Don't neglect the remainder of the Penthouse definition... not more than one-third of the roof area. Also, IBC commentary Figure 905.3.1(2) reiterates the measuring to the highest floor level of a building with a mechanical penthouse and measures to the floor of the highest story and not to the penthouse floor.
IBC 403.1 The high rise applications of the IBC are applicable when the 'occupied floor' is located more than 75 ft. above the lowest level of FD access. As long as there are no offices (creating an occupiable space) for the bldg engineer, etc, you should not have to include the penthouse in your calcs. Double check to see if the A/E classified the bldg as high-rise or not. Duane Johnson, PE Program Manager Division of the Fire Marshal (Support Contractor) Office of Research Services National Institutes of Health 301-496-0487 "Protecting Science - One Sprinkler at a Time" -----Original Message----- From: Fairchild, Jack [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 5:41 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: 75' Bldg Height Penthouses are defined by the IBC as unoccupied. PENTHOUSE. An enclosed, unoccupied structure above the roof of a building, other than a tank, tower, spire, dome cupola or bulkhead. Jack Fairchild -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David de Vries Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 5:32 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: 75' Bldg Height I just got my copy of the 2012 IBC yesterday. Can't get any more current than next year! Anyway, in that the definition of highrise is a building with an occupied floor more than 75' above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access (Chapter 2). The standpipe trigger is floor level of the highest story is more than 30' above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access. Does not have to be occupied to trigger standpipes. Commentary (I have the 2003) says this is based on how far the FD can pull a hose line into and up a building. Dave David A. de Vries, P.E., CSP Firetech Engineering Incorporated --- On Thu, 8/25/11, George Church <[email protected]> wrote: From: George Church <[email protected]> Subject: RE: 75' Bldg Height To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, August 25, 2011, 2:48 PM I may have learned something! I believe in the 2009 IBC, the word "occupied" is absent and so we're stuck with what could be higher levels of normally unoccupied space triggering high-rise requirements. As I mentioned, either qualify your bid or have some documentation from AHJ that it is or isn't deemed high-rise. George L. Church, Jr., CET Rowe Sprinkler Systems, Inc. PO Box 407, Middleburg, PA 17842 877-324-ROWE 570-837-6335 fax [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David de Vries Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 2:28 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: 75' Bldg Height George: The highrise height trigger is based on the "lowest level of fd vehicle access". So your outside stair would likely not trigger an added 15' to the building height. Per IBC Commentary, 2003, for a highrise the 75' measurement is to the floor level of the highest occupied floor. Whether a mechanical penthouse is considered to be "occupied" is a judgment call. Note that "equipment spaces" frequented only be personnel for maintenace purposes, such as elevator penthouses and mechanical rooms are not required to be accessible to persons with physical disabilities (IBC 1103). That language implies that such spaces are not considered occupied. Dave David A. de Vries, P.E., CSP Firetech Engineering Incorporated --- On Thu, 8/25/11, George Church <[email protected]> wrote: From: George Church <[email protected]> Subject: RE: 75' Bldg Height To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, August 25, 2011, 12:05 PM If there is an outside stair down to a basement level, then that defines the lowest level of FD entry, so be careful. Can add 15' to your elevation when starting a story below grade. Wouldn't want to omit all the high-rise baggage! George L. Church, Jr., CET Rowe Sprinkler Systems, Inc. PO Box 407, Middleburg, PA 17842 877-324-ROWE 570-837-6335 fax [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jeff Garrison Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 12:28 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: 75' Bldg Height Floor of highest occupied level to roadway or access elev.. Jeff Garrison On Aug 25, 2011 12:06 PM, "Greg McGahan" <[email protected]> wrote: > Question: > > When considering a building height for the purpose of determining Automatic > or Manual Standpipes in a building, is the height measured from the FD > access (asphalt or driveway adjacent to the building or portion of the > building) to the FLOOR level of the highest occupiable level, OR the overall > building height? > > IS a Mechanical room on the roof considered and "Occupiable Level" > > Thanks, > Greg > -- > Greg McGahan > Living Water Fire Protection, LLC <http://www.livingwaterfp.com> > 1160 McKenzie Road > Cantonment, FL 32533 > 850-937-1850 > fax 850-937-1852 > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was > scrubbed... > URL: < http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/private/sprinklerforum/attachments/20110825/e311518a/attachment.html > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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