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NFPA 1 / IBC Sprinkler installation requirement difference

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morgan.z

Civil/Environmental
Aug 3, 2018
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NFPA 1 13.3.2.26 high-rise building (2015 edition)requires all new high-rise building shall be protected throughout by sprinkler without any exceptions,while IBC 2012 903.2.11.3 Building 55 feet or more requires throughout sprinkler only when occupant load exceeding 30 ... , AND with exception of group occupancy F2 . This is big difference. For like power plant turbine building(combined with dust control equipment building) 55 feet more high has to be installed throughout sprinkler if clients to meet up comply with both NFPA and ibc. Do i miss something? please sb help to clarify, if more strict NFPA 1 must be followed regardless of complying with IBC ?
 
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Does NFPA 1 have a definition for high rise??

Not sure if it would include a power plant turbine building(combined with dust control equipment building???

Will have to look
 
3.3.29.6 * High-Rise Building.


A building where the floor of an occupiable story is greater than 75 ft (23 m) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access. [5000, 2015]



A.3.3.29.6 High-Rise Building.


It is the intent of this definition that, in determining the level from which the highest occupiable floor is to be measured, the enforcing agency should exercise reasonable judgment, including consideration of overall accessibility to the building by fire department personnel and vehicular equipment. Where a building is situated on a sloping terrain and there is building access on more than one level, the enforcing agency might select the level that provides the most logical and adequate fire department access
 
NFPA5000 29.3.5.1.3does allow power generation buildings to be exempted a little,but 33chapter high rise building is same with NFPA1,and states chapter 16~30,is modified by this chapter,which means chapter 33 overrides chapter 29,high rise power plant buildings is required with throughout spinkler per as NFOA5000.
 
IBC

Possibly a U?

SECTION312
UTILITY AND MISCELLANEOUS GROUP U
312.1General.
Buildings and structures of an accessory character and miscellaneous structures not classified in any specific occupancy shall be constructed, equipped and maintained to conform to the requirements of this code commensurate with the fire and life hazard incidental to their occupancy. Group U shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Agricultural buildings
Aircraft hangars, accessory to a one- or two-family residence (see Section 412.4)
Barns
Carports
Communication equipment structures with a gross floor area of less than 1,500 square feet (139 m2)
Fences more than 6 feet (1829 mm) in height
Grain silos, accessory to a residential occupancy
Livestock shelters
Private garages
Retaining walls
Sheds
Stables
Tanks
Towers
 
Your turbine building - and other structures related to power generation, most likely fall into the "F1 - Moderate Hazard" category - which includes electric generating facilities. When reading a Code, be it IBC or NFPA, it's important to pay attention to the definitions and context of the code sections - jumping to a section without understanding definitions and context is setting yourself up for a headache.

In this case, if you follow the fire protection criteria of NFPA 1, along with the fire protection criteria of the IBC specifically for the F-1 Moderate Hazard category, you'll likely find that there isn't very much required at all. Most fire protection features in a power plant are driven by insurance requirements for loss-mitigation.
 
Thanks for your replies.you are right ,the whole book must be carefully red,even explanatory material.
IBC has Factory occupancy at chapter3-OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION but no industrial one.only mentions special industrial occupancy at chapter 5- general builsing height and area .it is quite diffrent from NFPA.
 
Which code governs? If no code is adopted by a governmental authority, are you shopping for the most restrictive or least restrictive basis for design?
 
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