The architect either knows nothing about the building code or is intentional misreading it.
717.4 (2009 ed) and 718.4 (2015 ed) says attics in combustible contraction shall be subdivided with draftstops. 717.4.3 Other Groups (besides R) shall be divided into no more than 3,000 sf areas. An exception says draftstopping is not required when buildings are protected throughout in accordance with 903.3.1.1 (an NFPA 13 system). This has bitten a few folks that changed a 13 system to a 13R for R occupancies but that’s a different story. IF the building was not required to be protected and there are no trade-offs for sprinklers, the argument could be made to protect only the occupied areas. 903.2.6 though requires I occupancies to be protected with a NFPA 13 system (I-1 has an exception on system type). Not sure how the Arch is arriving at the conclusion that draftstopping is equivalent to sprinkler protection just because sprinklers are equivalent to draftstoppiing. DOH! Roland Huggins, PE - VP Engineering American Fire Sprinkler Assn. --- Fire Sprinklers Saves Lives Dallas, TX http://www.firesprinkler.org <http://www.firesprinkler.org/> > On Dec 17, 2014, at 8:46 AM, Will Crisler <[email protected]> wrote: > > I have a scenario where the architect is trying to eliminate the requirement > for sprinkler protection in a combustible wood framed attic. This is an > 13,000sqft I-4 occupancy. The architect is saying they will be > compartmentalizing the attic into less than 3,000sqft fire areas with the > use of draft curtains. My question is, can the architect do this and still > be code compliant without attic fire protection? > > > > Thanks. > > > > Will Crisler > > Southeastern Automatic Sprinkler Co., Inc. > > 143 Enterprise Dr > > P.O. Box 1338 > > Madison, MS 39110 > > Ph (601) 898-9385 > > Fx (601) 898-8230 > > (800) 898-0238 > > > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org
