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Wedding Equipment Rental Classification

I

itsthezing

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Joined
Oct 1, 2017
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3
Location
SC
Looking at IBC 2015 here.

I have a wedding/party rental tenant that is wanting to use the upper level of a 2 story building as display for their merchandise, so I'm calling this Mercantile (M), and the lower level of the building as storage and loading/unloading. Where I get confused, though, is if it would classify as S-1 or S-2 on the lower level. When separating occupancies from Mercantile, S-1 requires no separation, but S-2 requires a 2 hour separation (this is non-sprinklered). Why is that? S-1 is supposed to be moderate hazard and S-2 is supposed to be LOW hazard--so why is the higher rating separation required for the lower hazard storage?

I appreciate any help you can give me. Both as to which storage you'd classify tents, chairs, etc, and a justification of why the lower hazard storage requires a higher separation rating.
 
How about call the entire thing a B? Or M

Does the building have a fire sprinkler system??


Would be S-1 over a S-2, you would have stuff that burns
 
Separation is based on relative fire load in each occupancy group, protecting a lower fire-load group from a higher fire-load group. Group S-1 and Group M have similar fire loads, so there is no need to protect one from the other. However, Group S-2 has a low fire load, thus it needs to be protected from the higher fire load (Group M).

Can you consider the building as nonseparated occupancies based on the Group M? What is the construction type and building area?
 
So is the public allowed to walk around on the first floor??


Maybe argue it is all a M??
 
Thank you everyone for the feedback.

The Party Rental Space would have display units on the upper level and it would be approximately 4000 sq ft. The lower level (slightly below grade but has an above grade egress) would connect to the upper level via a stair but would not be accessible to the public--so that's why I'm reluctant to call it all M Mercantile. The definition of that occupancy classification expressly limits it to areas open to the public. We're talking about 4000 upper open to public and 8000 lower not open to public--so it can't be accessory, I don't think.
 
At that area, you can have nonseparated occupancies, with Group M being the most restrictive. If the building will not be sprinklered, then you're limited to Type VA construction as a minimum, since a Group M cannot be more than one story. If sprinklered, then it could be Type VB construction using nonseparated occupancies.
 
Good to know. Thank you. It's an existing building that looks like it's type IIIB construction.
 
itsthezing said:
Good to know. Thank you. It's an existing building that looks like it's type IIIB construction.
Click to expand...
Then you're good to go calling it nonseparated occupancies, whether sprinklered or not, since the allowable area per story is 12,500 sf and the maximum height is two stories.
 
You are getting close to requiring a fire suppression system if you "fire area" exceeds 12,000 sq ft. You may have to create two "fire areas" to avoid sprinklers
Start with the IEBC. It may send you to this section if it is a change of use

[F] 903.2.7 Group M.
An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings containing a Group M occupancy where one of the following conditions exists:

1. A Group M fire area exceeds 12,000 square feet (1115 m2).
 
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