Code in use IBC 2012. Okay trying to understand elevator sump pump pits.
New elevator in an existing two story school building. The elevator is only for ADA usage between floors since it is in a school. The school does have at least one accessible egress for the physically disable at each floor to the outside via EXIT doors. I point this out because the elevator is not for fire evacuation for the physically disable. The elevator will not have emergency power other than the battery to lower it to a designated floor. It will not have power for fire use if the building power is off.
The existing building does not have an automatic fire suppression system so there are not any sprinkler heads inside the elevator shaft.
The elevator’s pit is 4-ft deep below grade.
The problem;
Due to structural concerns with the new elevator shaft, which are surrounded with three existing building walls, not wanting to undermine the existing walls with the new elevator pit; the structural engineer moved the sump pump pit from where the elevator manufacturer showed it to be. The new location is now installed and not acceptable to the elevator supplier and he states the elevator inspector will not allow it where is currently located, under the fluid tank. We are using a machine room-less elevator.
Clarification; the existing three walls distance apart only required the elevator’s door wall to be abutting the existing building’s wall. The other two walls were a short distance away from the pit’s excavation. The elevator vendor wanted the pit at the corner where the elevator’s door front wall was abutting the existing wall.
Since the elevator is not for emergency use and does not contain a sprinkler head, why does the sump pit pump have to be sized as if there was a sprinkler head in the shaft? I can understand the possible groundwater intrusion but the pit does have a waterproofing membrane around the outside of the foundation walls and under the footing. Do we even need a sump pump pit by any code?
New elevator in an existing two story school building. The elevator is only for ADA usage between floors since it is in a school. The school does have at least one accessible egress for the physically disable at each floor to the outside via EXIT doors. I point this out because the elevator is not for fire evacuation for the physically disable. The elevator will not have emergency power other than the battery to lower it to a designated floor. It will not have power for fire use if the building power is off.
The existing building does not have an automatic fire suppression system so there are not any sprinkler heads inside the elevator shaft.
The elevator’s pit is 4-ft deep below grade.
The problem;
Due to structural concerns with the new elevator shaft, which are surrounded with three existing building walls, not wanting to undermine the existing walls with the new elevator pit; the structural engineer moved the sump pump pit from where the elevator manufacturer showed it to be. The new location is now installed and not acceptable to the elevator supplier and he states the elevator inspector will not allow it where is currently located, under the fluid tank. We are using a machine room-less elevator.
Clarification; the existing three walls distance apart only required the elevator’s door wall to be abutting the existing building’s wall. The other two walls were a short distance away from the pit’s excavation. The elevator vendor wanted the pit at the corner where the elevator’s door front wall was abutting the existing wall.
Since the elevator is not for emergency use and does not contain a sprinkler head, why does the sump pit pump have to be sized as if there was a sprinkler head in the shaft? I can understand the possible groundwater intrusion but the pit does have a waterproofing membrane around the outside of the foundation walls and under the footing. Do we even need a sump pump pit by any code?