B & R3 separation & sprinkler

[sergoodo]

Please post any conflicting interpretations and comments...most helpful.

 

[RLGA]

Assuming 2018 IBC.

Not permitted per Section 903.2.8, which requires a sprinkler system throughout a building with a Group R fire area.

 

[sergoodo]

Assuming 2018 IBC.

Not permitted per Section 903.2.8, which requires a sprinkler system throughout a building with a Group R fire area.

508 shows 1 hr separation between Type V sprinkled ,B & R.

Whats up with showing 2hr req for nonsprinkled B&R when not possible due to 903?

if entire building required due to R3 is the 13D applicable like the 13R applicable in mixed occupancy since R requirement is the 'trigger'?

Also the exit balcony is a big one that covers an S occupancy...1406.3 conflicts with ?

 

[cda]

508 shows 1 hr separation between Type V sprinkled ,B & R.

Whats up with showing 2hr req for nonsprinkled B&R when not possible due to 903?

if entire building required due to R3 is the 13D applicable like the 13R applicable in mixed occupancy since R requirement is the 'trigger'?

Also the exit balcony is a big one that covers an S occupancy...1406.3 conflicts with ?

Well my take

Some ahj’s admended out sprinklers in some R’s

So the code writers got smart and said if you do that

You shall do this

 

[sergoodo]

CDA: sounds reasonable

Revised - How does this look ? Any comments or conflicting interpretations? Thanks
I did have a 707.3.10 2 hr horizontal separation, but the 2hr is only required if separating a single occupancy into multiple fire areas

 

[cda]

13d. Does not work on B

Or no D on B

 

[Mr. Inspector]

IBC 903.3.1.2.1 requires sprinklers under the balcony.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Assuming 2018 IBC.

Not permitted per Section 903.2.8, which requires a sprinkler system throughout a building with a Group R fire area.

You can create a separate fire areas. The walls supporting the horizontal separation have to be rated the same so you are almost there where only the "R" has to be sprinklered

 

[Builder Bob]

except the means of egress discharge is on a different level.

 

[sergoodo]

mtlogcabin,
Do you interpret Instead of the 1hr required by table 508.4 applicable provision per 707.3.9 separating mixed occupancy, use 707.3.10 and apply sprinkler requirements to each fire area? According to IBC building area definition we have a B occ building and a R occ building.

2015 IBC TABLE 707.3.10
2hr horizontal fire assembly fire barrier separating the fire areas of B&R3

FIRE AREA REQUIREMENTS
All R3 occ buildings require 13d sprinklers
The B occ building requires no sprinkler

RLGA do you see code prevent this due to the noted 903.2.8, which requires a sprinkler system throughout all buildings with a Group R fire area with the current building area/ fire area IBC definitions?

Thanks

 

[cda]

mtlogcabin,
Do you interpret Instead of the 1hr required by table 508.4 applicable provision per 707.3.9 separating mixed occupancy, use 707.3.10 and apply sprinkler requirements to each fire area? According to IBC building area definition we have a B occ building and a R occ building.

2015 IBC TABLE 707.3.10
2hr horizontal fire assembly fire barrier separating the fire areas of B&R3

FIRE AREA REQUIREMENTS
All R3 occ buildings require 13d sprinklers
The B occ building requires no sprinkler

RLGA do you see code prevent this due to the noted 903.2.8, which requires a sprinkler system throughout all buildings with a Group R fire area with the current building area/ fire area IBC definitions?

Thanks

I think the answer is yes

The more specific applies.

R throughout

 

[JBI]

Is this a new building or existing? The difference could be important...
The horizontal separation creates separate fire areas, not separate buildings.
13D and 13R have limitations and are not appropriate for mixed use buildings.

 

[mtlogcabin]

My 1st response was based on this being an existing building. Sorry for the confusion.

New building sprinkle the whole building
existing building change of occupancy sprinkle the "R" only or no sprinkle protection required for the "R" if less than 3 stories

IEBC
1012.1.1.1 Change of occupancy classification without separation.
Where a portion of an existing building is changed to a new occupancy classification and that portion is not separated from the remainder of the building with fire barriers having a fire-resistance rating as required in the International Building Code for the separate occupancy, the entire building shall comply with all of the requirements of Chapter 9 applied throughout the building for the most restrictive occupancy classification in the building and with the requirements of this chapter.

1012.1.1.2 Change of occupancy classification with separation.
Where a portion of an existing building that is changed to a new occupancy classification and that portion is separated from the remainder of the building with fire barriers having a fire-resistance rating as required in the International Building Code for the separate occupancy, that portion shall comply with all of the requirements of Chapter 9 for the new occupancy classification and with the requirements of this chapter.

904.1 Automatic sprinkler systems.
Automatic sprinkler systems shall be provided in all work areas when required by Section 804.2 or this section.

804.2.2 Groups A, B, E, F-1, H, I, M, R-1, R-2, R-4, S-1 and S-2.
In buildings with occupancies in Groups A, B, E, F-1, H, I, M, R-1, R-2, R-4, S-1 and S-2, work areas that have exits or corridors shared by more than one tenant or that have exits or corridors serving an occupant load greater than 30 shall be provided with automatic sprinkler protection where all of the following conditions occur:

1. The work area is required to be provided with automatic sprinkler protection in accordance with the International Building Code as applicable to new construction; and

2. The work area exceeds 50 percent of the floor area.

Exceptions:

1. Work areas in Group R occupancies three stories or less in height.

2. If the building does not have sufficient municipal water supply for design of a fire sprinkler system available to the floor without installation of a new fire pump, work areas shall be protected by an automatic smoke detection system throughout all occupiable spaces other than sleeping units or individual dwelling units that activates the occupant notification system in accordance with Sections 907.4, 907.5 and 907.6 of the International Building Code.

804.2.2.1 Mixed uses.
In work areas containing mixed uses, one or more of which requires automatic sprinkler protection in accordance with Section 804.2.2, such protection shall not be required throughout the work area provided that the uses requiring such protection are separated from those not requiring protection by fire-resistance-rated construction having a minimum 2-hour rating for Group H and a minimum 1-hour rating for all other occupancy groups.

 

[JBI]

mtlogcabin, the exception you highlighted does not apply as the proposed occupancy is an R-3 which is outside the scope of the applicable section (R-1, R-2 and R-4 only included)
The mixed use provision would be applicable and that limits the application of the sprinkler requirement to only the R occupancy...
Not a sprinkler expert, but still not sure the standards would allow a limited/partial 13D or 13R in this situation.

 

[mtlogcabin]

The exception is for group all "R" occupancies which include R-3

R-3 do not have occupant loads over 16 people and therefore are not mentioned in 804.2.2 because it is the requirement of having more than one tenant AND sharing corridors and exits serve more than 30 occupants that drives the sprinkler requirements.

310.5 Residential Group R-3.
Residential occupancies where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature and not classified as Group R-1, R-2, R-4 or I, including:

Buildings that do not contain more than two dwelling units
Boarding houses (nontransient) with 16 or fewer occupants
Boarding houses (transient) with 10 or fewer occupants
Care facilities that provide accommodations for five or fewer persons receiving care
Congregate living facilities (nontransient) with 16 or fewer occupants
Congregate living facilities (transient) with 10 or fewer occupants

 

[GEe]

My 1st response was based on this being an existing building. Sorry for the confusion.

New building sprinkle the whole building
existing building change of occupancy sprinkle the "R" only or no sprinkle protection required for the "R" if less than 3 stories

IEBC
1012.1.1.1 Change of occupancy classification without separation.
Where a portion of an existing building is changed to a new occupancy classification and that portion is not separated from the remainder of the building with fire barriers having a fire-resistance rating as required in the International Building Code for the separate occupancy, the entire building shall comply with all of the requirements of Chapter 9 applied throughout the building for the most restrictive occupancy classification in the building and with the requirements of this chapter.

1012.1.1.2 Change of occupancy classification with separation.
Where a portion of an existing building that is changed to a new occupancy classification and that portion is separated from the remainder of the building with fire barriers having a fire-resistance rating as required in the International Building Code for the separate occupancy, that portion shall comply with all of the requirements of Chapter 9 for the new occupancy classification and with the requirements of this chapter.

904.1 Automatic sprinkler systems.
Automatic sprinkler systems shall be provided in all work areas when required by Section 804.2 or this section.

804.2.2 Groups A, B, E, F-1, H, I, M, R-1, R-2, R-4, S-1 and S-2.
In buildings with occupancies in Groups A, B, E, F-1, H, I, M, R-1, R-2, R-4, S-1 and S-2, work areas that have exits or corridors shared by more than one tenant or that have exits or corridors serving an occupant load greater than 30 shall be provided with automatic sprinkler protection where all of the following conditions occur:

1. The work area is required to be provided with automatic sprinkler protection in accordance with the International Building Code as applicable to new construction; and

2. The work area exceeds 50 percent of the floor area.

Exceptions:

1. Work areas in Group R occupancies three stories or less in height.

2. If the building does not have sufficient municipal water supply for design of a fire sprinkler system available to the floor without installation of a new fire pump, work areas shall be protected by an automatic smoke detection system throughout all occupiable spaces other than sleeping units or individual dwelling units that activates the occupant notification system in accordance with Sections 907.4, 907.5 and 907.6 of the International Building Code.

804.2.2.1 Mixed uses.
In work areas containing mixed uses, one or more of which requires automatic sprinkler protection in accordance with Section 804.2.2, such protection shall not be required throughout the work area provided that the uses requiring such protection are separated from those not requiring protection by fire-resistance-rated construction having a minimum 2-hour rating for Group H and a minimum 1-hour rating for all other occupancy groups.

This is very helpful. I'm trying to follow a similar path through the 2018 IEBC to understand sprinkler provisions.

• Context in this case: Three story B occupancy with a change of occupancy on the upper two floors to R-3 (one unit per floor)
  
  
• IEBC 1011.1.1.1 Change of Occupancy Classification Without Separation --> this still sends us to IEBC Chapter 9
  
  
• IEBC Chapter 9 sprinkler provisions don't apply in this case except for the reference to IEBC 803.2
  
  
• IEBC 803.2.2 Groups A, B, E, F-1, H, I, M, R-1, R-2, R-4, S-1 and S-2
  
  "In buildings with occupancies in Groups A, B, E, F-1, H, I, M, R-1, R-2, R-4, S-1 and S-2, work areas that have exits or corridors shared by more than one tenant or that have exits or corridors serving an occupant load greater than 30 shall be provided with automatic sprinkler protection where both of the following conditions occur:
  
  1. The work area is required to be provided with automatic sprinkler protection in accordance with the International Building Code as applicable to new construction.
  
  2. The work area exceeds 50 percent of the floor area."
  
  
• This IEBC 803 section doesn't address R-3 directly and the general R exception has apparently been removed. But, we do have a B occupancy.
  
  
• So the question... : How can the criteria of IEBC 803 be evaluated to determine if sprinklers are triggered?
  
  In particular: I'm wondering if the work area is greater than 50% of the floor area. The definition of "work area" (below) doesn't seem to apply, but I suspect the intent of 1011.1.1.1 is that it be the "entire building". (I'm also not sure about "floor area" -- I assume Gross Floor Area per IBC?)
  
• WORK AREA. That portion or portions of a building consisting of all reconfigured spaces as indicated on the construction documents. Work area excludes other portions of the building where incidental work entailed by the intended work must be performed and portions of the building where work not initially intended by the owner is specifically required by this code.

 

[steveray]

You missed this:

Section 1004 Fire Protection​

1004.1 General​

Fire protection requirements of Section 1011 shall apply where a building or portions thereof undergo a change of occupancy classification or where there is a change of occupancy within a space where there is a different fire protection system threshold requirement in Chapter 9 of the International Building Code.

1011.2.1 Fire Sprinkler System​

Where a change in occupancy classification occurs or where there is a change of occupancy within a space where there is a different fire protection system threshold requirement in Chapter 9 of the International Building Code that requires an automatic fire sprinkler system to be provided based on the new occupancy in accordance with Chapter 9 of the International Building Code. The installation of the automatic sprinkler system shall be required throughout the building or within the area of the change of occupancy and areas of the building not separated horizontally and vertically from the change of occupancy by one of the following:

 

[GEe]

Thank you. 100% - though I believe that language is from the 2021 IBC, which is much more clear on this (to me) than 2018... Pennsylvania...

 

[steveray]

Thank you. 100% - though I believe that language is from the 2021 IBC, which is much more clear on this (to me) than 2018... Pennsylvania...

2021 IEBC...but yeah..should be the sameish in 2018