Rod, I know your heart is in the right place but you need to consult with a codes professional on this and you may have to pay for these services. I would think your responsibility is to implement the scope you are given, unless you intend to apply (or supply) and engineering seal on your drawings. In that case you may share the liability of bad advice given by others.
Bill Brooks William N. Brooks, P.E. Brooks Fire Protection Engineering Inc. 372 Wilett Drive Severna Park, MD 21146-1904 410-544-3620 410-544-3032 FAX 412-400-6528 Cell -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Rod DiBona Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 8:08 PM To: [email protected] Subject: building code tradeoff We have a project where the architect has stated the following: 1. We have installed draftstops in the attic space to subdivide the space into areas less than 3000 sf. 2. We are installing the fire protection system in the basement according to 903.2.11.1. 3. We are installing fire protection on the first and second floors to allow a reduction in fire rating of the corridor walls, stairs, and the wall separating the courtroom A3 from the B occupancy. 4. We are installing the draftstops in the attic space and not accepting the reduction but utilitzing the exception to 901.2. 5. The architect has stated that only the basement is required to be sprinklered. This is a new courthouse. This is an architect that we have done work with and he is sharp but I don't see read the IBC the same way. First we were questioning not sprinklering the combustible attic. We don't have the water available to do a dry system in that attic without a fire pump. I don't think the reductions can be taken on first and second floor unless the entire building is sprinklered per NFPA 13. Can he subdivide with draftstops and then take the rating reductions on the first and second floor? I don't think so but even if I am wrong and this can be done, wouldn't we still have to increase our area on the second floor to 3,000ft? If so we would need the pump anyway. Thanks for your input. Rod DiBona Rapid Fire _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
