior walls of the building under
consideration, exclusive of vent shafts and courts, without
deduction for corridors, stairways, ramps, closets, the thickness
of interior walls, columns or other features. The floor
area of a building, or portion thereof, not provided with
surrounding exterior walls shall be the usable area under the
horizontal projection of the roof or floor above. The gross
floor area shall not include shafts with no openings or interior
courts.

Absolutely the basement counts.

Todd E Wyatt

3/26/2024 08:44:17 am

The quoted section states “all FLOOR LEVELS within the exterior walls” so the “BASEMENT” would be included in this calculation.

The IFC-2021 (and IBC-2021) defines “BASEMENT” as “A story that is not a story above grade plane.”

A STORY ABOVE GRADE PLANE is “any story having its finished floor surface entirely above grade plane, or in which the finished surface of the floor next above is: More than 6 feet (1829 mm) above grade plane; or More than 12 feet (3658 mm) above the finished ground level at any point.”

The GRADE PLANE is “a reference plane representing the average of finished ground level adjoining the building at exterior walls. Where the finished ground level slopes away from the exterior walls, the reference plane shall be established by the lowest points within the area between the building and the lot line or, where the lot line is more than 6 feet (1829 mm) from the building, between the building and a point 6 feet (1829 mm) from the building.”

A STORY is “that portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor and the upper surface of the floor or roof next above (see "Basement," "Building height," "Grade plane" and "Mezzanine"). A story is measured as the vertical distance from top to top of two successive tiers of beams or finished floor surfaces and, for the topmost story, from the top of the floor finish to the top of the ceiling joists or, where there is not a ceiling, to the top of the roof rafters.”

FIRE WALLS are (typically) vertical fire-resistive rated (FRR) assemblies so it could not be used to separate horizontally a BASEMENT from Story 01.

Jesse

3/26/2024 10:02:08 am

Absolutely yes.

Jim

3/26/2024 12:43:44 pm

THANKS, Guys!

Turns out the minimum of 1000gpm kicks in anyway,
so the basements didn't make a difference.

In this case the Appendix calls for 3 hours, so a big tank!

Glenn Berger

3/26/2024 03:55:40 pm

If the Basement has the greatest hazard and therefore the greatest fire flow demand, then the answer is to the question is yes.

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Area of Basement Included for Fire Flow Calc?

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