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Windowless bedroom.

UPDATE: The Mississippi State Fire Marshal's office has allowed the fraternity to occupy and use the rooms as bedrooms "as-is" without having an EERO.

I'm waiting to for them to send me their justification.
 
UPDATE: The Mississippi State Fire Marshal's office has allowed the fraternity to occupy and use the rooms as bedrooms "as-is" without having an EERO. I'm waiting to for them to send me their justification.
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Plus get their approval in writing from them!!!!!!
 
Here's an email that the SFM forwarded to me. This was a 3rd party reviewer asking another 3rd party.

I am going to ask the same question from several different angles because this section is very confusing and there are many ways to interpret it. Please indulge me on this since the new section seems to confuse more that it helps. I will color the actual question different from the explanation for clarity and simplicity. Again, my apologies in advance J

2012 IBC Section 1029 Emergency Escape and Rescue, no longer has the exception for fully sprinklered, R-2 buildings that was present in 2009 IBC 1029.

Exception 1 to section 1029 in the 2009 IBC states that the emergency escape and rescue openings are not required in other than R-3 occupancy’s if the building is fully sprinklered. This recognized the increased safety provided to the occupants by the sprinkler system and allowed the emergency escape and rescue openings to not be required.

On the surface we read section 1029 in the 2012 IBC without reading and fully understanding the referenced tables 1021.1(1) and 1021.1(2), and say that due to the deletion of exception 1 as it appeared in the 2009, we must now have emergency escape and rescue openings in R-2 occupancies, however…

There is no need for the 2009-1029 exception 1, because it would never not apply since all R-2 occupancies are now sprinklered.

Inversely;

If all R-2 occupancies are sprinklered then they all meet the requirements of 2009 IBC 1029 exception 1.

So other than stories with a single exit according to 2012 IBC Section 1021, emergency escape and rescue opening are no longer required in R-2 occupancies. Correct?

Is the deletion of the exceptions found in the 2009 IBC Section 1029, as it appears in the 2012 IBC 1029, a direct response to the requirement that all R-2 occupancies are now required to be sprinklered so emergency escape and rescue opening are no longer required in any R-2 building with two means of egress?

IBC 2012 section 1029 states that in addition to the 1 exit door required from an R-2 sleeping room on the first floor, we must have emergency escape and rescue opening according to 1021.

2012 IBC Section 1021, Tables 1021.1(1) and 1021.1(2) and Foot Note a, provides the criteria for stories with a single exit and foot note “a” stipulates that Buildings classified as Group R-2 equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2 and provided with emergency escape and rescue openings in accordance with Section 1029 can have just one means of egress from the entire story.

This means the only time emergency escape and rescue openings are required is when the story has a single exit.

Is this a correct understanding of the section?



Finally; Is an interior sleeping unit, fully sprinklered, with no windows, a maximum occupant load of 10 (complying with 1015.1 for a space with a single exit) with only one 36 inch door, opening to a corridor that is constructed in compliance with 2012 IBC and the corridor has two fully compliant exits allowed.

Is a story containing 30 of the sleeping units as described in the sentence above allowed if the corridor and exits are the correct width for the occupant load served?
 
here's the response...

Subject: 12 IBC Section 1029 Emergency Escape and Rescue

Question 1:

Are emergency escape and rescue openings required in R-2 occupancies, where the story has more than one exit?

Answer 1:

No.

Emergency escape and rescue openings are not required in R-2 occupancies where the story has more than one exit.

Emergency escape and rescue openings are required in R-2 occupancies where the story with the single exit provision of Section 1021 is used. Even though emergency escape and rescue openings do not qualify as a means of egress / exit, they do offer a 2nd way of escape during an emergency.

Question 2:

Is the deletion of the exceptions found in the 2009 IBC Section 1029, as it appears in the 2012 IBC 1029, a direct response to the requirement that all R-2 occupancies are now required to be sprinklered so emergency escape and rescue opening are no longer required in any R-2 building with two means of egress?

Answer 2:

Yes.

Question 2:

2012 IBC Section 1029 states that in addition to the 1 exit door required from an R-2 sleeping room on the first floor, we must have emergency escape and rescue opening according to 1021.

2012 IBC Section 1021, Tables 1021.1(1) and 1021.1(2) and footnote “a”, provides the criteria for stories with a single exit and footnote “a” stipulates that “Buildings classified as Group R-2 equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2 and provided with emergency escape and rescue openings in accordance with Section 1029.” can have just one means of egress from the entire story.

Therefore, the only time emergency escape and rescue openings are required is when the story has a single exit.

Is this a correct understanding of the section?

Answer 2:

Yes. See Answer to Question 1.

Question 3:

Is an interior sleeping unit, fully sprinklered, without emergency escape and rescue openings, with a maximum occupant load of 10 (complying with 1015.1 for a space with a single exit), with only one 36 inch door, opening into a corridor that is constructed in compliance with 2012 IBC and the corridor has two compliant exits allowed?

Answer 3:

Yes. See answer to Question 1.

Question 4:

Is a story containing 30 of the sleeping units as described in Question 3 allowed if the corridor and exits are the correct width for the occupant load served?

Answer 4:

Yes. See answer to Question 1.

Code opinions issued by ICC staff are based on ICC-published codes and do not include local, state or federal codes, policies or amendments. This opinion is based on the information which you have provided. We have made no independent effort to verify the accuracy of this information nor have we conducted a review beyond the scope of your question. This opinion does not imply approval of an equivalency, specific product, specific design, or specific installation and cannot be published in any form implying such approval by the International Code Council. As this opinion is only advisory, the final decision is the responsibility of the designated authority charged with the administration and enforcement of this code.
 
Guys, I have a letter from SFM approving the occupation of these windowless rooms as bedrooms. I did what I thought was right by bringing it to their attention. Apparently, I was wrong. I'm done with this issue.
 
Guys' date=' I have a letter from SFM approving the occupation of these windowless rooms as bedrooms. I did what I thought was right by bringing it to their attention. Apparently, I was wrong. I'm done with this issue.[/quote']The good thing is you questioned it!!!!
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