Sounds like he is applying section 404.6 exception 1 of the building code.  In 
that section sprinklers are only required on the walkway side of the glass 
(where the fuel loading is).
So, no calculation on the atrium side.
For the office side, are you proposing to use the room design method?  I'd be 
hesitant to do so.  Do the walls have a 30 minute fire-resistive rating?  If 
not, I would be looking for a full design area with the corresponding number of 
water curtain sprinklers per NFPA 13 2007, 11.3.3.2

Here's the Florida building code section (IBC).

404.6 Enclosure of atriums. Atrium spaces shall be separated from adjacent 
spaces by a 1-hour fire barrier constructed in accordance with Section 707 or a 
horizontal assembly constructed in accordance with Section 712, or both. 

Exceptions: 

1. A glass wall forming a smoke partition where automatic sprinklers are spaced 
6 feet (1829 mm) or less along both sides of the separation wall, or on the 
room side only if there is not a walkway on the atrium side, and between 4 
inches and 12 inches (102 mm and 305 mm) away from the glass and designed so 
that the entire surface of the glass is wet upon activation of the sprinkler 
system without obstruction. The glass shall be installed in a gasketed frame so 
that the framing system deflects without breaking (loading) the glass before 
the sprinkler system operates. 

2. A glass-block wall assembly in accordance with Section 2110 and having a 
3/4-hour fire protection rating. 

3. The adjacent spaces of any three floors of the atrium shall not be required 
to be separated from the atrium where such spaces are accounted for in the 
design of the smoke control system. 



Jack Fairchild


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] 
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of George Church
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 12:49 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Water curtains

Without knowing what edition of 13 and what building code, I'd be calc'g one 
row of heads the length of your remote area at .3gpm/linear foot, adding it to 
the calc for the OH system.
In the small rooms, pick up .3GPM/linear ft for the heads in that room.

I think you were on the right track.

I'm taking a different approach in one today, excluding it cause I'm in 
conceptual stage (25% dwgs) and can.


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 Greg McGahan
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 12:26 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Water curtains

We have an engineered design (by a registered PE) that has a glass atrium wall 
in  a LEEDS building. I am assuming some of you guys have already dealt with 
this. He has called for SSP heads  - not listed window sprinklers - on both 
sides of the wall.

He is fuzzy in his logic for calculating them however and frankly so am I.
One side is 3 floors of glass so it is one huge compartment, the other side is 
split into offices, so there are only 1-3 window sprinklers in each room.

How do we calc the atrium on the big room side - as a water curtain balanced 
with the OH system?

In the small rooms, do we just do a most demanding room calc and include the 
window sprinklers?

Thanks for the help.
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
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