Mixed use, single story w/ A2, is the whole building required to be sprinkled?

[aaron@rollingsarchitects.]

IBC 2015, We are designing a restaurant to go in a mixed use single story strip mall. Size will required sprinkling of the space. We want to create a fire area utilizing 2 hour rated fire barriers and only sprinkle our space. The space will have exits out the front and back. The local fire department is stating the owner will have to install sprinklers in the entire building not just our fire area.
IBC 2015 903.2.1 states "throughout the story where the fire areas containing group A2 is located" 903.2.1.2 states "sprinkler shall be provided for fire areas containing Group A-2"

Do we need to sprinkle the whole building (cancels project) or just the space?

I appreciate your help.
Thank you,
AAron

 

[JPohling]

Last one we did we sprinkled the entire building.

 

[Paul Sweet]

Is this an existing or new building?

If existing, does the International Existing Building Code apply?

If new, can you separate it from the rest of the building by fire walls instead of fire barriers? The structure would have to be designed so one side can collapse without pulling the fire wall or other side down with it.

 

[aaron@rollingsarchitects.]

Sorry it is an existing building. I believe we are performing too much work to fall under IEBC.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Sorry it is an existing building. I believe we are performing too much work to fall under IEBC.

It is Impossible to do too much work that the IEBC cannot be used unless you are knocking the structure down to the foundation.
The fire department is wrong and your original proposal of creating a separate fire area is the correct approach


1011.1.1.2 Change of occupancy classification with separation.
Where a portion of an existing building is changed to a new occupancy classification or where there is a change of occupancy within a space where there is a different fire protection system threshold requirement in Chapter 9 of the International Building Code, and that portion is separated from the remainder of the building with fire barriers having a fire-resistance rating as required in the International Building Code for the separate occupancy, that portion shall comply with all of the requirements of Chapter 9 of this code for the new occupancy classification and with the requirements of this chapter.

 

[aaron@rollingsarchitects.]

That does it! Thank you Log Cabin