NFPA 13R and 5-story mixed-use

[smdenton]

I have what the IBC classifies as a 5-story building: it is 4-stories of residential over 1-story of retail. Does anyone know of any provisions in NFPA 13, 13R, or 101 that would treat the 4-story residential as a 4-story building and allow a 13R sprinkler system? Saying it a different way, does NFPA have a provision that would allow the grade plane to actually be elevated above another occupancy?

Thanks.

 

[SprinklerDesigner2]

I don't.

Of course you can use residential sprinklers in the dwelling units with sprinklers in closets and bathrooms.

 

[stookeyfpe]

Is the parking at grade or below grade? What is the construction type?

Where is this located because if you are in the US, I can review the International Building Code. Generally parking garages in the IBC are treated as a Group S-2 occupancy and require a 3 hour fire barrier between garage and the residential dwellings.

The 06 IBC has new requirements for "pedestal" construction that would allow one to use NFPA 13R at a level above the grade plane.

 

[AbbyNormal]

I am in a year round cooling envirionemnt. I would have to sprinkle the retail areas and the attic to 13 and the residences to 13R.

It would most likely be your building codes that would let you cheat and turn the retail units into a 'mall in the basement'

The retail will still have to be sprinkled to 13 as it is an ordinary hazard, and once you exceed three stories of residential it mandates sprinklers here as well. This is our building Code not NFPA.

A present project , that I am not doing the sprinklers on, was retail/restaurants on the ground floor, two and 1/2 floors of condos above with them trying to push the upper floor in the attic through as a loft.

The loft was deemed the fourth floor, and there was no way out of sprinkling.

Take the "V" out of HVAC and you are left with a HAC(k) job.

 

[smdenton]

The parking is below grade and the retail is at the grade level. Then the four stories of residential on top of the retail, hence the 5-story building by definition. The minimum construction type will be IIIB (although the retail and parking are essentially IIB).

This project is in Atlanta.

We are still under IBC 2000, although we are in transition to IBC 2006. Therefore, if there are changes from 2000 to 2006 that are useful, they may be incorporated since things are moving that way.

Where is the provision for pedestal construction?

Thank you.

 

[stookeyfpe]

Smdenton:

Being in Georgia the applicable code is the 2000 IBC. However, since GA is going through the adoption process, I'll focus on the 06 IBC.

And to answer the easy question, the provisions for what some call "pedestal construction" are found in section IBC 509. Your design conditions most closely fit IBC section 509.2, although I'm not sure how the design professional got out of the Type I construction, even if sprinklered.

If the below grade parking can be treated as an open parking garage, then it is classified as a Group S-2 open parking garage. If it is not open, it is classified as a enclosed parking garage. IBC section 903.2.9 requires sprinkler protection throughout the building. This portion of the system would be designed in accordance with NFPA 13 (see IBC 903.3.1.1).

I will assumne the parking garage is enclosed for the purpose of the analysis.

First floor: Group M/S/B occupancy is the most plausible occupancy classification. This would be designed in accordance with NFPA 13 for based on the hazard classification.

Floors 2 - 5: You are correct - the height limitation of NFPA 13R has been exceeded. So the residential dwelling compartment and corridor requirements of NFPA 13 would apply, as well as the provisions for attic sprinklers.