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R-2, fully sprinkled, single exit units, two exit building - bedroom windows?

C

camksu

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2015
Messages
7
Location
Missouri
As the title says, my team and I are dealing with the design of mixed use building with a question pertaining to floors 3-5 in a R-2, type 1-b, fully sprinkled, single exit units, two exit building... are bedrooms in the core of the building required to have a EER window?

I have looked at the tables in 1021 and read both the code and commentary in 1029 but I am still not clear on whether or not our interior bedrooms are dinged for not having windows.

Any help or insight is much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.
 
What code and edition are you designing to?

Helps when posting a question
 
From 2009

See exception 1

SECTION 1029 EMERGENCY ESCAPE AND RESCUE

1029.1 General. In addition to the means of egress required by this chapter, provisions shall be made for emergency escape and rescue in Group R and I-1 occupancies. Basements and sleeping rooms below the fourth story above grade plane shall have at least one exterior emergency escape and rescue opening in accordance with this section. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, emergency escape and rescue openings shall be required in each sleeping room, but shall not be required in adjoining areas of the basement. Such openings shall open directly into a public way or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.

Exceptions:

1. In other than Group R-3 occupancies, buildings equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2.

2. In other than Group R-3 occupancies, sleeping rooms provided with a door to a fire-resistance-rated corridor having access to two remote exits in opposite directions.

3. The emergency escape and rescue opening is permitted to open onto a balcony within an atrium in accordance with the requirements of Section 404, provided the balcony provides access to an exit and the dwelling unit or sleeping unit has a means of egress that is not open to the atrium.

4. Basements with a ceiling height of less than 80 inches (2032 mm) shall not be required to have emergency escape and rescue windows.

5. High-rise buildings in accordance with Section 403.

6. Emergency escape and rescue openings are not required from basements or sleeping rooms that have an exit door or exit access door that opens directly into a public way or to a yard, court or exterior exit balcony that opens to a public way.

7. Basements without habitable spaces and having no more than 200 square feet (18.6 m2) in floor area shall not be required to have emergency escape windows.

This section requires emergency escape and rescue provisions in groups where occupants may be sleeping during a potential fire buildup, but are capable of self-preservation (Groups R and I-1). A basement and each sleeping room are to be provided with an exterior window or door that meets the minimum size requirements and is operable for emergency escape by methods that are obvious and clearly understood by all users. Sleeping rooms four stories or more above grade are not required to be so equipped, since fire service access at that height, as well as escape through such an opening, may not be practical or reliable. In accordance with Chapter 9, such buildings will also be equipped throughout with an automatic fire suppression system. The provision for basements is in recognition that such types of spaces typically only have a single path of egress and often have no alternative routes available as other levels do.

It is important to note that this window is an element of escape and does not comprise any part of the means of egress unless it is a door with appropriate egress component characteristics.

Exception 1 assumes that the automatic sprinkler system can control fire buildup and reduce, if not eliminate, the need for an occupant to use an emergency escape window. The exception applies to buildings equipped throughout with an NFPA 13 or 13R sprinkler system.

Exception 2 allows another acceptable means of escape; that is, a door directly from the sleeping room to a corridor with exits in opposite directions, to substitute for the escape window.

Exception 3 provides for dwelling and sleeping units that have egress windows to a balcony that is within an atrium. The exception specifies that the dwelling or sleeping unit is to have another means of egress that does not pass through the atrium so that an independent route of egress is provided.

Exceptions 4 and 7 are intended to exempt basements that would not be likely to have sleeping rooms in them from the requirement to have emergency escape and rescue openings.

Exception 5 is in correlation with the exception for emergency escape windows in high-rise buildings addressed in Section 403.4.

The intent of Exception 6 is to permit sleeping rooms with a direct access to an exterior-type environment, such as a street or exit balcony, to not have an emergency escape window. The open atmosphere of the escape route would increase the likelihood that the means of egress be available even with the delayed response time for sleeping residents.
 
cda said:
What code and edition are you designing to?Helps when posting a question
Click to expand...
I neglected to mention that, didn't I?

We are governed by IBC - and here's the kicker... 2012, which reduces the exceptions in 1029 greatly.
 
ok looks like you are stuck "below the fourth floor' with meeting the requirement

Can you provide a window and meet """"Such openings shall open directly into a public way or to a yard or court that opens to a public way"""?

Or has the ahj Amended the section??

it did not change back in the 2015.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
cda said:
ok looks like you are stuck "below the fourth floor' with meeting the requirementCan you provide a window and meet """"Such openings shall open directly into a public way or to a yard or court that opens to a public way"""?

Or has the ahj Amended the section??

it did not change back in the 2015.
Click to expand...
That's what i was afraid of...

I read it the same as you, that my R-2 floors 4&5 are ok but floor 3 would still need to abide. Unfortunately, the bedrooms are interior and would not be able to open directly into a public way or yard or court.

As an aside, any idea why they excluded the sprinkler exception in 2012 and 2015? Seems to be pretty restrictive...
 
Nope, there are a few """code adopter goers to meetings", on here that may know.

only guess is FD wanted the access, since it was so low??
 
Not sure of your floor plan, but can you add a door from the bedroom to a fire rated corridor? See exception #2 from post #4 above. I just used that exception (2009 IBC) to eliminate some EER window requirements.
 
Mech said:
Not sure of your floor plan, but can you add a door from the bedroom to a fire rated corridor? See exception #2 from post #4 above. I just used that exception (2009 IBC) to eliminate some EER window requirements.
Click to expand...
That's what I may have to end of up doing... on just the third floor, which is unfortunate from a design standpoint as that doubles the number of doors in the corridor in a fully sprinkled type 1b (fully protected structure).

I still don't fully understand why they reduced the exceptions from 2009 to 2012... then again i'm trying to apply logic to the code and well :banghd:banghd:banghd
 
camksu said:
That's what I may have to end of up doing... on just the third floor, which is unfortunate from a design standpoint as that doubles the number of doors in the corridor in a fully sprinkled type 1b (fully protected structure).I still don't fully understand why they reduced the exceptions from 2009 to 2012... then again i'm trying to apply logic to the code and well :banghd:banghd:banghd
Click to expand...
I know they significantly increased the travel distance with one exit....maybe this has something to do with that....?
 
I just went through this on another project. Section 1029.1 states, in significant part, that EEROs are required "in Group R-2 occupancies in accordance with Tables 1021.2(1) and 1021.2(2)..."

If the Group R-2 is provided with only one exit from a story, then the EEROs are required per Footnote 'a' of Table 1021.2(1). If a Group R-2 has two exits from the story, then EEROs are not required. Individual dwelling units within the story of a Group R-2 are permitted to have one exit access doorway per Table 1015.1 if the occupant load of the dwelling unit does not exceed 10.

This is all from the 2012 IBC.
 
RLGA said:
I just went through this on another project. Section 1029.1 states, in significant part, that EEROs are required "in Group R-2 occupancies in accordance with Tables 1021.2(1) and 1021.2(2)..."If the Group R-2 is provided with only one exit from a story, then the EEROs are required per Footnote 'a' of Table 1021.2(1). If a Group R-2 has two exits from the story, then EEROs are not required. Individual dwelling units within the story of a Group R-2 are permitted to have one exit access doorway per Table 1015.1 if the occupant load of the dwelling unit does not exceed 10.

This is all from the 2012 IBC.
Click to expand...
After reading the previous discussion and the wording in 2012

Is it poorly written??

1. All r's are sprinkled per 2012

2. So they did not need to restate that

3. So you do not need the window in a sprinkled R

If someone has the 2012 commentary maybe post what it says
 
I agree that it is bad wording, but I don't think I agree about the EERO's not being required. That will require some more looking on my end. The tables specify that you can have one exit when..... Not you only need EERO's when....Even though that is where 1029 send you.....See what I am saying?
 
RLGA said:
I just went through this on another project. Section 1029.1 states, in significant part, that EEROs are required "in Group R-2 occupancies in accordance with Tables 1021.2(1) and 1021.2(2)..."If the Group R-2 is provided with only one exit from a story, then the EEROs are required per Footnote 'a' of Table 1021.2(1). If a Group R-2 has two exits from the story, then EEROs are not required. Individual dwelling units within the story of a Group R-2 are permitted to have one exit access doorway per Table 1015.1 if the occupant load of the dwelling unit does not exceed 10.

This is all from the 2012 IBC.
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RLGA: Thank you very much for your insightful and helpful response. Question for you though...

Can you point me to where "If a Group R-2 has two exits from the story, then EEROs are not required."? I can't find that exception in 1021 or 1029
 
steveray said:
I agree that it is bad wording, but I don't think I agree about the EERO's not being required. That will require some more looking on my end. The tables specify that you can have one exit when..... Not you only need EERO's when....Even though that is where 1029 send you.....See what I am saying?
Click to expand...
The first sentence of Section 1029.1 establishes the scoping of the requirement for EEROs. It states that only Group R-2 and Group R-3 are required to have EEROs; thus, other occupancy groups (including Groups R-1 and R-4) are not required to provide EEROs. The remaining sentences of Section 1029.1 further refine the scope as applied to the occupancy groups in the first sentence and are not meant to be broad-scope requirements to any basement or sleeping room in any occupancy group.
 
cda said:
After reading the previous discussion and the wording in 2012Is it poorly written??

1. All r's are sprinkled per 2012

2. So they did not need to restate that

3. So you do not need the window in a sprinkled R

If someone has the 2012 commentary maybe post what it says
Click to expand...
The commentary does not lend much more clarity to 1029 as it states:

"This section requires emergency escape and rescue provisions in residential buildings where occupants may be sleeping during a potential fire buildup, but are capable of self-preservation. Group R-2 apartment buildings permitted to have a single exit are also required to have emergency escape openings by table 1021.2(1), Note a. Group R-2 congregate residences permitted to have a single exit are also required to have an EERO by table 1021.2(2), Note a"
 
RLGA said:
The first sentence of Section 1029.1 establishes the scoping of the requirement for EEROs. It states that only Group R-2 and Group R-3 are required to have EEROs; thus, other occupancy groups (including Groups R-1 and R-4) are not required to provide EEROs. The remaining sentences of Section 1029.1 further refine the scope as applied to the occupancy groups in the first sentence and are not meant to be broad-scope requirements to any basement or sleeping room in any occupancy group.
Click to expand...
Ah ha! I think I may understand now. So Group R-2 are only required to have EERO if they only have one exit for the building? Is that correct?
 
cda said:
I still think if sprinkled window not requiredJust bad wording
Click to expand...
The 2 exits from the story is the trigger....1 you still need the EERO...It brings it inline with R1 and such...Problem is you don't have as many long term idiots in R1....Time will tell how this works.
 
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