Use NFPA 13R for Apartments and Storage Area?

8/29/2024

I have a church reuse project with three apartments on the top floor and open storage on the lower/basement level.

Can I use NFPA 13R throughout?

Or, do I need to base it on an NFPA 13 system with a typical 4" riser?

I believe the building is Type V-B construction. Thanks in advance.

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7 Comments

Pete H

8/29/2024 06:48:46 am

My early morning take:
Is the open storage divided by the apartments where it's just their "basements" and part of their residences, a communal storage area that's open to all three resident tenants but no one else, is it going to be a commercially offered storage space or a storage space used by the building owner separate from the residences?

If the first one, there's an argument that it's just the basements of the apartments and still viewed as part of the residential space.

If any of the last three... even the communal storage one, I'm leaning on bottom floor is 13 and they need to give it adequate separation to make the top floor 13R. And they'll want to with V-B construction to avoid the expensive dry system the combustible construction above the roof would need in 13.

From the 13R handbook:

"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. Examples of accessory occupancies found in NFPA 13R installations can include parking garages/areas, community laundry rooms, clubhouses, exercise facilities, tenant storage, and so forth."

So unless these are totally separated or the building is totally a residential occupancy, I'd say you are stuck in 13. But I can be completely incorrect.

Peter A

8/29/2024 08:11:58 am

I've got a landlord of a new 4 unit, that has separated "landlord storage" likely for his RV and landscaping business. I told him that he needs to install a 13 system, as the building is no longer considered an apartment building with tenant storage.

Todd E Wyatt

8/29/2024 08:25:28 am

Per the scoping Code (e.g. IBC-2021), the building, if classified as a Group R-2 Occupancy Classification (OC), NFPA 13R would be permitted :

903.3.1.2 NFPA 13R Sprinkler Systems
Automatic sprinkler systems in Group R occupancies shall be permitted to be installed throughout in accordance with NFPA 13R where the Group R occupancy meets all of the following conditions:
1. Four stories or fewer above grade plane.
2. The floor level of the highest story is 30 feet (9144 mm) or less above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
3. The floor level of the lowest story is 30 feet (9144 mm) or less below the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
The number of stories of Group R occupancies constructed in accordance with Sections 510.2 and 510.4 shall be measured from grade plane.

As Pete explains above, if the "basement” is classified as a Group S Storage w/a above Group R-2, the Group S Storage is req'd to be protected by an automatic sprinkler system (ASPS) per the following :

903.2.8 Group R
An automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3 shall be provided THROUGHOUT all buildings with a Group R fire area.

The Group S is req’d to be protected by a NFPA 13 ASPS.

The Group R-2 & Group S-2 can be separated into (2) separate FIRE AREAS …

901.7 Fire Areas
Where buildings, or portions thereof, are divided into fire areas so as not to exceed the limits established for requiring a fire protection system in accordance with this chapter, such fire areas shall be separated by fire walls constructed in accordance with Section 706, fire barriers constructed in accordance with Section 707, or HORIZONTAL ASSEMBLIES constructed in accordance with Section 711, or a combination thereof having a fire-resistance rating of not less than that determined in accordance with Section 707.3.10.

… HORIZONTALLY by a 2-Hour Horizontal Assembly (2HA) :

707.3.10 Fire Areas
The fire barriers, fire walls, horizontal assemblies or combinations thereof separating a single occupancy into different FIRE AREAS shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than that indicated in Table 707.3.10. The fire barriers, fire walls, horizontal assemblies or combinations thereof separating fire areas of mixed occupancies shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than the highest value indicated in Table 707.3.10 for the occupancies under consideration.

TABLE 707.3.10 FIRE-RESISTANCE-RATING REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRE BARRIERS, FIRE WALLS OR HORIZONTAL ASSEMBLIES BETWEEN FIRE AREAS
OCCUPANCY GROUP FIRE-RESISTANCE RATING (hours)
R & S-2 = 2 Hours

Dan Wilder

8/29/2024 08:22:48 am

At first I read 3 levels...but your question is 3 apartments on the top floor with open storage on the lower/basement level. With no information on number of stories above the FD access, total building height, allowances taken within the V-B construction for ratings/egress/floor area, or rated horizontal separations (to name a few) I would venture to say that the building will require a full 13 system.

https://www.meyerfire.com/blog/summary-of-differences-in-nfpa-13-13r-13d

https://www.meyerfire.com/uploads/1/6/0/7/16072416/meyerfire_-_sprinkler_-_nfpa_13r_13d_code_impacts__2021_.pdf

Glenn Berger

8/29/2024 08:35:46 am

Insufficient information provided to advise on question posed. Need a complete building description as the starting point.

Jack G

8/29/2024 10:39:42 am

According to the IBC and Meyerfire cheatsheet:
Section 503- if an allowed area increase- then an 13r system cannot be installed.
Table 508 ...separated occupancies: no 13r
Tables 601-- VA construction- no 13r however VB permitted a 13d if 2 stories.
708.3 ...: no 13r
For haz materials tables 307, highrise modificatuion 403.3, atriums 404 , unlimited area buildings 507, allowable area of buildings 704.8, nonresidential draftstops 717.3, other group draft stops no 13r, groups R-1 R-2 permited however sprinklers must be extended into the affected areas 717.r, manual fire alarm 907.2 yes 13r.
Balconies- mu@t be protected see 903.1.2.1.
Table 601
Off the top of my head, i run into a lot of projects that are erronieously classified 13r or 13d.
Remember ....how its built determines how its protected.

Jack G

8/29/2024 10:53:38 am

My answer to your question is since it’s a change of occupancy, and probably won’t meet the requirements I listed above for a 13r system,
You will need an NFPA 13 system.

Use NFPA 13R for Apartments and Storage Area?

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