Which Standards for Mixed Apartment/Office?

10/22/2021

I have a mixed-occupancy, 100-year old 1-story house within a metro area. There is existing office space up in the front of the building, and a one-bedroom apartment in the back.

We are adding a camelback addition to the building. The existing office space will remain as is and we will have two 3-bedroom apartments in the back. The camelback will be set back 20-feet from the front of the house. The height of the building will be 30-feet.

Can I use 13R or 13D in the residential units?

Do I need any sprinkler in the commercial office space upfront?

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6 Comments

Anthony

10/22/2021 08:51:59 am

You're in full 13 and should use residential sprinklers in the compartments that are required to be residential.

In residential compartments only 4 (or 8 for adjacent combustible concealed spaces) heads need to be calculated though a .10gpm will be required through out with a 100 gpm hose stream.

See NFPA 13-2016 section 11.3.1. for design approaches.

13r and 13d have specific strictures for their applications and use as a design basis which are detailed in their opening chapters. IBC will also give you guidance on which is appropriate as well as state and local codes.

Brian Gerdwagen FPE

10/22/2021 08:55:51 am

If you are under a modern version of the IBC, you need to sprinkle the entire Fire Area containing a group R occupancy. So you must sprinkle the office(s), in addition to the reply above.

Jack G

10/22/2021 11:21:08 am

Yes, Brian.
If the Newc Apartments had say a 50 foot separation between buildings, then residential criteria would apply to them. Exterior wall , ceiling construction, construction per ibc would also apply-- no VA.

Alex

10/22/2021 12:03:47 pm

Hi,

Design for NFPA 13 due to the mix use. You are allowed to use plastic and design per NFPA 13R in the apartments.

Entire building should be protected.

Thanks,
Alex

DanE

10/22/2021 12:26:31 pm

You can find some information here:

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

Also straight from NFPA 13R (2013) A1.1:
"Where buildings are greater than four stories in height. or where buildings are of mixed use where residential is not the predominant occupancy, residential portion of such buildings should be protected with residential or quick-response sprinklers in accordance with 8.4.5 of NFPA 13. Other portions of such building should be protected in accordance with NFPA 13. Where building 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."

Also please note NFPA 13 requires residential OR quick response heads in residential (light hazard) occupancies, whereas NFPA 13R requires residential heads.

Todd Wyatt

10/25/2021 09:44:07 am

The Occupancy Classification(s) of the building per the applicable IBC determines the fire protection and life safety system requirements for those occupancies. There are (4) different Group R occupancy classifications: R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-4. The design professional classifies the occupancy(s) of the building with AHJ approval. IBC Chapter 9 identifies the general requirements for Group R as well as the specific requirements for the R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-4. NFPA 13 and NFPA 13R are references standards per the IBC that identify how sprinklers are to be installed, maintained, and inspected. The IBC is the scoping document as to where automatic sprinkler systems are required.

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Which Standards for Mixed Apartment/Office?

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