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Unlimited Building??

indyarchyguy

Registered User
Joined
Mar 28, 2013
Messages
127
Location
United States
I am currently reviewing a project in Indiana (2012 IBC with amendments).

The building is a one-story church facility. Originally filed as Type II-A. Owner wants to refile as II-B...and construction has started (sigh). Three occupancies...A-3, B and E. It was already planned to provided 1-hour separation between each occupancy per the Architect. In doing my calculations, I can't get the allowable areas for all to work per Equations 5-1, 5-2 and Section 506.3. I have calculated the ratios of the actual area / allowable area and my ratio always comes up over 1.0. Someone else mentioned to me I should just take the fact that with a full sprinkler system and one-story, in Indiana you are allowed to have UNLIMITED area for a B or E occupancy with 60-foot clearance at the perimeter of the area (see attached file). In my opinion, this is not valid as the occupancy itself is not technically open at the perimeter since the adjoining occupancies are at least on one side of the adjacent occupancies.

If I do follow that thought process, my B and E occupancies are covered by Unlimited and my A-3 is under the allowable area, therefore I am fine. Thoughts? Other than that Indiana is slightly nuts? Also, we struck footnote "d" under Table 601 which would have allowed the sprinkler system to substitute for a 1-hour fire rating.
 

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Each occupancy can be allowed unlimited area:
  • Group A-3: Per Section 507.6
  • Group B: Per Section 507.3
  • Group E: Per Section 507.10
As long as each occupancy group within the same building conforms to the unlimited area requirements for that occupancy group, then they can be within a single unlimited area building. If one or two of the occupancy groups do not conform to the requirements (or there are other occupancy groups), then they are limited to 10% of the floor area but cannot exceed the area permitted by Table 503 without any increases per the Exception to Section 507.1.
 
Thank you! 507.6 was not amended. However, 507.10 was deleted by amendment. However, based on the our 507.3 as amended, I think that takes care of any issue with 507.10 being deleted. I appreciate the help!
 
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