Atrium Smoke evacuation

[Raymond Salfiti]

The mall is sprinkled. All means of egress requirements are there (in capacity, travel distance, protection, etc...). The atrium connects four levels with all levels having protected means of egress in addition to direct exits to an uncovered passage way serving other shops.

 

[peach]

The AJH required a smoke evacuation system in a building we recently inspected. (3 floors open); it can be quite a system if everything is open to the atrium (as opposed to glass storefronts, etc. The evacuation system needs to remove smoke from the entire fire area.

 

[RLGA]

I'm not an NFPA 101 expert, but if I were preparing an analysis, I would look at the date of construction and what codes were published at that time.

If the NFPA 101 is the code selected, I would look at the edition published as of the date when the project started construction. If that edition did not require it, then I would say it was an approved system, since there would have been no basis to reject the design. However, if smoke evacuation was required in that edition, then it would have been rejected, and thus it would be considered a nonapproved system.

 

[peach]

sounds like it was just built.. because it's what the owner or designer wanted it.. with no thought given to if it "should" be built.

It is what it is; you couldn't built it like that today (well, maybe in other than in the US)...