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BC 1105.1.8 Automatic Door

M

michael2020

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May 29, 2020
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Location
new york
If I have a school building that includes an A assembly occupancy (auditorium, cafeteria, gym), do I need to provide at least one of the entrances with an automatic door opener? It seems to have conflict with the safety lockdown system.

What do you guys think?
 
michael2020 said:
do I need to provide at least one of the entrances with an automatic door opener?
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No, the building code does not require the use of automatic doors:
A117.1-2017 Commentary on 404.3.1 Public Entrances (partial quote)
At the writing of this commentary, the International Building Code does not require automatic doors at any location.
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michael2020 said:
What do you guys think?
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Security is a concern but the reason I wouldn’t want to use automatic doors is maintenance, I know a guy who works security at a mall, they have problems quite frequently with people knocking the doors out of the track and sensors not working sometimes.
 
I used to work for a large bank, building and renovating branches. About once a year a branch manager would report that they had a customer demanding to know when we were going to install openers like the grocery store. They insisted it was required by code. Most of the time the complainant was just lazy, they weren’t old or disabled. Most would drop it when we explained all we had to mdo was meet ada opening forces, but there was always one who was going to call the city and close their account.
 
New York State is under A117.1-2009. Doors are addressed by 404.2, which limits to force needed to open doors but does not require automatic doors. 404.3 addresses the parameters for automatic doors, but does not require them. Nothing in IBC Chapter 11 as adopted by the State of New York requires automatic doors.

I get most of my health care from a nearby VA hospital. The main entrance is an automatic door. It has been out of service for the past month -- for the third or fourth time in a year. It's always fun with the power-actuated side entrance door we have to use doesn't respond to the exterior push pad.
 
steveray said:
Yes...it does
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Isn’t that something. I see that the 2018 IBC doesn’t have that provision, so looks like the A117.-2017 commentary is out of date, thank you for citing the new IBC reference.

I wonder if the person who wrote that commentary knew of the forthcoming change, it does seem a little odd that they said, “At the time of this commentary…”, that could be said of any comment in any commentary.
 
"It seems to have conflict with the safety lockdown system."

Extra module(s) can be added to the security system to break the connection between the remote button(s) and door operator(s) during lockdowns or unoccupied hours.
 
michael2020 said:
Thanks Steveray.

School is not a mixed-use facility but an E occupancy building. that's why I have a little doubt if this should extend to the room/space level or it's the facilities occupancy group.
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michael2020 said:
If I have a school building that includes an A assembly occupancy (auditorium, cafeteria, gym),
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Que? It is or it isn't....To A or not to A....That is the question.....Please someone tell me they got that...
 
e hilton said:
And what is a low energy power door?
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From AD Systems article (link below)
What is the difference between high-energy and low-energy operators in automatic sliding doors?

Opening force, speed and actualization are the main differences between high- and low-energy operators. Automatic sliding doors with high-energy (also called full-energy) operators tend to open and close quickly. Because they operate with more force, these types of automatic doors are required to have safety devices installed along with the door assembly. High-energy automatic sliding doors can often be actualized by simply stepping into a sensor’s field of vision.

Low-energy automatic doors operate on demand through a knowing act—such as a push of a button, slide of a key card or a wave of the hand. They can also be operated through unknowing acts but will require safety devices if this is the case. This type of automatic sliding door opens and closes at a slower speed and with less force to accommodate the movement of individual or small groups of people.
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Low vs. High Energy Door Operators: Optimal Building Design

Dive into the differences between low-energy and high-energy automatic sliding doors and their placements in optimal building designs.
www.specadsystems.com www.specadsystems.com
 
per IBC 303.1.3, room or space used for assembly purposes that is associated with a Group E occupancy is not considered a separate occupancy.

I guess I don't need to provide an automatic door opener for my school building. agree?
 
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