The 18,000 sf limit is from the building code for a sprinklered, 4 storey residential building, of combustibe construction. Why the architect split into three, I'm not sure.
The building code definition for "firewall" is as following: "Firewall means a type of fire separation of non-combustible construction which subdivides a building or separates adjoining buildings to resist the spread of fire and which has a fire resistance rating as prescribed in this Code and has structural stability to remain intact under fire conditions for the required fire-rated time." So a firewall as per this definition can sub-divide a building to three compartments, and not necessarily three buildings. Also the architect calls them "two hour fire walls" and indicates concrete block wall construction in an otherwise wood construction building. Tony -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Roland Huggins Sent: March 11, 2008 8:20 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Horizontal Exits Part 32 Allow me to tweak this. If your statement that the maximum single floor area is 18,000 sf, fire BARRIERS do not help. I would still question the issue since why would they install TWO fire walls since ONE would have been enough in a 30,000 sf bldg if the 18,000 is accurate. Just to be complete, what is your basis for the maximum allowed area per floor since I am having trouble hitting 18,000 sf (it is too small)? Roland On Mar 11, 2008, at 7:50 AM, Roland Huggins wrote: > You are confusing the issue by not carefully applying your words. > You have identified the definition of floor area as being between > exterior walls and fire walls. Then you say the building (SINGULAR) > has three floor areas of 10,000 sf each for a total of 30,000 > sf. You are missing the fact that a single structure divide by > two fire walls creates THREE buildings (see section 705.1). So back > to where we were yesterday. > > It sounds like you have fire BARRIERS not fire WALLS. > > If you have fire walls, each building will be zoned SEPARATELY > > If you have fire barriers, they do not impact the zoning. > > Does anyone else are with this statement? > > Verify which of the walls you have otherwise we'll all continue to > run in circles. Tag, your it. > > Roland > > > On Mar 10, 2008, at 11:12 PM, A.P.Silva wrote: > >> This is a 30,000 sq.ft. residential 4 storey building of combustible >> construction. The building code limits building area to approx. >> 18,000 >> sq.ft. My understanding is the firewalls are due to this area limit. >> 30,000 sq.ft. building split into three, approx. 10,000 sq.ft. each. >> The building code also states that on the actuation of "alarm >> initiating devices" the fire alarm annunciator shall have separate >> zone indication for each "floor area". Floor area is defined as the >> space between the exterior walls and required firewalls. "Alarm >> initiating devices" are given as "heat detectors, waterflow switches >> and manual stations". My interpretation is that the intent of the >> code is satisfied if any one of the alarm initiating devices >> (AID) satisfy the zoning requirement. The AHJ insists that "all" >> AID's >> should be zoned per "floor area". >> >> What I'd like to know is if other building codes have similar >> annunciator requirements, and if so, is the sprinkler system zoned >> for each fire compartment? >> >> Tony > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum > > To Unsubscribe, send an email to:Sprinklerforum- > [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) _______________________________________________ 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)
