Exiting through a internal courtyard

[blugosi]

I have a rectangular shaped 500 by 450 feet assembly building with a square shaped open courtyard in the middle.
Does this courtyard qualify as exit discharge for occupants exiting from any of the four wings surrounding it in any way?

 

[steveray]

I have a rectangular shaped 500 by 450 feet assembly building with a square shaped open courtyard in the middle.
Does this courtyard qualify as exit discharge for occupants exiting from any of the four wings surrounding it in any way?

In theory if you got 50' away from the building...Maybe...

 

[blugosi]

In theory if you got 50' away from the building...Maybe...

Yes, this was my first thought too, but the occupant would be reentering the building to reach the public road.
Can we ignore that?

 

[RLGA]

@steveray mentions the only option, which is a "safe dispersal area." However, this option also requires the safe dispersal area to accommodate 5 sq. ft. per occupant, in which case the perimeter of the safe dispersal area would need to be 50 feet from all areas of the building.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Yes, this was my first thought too, but the occupant would be reentering the building to reach the public road.
Can we ignore that?

No, you cannot reenter the building.

 

[blugosi]

Thank you!
So having occupants transverse an open air courtyard does not help with the exit travel limits at all?
Does this path count the same like if it were indoors?

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Read IBC 1029.1.

A completely enclosed courtyard is just another space from which egress must be provided. An egress court has to provide clear passage to a discharge away from the building.


By definition, an egress court is part of the exit discharge. That's why an enclosed courtyard, requiring occupants to reenter the building, cannot serve as exit discharge.

 

[steveray]

Yes, this was my first thought too, but the occupant would be reentering the building to reach the public road.
Can we ignore that?

You don't always need access to the PW....​

1028.5​

The exit discharge shall provide a direct and unobstructed access to a public way.

Exception: Where access to a public way cannot be provided, a safe dispersal area shall be provided where all of the following are met:

1. 1.The area shall be of a size to accommodate not less than 5 square feet (0.46 m2) for each person.
2. 2.The area shall be located on the same lot not less than 50 feet (15 240 mm) away from the building requiring egress.
3. 3.The area shall be permanently maintained and identified as a safe dispersal area
4. 4.The area shall be provided with a safe and unobstructed path of travel from the building.

And technically it is not an egress court by definition if it does not provide access to a PW....Isn't code awesome?

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

You don't always need access to the PW....​

1028.5​

The exit discharge shall provide a direct and unobstructed access to a public way.

Exception: Where access to a public way cannot be provided, a safe dispersal area shall be provided where all of the following are met:

1. 1.The area shall be of a size to accommodate not less than 5 square feet (0.46 m2) for each person.
2. 2.The area shall be located on the same lot not less than 50 feet (15 240 mm) away from the building requiring egress.
3. 3.The area shall be permanently maintained and identified as a safe dispersal area
4. 4.The area shall be provided with a safe and unobstructed path of travel from the building.

And technically it is not an egress court by definition if it does not provide access to a PW....Isn't code awesome?

We did this once, many years ago, for a courtyard at a high school. But they key is that the safe dispersal area has to be large enough to accommodate the full occupant load assigned to that means of egress, AND that full area has to be at least 50 feet away from the building served. That means that (a) it has to be a fairly large courtyard, and (b) the building has to be divided by firewalls unless the courtyard is big enough that the dispersal area is like the hole in the center of a doughnut, completely surrounded by a 50-foot wide perimeter.

The school was subdivided by firewalls, so we were able to put the dispersal area on one side of the courtyard.

It also means the fire department has to buy in and agree that their first priority when responding to a fire will be to check the courtyard for occupants.