Sprinkler for portion of Daycare building?

[Mech]

2009 IBC

Mixed Use, Separated Building w/ basement

A 3,000 sq ft daycare occupancy (Group E) will be located on the first floor, which is the level of exit discharge.

[F] 903.2.3 Group E. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided for Group E occupancies as follows:

1. Throughout all Group E fire areas greater than 12,000 square feet (1115 m2) in area.

2. Throughout every portion of educational buildings below the lowest level of exit discharge serving that portion of the building.

Exception: An automatic sprinkler system is not required in any area below the lowest level of exit discharge serving that area where every classroom throughout the building has at least one exterior exit door at ground level.

The basement is storage. Does the basement need to be sprinklered? It is below the lowest level of exit discharge, but it is not part of the Daycare occupancy. Not every classroom will have an exterior exit door at ground level, so the exception would not apply.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JBI]

The Group E Daycare will not trigger the requirement to sprinkler the non-accessory, separated basement storage area IMHO.

 

[cda]

New building??

How many sq ft is the basement??

Is the day care storing in the basement ??

No opening between first and basement?

 

[Jim B]

I would think that the sprinklered E would need to seperate from non-sprinklered areas with fire barrires and horizontal assemblies to create a fire area (IBC 2009: 707.3.9)

 

[mtlogcabin]

The fire area can not exceed 12,000 sq ft. Fire areas can include different stories. The OP is not clear on the size of the fire area and if it meets the non-separated use provisions of Chapter 5.

903.2.11.1 may trigger the basement sprinkler requirement

Did PA adopted the IEBC? If so you should start with that code

 

[steveray]

Agree with MT on IEBC and watch out for 903.2.11.1 on the basement sprinklers.... 903.2.3 #2 says "E buildings" not uses or fire areas so I would spend a little more time looking at that as well....

 

[Mech]

New building??

Existing building. I must have accidentally edited that out before posting.

How many sq ft is the basement??

Good question. I am assuming it is the same size as the building floor area, about 5200 sf. I will have to add that to the list of items to be determined / confirmed.

Is the day care storing in the basement ??

Depends on the lease terms. Might need to store some problematic kids down there. Right now they will only occupy part of the first floor. We are investigating what is currently stored in the basement.

No opening between first and basement?

There is an interior stairs from the basement to the first floor and also an exterior exit, with steps, for the basement.

Jim B: My recommendation will be to separate the daycare occupancies from everything else (basement, remainder of first floor, second floor, and third floor occupancies) with fire barriers creating a 3,000 sf fire area.

mtlogcabin: Please see response above to Jim B. Also, I will need to investigate IEBC.

903.2.3 #2 says "E buildings" not uses or fire areas so I would spend a little more time looking at that as well....

That's where I was getting hung up last week.:-| The code is becoming clearer to me after have a few days break from it.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[mtlogcabin]

My recommendation will be to separate the daycare occupancies from everything else (basement, remainder of first floor, second floor, and third floor occupancies) with fire barriers creating a 3,000 sf fire area.

That may be impossible with an existing building

707.5.1 Supporting construction.

The supporting construction for a fire barrier shall be protected to afford the required fire-resistance rating of the fire barrier supported. Hollow vertical spaces within a fire barrier shall be fireblocked in accordance with Section 718.2 at every floor level

 

[cda]

so is this a change of use/occupancy type??

if so from what _______ to and E??

 

[Mech]

so is this a change of use/occupancy type??

Yes

if so from what _______ to and E??

Right now the 3,000 sf space is vacant. I think it was a B and it is destined to be an E and possibly include I-4. There is an exception that allows I-4 to be classified as an E under certain conditions.

Buildings containing a Group I fire area need sprinklers. I am assuming if sprinklers are required throughout the entire building, the prospective tenant will look for a different space to lease.

 

[cda]

It sounds like something is going to make sprinklers required????