Elevator lobby exception for the level of exit discharge

[Sifu]

'21 IBC 3006.2 would NOT require hoistway protection in a 4 story, sprinklered R2 building because it has an NFPA 13 sprinkler system (condition #1). If it did then 3006.3 would tell us how to provide that protection, but there would be an exception for the level of exit discharge. However since this is an R2, 3006.2.1 is the charging language and sends us directly to 3006.3, bypassing 3006.2 and the exception for the level of exit discharge. Since 3006.3 has no exception for the level of exit discharge am I to take it that this is purposeful and that an elevator that opens to an R2 corridor must have a lobby, pressurization or additional doors at the level of exit discharge? That is the way I see it, but apparently not the architect.

I am sure I have encountered this before but I can't recall whether I was right or wrong.

 

[Sifu]

I believe I found the same path I used before. It looks like the 2024 IBC duplicated the code section in 3006.2.1 and placed it at 1020.2.1. Same requirement, but the 2024 3006.2.1 commentary now specifically has a section that clarifies the intent that in addition to the requirements of 3006.2 there are a limited number of applications where buildings other than those that would be required by 3006.2, hoistway protection would be required.

The following is a list of the buildings not already addressed by Section 3006.2 that are required to have rated corridors:

Unsprinklered buildings:

• •Group A, B, E, F, M, S and U occupancies with an occupant load served by a corridor greater than 30.
• •Hoistways connecting only three stories.

Sprinklered buildings:

• •Group R occupancies greater than 10 occupants served by a corridor (1/2 hr).
• •Group H1, H-2, H-3 occupancies (1 hr).
• •Group H4 and H5 occupancies greater than 30 served by a corridor (1 hr).
• •Non-high-rise buildings.

 

[Sifu]

And I should follow up that the exception for the level of exit discharge is in 3006.2, which seems to be bypassed by 1020.2.1. That is my question and belief.

 

[Sifu]

Oh my god, what a mess.

'21 added 1020.2.1, pointing directly to 3006.2.1.
'24 kept 1020.1 but changed the pointer to 3006.2 so we are right back where we started

EXCEPT 2024 3006.2 now includes #6 that includes hoistway doors in rated corridors, then excepts the level of exit discharge in exception #2.

So I guess I have my answer. Hoistway opening protection required except on the level of exit discharge. At least for now. No confidence they won't change this again.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

I agree it's a mess. I began drafting a reply to your original post, but as I dug into 3006.2 and 3006.2.1 I realized that I have no idea what the 2021 code actually requires and what it actually exempts.

 

[Sifu]

Though the 2018 and 2021 codes don't support it in my opinion I think they never intended to require elevator lobbies on the level of exit discharge even when open th the rated corridors. I guess it took 3 code cycles and 7 years to figure out how to write it out. I actually went back and watched the committee hearings on it, and as far as I could tell what they discussed was nothing like what is in the code now, so who the heck knows?