We have a non-conforming fraternity building that wants to build a new two-story covered entrance canopy that ties into the existing roof. It is a heavy timber construction and has no concealed spaces. The fire area is already too large, so our interpretation is this would trigger a sprinkler system in the whole building.

A more lenient interpretation might be to only sprinkler the new portion, and potentially add some rated separation between the existing non-sprinklered building and the new sprinklered entry canopy, but I am not aware and I can't find anything about separation between sprinklered and unsprinklered portions of a building. Would this arrangement be permissible by code?

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High-rise office building, predominantly light hazard occupancy. Water supply is designed for a 30 minute duration (roof mounted gravity water storage tanks).

We need a 1-hour separation between two tenant spaces. The architect has specified a glass partition. As such closely spaced heads are being proposed to achieve an equivalent rating.

Does the water supply now need to be upgraded to provide a 1 hour supply of water?

Similarly, if sprinklers are being used to provide an equivalency rating on a required 2-hour rated partition, does the water supply need to be able to supply 2-hours of demand?

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We have a residential R-2 occupancy, four-story, combustible Type V-B, new construction building with an NFPA 13 system. The floor/ceiling assemblies are built with open-web wood trusses. 

All of the interstitial spaces around these trusses are to be filled with non-combustible insulation, which allows sprinklers to be omitted within them in accordance with NFPA 13-2013 8.15.1.2.7 "concealed spaces filled with noncombustible insulation shall not require sprinkler protection."

The IBC (2015) requires drafstopping in combustible construction to "subdivide floor ceiling assemblies" above an in-line with dwelling unit and sleeping unit separations (IBC 2015 718.3.2). However, an exception exists for buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 (an NFPA 13 system).

If these spaces omit sprinklers due to non-combustible insulation, is draftstopping still required per the IBC?

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Attached is a sketch of an interesting design issue we’ve been dealing with.

We have a convenience stair connecting multiple floors of an office building. With this, we need to treat the opening as an Atrium opening. So we have told the architect that we need a draft curtain with closely spaced heads.

The sketch attached shows some limitations that we’ve been given.

My question is, how would you suggest we accomplish the required protection given the constraints of this particular stair?

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Do all rated walls (fire partition, fire barrier, fire wall) need to run to the floor deck or roof to the next story above? 

Is there any scenario where we can put a rated lid and not continue the rated partition or fire barrier up to the deck above? 

This project is under IBC 2015, but I'm just looking for guidance on where I can get this answered in the future. Thanks in advance.

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Can someone explain the process for determining if a standpipe system needs to be designed for seismic considerations?

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We have 2x4 wood studs which are spaced 16-inches on center. There's a layer of 3/8" gypsum board on each side, plus on one side there's 1 layer of 3/8" plywood (douglas fir).

How do I determine the fire resistance rating of this partition assembly?

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I have a 2-hour fire rated barrier and need to choose code-compliant firestop. The firestop has different ratings (F, T, and L) - which is applicable?

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I am currently dealing with a fire station that was constructed in 1965, prior to any adopted building codes in Indiana.

The fire station suffered structural and roof damage during a storm from a tree fall. My question is an exterior exit staircase from the second floor was damaged. A structural engineer assessed the staircase and addressed the items needing repaired, which is quite extensive and will need to be removed for repair. The staircase is far from meeting current code.

The insurance company does not want to pay for a new exterior stairway that would meet code, they want to have it repaired.

Is there any code requirement in the 2012 IBC that would require this stairway to be brought up to the 2012 IBC on an existing building?

The stairway is the original. I cannot for the life of me find a code section that would require this stairway to be code compliant if removed and repaired. If we can cite a code requirement for this to be code compliant the insurance will pay for a brand new stairway, which is our goal.

Any recommendations or prior experience with this type of situation would be greatly appreciated! (You would think the insurance would want a code compliant exit component, but I know its all about the $$$)

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Our firm specializes in corporate interiors, buildings retrofits, modernizations, etc. A common problem that we encounter is how to provide sprinkler protection during construction.

As an example, suppose a tenant leases a single floor in a multi-story, fully sprinklered, office building. The design of the new office space requires the existing systems to be gutted and refitted. Ideally, the existing sprinkler system would be demolished to permit new ductwork, plumbing, conduit, etc. to be installed in coordination with the new sprinkler system that is designed to meet the proposed architectural layout and ceiling design. However, most municipalities would not permit the existing system to be demolished unless a fire watch was provided during system impairment. For a project with a construction schedule duration of 12-16 weeks, this could be extremely cost prohibitive.

Currently, the IBC Section 3312 states that the space can only be occupied once the sprinkler system is tested and accepted for service. No guidance is given for protection during actual construction activity (even though the name of Chapter 33 is Safeguards During Construction)

I have spoken with some AHJ’s about the topic. Some offer a solution of providing smoke/heat detection in lieu of the sprinklers during construction while others simply state to “follow the code”.

I see NFPA has a similar code to the IBC (NFPA-241) but it also lacks guidance for sprinkler protection during construction.

In NYC, a solution referred to as a Temp-Loop has been implemented for years. The Temp-Loop consists of a 2-1/2” pipe installed at 7’-6” AFF with heads spaced 12’-0” OC along the pipe, installed close to the ceiling slab. The Temp Loop piping is installed along a single path of egress connecting all egress stairs and elevator openings. The basic concept is to provide a protected path of egress and notify the FDNY should a fire occur. But by the time a sprinkler head is fused, a lot of damage would have already been done.

Have you encountered this situation previously?

I’m trying to get a consensus of what can be done in situations like above that would be mutually agreeable to the AHJ’s, landlords, leasing tenants, EOR’s, etc…

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Are calculated stair widths based on occupant loads based only on a single level that the stair is serving, or a cumulative (total) occupant load for all floors the stair serves? 

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The International Building Code requires identification of fire partitions, barriers, or fire walls with 3" letters identifying the wall itself.

I've seen (especially in hospitals) labels for each through-penetration with a UL Listing sticker right below each penetration. Is this a requirement by code, or just a hospital standard?

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The International Building Code Section 707.5.1 (2015 Edition) requires structure to have at least the level of fire resistance as the element it is supporting:

707.5.1 Supporting construction. The supporting construction for a fire barrier shall be protected to afford the required fire-resistance rating of the fire barrier supported. Hollow vertical spaces within a fire barrier shall be fireblocked in accordance with Section 718.2 at every floor level.

   Exceptions:

1. The maximum required fire-resistance rating for assemblies supporting fire barriers separating tank storage as provided for in Section 415.9.1.2 shall be 2 hours, but not less than required by Table 601 for the building construction type.

2. Supporting construction for 1-hour fire barriers required by Table 509 in buildings of Type IIB, IIIB and VB construction is not required to be fire-resistance rated unless required by other sections of this code.

The project is a three-story hotel and each unit is required to have a 1/2-hour fire resistance rating between units and between the unit and the corridor. 

Is the building structure required to have at least a 1/2-hour rating on account of these separations?

I see two potential outs that would not require it - first being that the 1/2-hour fire resistance rating could be considered a "fire partition" and not a "fire barrier". Second out is exception #2 listed above although it speaks to a 1-hour rated fire barrier and not a 1/2-hour fire barrier.

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A dormitory has 1/2-hour fire barriers separating each residential unit. On each side of the 1/2-hour wall, penetrating the 5/8" gypsum, are shower valves that serve showers within bathrooms on each side.

The shower valves have the valve assembly itself and an opening that's covered with a metal escutcheon. These would qualify as a membrane penetration under the International Building Code.

For back-to-back vales in the wall, how is this commonly addressed to still maintain the 1/2-hour fire resistance rating?

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NFPA 13 requires closely spaced sprinklers with a draft curtain around unenclosed moving stairways, staircases, or similar unenclosed floor openings which are not large (20 feet or more across and 1000 sqft or greater), as an alternative to the enclosure of the vertical opening (NFPA 13 8.15.4.1 in 2016 and 9.3.5.1 in 2019).

This seems to jive with NFPA 101, but where does it come into play with the International Building Code?

As a sprinkler designer I want to be cognizant of situations where closely spaced sprinklers and draft curtains are necessary, but would they only surface as an AHJ-approved code alternative by IBC 104.11 (Alternative materials, design and methods)?

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