• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

Installing sprinklers in a residential suite of a non-sprinklered strip mall. What code applies?

DKW

Registered User
Joined
Oct 6, 2020
Messages
3
Location
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
This is a cross post from NFPA X-Change with a better explanation: There is an older two story commercial building (dental office) attached to a two story strip mall / office building in Yellowknife NT. Neither is sprinklered but there is a non-compliant 1 1/2" standpipe system in the dental office. We have been asked to look at installing sprinklers on the second floor where the owner is wishing to renovate as a residential suite. Building foot print is about 4000 sq ft. I'm not seeing how 13D would apply and anything else will turn expensive quick. Thoughts ?
 
Welcome !!!

Now need to tie in the Canadian folks



This is a cross post from NFPA X-Change with a better explanation: There is an older two story commercial building (dental office) attached to a two story strip mall / office building in Yellowknife NT. Neither is sprinklered but there is a non-compliant 1 1/2" standpipe system in the dental office. We have been asked to look at installing sprinklers on the second floor where the owner is wishing to renovate as a residential suite. Building foot print is about 4000 sq ft. I'm not seeing how 13D would apply and anything else will turn expensive quick. Thoughts ?
To clarify
This Canadian code question
 
  • Like
Reactions: DKW
I'm assuming this is a Part 3 building.

You are tied to NFPA 13, unless you can completely separate the residential suites from the rest of the building using a fire wall, but if you are using a fire wall, you probably don't need sprinklers in the first place.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DKW
The dental office has a firewall between it and the rest of the mall. But the residence is to be on the 2nd floor so I assume the floor separation needs to be fire rated as well?
 
The dental office has a firewall between it and the rest of the mall. But the residence is to be on the 2nd floor so I assume the floor separation needs to be fire rated as well?
That changes everything.

Because of the inclusion of a firewall, the size of the building is just 4000 square feet, which based on the occupancies and the size means this is a Part 9 building. There are very few conditions in Part 9 that would require the inclusion of sprinklers in a building. Why are they being added?
 
  • Like
Reactions: DKW
That changes everything.

Because of the inclusion of a firewall, the size of the building is just 4000 square feet, which based on the occupancies and the size means this is a Part 9 building. There are very few conditions in Part 9 that would require the inclusion of sprinklers in a building. Why are they being added?


TM

Up North the codes are not like down South? If you have a residential component, one, you sprinkle it, and if in a mixed use building, you sprinkle that also?

Just wondering.
 
TM

Up North the codes are not like down South? If you have a residential component, one, you sprinkle it, and if in a mixed use building, you sprinkle that also?

Just wondering.
No, it has been demonstrated that adding sprinklers for life safety simply because a suite is residential does not provide sufficient return on investment per life saved (38 million dollars per life saved), so it has been defeated every time it has been proposed.
 
No, it has been demonstrated that adding sprinklers for life safety simply because a suite is residential does not provide sufficient return on investment per life saved (38 million dollars per life saved), so it has been defeated every time it has been proposed.


Interesting, thank you
 
Top