Does EIFS Trigger Sprinklers on Exterior Corridor?

6/14/2023

We have a multistory hotel building with the rooms opening to an exterior corridor. There is Exterior Insulation Finish System (EIFS) along the walls of the exterior corridor.

NFPA 13 (2022), Section 9.2.3.3 allows omission of sprinklers from exterior exit corridors where the exterior wall of the corridor is at least 50% open and where the corridor is entirely of noncombustible construction.

It seems from research that EIFS is considered combustible and would require sprinkler protection along the exterior corridor.

Has anyone done more research on this or has this come up before for other projects with EIFS in the exterior corridors and ultimately required sprinkler protection?

Thanks in advance.

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8 Comments

Jesse

6/14/2023 08:11:07 am

Oh the stories I could tell about EIFS...

Yes, EIFS is absolutely combustible. And yes, it should trigger exterior protection.

Todd E Wyatt

6/14/2023 08:47:31 am

If the EIFS substrate is of “noncombustible, limited-combustible, or fire-retardant materials”, an automatic sprinkler system is permitted to be omitted per 2022 NFPA 13.
2022 NFPA 13 defines “noncombustible and limited-combustible” in Chapter 4.

The Means of Egress component you describe (“exterior corridor”) is an “Egress Balcony” per 2021 IBC Section 1021. Balconies used for egress purposes shall “conform to the same requirements as corridors for minimum width, required capacity, headroom, dead ends and projections.” This includes the fire-resistance rating (FRR) of the “Egress Balcony’s” walls. Per 2021 IBC TABLE 1020.2 CORRIDOR FIRE-RESISTANCE RATING, Group R occupancies (Hotels are R-1) require an automatic sprinkler system (ASPS) in the “corridors” and the corridors are required to have a 0.5-Hour or a 1-Hour FRR. This FRR corridor separation is not required “where the exterior egress balcony is served by not less than two stairways and a dead-end travel condition does not require travel past an unprotected opening to reach a stairway.”

Todd E Wyatt

6/14/2023 08:48:12 am

REFERENCES
2022 NFPA 13
A.3.3.120 Limited-Combustible Material.
Material subject to increase in combustibility or flame spread index beyond the limits herein established through the effects of age, moisture, or other atmospheric condition is considered combustible. See NFPA 259 and NFPA 220.

Chapter 4 General Requirements
4.9 Noncombustible Materials and Limited-Combustible Materials.
4.9.1* Noncombustible Material.
4.9.1.1
A material that complies with any of the following shall be considered a noncombustible material:
(1) *The material, in the form in which it is used, and under the conditions anticipated, will not ignite, burn, support combustion, or release flammable vapors when subjected to fire or heat.
(2) The material is reported as passing ASTM E136, Standard Test Method for Assessing Combustibility of Materials Using a Vertical Tube Furnace at 750°C.
(3) The material is reported as complying with the pass/fail criteria of ASTM E136 when tested in accordance with the test method and procedure in ASTM E2652, Standard Test Method for Assessing Combustibility of Materials Using a Tube Furnace with a Cone-shaped Airflow Stabilizer, at 750°C.
4.9.1.2
Where the term limited-combustible is used in this standard, it shall also include the term noncombustible. [5000:7.1.4.1.2]
4.9.2* Limited-Combustible Material.
A material shall be considered a limited-combustible material where both of the following conditions of 4.9.2(1) and 4.9.2(2), and the conditions of either 4.9.2.1 or 4.9.2.2, are met:
(1) The material does not comply with the requirements for a noncombustible material in accordance with 4.9.1.
(2) The material, in the form in which it is used, exhibits a potential heat value not exceeding 3500 Btu/lb (8150 kJ/kg), when tested in accordance with NFPA 259.
4.9.2.1
The material shall have a structural base of noncombustible material with a surfacing not exceeding a thickness of 1⁄8 in. (3.2 mm) where the surfacing exhibits a flame spread index not greater than 50 when tested in accordance with ASTM E84, Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials, or UL 723, Standard for Test for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials. [5000:7.1.4.2.1]
4.9.2.2
The material shall be composed of materials that in the form and thickness used, neither exhibit a flame spread index greater than 25 nor evidence of continued progressive combustion when tested in accordance with ASTM E84 or UL 723 and are of such composition that all surfaces that would be exposed by cutting through the material on any plane would neither exhibit a flame spread index greater than 25 nor exhibit evidence of continued progressive combustion when tested in accordance with ASTM E84 or UL 723. [5000:7.1.4.2.2]
4.9.2.3
Materials shall be considered limited-combustible materials where tested in accordance with ASTM E2965, Standard Test Method for Determination of Low Levels of Heat Release Rate for Materials and Products Using an Oxygen Consumption Calorimeter, at an incident flux of 75 kW/m2 for a 20-minute exposure, and both the following conditions are met:
(1) The peak heat release rate shall not exceed 150 kW/m2 for longer than 10 seconds.
(2) The total heat released shall not exceed 8 MJ/m2.
4.9.2.4
Where the term limited-combustible is used in this standard, it shall also include the term noncombustible. [5000:7.1.4.2.4]

9.2.3* Exterior Projections.
9.2.3.1*
Sprinklers shall be permitted to be omitted where the exterior canopies, roofs, porte-cocheres, balconies, decks, and similar projections are constructed with materials that are noncombustible, limited-combustible, or fire retardant–treated wood as defined in NFPA 703, or where the projections are constructed utilizing a noncombustible frame, limited-combustibles, or fire retardant–treated wood with an inherently flame-resistant fabric overlay as demonstrated by Test Method 2 in accordance with NFPA 701.

ENHANCED CONTENT
Sprinklers can be omitted if the canopy construction assembly is composed entirely of noncombustible, limited-combustible, or fire-retardant materials and the area underneath is essentially restricted to pedestrian use. The reference to noncombustible and limited-combustible construction applies to the entire canopy assembly and not just to the exposed surface. Cases in which the exterior roof or canopy is surfaced with noncombustible, limited-combustible, or fire-retardant-treated materials normally require sprinklers, but sprinklers can be omitted if the requirements of 9.2.3.1 are met.

The roof canopy typically found on strip shopping malls, where the area under the canopy is limited to pedestrians, is an example of this condition where pedestrian traffic is the primary use. Areas where automobiles stop briefly to pick up or drop off passengers are not considered storage areas. Areas located at drive-in bank windows or porte-cocheres at motels and hotels normally do not require spri

Todd E Wyatt

6/14/2023 08:49:00 am

REFERENCES continued ...
The roof canopy typically found on strip shopping malls, where the area under the canopy is limited to pedestrians, is an example of this condition where pedestrian traffic is the primary use. Areas where automobiles stop briefly to pick up or drop off passengers are not considered storage areas. Areas located at drive-in bank windows or porte-cocheres at motels and hotels normally do not require sprinklers. However, the area under the exterior ceiling shown in Exhibit 9.8 requires sprinkler protection. The space is used primarily for parking vehicles, and the remainder of the building is sprinklered.

9.2.3.2
Sprinklers shall be permitted to be omitted from below the exterior projections of combustible construction, provided the exposed finish material on the exterior projections are noncombustible, limited-combustible, or fire retardant–treated wood as defined in NFPA 703, and the exterior projections contain only sprinklered concealed spaces or any of the following unsprinklered combustible concealed spaces:
(1) Combustible concealed spaces filled entirely with noncombustible insulation
(2) Light or ordinary hazard occupancies where noncombustible or limited-combustible ceilings are directly attached to the bottom of solid wood joists so as to create enclosed joist spaces 160 ft3 (4.5 m3) or less in volume, including space below insulation that is laid directly on top or within the ceiling joists in an otherwise sprinklered attic [see 19.2.3.1.5.2(4)]
(3) Concealed spaces over isolated small exterior projections not exceeding 55 ft2 (5.1 m2) in area

2021 IBC
Chapter 10 Means of Egress

TABLE 1020.2 CORRIDOR FIRE-RESISTANCE RATING
OCCUPANCY : R
REQUIRED FIRE-RESISTANCE RATING (hours)
Without sprinkler system : Not Permitted
With sprinkler system : 0.5c/1d

Section 1021 Egress Balconies
1021.1 General
Balconies used for egress purposes shall conform to the same requirements as corridors for minimum width, required capacity, headroom, dead ends and projections.
1021.2 Wall Separation
Exterior egress balconies shall be separated from the interior of the building by walls and opening protectives as required for corridors.
Exception: Separation is not required where the exterior egress balcony is served by not less than two stairways and a dead-end travel condition does not require travel past an unprotected opening to reach a stairway.
1021.3 Openness
The long side of an egress balcony shall be not less than 50 percent open, and the open area above the guards shall be so distributed as to minimize the accumulation of smoke or toxic gases.
1021.4 Location
Exterior egress balconies shall have a minimum fire separation distance of 10 feet (3048 mm) measured at right angles from the exterior edge of the egress balcony to the following:
Adjacent lot lines.
(1) Other portions of the building.
(2) Other buildings on the same lot unless the adjacent building exterior walls and openings are protected in accordance with Section 705 based on fire separation distance.
(3) For the purposes of this section, other portions of the building shall be treated as separate buildings.

SCHULMAN

6/14/2023 09:34:45 am

In Europe you might get arrested for suggesting to omit these sprinklers .. Im with Jesse ... EIFS IS COMBUSTIBLE.

Pete H

6/14/2023 01:26:35 pm

No personal experience, but if it's combustible, you provide sprinkler protection. And it sounds pretty combustible.

Insurers classify EIFS as combustible.

Yeah, it needs sprinklers.

Alex

6/14/2023 01:45:14 pm

My two favorite research projects back in school were both the Grenfell Tower and the Torch Tower (well.. fire 1 and 2!).

I would highly recommend exterior protection.

Kevin

6/28/2023 11:14:22 am

A question. Would EIFS system such as Dryvit EPS10 combustible foam with a flame spread rating of 25 or less per ASTM E84 would not require exterior/exposure protection? Regardless if an exterior corridor or just the entire wood frame exterior of 4 story apartment?

Does EIFS Trigger Sprinklers on Exterior Corridor?

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