IBC 2009 changes affecting fire suppression systems
By Samuel S. Dannaway, PE,
President, S.S. Dannaway Associates, Inc., Honolulu
A few issues back we talked about sprinkler system provisions in the 2006 edition of the International Building Code. As a result of participating on a committee reviewing the 2009 edition of the IBC for adoption by our state, I soon learned of several significant changes which affect the design of fire protection systems. This article will attempt to identify several significant changes that may be of interest to the plumbing engineer doing fire protection system design. As with any discussion of code issues the reader is cautioned to check to make sure that those jurisdictions which have adopted the 2009 IBC have not made local amendments affecting these items.
310.1 Residential Group R. This section includes requirements for R-4 occupancies to be sprinklered regardless of whether they opt to comply with the IBC or the International Residential Code. Given that the IRC requirement for sprinklers may continue to be a subject of back and forth debate, this provision assures that sprinklers will be provided for R-4 occupancies, in particular small residential board and care occupancies that fit into the R-4 category. As of this writing it appears that the IRC requirement for sprinklers will survive into the 2012 edition of the IRC.
403.5.2 High-rise Buildings Additional Exit Stairway. High-rise buildings more than 420 feet in height will require one additional exit stairway more than the minimum required number. This additional stair will also be required to have the required standpipe system.
403.6.1 High-rise Buildings Fire Service Access Elevator. Buildings over 120 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access will require at least one elevator specifically designed for fire department access. Section 3007 contains several requirements for this elevator including access to an exit stair provided with a Class I standpipe.
408.7 Security Glazing. In I-3 detention and correctional occupancies, non-fire rated security glazing may be used in windows and doors in one-hour fire or smoke barriers, provided a menu of items are provided including sprinklers located on both sides of the glazing designed to wet the entire surface of the glazing. This addresses a common problem in I-3 occupancies where requirements for glazing in walls that had both a requirement for security and fire resistance, since glazing meeting fire protection requirements did not meet security requirements.
Section 419 Live/Work Units. The IBC is recognizing the recent trend towards an old neighborhood concept of living where you work. These buildings typically include a business or shop on the first floor and a residence on the second floor. As these buildings are primarily residential in nature they require sprinkler protection.
422.5 Automatic Sprinkler Systems (for Ambulatory Health Care Facilities). Automatic sprinkler systems are required for ambulatory care facilities that are classified as Group B occupancies. This is in recognition of the fact that these occupancies may have the added life safety hazard of occupants that may not be capable of self-preservation in the event of a fire.
507.7 Group A-3 Buildings of Types III and IV Construction. A list of conditions including a requirement for sprinklers has been provided to allow unlimited areas for Group A-3 buildings used as a church, community hall, dance hall, exhibition hall, gymnasium, lecture hall, indoor swimming pool, or tennis court of Type III or IV construction.
Table 508.2.5 Incidental Accessory Occupancies and 913.2.1 Protection of Fire Pump Rooms. The IBC now contains separation requirements for fire pump rooms in buildings. Fire pump rooms in non-high-rise buildings must be separated from other areas by either a two hour separation or a one hour separation with sprinklers. In high-rise buildings the fire pump room must have a 2 hour separation. This brings the IBC in line with the current requirements of NFPA 20.
509.2 Horizontal Separation of Buildings. This section was extensively modified to allow other occupancies below the horizontal separation besides parking and has added a requirement for the building below the horizontal separation to be provided with automatic sprinkler protection.
705.2 Projections. The allowances for cornices, eave overhangs, exterior balconies, and similar projections extending beyond the external wall have been modified and include an option allowing projections for buildings that are sprinklered throughout to encroach greater distances towards the lot line or property line.
902.1 Fire Area. For the purpose of defining the threshold requirement for sprinkler protection the definition of fire area has been relocated from Chapter 7 to Chapter 9 and changed to include areas of the building not provided with surrounding walls which are under a roof. Now the floor area of all covered areas regardless of whether or not they are enclosed by exterior walls must be included in the floor area for determination of the sprinkler requirement threshold.
903.2.3 Sprinkler Protection in Group E Occupancies. The threshold fire area for requiring sprinklers in school occupancies has been reduced from 20,000 square feet to 12,000 square feet.
903.2.7 Group M occupancies used for display or sale of upholstered furniture now require sprinkler protection regardless of fire area size. The former threshold of 12,000 square feet was removed due to the potential for high heat release rate fires with this use.
903.2.10 Group S-2 Enclosed Parking Garages. Enclosed parking garages will no longer require an automatic sprinkler system unless the fire area is greater than 12,000 square feet or the garage is located beneath other occupancies.
903.3.1.2.1 Sprinkler Protection of Residential Balconies and Decks. Sprinklers will now be required for exterior balconies and decks serving dwelling units when there is a roof or deck above. Note that even though NFPA 13R exempts these areas, compliance with the IBC will now mandate these areas be protected regardless of the presences of combustible construction. There have been many recent fires, many involving fatalities where fires starting on exterior balconies or decks have extended into the building.
903.3.1.3 NFPA 13D Sprinkler Systems. This change allows townhouses to be sprinklered using NFPA 13D in addition to one- and two-family dwellings. Townhouses are multiple single-family dwellings governed by the IRC.
Section 906 Portable Fire Extinguishers. The previous IBC referred to the International Fire Code to establish requirements for portable fire extinguishers. These requirements have now been extracted into the IBC and will be available for those jurisdictions that do not adopt the IFC.
907.2 Manual Fire Alarm Box in Group R-2. This paragraph has been modified to include an exception to allow complete elimination of manual fire alarm boxes in fully sprinklered R-2 occupancies unless a single box is required by the fire code official. The previous IBC allowed the elimination of all manual fire alarm boxes except for one in fully sprinklered R-2 occupancies.
Section 914 Emergency Responder Safety Features. 914.2 Equipment Room Identification. This material has been extracted from the International Fire Code and requires rooms containing controls for air-conditioning systems, sprinkler risers and valves, or other fire detection, suppression, or control elements be provided with approved signage identifying these rooms for use by the fire department.
1005.1 Minimum Required Egress Width. The provisions allowing a reduction in the minimum egress width per person when sprinklers are provided have been eliminated. The increased minimum egress widths per person for H-1, H-2, H-3, and H-4 occupancies were also reduced so now all occupancies use the same egress width per person in calculating the required width of egress components.
1007.3, 1007.4 Required Areas of Refuge. Areas of refuge for accessible means of egress stairways and elevators are not required when the building is provided with sprinkler protection. Note that per paragraph 1007.8 there is still a requirement for two-way communication at elevator landings in accessible floors where the area of refuge was deleted as a result of sprinkler protection.
1008.1.9.4 Manually Operated Edge- or Surface-mounted Bolts. An exception has been added for cases where these devices are allowed on the inactive leaf of a pair of doors in Group B, F, or S occupancies which removes limits on the occupant load of the room served by these doors when complete building sprinkler protection is provided.
1014.3 Common Path of Egress Travel in Group R-2. The increase in common path of travel for R-2 occupancies for sprinklered buildings has been modified to include sprinkler systems meeting the requirements of NFPA 13R.
1015.1 Single Means of Egress from Group R-2 Dwelling Units. The occupant load threshold for Group R-2 occupancies (Apartments and Condominiums) for determining when one exit from an individual dwelling unit is permitted has been increased from 10 to 20 persons where automatic sprinkler protection is provided. This effectively allows an increase in dwelling unit size with one exit from 2000 square feet to 4000 square feet.
1016.2 Travel Distance Increase for Roof Vents. The travel distance increase permitted for Group F-1 and S-1 occupancies that are fully sprinklered and provided with automatic smoke and heat vents has been deleted. This is the result of concerns of the effectiveness of sprinklers when used in conjunction with automatic smoke and heat vents.
1018.4 Maximum Length of Dead Ends in Corridors. The increase in dead end travel distance of 50 feet for NFPA 13 sprinklered buildings has been extended to Group E, I-1, M, R-1, R-2, R-4, S, and U occupancies. It previously only applied to Group B and F occupancies.
1613.6.3 Automatic Sprinkler Systems. In this new paragraph the IBC now recognizes sprinkler systems installed in accordance with the 2007 edition of NFPA 13 are deemed compliant with the seismic bracing requirements of Section 13.6.8 of ASCE 7.
These changes tend toward an increase use of sprinklers by the building code as both a general concept and as a means to give architects more flexibility in their designs for buildings.
Have a Happy New Year!
Samuel S. Dannaway, PE, is a registered fire protection engineer and mechanical engineer with bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Maryland Department of Fire Protection Engineering. He is past president and a Fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. He is president of S. S. Dannaway Associates, Inc., a 15-person fire protection engineering consulting firm with offices in Honolulu, Hawaii and Guam.