NFPA 13 and NFPA 13R in Same Building?

1/25/2019

Is it permissible to have an NFPA 13 and 13R system in the same building, or by code is it an all-or-nothing prescriptive standard? The most common scenario we would see this apply is with first-floor retail/mixed use construction with residential above.

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6 Comments

Robert Blakeman

1/25/2019 10:07:19 am

You cannot mix the two unless the two areas of the building are considered separate buildings under the building code.

Claude

1/25/2019 10:30:46 am

If a residential building has an enclosed underground car park, do you use NFPA 13 for the car park and use 13R for the building

Dave

1/25/2019 10:48:47 am

While 13R is unlike 13 in that 13R is life safety, there are such scenarios, like the popular pedestal/podium scenario discussed here by Matt Klaus:
https://youtu.be/xHt5gGXMAmM

sean

1/25/2019 12:53:52 pm

the example you give, a mixed use retail first floor and residential apartments above could be a special building in the IBC a podium building and technically two buildings.

Lets look at something that is one building a hotel. The first floor has conference rooms, restaurant, etc. and then 2-3 floors of dwelling rooms (hotel rooms). The height is not exceeded per nfpa 13R and as long as the building area does not require NFPA 13 we go ahead with 13R. The controlling standard would be NFPA 13R, and 13R specially says that areas outside of the dwelling unit not specifically addressed in that standard should refer to NFPA 13. The building is being design and installed per NFPA 13R. While portions need to meet NFPA 13 the entire building only has one "system" for the building codes purpose.

James

2/13/2019 11:31:46 am

Like other's have said, it isn't permitted unless the buildings are considered to be constructed as separate buildings under the local code. Go into the explanatory information for Section 1.1 of NFPA 13R:

"Where buildings of mixed use can be totally separated so that the residential portion is considered a separate building under the local code, NFPA 13R can be used in the residential portion while NFPA 13 is used in the rest of the building".

miles

3/5/2020 12:32:31 am

A very thorough answer to this question can be found here:

https://www.meyerfire.com/blog/when-can-i-use-nfpa-13r-part-i

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