Treating this as a new or up to current code issue, the building code does allow only portions of a building to be sprinklered. It all depends on the occupancy, location etc.
405.3 Automatic sprinkler system. The highest level of exit discharge serving the underground portions of the building and all levels below shall be equipped with an automatic sprinkler system The A-3 requires just that floor and all stories between it and the level of exit discharge to be sprinklered A such, unless there is an occupancy that says sprinklers must be throughout the building verse just that pertinent floor or fire area (like stated for Group R), then the NFPA 13 criteria for throughout is irrelevant (being superseded by the code). Keep in mind that 13 came out of the Insurance business and things like business continuity is an inherit part of OUR philosophy and drives such text in NFPA 13. Unfortunately the codes allow those decisions (to some degree) to be driven by the owner and the EOR. This is just starting to be acknowledged by NFPA 13 as shown by the below new commentary in the Sprinkler Handbook (which I knew was there since guess who wrote it?). 4.1 Level of Protection A building, where protected by an automatic sprinkler system installation, shall be provided with sprinklers in all areas except where specific sections of this standard permit the omission of sprinklers. The oldest and most important design rule of NFPA 13 is that sprinklers should be installed in all areas of a building. This requirement dates back to the first edition of NFPA 13, published in 1896, which contained the statement “sprinklers to be placed throughout premises” in the section on location and arrangement of sprinklers. This philosophy is part of the insurance-based attitude toward risk and levels of protection that founded the standard. To truly minimize risk, the entire building must be protected. However, insurance is no longer the primary driver for when sprinkler protection is provided. That role is played by the building codes. It is possible to have a mixed occupancy building that is fully compliant with the building code and only have one of the occupancies sprinklered. When this occurs, it should not be viewed as a limited area system, and NFPA 13 should be applied in its entirety throughout the portion of the building containing the protected occupancy. Roland Roland Huggins, PE - Senior VP Engineering American Fire Sprinkler Assn. Dallas, TX http://www.firesprinkler.org <http://www.firesprinkler.org/> Fire Sprinklers Saves Lives > On Jun 8, 2017, at 8:59 AM, Thomas Reinhardt <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > From: Thomas Reinhardt > Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2017 10:53 AM > To: '[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>' > Subject: Do they need sprinklers? > > I have a place of religious worship(A3) not sprinklered. They want to open up > an elementary school in the basement(below grade) which has currently > multiple rooms. Ages of children five through thirteen. We use IFC and IBC > 2012 edition. The occupancy for the school I believe would be Education, thus > Accessory to place of worship as defined in the IFC. If occupant load is less > than 100 it shall be classified as an A3. Chapter 9 section 903.2.1.3(Fire > Protection) relates that the fire area is located on a floor other than level > of exit discharge it must be sprinklered. Also group E (903.2.3) say the > same. I contend that they must not only sprinkler the basement, but also the > entire building as interpreted in NFPA(2010 edition) chapter 4 section 4.1. > Sorry so long . Any comments would be appreciated. > Tom Reinhardt > Fire Inspector/Plan Reviewer > Skokie Fire Department > 7424 Niles Center Road > Skokie, IL 60077 > Office: 847-982-5342 > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org > <http://lists.firesprinkler.org/listinfo.cgi/sprinklerforum-firesprinkler.org>
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