I am designing a youth activity center on a large rural lot. The building is 3000sf total with an assembly room and storage/catering prep area in back. Above the back area is a storage mezzanine that meets the area requirements of IBC 505.2.1 so that the building can be considered a 1-story building.
I am classifying the building as:
Type VB Construction which has ZERO fire rating requirements
Mixed Occupancy: A3 (Assembly space) + S2 (Storage/Catering + Mezzanine)
My client would like to explore alternatives to installing sprinklers to save costs. I am proposing two approaches and have questions about both of them:
1. Add an exterior exit stair to serve as a second exit from the Mezzanine.
*QUESTION: Does the exterior exit stair count as part of the "Exit Discharge" so that the Mezzanine would now be located on a level of exit discharge? The site is completely flat and the exterior stair would descend about 9ft to reach grade. My hope is that this would meet the requirements of IBC 903.2.1.3 for A3 occupancies which do NOT require sprinklers if the fire area is located on the level of exit discharge. Even though the mezzanine is for storage, it is considered part of the A3 occ. fire area because they are not separated.
2. Divide building into two fire areas by constructing a 2HR wall from slab to roof to separate A3 from S2 occupancy. Per Section 903.2, this would mean A3 fire area is located on ground floor. The S2 fire area is allowed to include up to 3 levels above exit discharge level without triggering sprinkler requirement.
*QUESTION: Can my building still be considered a 1-story building and qualify as Type VB construction even though the mezzanine is closed off from room below? This would allow the 2hr separation wall to be the ONLY fire rated wall in the building. The rest of the structure would remain unrated per VB construction. IBC 502.3.1 states that Mezz can be closed off from room below if occupancy is less than 10. The Mezzanine meets that requirement.
I am classifying the building as:
Type VB Construction which has ZERO fire rating requirements
Mixed Occupancy: A3 (Assembly space) + S2 (Storage/Catering + Mezzanine)
My client would like to explore alternatives to installing sprinklers to save costs. I am proposing two approaches and have questions about both of them:
1. Add an exterior exit stair to serve as a second exit from the Mezzanine.
*QUESTION: Does the exterior exit stair count as part of the "Exit Discharge" so that the Mezzanine would now be located on a level of exit discharge? The site is completely flat and the exterior stair would descend about 9ft to reach grade. My hope is that this would meet the requirements of IBC 903.2.1.3 for A3 occupancies which do NOT require sprinklers if the fire area is located on the level of exit discharge. Even though the mezzanine is for storage, it is considered part of the A3 occ. fire area because they are not separated.
2. Divide building into two fire areas by constructing a 2HR wall from slab to roof to separate A3 from S2 occupancy. Per Section 903.2, this would mean A3 fire area is located on ground floor. The S2 fire area is allowed to include up to 3 levels above exit discharge level without triggering sprinkler requirement.
*QUESTION: Can my building still be considered a 1-story building and qualify as Type VB construction even though the mezzanine is closed off from room below? This would allow the 2hr separation wall to be the ONLY fire rated wall in the building. The rest of the structure would remain unrated per VB construction. IBC 502.3.1 states that Mezz can be closed off from room below if occupancy is less than 10. The Mezzanine meets that requirement.