• Welcome to The Building Code Forum

    Your premier resource for building code knowledge.

    This forum remains free to the public thanks to the generous support of our Sawhorse Members and Corporate Sponsors. Their contributions help keep this community thriving and accessible.

    Want enhanced access to expert discussions and exclusive features? Learn more about the benefits here.

    Ready to upgrade? Log in and upgrade now.

Egress and multi-story apartments

manifold

manifold

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2015
Messages
59
Location
Denver, CO
2022 Denver Building Code (2021 IBC), R-2 Apartment building, Type III-B, sprinklered.

A client presented me with some SD drawings for a small apartment building with a single egress stair. This is allowed up to 3 stories. The apartments with their entry on the third floor have 2 floors within them, plus a roof top deck that are accessed by an internal stair. The upper floor and roof deck cover the full foot print of the unit so no mezzanine. Am I correct that the second level of the apartment would be a 4th story which would require a second exit? The occupied roof also has a 1200 SF "Recreation Area" that I would consider an assembly space with 80 occupants, which seems like it would also require a second exit.

Please let me know your thoughts.
 
manifold said:
2022 Denver Building Code (2021 IBC), R-2 Apartment building, Type III-B, sprinklered.

A client presented me with some SD drawings for a small apartment building with a single egress stair. This is allowed up to 3 stories. The apartments with their entry on the third floor have 2 floors within them, plus a roof top deck that are accessed by an internal stair. The upper floor and roof deck cover the full foot print of the unit so no mezzanine. Am I correct that the second level of the apartment would be a 4th story which would require a second exit? The occupied roof also has a 1200 SF "Recreation Area" that I would consider an assembly space with 80 occupants, which seems like it would also require a second exit.

Please let me know your thoughts.
Click to expand...
Not really...it gets complicated...Do you get to the stair within 125'?
 
manifold said:
It mostly meets the 125’. There are a couple places on the roof deck that are over, but this can be fixed.
Click to expand...

"Mostly meets" means "partially does not meet" the code. So = FAIL.

If the number is 125 feet, that's a hard maximum. 126 feet is a fail. 125'-6" is a fail. 125'-1" is a fail.

We had a saying when I was in the Army: "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades."
 
Responding to a few items above:

"Mostly meets" means "partially does not meet" the code. So = FAIL.

If the number is 125 feet, that's a hard maximum. 126 feet is a fail. 125'-6" is a fail. 125'-1" is a fail.
Click to expand...
There are a couple of locations at the private roof decks that are a foot or two more than 125' to an exit. These can be resolved by adjusting door, hall, stair locations to get the distance below 125', so not a major issue since fixable.

The upper floor and roof deck cover the full foot print of the unit
Click to expand...
The upper floor of the units with their entry on the 3rd floor are 100% of the area of the floor below. So they would not be a mezzanine. I'm reading this as a 4th story that would require access to a second exit, mostly looking for confirmation of this.
 
my understanding of TABLE 1006.3.3(1) is that 125 feet is to the exterior, not the start of the exit. IE: they have to get OUT of the building in 125 feet, not INTO the stairwell within 125 feet. This makes sense to me because 125 feet is common path to two exits and you don't ever have access to two exits, thusly you have to get OUT within 125 feet. I've used this to permit 3 story apartment buildings, but they end up fairly small and the single stair ends up centrally located (usually) in order to get it done. I think for the building you are describing, the number of stories might be an issue, but regardless they can't get out within 125 feet. The design might be legal with "townhouse style" third floor units, that have a 4th floor plus roof deck (only one interior stair to the unit), but when they exit from the unit at the third floor level, they will need 2 stairs to get out.
 
dsisson said:
my understanding of TABLE 1006.3.3(1) is that 125 feet is to the exterior, not the start of the exit. IE: they have to get OUT of the building in 125 feet, not INTO the stairwell within 125 feet.
Click to expand...

That doesn't appear to be what the code language or the table says. How did you arrive at that conclusion?

I was interested to find that this section and this table don't exist in the 2021 IBC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top