Garth, I'm not a building code guru but it sounds like different buildings to me. Do the buildings have different addresses? To me, this sounds like a poor attempt to save $$ during the initial construction process.
Hopefully all of the code experts haven't left for the evening and will give you a more definitive answer. Cliff Whitfield Fire Design, Inc. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Garth W. Warren Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 7:54 PM To: [email protected] Subject: what makes a "building" Question - There are several dormitory clusters served by a single on-site 6" underground piping system. The underground enters a building, passes through a backflow preventer, and then exits the building and serves the several clusters and the site hydrants around the clusters. Each cluster consists of three to four structures which range from two to four stories in height. There are three clusters arranged around cul-de-sacs with an elevation difference between the upermost cluster and the lowest cluster of about 35 feet. Each structure has an underground gate valve with a curb box (although the location of several of these could not be confirmed), a combination drain/test valve - piped with a piece of pipe shorter than a foot through the exterior wall, a flow switch and a FDC. No structure has a check valve or an internal control valve. I have been told that the ten to twelve structures are a single "building" (the portions of which are simply separated by several scores of yards) and therefore the control valve and check valve are in the one building that the underground enters and exits after passing through the backflow preventer. I am also being told that having no check valve between the FDC and the hydrants is not a problem. Both firsts for me. I have looked through the standards and can not find chapter or verse on which to base a response. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Garth _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
