Rating of Server rooms to 1 hour

[miguele3]

I no longer have the NFPA 75, however as I recall for Server rooms they had to be 1 hour rated if they were basically important to your company, which was a "Duh!" moment. I am working on a project in Emeryville, CA using the 2010 CBC and even our plan checkers were unclear if it had to be rated. Is anyone aware of a code section in California that requires a server room to be rated? Thanks, Miguel

P.S.- High-rise building fully sprinklered, Construction type 1A, Occupancy B

 

[Coug Dad]

The building code would not require a server room to be rated unless the size and type of the CRAC units drive it into meeting the definition of a refrigeration room. Rating would normally be applied after completion of a risk assessment by the owner.

 

[cda]

Or maybe if they try to take the fire sprinklers out of the room????

 

[miguele3]

Or maybe if they try to take the fire sprinklers out of the room????

That won't happen, but thanks.

 

[AegisFPE]

I would concur that the IBC does not reference NFPA 75, and therefore it should not be in play. It seems like a stretch if the local authority tried to impose it based on the "subjects not regulated by this code" administrative provision of the IFC.

In general, the building code seeks to protect occupants from specific hazards. NFPA 75 is the opposite, seeking to protect the contents of the room from the surrounding occupancy. Compliance with NFPA 75 should be a voluntary standard that the occupants may elect to self-impose, if desired.

 

[Architect1281]

A one hour room in the middle of a ZERO hour building - kinda makes ya go HMMMMMMMMMMMMM

 

[Builder Bob]

May be more of a risk management approach by the proposed company that will locate their after work is permitted and CO'ed.

 

[cda]

IF you want to comply with NFPA 75

nfpa 75 2009 edition

1.1 Scope. This standard covers the requirements for the protection of information technology equipment and information technology equipment areas.

1.2* Purpose. The purpose of this standard is to set forth the minimum requirements for the protection of information technology equipment and information technology equipment areas from damage by fire or its associated effects — namely, smoke, corrosion, heat, and water.

5.1.3* The information technology equipment area shall be separated from other occupancies within the building, including atria or other open-space construction, by fire-resistant-rated construction. The information technology equipment room shall be separated from other occupancies in the information technology equipment area by fire-resistant-rated construction. The fire resistance rating shall be commensurate with the exposure but not less than 1 hour for both.

5.1.3.1 The fire-resistant-rated enclosures shall extend from the structural floor to the structural floor above or to the roof.

5.1.3.2 Every opening in the fire-resistant-rated construction shall be protected to limit the spread of fire and to restrict the movement of smoke from one side of the fire-resistant-rated construction to the other. The fire resistance rating for doors shall be as follows:

(1)

2-hour fire-resistant-rated construction — 11/2-hour fire-resistance-rated doors

(2)

1-hour fire-resistant-rated construction — 3/4-hour fire-resistance-rated doors

A.5.1.3 Experience with fires affecting information technology equipment rooms has demonstrated that the fire often starts in areas other than the information technology equipment area and that the fire and its related products, including smoke, soot, and heat, can enter the information technology equipment room if it is not adequately separated by sealed, rated walls. Consideration should be given to raising the rating of perimeter walls to 2 hours where adjacent walls are already rated 2 hours or greater.

The prudent facilities manager would do well to limit the exposure fire hazard by locating an information technology equipment facility in a fully sprinklered building.

The rooms shown in Figure A.5.1.3 are symbolic and do not denote size, shape, or location, nor are the rooms in Figure A.5.1.3 necessarily required in the information technology equipment area. The information technology equipment area includes only those support rooms served by the same special air-conditioning/air-handling equipment as the information technology equipment room. Information technology equipment rooms normally have a raised floor.