separate buildings on 1 site - services

[Hyrax4978]

Trying to work out a concept for a building addition that would be over the allowable buildable area. So were creating a separate building on side. working out firewall/connectors/separate building concepts.

If we opt to provide a separate building touching the existing in some shape or form, are we allowed by code to utilize existing services in the existing adjacent building. thinking we can tie into the sprinkler service, water service and electrical service and save a fair amount on utility costs to the new building.

Question is does code allow each building, although classified as two buildings, since they are touching can they use the same services. Cant seem to find this in the code.

Thank you,

 

[ICE]

Given sufficient capacity, the utilities can serve more than one building on a lot. The buildings do not need to touch.

 

[Hyrax4978]

Thats what i thought, but where can one find this?

 

[RLGA]

Keep in mind that the use of a fire wall is "[f]or the purposes of determining area limitations, height limitations and type of construction..." (Section 503.1).

In your case, you are creating an addition to an existing building, but to ensure you comply with height, area, and construction type, you can use a fire wall. In reality, it is still a single building.

Fire departments arriving on the scene for an emergency will see one building--not two (assuming they are not familiar with the building). They may find one electrical and gas service and shut them off, not realizing they only shut off a portion of the building. If more than one utility entrance is necessary, it is good practice to place signage at each location identifying where the others are located. The NEC requires this for buildings with both commercial and PV electric service entrances if they are not located in the same area.

 

[steveray]

Agree with above, you won't find it, but it is not prohibited...There is some muttering that if the first building collapses it kills the suppression in the second building so the mains go UG.....But I don't have a section on that either...

 

[Tim Mailloux]

100% agree with RLGA! no need to classify this as two separate buildings. Its just one very big building divided up by fire walls. I currently have a very large school here in CT in construction, its divided up into (5) seperate chuncks with fire walls to comply with area limitations but we only have (1) electrical service, (1) gas service & one water / fire service.