Study of Fire Supp in Model BLDG Codes FEMA - 1982

A STUDY OF
AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS

IN THE
MODEL BUILDING CODES
1982
Prepared Under Grant No. 78051
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION
Washington, DC 20472
REPRODUCED BY, NTIS.

U.s. Departmen1 or Commerce - - - -
Nalional Technicallnformalion Service
SpringOeld, Virginia 22161
50m-lIn
REPORT DOCUMENTATION /1. REPORT NO. /2-
PAGE
.. Title aMI Subtitle 5. Report OMe
A STUDY OF AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS IN THE 1982
MODEL BUILDING CODES
1--------------------------.-.-----
7•. Author(s) L Performl. . Orpnlutlon R~. No,
1---------- ------------------------------+-:-=---=----=---------1
9. Perform'nc O....nizetlon Name and Address 10. ProjectlTnlclWoril Unit No.
Council of American Building Officials

lL Cotttrect(C) or GrentfG) No.
2233 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 560
Washington, DC 20007 (C)
(G) 78051
12. Sponsorine O,.anlzation Name and Address 13. Type of Repott & Period Covered
Federal Emergency Management Agency

Final
United States Fire Administration
Washington, DC 20472
I - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . l . -------------------1
15. Supplemantary Notes
The National Automatic Sprinkler & Fire Control Association, Inc., and Lothrop
Associates, Architects, contributed valuable input to this study.
1----------------------------------_...- ------------.---------------
lL Abstract (Limit: 200 words)
Three national model building codes, i.e., Basic Buildin~ Code, Uniform Building Code,
and Standard, Building Code, were examined for current code provisions relative to
automatic fire extinguishing systems. The study sought to find the rationale for
those provisions, and especially to determine the adequacy of code provisions for
sprinkler and design options, and to bring other pertinent research to the attention
of design professionals and building and code enforcement officials in evaluating
alternative fire protection methods, including economic impact.' Among other things
it was found that (a) the model codes are generally in agreement about sprinkler re-
quirements and design options, (b) a majority of state and local building regulations
are based on one of the model codes, (c) little documentation exists with respect to
why most design options are permitted, and (d) initial costs of the sprinklered and
nonsprinklered versions of three building types did not differ substantially in the
two cost analyses prepared in this study. The recommendation was made that the United
States Fire Administration undertake the development of a comprehensive research
program to obtain reliable information to serve as the-technical basis for code
provisions on sp~inklers and design options.
17. Document Analysi. a. DescriPtors
automatic sprinklers extinguishing systems

building codes fire suppression
cost effectiveness sprinklers
II. Identlfi.n1/0pen·Ended T.rms
BOCA
ICBO
SBCCI
c. COSATI FJeld/Group ;
Ill. security Cia•• (ThIs RePOrt) 21. No. of pqn
UNCLASSIFIED 1lf-1
--------------l----~------
Release Unlimited 2IL Security Cln. (ThIs Pap) 22. Price
UNCLASSIFIED
See ANSI-Z39.J8) See Instructions on R....,.. OPnONAL FORM 272 (4-77)
(Formerly NTI>3S)
Department of Commerce
GENERAL DISCLAIMER
This document may be affected by ODe or more of the following statements
• This document has been reproduced from the best copy furnished by
the sponsoring agency. It is being released in the interest of making
available as much information as possible.
• This document may contain data which exceeds the sheet

parameters. It was furnished in this condition by the sponsoring
agency and is the best copy available.
• This document may contain tone-on-tone or color graphs, charts

and/or pictures which have been reproduced in black and white.
• This document is paginated as submitted by the original source.
• Portions of this document are not fully legible due to the historical
na tu re of some of the material. However, it is the best reproduction
available from the original submission.
•
Trlis was a study of the provIsions of model codes that are under continuous
review. ThE' provisions are revised as new information becomes available.
Although cnre has been ta~en to assure a high degree of accuracy in
reporting the content of these provisions, neither the
study participants nor the members of the review panel accept any liability
for reliance upon information contained herein as justification for compliance
or non-compliance 'I'.'ith uny model code or any code system adopted by
8 locd or sUite government.
The OpinIOnS, findings. conclusIOns and recommendatIOns herem do not

necessarily represent the official position or p0licies of the Vnited States
Government, nor is there any warranty expressed or implied or assumption of
respo:1sibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information herein.
• CONTENTS
,
PREFACE ii
PARTICIPANTS iii
I. INTRODUCTION :r -'(,"
,"
. '
II. SPRINKLER PROVISIONS IN THE BASIC BUILDING CODE - 1978 II
A. Basic Principles
: \
1. Use Group Classifications , \ II 2
2. Construction Classifications " 'I II - 3
B. Where Automatic Fire Suppression Systems are

Required
1. Complete Automatic Fire Suppression Protection II - 4

Required
2. Partial Automatic Fire Suppression Protection II - 7
Required
C. Automatic Fire Suppression Trade-Offs and Options
1. Area, Height, and Fireresistance Options II - 10

2. Means of Egress Options II - 17
3. Use of Materials Options II - 20
4. High Rise Options II - 23
5. Other Options II - 26
D. System Requirements
1. Applicable Standards II - 24
2. Alarms II - 24
3. Water Supplies II - 24
4. Standpipes II - 24
5. Fire Department Connections II - 25
6. Appendix II - 30
III. SPRINKLER PROVISIONS IN THE STANDARD BUILDING CODE - 1979
A. Basic Principles
1. Occupancy Classifications III - 2

2. Construction Classifications III - 3
B. Where Automatic Sprinkler Systems are Required
1. Complete Automatic Sprinkler Systems Required III - 4

2. Partial Automatic Sprinkler Protection Required III - 6
C.
1.
• •
Automatic Sprinkler Trade-Offs and Options
Area, Height, and Fire-Resistance Options III - 7

2. Means of Egress Options III - 14
3. Use of Materials Options III - 17
4. High Rise Options III - 19
5. Other Options III - 22
D. Systems Requirements
l. Applicable Standards III - 23

2. Supervision III - 23
3. Water Supplies III - 23
4. Standpipes III - 23
5. Appendix III - 25
IV. SPRINKLER PROVISIONS IN THE UNIFORM BUILDING CODE - 1979
A. Basic Principles
1. Occupancy Classifications IV - 2
2. Construction Classifications IV - 4
B. Where Automatic Sprinkler Systems are Required
1. Complete Automatic Sprinkler Systems Required IV - 5

2. Partial Automatic Sprinkler Systems Required IV - 6
C. Automatic Sprinkler System Trade-Offs and Options
1. Area, Height, and Fire-Resistance Options IV - 7

2. Means of Egress Options IV - 14
3. Use of Materials Options IV - 17
4. High'Rise Options IV - 20
5. Other Options IV - 23
1. Applicable Standards IV - 24
2. Alarms IV - 24
3. Water Supplies IV - 24
4. Standpipes IV - 24
5. Appendix IV - 25
V. TECHNICAL BASIS & RATIONALE FOR SPRINKLER PROVISIONS
A. Sprinkler System Requirements for Occupancy V-I

Classifications
B.
• •
Design Alternatives When Sprinkler Systems are Used V - 3
l. Area and Height V- 6

2. Fire-Resistance V- 7
3. Vertical and Horizontal Openings V- 12
4. Means of Egress V- 14
5. Use of Materials V - 17
6. Alarms V - 19
VI. CASE STUDIES OF SPRINKLERED VS. UNSPRINKLERED VI

BUILDINGS
A. Case Study: High-Rise Office Building VI- I

B. Case Study: Mid-Rise Apartment Building VI - 17
C. Case Study: Two-Story Mercantile and Office VI - 25

Building
'.
,>
• PREFACE
This report was prepared under fl

l
grant from the United States Fire Administration , Federal Emergency :\lanage-
ment Administration.
The Building Offi~ia.ls and .C?d~Administrato.rs ,lnternational, Inc., Interna~ional

Conference of BUildIng Offlclals~ Southern BUlldmgCode Congress InternatIOnal,
Inc. " : , , , . , provided information on the background
of and basis for the provisions contained in their respective model codes. The
National Automatic Srrinkler flnd Fire Control .-\ssociation
gathered additional data and used the information
obtained from all the sources and prepared drafts of the report. Lothrop
Associates, Architects, V\'hite Plains. New York and \\"estport, Connecticut
prepared the cost studies of three building types in sprinl-:lered and unsprinklered
versions. Jaros, Baum and Bolles, Consulting Engineers, New York, N. Y.;
Turner Construction Company, New York, N. Y.; and Improved Risk :\lutuals
White Plains, New York provided design and cost consulting services to Lothrop
Associates for the study.
The National Institute of Building Sciences assembled a panel of experts to

review and com ment on the report drafts. The panel made a substantial
contribution by offering many valuable suggest ions on the contents of this
report. The Review Panel me mbers are:
John T. O'Hagan, Chairman, New York City Fire Department (Ret.)

James P. Barris, PE, Portland Cement Association
Richard W. BIetzacker, PE, Ohio State University
Richard G. Gewain, American Iron and Steel Institute
Armand H. Gustaferro, PE, Prestressed Concrete Institute
Neal D. Houghton, PE, Building Owners and l\lanagers Association
Richard E. Hughey, PE, Insurance Services Office
John G. O'Neill, PE, National Bureau of Standards
~. lichael J. Slifka, PE, National Conference of States on Building Codes
and Standards, Inc.
Randolph W. Tucker PE, Rolf Jensen & Associates, Inc.
I
Members of the Review Panel do not necessarily e.ndorse this report.
IFormerly, National Fire Prevention and Control Administration,

Department of Commerce
-ii-
• PARTICIPANTS
Project 1\lanager
Russell P. Fleming. PE, National Automatic Spl'inkler and Fire Control

Associa t ion Inc.
Project Advisor
Edward J. Reilly. National Automatic Sprinkler and Fire Control

Associa t ion, Inc.
In vest iga tors
Paul K. Heilstedt. PE, Building Officials and Code Administrators

David A. Heuer. R.\. Lothrop Associates, Architects
William J. Tang-:-'e. PE, Southern Building Code Congress International
Donald R. Watson, PE, International Conference of Building Officials
Project Officers
John C. Fannir. III, Lnited States Fire Administration C~OI'"W\erlj)

Harry Shaw, lllited States Fire Administration
John B. Ferguson, PE, United States Fire Administration (Formerly)
Howard :'1. \1arkman, Cnited States Fire Administration (Formerly)
-i ii-
\
\
I. INTRODUCTION
• ,
1M,cy"~
The~g Codes
nuilding codes contain mInimum ncceptablc criteria for health, safety and public
welfare in the adopting jurisdiction. Fire safety criteria nrc established in these
codes.
Buildings are classified on the basis of occupancy. use and construction type.
Specific criteria are applied to buildings within each classification. Fire sl1fety
criteria includes requirements for such elements as: exits, flame spread ratings
for finish rna terials, fire resistant rat ings for construction materials and
materials assemblies, and fire suppression systems.
Approximately three fourths of the municipalities in the United States have

adopted one of the four "model" codes 8S their system of building regulation. Of
the four model building codes. three are sponsored and written by organizations
of building official'> which are the members of the Council of American Building
Officials; they are:
oBuildin§ Officials and Code :\dministrators International-Basic Building Code

olnternationnl Conference of BUilding Officiels-l1niform Building Code
oSouthern Building Code Congress lnternational-Standard Building Code
Project Program
The study was undertaken to identify the research basis or rationale for current
code provisions relative to automatic fire extinguishing systems and other
building fire protection, to bring other pertinent research to the forefront for
use by design professionals and building Rnd fire code enforcement officials in
evaluating alternative fire protection methods, including economic impact. To
accomplish these objectives. the study was conducted in several parts: they are:
l. The identification and compilation of code provisions for and design

options to automat ic fire extinguishing systems. The three major
code organizations of building officials-BOCA, leBO and SBCCl-
reviewed their files and provided the information sought. The
National Automatic Sprinkler and Fire Control Association searched
its files and collected similar information
other sources.
2. A cost-dfec.ness anolysis of sprinldered andesprinklered ver-
sions of three building types: high-rise office building, mid-rise
residential building and two-story mercantile and office building.
Lothrop-\ssociates. Architects, made the cost-effective analysis.
Jaros. RmJm and Bolles, Consulting Engineers, Turner Construction
Company and Improved Risk 1\1utuals provided design and cost
consult ing services to Lothrop Associa tes.
3. A determination of the technical basis or rationale. AS available, for

the code provisions. Tile National Automntic Sprinkler nnd Fire
Control .-\:,sociation undertook this determination from the Informa-
tion collected.
4. A review by an expert panel of the draft report developed. The

National Institute of Building Sciences assembled the panel to
conduct the review.
5. Update "Guide to Automatic Sprinklers in the ~lodel Building Codes".

This update was done by NAS&FCA as a part of this study. The
Guide is to be available from NAS&FCA.
For the purposes of this study, several information sources were investigated but
the comparison was limited to the following model codes:
Basic Building Code

- -
". - - . - -_.- --Q
Standard Building Code

Uniform Building Code
There has been no effort to investigate requirements of local and state codes,
federal agencies, or such standards as NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of
Sprinkler Syste ms.
Findings
1. The model codes are generally consistent with regard to sprinkler

requirements and design options.
2. 'I1odel code provisions are based on the best technical information

available.
3. A majority of local and state building regulations are based on

one of the model codes and consequently. the fire safety criteria
exist in a useable form for building and fire officials, community
leaders and design professionals.
4. Sprinkler requirements and design options were included in most of

the model codes from their earlier editions.
aM.
5. Sprinl\ler and design option provisions of model codes do not" have
a technical basis in the earlier editions. Rather~these provisions
were based on jUdgmental decisions in reaction to fire loss exper-
iences.
~- 2 .c.
6.
• •
The rfltionale for revIsing sprinkler and design options provIsions is
documented for only about the last decade; most of the historical
background does not exist in useable form.
7. Fire tests involving automatic sprinkler systems have produced

conflicting results because the objectives of such tests have been
different.
8. Very little documentation exists with respect to why most design

options are permitted.
9. Reliability of the automatic sprinkler systems to perform satisfac-

torily is a concern of code \\Titers.
10. The cost analyses of the sprinklered and unsprinklered versions of

three building types prepared for this study do not show initial costs
of the two versions to be substantially different.
Recommendation
This investigation attempted to review the research that has been conducted
specifically to determine the adequacy of code provisions for sprinklers and
design options. While there have been research projects and tests that con-
tribute information on the subject there has been no definitive research program
. designed to provide substantiation of all such code provisions.
It is recommended that the United States Fire Administration undertake the

development of a comprehensive, unbiased research program directed at
generating accurate and reliable information that would serve as the technical
basis for code provisions on sprinklers and design options.
I. BAS;C BU~LDING COOt ~ 1978
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. BASIC PRINCIPLES
1. Use Group Classifications 2
2. Construction Classifications 3
B. WHERE AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION
SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRED
1. Complete Automatic Fire Suppression Protection Required 4
2. Partial Automatic Fire Suppression ProTection Required 7
C. AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPP,RESSION TRADE-OFFS AND OPTIONS
1. Area, Height and Fireresistance Options 10
a. Area Increase Options .
(1,) Street Frontage I ncrease Option
(2.) Sprinkler Increase Option
(3.) Unlimited Area Options
b. Height Increase Option
'(1.) Automatic Fire Suppression Increase Option
c. Fireresistance' Options
(1.) Fireresistance Reduction from Area and Height Increase Options
(2.) Fire Wall Openings Option
(3.) Attic Spaces Subdivision Option
.(4.) Fire Damper Option
(5.) Floor-Ceiling Assemblies Below Grade Option
(6.) Roof Framing Reduction Option for Type 3 Construction
2. Means of Egress Options 17
a. Exit Length Increase Option
b. Exit Capacity Incre'cise Option
c. Open Well Enclosure Option :- Escalators
d. Lobby Exit Option '
e.. Communicating Floors Option
3. Use of Materials Options 20
a. Interior Finish Options
(1.) Flamespread Option
(2.) Furred Construction Option
6. Plastics O p t i o n s '
(1.) Foam Plastic Insulation Option
(2.) Glozing of Unprotected Openings Option'
(3.) Exterior' Wall Panels Option
(4.) 'Roof Panels Option
(5.) Skylight Asse;';blies Option
(6.) Light-Diffusing Systems Options
4. High Rise Options' 23
a. Comparimentation vs. Automatic Fire, Suppression'
5. Other Options . _' ," , .26
,a. Covered Malls, Option, '
b . .Automatic Alarm Option,
c. Manual Alarm'bpti~n
D. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
1. Applicable" Standards 24
2. Alarms , ,24
,3. Water Supplies 24
4, Standpipes - 24
, 5.' Fire' Department' Connection;' 25
APPENDIX
:,-, Building Valuation Data 'Report 30,
Tables appearinq on paqes 2,3, 10, 11, 14 ,16, 17, 18, 20,21, and 25, ore ~opy
right, 1978. Buildinq Officials and Code Administrators International, I nco and are
reproduced herein with their permission. -Tables on pages, 30 and 31, are copyright;, '
1980. ' ,
11,;,1 '
Ie BASIC BUILDING C:ODE1978
A. Basic Principles
1. Use Group Classifications'
All buildings and structures are classified with respect to the use groups listed
in Section 202,. and the sub-groups found in the nine sections following:
Group A ----: Assembly

A-l Theatres'
A-l-A Theatres with stage
A-l-B Motion picture. theatres
A-2 Dance halls, night clubs, and similar
A-3 Art galleries, libraries, lecture halls, recreation centers,
and similar
A-4 Churches, schools, and similar
A-5 Grandstands, tents, and similar
Group B - Business
Group F - Factory and Industrial.
Group H - High Hazard
Group I - Institutional
1-1 Jails, reformatories, and similar
1-2 Hospitals, orphanages, police stations, and similar·
Group M - Mercantile
Group R - Residential
R·l Hotels, motels, and similar (accommodations for more than 20
{'\
individuals)
::::::;'..1"/
R-2 Multiple.family dwellings (accommodations for more than 5 but
less than 20 individuals) .
R-3 One- and two-family dwellings
R-4 One- and two-family dwellings not more than 3 stories in height
Group S - Storage
S·l Moderate hazard (refer to Table 210.2)
5-2 Low hazard (refer to Table 210.3)
Group T - Temporary and Miscellaneous

Table 210.2
USE GROUP S-l STORAGE USES, MODERATE HAZARD
Bags, cloth, burlap and paper Linoleum
Bamboo and raltan Livestock shelters
Baskets Lumber yards
Belting, canvas and leather .Motor vehicle repair shops
Books and paper in rolls or packs Petroleum warehouses for storage of lubri·
Boots and shoes eating oils with a flash point of three hun-
Buttons, including cloth·covered, dred (300) degrees F. or higher (see Sec-
pearl or bone tion 905.3.)
Cardboard and cardboard boxes Photo-engraving
Clothing, woolen wearing apparel Public garages (Group 1) and stables
Cordage Silk .
Furniture Soap
Furs Sugar
Glue.mucilage. paste and size Tobacco, cigars, cigarettes and snuff
Horn and combs, other than celluloid Upholstering and mattress manufacturing
Leather enameling or japanning Wax candles
Table 210.3
USE GROUP S-2 STORAGE USES. LOW HAZARD
Asbestos Ivory
Chalk and crayons Metals
Food products Porce lain and poltery
Glass Talc and soapstones
iI- 2
2. Construction Classifications
Construction types are defined in Table 214 according to the fireresistance
ratings of their structural elements.
Table 214
FIRERESISTANCE RATINGS OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS (IN HOURS)
Type of construction section 214.0
Type J Type 4
Type 1
Section :215,0
Type 2'
Section 216.0 Section 217.0
! Section 218.0
Slrucluf<ll element Noncombustible Note c Extenor masonry walls Frame
Note a
! Heavy
F'ireproof timbers Ordinary
Protected Unprotected F'rotected Unprotected
(mill) Protected Unprotected
"
lA ' 18 2A 28 2C , JA J8 JC I
4A I ,a
Exterior walls (Section 906.0 and ! i I
i
Nate b)
Beanng II 4 J 2 1 0 2 2
I 2 1
I
0
Fire separation of 30' or more I I I
Non ·beari n II 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 i 0 0 0
Bearing 4 J 2' IV, I 2 2 2 I I

I Fire separation of less than 6/
! I Note d
Non-bearing 2 2 IV2 I I 2 2 2 '1 I

Noted
Fir! separation of 6/ or more Bearing 4 J 2 I 0 2 2 2 I 0

but less than H'
Non-bearing 2 2 IV, I 0 2 2 2 I 0
FIre separation of 11' or more
but less than ,30'
Bearing
• J 2 I 0 2 2 2 1 0
Non-bearing llJ2 11/2 I I 0 See Sec, 217,0 llJ2 11/2 I 0
2 Fire walls and party walls (Section 907.0) 4 J 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Not less than fire grading of use group-(See Table 902.)
J Fire separation assemblies (Nole el Fireresislance rallng corresQonding to fire grading of use grolJP-(See Table 902.)
• Fire enclosure of exitways, e~itway- '

hallwaJ'So and stairways (Section 909.0 and Note f) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 I I
5 Shafts ott'ler than eXltways, elevator hOlstways 7 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 I I

{Section 910.0) Noncombustible
6 E.ll:itwa)' access corridors (Note j) I I 1 I 1· 1 I I I 1
C'
,.~ Vertical se.,aralion of tenant spaces I I I' I
Note
I
~
0 I I 0 I 0
Note ~
7 Dwelling u":it separations (Note Il;) I, I 1

~---' i-r----i-- I I 1 I
Note h
Other non-bearing partItIons 0 0 0 0 I 0 0 0 0 0 0
Note h
Supporting
B Interior bearing walls,
more than one noor • J 2 I 0 'See Sec, 217 ,0 I 0 1 0
bearing partItions. ' Supporting

columns. girders. trusses (other one floor on Iy J 2 IV, I 0 See Sec. 217.0 1 0 I 0
than roo' trusses). and framing
(Section 911,0 and Note I)
SlJpparting '2 11,/2'
a roo' only J I 0 See Sec, 217,0 I 0 I 0
9 Structural members supporting wall (Seclion 9ILO) J 2 IV, 1 0 I I 0 I 0

. Not 'less than firereslstance ralJOg of wall sUPpOrted
10 Floor construction inCluding beams (Section 912.0,and
Nole g) J 2 IV, I 0 See Sec, 217,0 1 0 I 0
15"or less in height 2 IV' 1 I 0 See Sec, 217.0 1 0 ·1 0

to lowest member Note h
II Roof construction including, beams, More than lS' but
,1
I
trusses and 'raming arches'and less than '2lY in I I 0 0 See Sec, 217.0. 0 0 1 0
root deck (Section 912,0 and' height to Note h
Notes g and i) lowest member
20' or more 0 .' 0 0 0 .0 See Sec. 217.0 O' 0
In l"Ielght to 0 0
Note ~
low,est mem~r
Not_e m
Notu .applic.able tD Tlble 114 , . ' , "

Hate ill, for speCial high nazare us~s involio'inil .3 n1ilner deiree of lire severity Jnd higher ccncentrCltlon 0' combus:lble c.ontents, the !;reresl,!;tance rating requirements for structural eiements
Sh~~t~e b~c~~:sef~reac;~~~~~fll~nIS~~7i~~II~~D~~~r~) In as.

h'ereln limited applies t.o
feet th~
distance from o·th·er buildings on the Site, ,or tram .m Il,terlor 101 line or 'rom the OPl:los:te SIde at -a stree;
, or other publIC space not less IMan thirty (30) feet wu~e 10 th,e bUlla,lng wall Isee DefInitions, Section 201.3), . " , '
Nate c, Protected exteflors shall be requlrec Within the fife limits In' T~pe 2 construction as lollows: high hazard uses, two (2) hour firereslstance With tire separation up 10 elelien (11) feet.
"ate d. See Section 303.2. , ' .
HlIte e,. See Sections 2130, 13090 and 9120, , ,. . , ' , . .
No1e ". In all buddlni:s at .Types J or 4 construction', tne, stalr,.wa~s aM their. enciosures may be, constructed ot 'wood or other approved materials. 01 SImIlar cMa~ac:terlstics and of, adequate strength.
EJ:ltwa~s may be enc10sed, In one III nour !irer~!il'itance fllted r::onstrucliol'l :n bUlldi.,gs !l'1ree (3) stor'es or less iP'l help,ht.· . '
~ot.e (. In Tyoe 3A constructIon, memDers wh~ch are of material other Inan hea.... 1 limber shall have a flre(e<I~t.ance rallng of not less !tun one (1) hour (see Section 853.2~.
Hote h. Flfe·Retardanl,Treated Wood, complYing wl[h Section 903,6,1, may be used as pra"'Clea In 'Ser::tlon 9036,2· ,'. .
Nate j,-Where"tne omISSion of 'ire protectIon lrom roof trusses. roof tramlng and decllng IS permitted; the hOrIZontal or sloping r001s in Type 1 and Type :2 buildings, immedlalel~ aDOlJe suc~ mem-
lJers, ~hall De constructed 01 noncombustible matenals of the .requlred strength Without a ,speci1led fireresistance rating, or at mIll t)'pe construction In buildings not over ~Ive (5)' stories or slxty.'~Ye •
/65\ ieet In helgnt (see Section 91J J), " . ' .,
::1: t ;~'~:~:tl~~C~~S~~lo~r~~~~lsn'gse~~: ~sl st~~~\~~~I,aorfl~:~:SI~~~~~~n~:tl~:~o~a~~t ale~; r~h~o~ ~~:,r~:;~ ~~~~~ rat~nB
beili(ln~ walls shilll meet 'he reQLJJrements 'Jf Section 009,0 if serving a fire seDara: on fL.:nctlon
lIIIoll!! L Interior
(see SectIon ,610.4).' -
, ' , ' ,';
Note m; BuildIngs of H (high hazard), S·l (moder_ate hazard storag~) or M (mercnantlle) occupanCies when 0' Type 1 or 2A construction shall h,3lie not le~s IMan one (1). hour 'flrereslstance rated roof con-
51rucllon {see Section 913 21 . - " . \
II- 3
' . ' . .
B.. Where Automatic Fire Suppression Systems. Are Reqvired

l
1. Complete Automatic .Fire Suppression Protection Required
Section· Construction .Complete Suppression

.Number" .Use Groups Types Affected System Required .
408.6.1 Special All In motion picture studios
408.7 Special Type IA permitted In film laboratories

only
408.8 Special Type IA permitted In film exchanges

only
432.2 Covered Malls (Group M) Ali . Throughout the covered mall and all
·buildings connected· thereto. Note: The
mall area must be. protected by a~
independent system.
1202.3 Group A2 - Assembly All When area exceeds 5,000 sq. ft.
(nightclubs, dancehalls)
or
When more thon 1 story in height.
1'202.4 Group A3 - Assembly All When area exceeds 12,000 sq. ft.
(museums, lecture halls;
libraries, recreation centers)
1202.6 Group H - High Hazard All Unconditionally
1202.7 Group I - Institutional All Exceptions:
One-story hospitals with patienl

rooms having direct egress to grade
level.
Operating roo·ms, X-ray rooms, de·
livery rooms, cardiac and intensivE
care rooms, and small patient sleep·
ing rooms in Type I hospitals, when
each room is protected by automatic
alarm system.
1-' (Institutional-Restrained)
Occupancies having on occupant
load of less than 6.
il1 1-'
(Institutional-Restrained)
OCcupol"'cies the fire suppression sys·
tem shall be a sprinkler system which
may be manual or automatic.
11- ~
Section Construction Complete Suppression
Number . Use Groups Types Affected System Required . . . .
1202.8 Group M - Mercantile All When crea exceeds 12,000 sq. ft. for
Group S-1 - Moderate to one story.
Hazardous Storage
Group F - Factory and or
Industrial When area exceeds 24,000 sq. ft. on
all floors.
or
When more than 3 stories in height.
1202.9 Public Garages All When area exceeds 10,000 sq. ft.
or
When area exceeds 7,500 sq. ft. and

more than one story in height.
or
When area exceeds 5,000 sq. ft. and

more than two stories in height.
or
When more than 3 stories in height.
or
When located in buildings where upper

stories are designated for other uses.
or
When located. in any story more than

50 % . below grade
Exception: Open parking garages.
1202.10 Bus Garages -All When required by Sect. 1202~9.

or
When used as passenger termina Is .for
4 or ·more buses. -
or
When used for storage or -loading of
4 or more buses.
1202.11 Unlimited Area Buildings Frame construction By Section 307

. Group A3. - Assembly not permitted Exception: Special Industrial Uses.·
Group B ---.:. Business . See Section 205.3
: Group F' -=. Foctory'ond
Industrial
Group S - Storage
II-5
I
Number Construction Complete Suppression·
Section Use .Groups Types Affected System Required . . .
1.202. i 3 All, Windowlesscnd All When there is nol provided at least 20

Underground Buildings sq. ft.' of opening entirely above' the
(Blank Wall Construction) adjoining gtade level in each 50. lineal
. ft. of exterior wall in the. story, cellar, .
or basement on at' least two sides of
the· building. Openings must have a
. minimum dimension of not less than 22
inches. Such openings must be unob-
structed 10 allow. fire fighting and rescue
operations from the exterior.
or
When, regardless of. access, area ex-

ceeds 2,500 sq. ft.
O'poninll Roquiromenh - Unlprinldored
II-6
2. Partial Automatic Fire Suppression Protection Required
Section Construction Partial (Limited Area)

Number Use Groups 'Types Affected Suppression System Required.
307,1,2.4 A-3 - Indoor Recreational All Recreational buildings may be unlimited

in area and exempt from the automatic
fire suppression system requirements in
the sports areas such as tennis courts,
skating rinks, swimming pools, and
equestrian clubs but all other areas
must be equipped with, on automatic
fire suppression system.
402.1.4 All All In areas used for storage of volatile

flammables.
407.4.6 All All In pyroxylin plastic storage spaces and

407.6.4 vaults.
408.2.1 All All Cabinets for storage of flammable

film, more than 75 Ibs.
408.2.3 All All In areas used for flammable' film

408.2.6 storage or handling.
411.5- All , All, In. all areas 'and rooms using.flammabls'

materials.
412.7 All All In 'dry, cleaning or dyeing rooms using

high or moderate hazard solvents.
417,10.1 Group A1 - Assembly All In all building portions except audio

1202.2 (mol ion picture and toriums, foyers, lobbies, and toilet rooms.
"stage theaters)
1106.4 , All AU ,I n drying rooms for high hazard

materials and processes.
1108.4 All All In combustible refuse vaults exceeding

'360 cubic feet.'
1202.5" Stages in Assembly Use All, For stages of any size in, assembly occu-
(Group A-l-A) panCies, in the following locations:
Over the stage;
and
Stage gridirons (sidewall sprinklers ;"'ith:
135 0 F ,rated heads with heat-baffle
,plates installed around the entire peri-
meter of the stage at points not more
than 30 inches below the gridiron, nor
more than 6 inches below the baffle
plate);
Il- 7
Section , Construction Partial (Limited Area)
Number Use 'Groups Types Affected, Suppression System Required ...
o'nd,
Under all. fly galleries;
and
Over, the proscenium opening on the
. stage side; ,
". and
Under the stage;
,and
'In all basements, cellars, work rooms,
dressing rooms, store rooms," and prop-
erty . rooms;
and
In toilet, lounge/and smoking rooms.
1202.12 Group A - Assembly All In .all areas occupied for storage, work-
Group' B -- Business . shop, or. similar purposes.
Group R1 ~ Residential Exception: . Individual storage or work·
Hotels shop areas located entirely within a
Group R2 - Residential dwelling unit.
Multi-family
1202.13 All All In stories, cellars, or' basements when

there is not provided at least 20 sq. ft.
of opening entirely above the adjoining
grade level in each 50 lineal wall on
at least two sides of the building. Open-
ings shall have a minimum dimension of
not less than 22 inches. Such openings
must be unobstructed to allow fire fight.
ing and rescue operations from the
exterior.
or
When, regardless of access, cellar area
exceeds 2,500 sq. ft.
1202.14 All All In rooms 'or shops where painting,

brushing, dipping, or mixing is regularly
conducted using flommable materials.
1202.15 All All In rooms or oreas used for incineration,

trash, or laundry collection or similar
uses.
and
At alternate floor levels at top of all

chutes used in conjunction with these
rooms or areas.
II-8
Section Use Groups Construction Partial (Limited Area)
Number Types Affected Suppression System Required
1202.16 All except R3 All In furnace rooms, boiler rooms and

rooms for similar uses.
Exception: Such rooms located entirely
within and serving a single dwelling
unit.
1202.17 All All In unenclosed vertical openings between

.floors as required by Section 520.0 and
616.8.
1202.18 All All Range hoods.
'-.
II- 9.
.
.-
.,
- - '
.. . .
c. Au-tomatic Fire Suppression T rade-Offs_ a ndOptions
1. -Area, Height, -and _FireresistanceOptions

Area (building}- "the areG in~luded within' su~rounding exterior walls_- (o~
-exterior walls -and - fi~e .'Halls) exclusive of vent -- shofts and courts/' _
Height~ (building)- "the vertical di~tance from the grade to the highest roof
beams of -a flat roof; or to the mean level of - the highest gable or slope of
a hip roof." - -
Table _ 305 Height and Area Limitations establishes floor area and - height
limitations between exterior walls,-- or between -exterior' walls and fire walls, for
buildings of each use group end construction type.
Table 305 -
HEIGHT AND AREA LIMITATIONS -OF BUILDINGS -
Height limitations of buildings (shown in upper figure as stories and feet above -gradel, and area
limitations of one· or two·story buildings facing on one street or public space not less than 30
feet wide (shown in lower figure as area in square feet per floorl. See Note a. -
N.F'.-Nol permitted
, Unlimited
T.ble noles ap~8r on Pilie 891ollowrni T)'p!! 01 construction
Typo , Typo 2 _ Typo 3
Uwo group I NoneO/TlblJstible I Wellor l'l\lsonry nlll

I Framt!
! ) ~ln.ryJoi5Iedl' I
F'1I'eprool
Note b
I Protected Unpro.
tlcled
il (H',T.)
Mill
Pro-
leered
lunpro- I
Ilectecl II_Cled
Prt; I U'P'>-
Iet:ted --\
- _ J
Note I IA I ,. I 2A I 2. 2C i]A I 3. I JC i... I •• '--_/
165U5'! <51. SO' 1 251. JO' 1 , 51.20' 251.JO' i 25'JO'I, 51.20'1' 5t. 201
1
I 1<1400: 11400: 7,~ 4.800 i 7,'lOO E600 [ 4,BOO
L 51001 NP
oil-I-A ASMI'I'Il:lly, theat~s
A·J-B
Without stail!! (motion
plclurl!! theatres)
I
1
Ii 551.65' i 3 St 0'! 2 Sl3C'
19,950! 13,11' 1,'00 I
! 3 St. 40'
1 12,600
Ii J SUO'
11,5>0
2 St)l)' lIst. 2D'II 1St. 2V'
1,'00: 1,925 ',200
'-2 Assembly, n1li'hl clubs al"ld Similar uses 1<51.

!
SO'I 3 5UD' i251. JO' '51. 20' '251. JO' 12 51. JO'
7,2!Jj1 5,700! 3,750 2,400 3,600 I 3,300 j
'51~1~;'-;
2,400 2.5~
I
'-3
L@Clure I'Ialis. r~rI!2!lon centers, 1
I 5 SUS' i J St 40" 251.):)' 3 St.'ll" I.' J St.O' 12 ~t. 3D' 11 51 ~I, 1 St. 20'
termrn.als. rl!Stauranh other than
nlQ:I'It club~ : i 19,950: 13,125 5,'00 lZ,6O:l! 11,550: 8400 i 8.925
1
4.200
65 I J 5t 40' i 2 St. 30' ~ J St..w i J St. 40': 2 St, 3lY 11 7\ 1{)'i 1 SI. 20'
I s Stloi.200! 22.500 I ).... 400 i :i'1.600: 19,800 ~ 14,COO I .5.3OO j 7,200
Note c i i ' I i Nolt' 0 ! i ' : Note d I' NOle d
BUSlnll!S5
6 St. 75' ! • St. SlY I 2 SI l:l" 1.51 50' I J SI .-0' I 2 Sf. ]0' : 2 Sl 3a' i I 51 2G
i
I'
22.800 I IS.QXl 9,600: Jo' ~I lJ.lOCI I 9,600 [ IO.?OO1 UOO
! 5S( 75'1 "S~ SC': 251.30': 1512'O'! 251.3O'! 251. 3O'1'! SL:ro'! I 5t 2(1'1
1-' '18,00J: l(2~', ',j)':', 6,00J, 9.COJ! E.2SOf 6.00J: 6.37:'! Nr>
I~SlllutIO"iJl, InCapaCI(.Iltl!C:
i B5l SO'!.45l5IYr2S1.3lYi ISl2"'J'!2SIl'Yi2St »1 i5t 2O'j lSI 20'1
" ! 21.6aJ! 17.100: 11,.2!lO 7.2'00! 10,8OO! 9,90:)' 7,~ i 7,650
1
, NP
6S~·75 45150' 2st.3O"1IISlSD'!35tto' 2sr'X"!2St30~ lSt?O

ZUOO i 15,0CCl 9,600 I, 10.00', !J,m I 9,600: 10,2001 4.600
.-1 RI!~ldl!~llal, nolels

i9 St 100' ' .. St 50' i 3 SI 40' I .. St, ~ i • St 5.0'! 3 SI 40' i 3 51 ~OI!2~'2 5t 35'
i 22,800, 15,000 9.60::1 1.,400 I 13,2'00: 9,600 ~ 10.200: 4,800
.-, i 9 S( 100'; .. St 50' i 3 St £QI i .. St,~'! .. St, 5D': ) 5: tC'! J 51 4a~2': St 15'
RI!!IOII!"\I.I, multl.famlly.
I 22,800 l 15,COJ i 9,6iXl I lUOC I lJ,2?J: 9,6cr.:! 10.200: UOO
I ! Nol~ f 1 I I Not!! f: : i
.-3 , .. st,5D':" St.~! J St.40'! .. 5t SO': .. 5t 50'! 351 4D'1 35! 40'121,J:5:)5
22,BOO lS,ro.:: 9,60: i 1~,.i)2 i D.200: 'Hf.(1 i Ie 200i .,!iX.
I
! :. St. 6:' .. SUD"; .2 SUD" i 451 5C' ! J S: .dO'! .2 5t. JQ ; .2 51_ 30': : S~. 2C"
5·1 Net!!!. Ii: Ind !'l
19,~, lJ.125; B.w:!
l2.&OO j :15SO i 8,4CO: i 8,9:'~1 •. 2OC'
5-1
! ;
~~,=-~~I
II- 10
Reproduced from
best available copy.
Notes applicable to Table 30S
Note a, See the following sections for general exceptions to Table 305,
Section 305.4 A:lowable area reduction for multi-story buildings,
Section 3Q6.2 Allowable area increase due to street frontage.
Section 306,3 A!lowable area increase due to automatic fire suppression system ir.stallation.
Section 307.0 Unllmlled area one-Slory buildings.
Section 308.1 Allowable height increase due to automatic fire suppression system Installa·
t1or" '\
Note b. Type 1 buildings permtlted unlimited tabular heights and areas are not subject to
special reqUirements that allow Increased heights and areas for other types of construction.
Note c. The tabular area of one-story school buildings of use group A-4 may be Increased
two hundred (200) per cent provided every cla~sroom has at least one (1) door opening
directly to the exterior of the building. Not less than one-half (1,',) of the required eXltways
from any assembly room included In such buildings shall ,also open directly to the exterior
of the bUilding. ,
Note d. Church auditoriums of Type 3A construction may be erected to sixty-five (65) feet
In height, and of Type 4 coristructlon to forty-five (45) feet in height.
Note e. For exceptions to height and area limitations of high hazard use buildings. see
Article 4 governing the specific use. For other special fireresistlve requirements governing
specific uses. see Section 905,0,
Note f. For exceptions to height of multi-family dwellings of Types 28 and 38 construction,
see Section 905.6.
Note g. For height and area exceptions covering open parking structures. see Section 429,0.
Note h. For height and area exceptions covering petroleum bUlk-storage, buildings, see
Section 905.3,
The area per floor of buildings over two stories in height is controlled by Table
305.4 - Percent Reduction Of Area Limits:
Table 305.4
PER CENT REDUCTION OF AREA LIMITS
Type of construction
No. of stories lA & IB 2A 2B,2C, 3A, 3B, 3C,4A, 4B
1 None None None
2 None None None
3 None 5% 20%
4 None 10% 20%
5 None. 15% 30%
6. None 20% 40%
7 None 25% 50%
8 None 30% 60%
9 ' None 35% 70%
10 None 40% 80%
--,---
Example:
A Group M -,Mercantile occupa~cy of Type 2A '...:.. Protected Noncombustible con-
struction is limited by Table 305 to an area .of 22,800 square feet. This ;s the allow-
able area per floor for a one- or two-story' building.
If ci three-story building was being designed, Table 305.4 calls for a 5% reduction
in area ,per flo.or. For the type 2-A Mercan'tile, this. would mean an allowable area
per floor of . .
22;800
.05 (22;800)
21,660 sq. f.t. per floor
a. AREA INCREASE OPTIONS

The tabular areas are subject to modificction by various sections of the code in
ordertocchie've larger building'. areas .
. "(1) Street Frontage Increase Option Use Groups: All
Section 306.2 - Construction Type~ All
. When more' than' 25;;~ of a building's perimeter fro~ts on a street' or any
oth'er unoccupied space not less than 30 feet in" width,' 'accessible from
a street by a posted fire lane not less than 18 feet in width, the tabular
a~.eas maybe increased 2% for.each 1 % of such excess frontage.
II-ll
" . e'·'
Example:
, If 50% o'f abuilding's perimeter fronts on a street not less than 30 feet in width, the"
'tobular cuea ,in TabJe 305 may' be incrr?osed by'
·,2{50%.25%)=50%
"(Figure, B:2)
tabular area 50% frantage

tabular area plus 50%
If 75% of a building's perimeter has such

frontage, the. allowable increase :""ould be
2(75%·25%)= 100%
75% frontage
If the building has adequate frontage on

all sides, i.e. 100%, its tabular area
could be. increased by
2(1000/'0-25%)= 150%
100% frontage
(2.) Sprinkler Increase Option, Use Groups: All except H • High Hazard
Section 306,3 - Construction Types: All
When a building is equipped with on approved automatic fire suppression
system, the tabular areas may be increased by 2001.. (tripled) for one-
story buildings and by 100% (doubled) for multi-story buildings.
Il-12
,c
Example:
A building cons/ructed of Type 4A Pro/ec-

ted Wood Frame construction intended for
nightclub or similar use (G;oup A-2) is Use group A.2; type 4A
limited by Table 305 to one story of 2,550 tabular area limit :::I 2,550 sq. ft.
square feet.
If protected by automatic sprinklers, the

building area may be increased by 200%
Tabular area plus 200%
to 7,650 square feet. allowable area =7,650 sq. ft.
Note: Sections 306.2 and 306.3 may be used in combination. Area in-.
creases are additive.
Example:
A one-story Type 28 Mercantile (Group 'M) is limited by Table 305 to an area of
15,000 square feet. '
If the building will border on accessible open' space, along 80% of its perimeter,
the street frontage increase of Section 306.2 may be applied:
2(80%- 25%) = 110% x 15,000 sq. ft. =16,500 sq. ft.
If the building is equipped with' on automatic sprinkler system, the area increase of
Section 306,3 may be applied: 200% x 15,000 sq. ft. = 30,000 sq. ft.
The area'increases are additive. 15,000 tabular
16,500 access increase.
+ 30,000 sprinkler increase
61,500 sq. ft. total
Note: The area increase ,for sprinklers' may be appliedsiniultaneously with' the
height,increase for sprinklers of Section 308.1 .
. (3.)Unlimited Area Options ,Use Groups: A-3, B, F, M, and S

, Section 307.1 ' Constructio!l Types: All except Type 4' .
. In other than frame construction, buildings of Use 'GroupsA-3 ~ Assembly,
B ~ Business, F - Factory and Industrial,' M - Mercantile, and S - Storage
(not including high hazard) which do not exceed one story or, 85 feet in'
height may be built, to unlimited areas if exitway 'facilities comply with ~he
provisions of Article 6" if adequate fire. separation on all sides is provided
in, a'ccordancewith Table 307, and if the building is equipped with an auto-
maticfire suppression, system. '
Section 307.1.1 ....:. ". Use Group: A·4 Sch~ols
Construction TY,09S: 2, 3-A, and3-B
'II_13,
",
Oriestory school buildings of Type 2; 3-A, ,ond 3-B construction 'may, be
unlimited, in area if a directexitway to .the' outside is provided from each
classroom, fire separation' on all, sides is provided in accordance with' 307.2
and if the building i~ equipped thro~ghoCt with an cipproveda'utomatic fire
suppression system:
Section 429.6 Use Group - Speciol

,Open Parking Structures
Constru'ction Types: 2B and 2C
Table 429 stales height and area ,limitations for open parking structures.
When an automatic sprinkle, s'/stem is installed' ir:; Types 2B and 2(' con-
, struetion, the areamoy be unlimited. " '
"Table 429
HEIGHT ANOAREA LIMITATION FOR OPEN PARKING STRUCTURES
,Type of construction Height Area in square feet

lA & 18 Unlimited • Unlimited
2A 12 Stories-120 feet Unlimited
28 10 Storie5-'-100 feet 50,000
2C 8 Stories':- 85 feet 30,000
28 & 2C 2 Stories- 25 feet' Unlimited
Note 1. Type 28 and 2C construction may be six (6) stones In height and unlimited in area when at
least fifly (~o) per cent open on all Sides and when the honzontal distance from any pOint on any level to
an extenor wall opening on a' street, alley, courtyard or any other permanent open space does not ex·
ceed two hU~dred (200) feet
Example:
Table 305. allows unlimited area furniture warehouses (Use Group S- J) ~nly if of
Type J "fireproof" construction; Such warehouses can be built of all, except Frame
construction (Type 4) if the side separation and egress requirements are met and if
provided with on automatic sprinkler system, '
b, HEIGHT INCREASE OPTION

(1,j Automatic Fire Suppression Increase Option
Section 308,1 - Use. Groups: All Except H - High Hazard

Construction Types: All
When a building of other than High Hazard (H) is equipped with an
approved automatic fire suppression system, the building may be erected
one story or 20 feet higher than specified in Table 305 when equipped
with an approved automatic fire suppression system.
Note: The height increase for sprinklers may' be applied simultaneously with the
area increase for sprinklers of Section 306,3,
II_14
Example:
A Tyoe 4A - Protected Fi·':lme nursing home :'Use Group 1-2) is limited to a height
of one story or twenty fee, by Table 305, If equipped with automatic sprinklers, an
additional one story or twenty feet may be added.
Section 414.2.1 - Use Groups: S1 and S2 Special - Public Garages

Construction Types: 2, 3, and 4
Public garage building may increase one (1) additional story in height
when equipped with an approved automatic fire suppression system.
c. FIRERESISTANCE OPTIONS
(1.) Fireresistance Reduction From Area and Height Increase Options
Use Groups: All
The area and height increase options allowed in the Basic Building Code'
have the net effect of reducing the fireresistance ratin'g requirements for
a ,given occupancy design.' In· other words,- a-given building size would
ordinarily require a cer1ain construction type in accordance with Table
305. However, because area and height' increases are allowed, lesser
construction types can be utilized' when the .building is sprinklered.
Example:
,Through use of the area increase 'option, automatic 'sprinkler installation permits' a
one.storybusiness occupancy of Type 4A construction to be built to an area of over
45,000 square feet. For the designer to obtain the same allowable, area without auto-
matic sprinklers, he would have to use Type J B construction or better . . ,
By installing automatic sprinklers, the designer is, in effect, reducing the fireresistance
rating requirements of the building's structural components, Those rating requirements
can' be compared in Table 2 J 4 (page 3 of this Guide);
Unsprinklered Sprinklered'
, Component' Type 18,' Type 4A'
Exterior Bearing Walls 3 hrs. ,J hr.
Interior Bearing Walls & Partitions 2 hrs. J hr.
Columns. Girders, Trusses and Framing' 2 hrsc, J hr.
Floor· , 2 hrs. 7 hr.
Roof J~,'2 hrs. 7 hr:
Whot, does this mean interms of economics? BOCA, !~ternalional periodicplly pub",
lishes a "Building V~/uatio't1 Data Report" which .oresents ave'rage ·cubicfoot con-
struction costs.' The April 1980 report lists the following average costs ,for Group
B' occupancies. (see Appendix):
·Type·7B type 4A
. 53]2/c,,) , ft. $2.59/cu ft .
.11- 15
Example: (continued)
,Assuming a ten foot b~ild~ng height, the construction cost per square foot for the
nightclub would be:
Type 7B ' Type 4A
$37,20 $25.90
The "Building Valuation Dota' Report", provides 0,' figure of $0.084/ cu. ft. as the
average cost of sprinkler add-~n.
, "
This brings the totol cost of the :msprink'lered 'and sprinklered buildings to~ , '
Unsprinklered - Type 7B '
$37.20/sq. ft. x 45,000 sq. 'ft. =
$7,674,000
Sprinklered - Type 4k, ' '
$(2.59, -t- .084/ cu. H) x 70ft. x 45,000 sq, ft. $7 ~203,300
The sprinklered' building co~ld be built for approximately 30/0 les~' than the un-
sprinklered building_
(2.) Fire Wall' Openings Option

Section 908.2 - Use Groups: All
,Except in sprinklered buildings, an opening through afire wall cannot
exceed 120 square feet in area, and aggregate width of all openings' at
any floor level cannot exceed 2570 of the length of the wall.
Table 407.5
, EXPOSURE DISTANCE FOR PYROXYLIN STORAGE BUILDINGS
, ,Fire,separationfrom lot line or other

Maximum quantity stored in pounds buildings in feet
1,000 40
2,000, 50
3.000 60
4.000 70
5,000 80
10,000 100
20,000 125
30.000 150
40.000 160
50.000 180
75,000 200
100.000 225
150,000 250
300,000 300
(3.) Attic Spaces Subdivision Option

Section 875.6.1 - Use Groups: All
Concealed roof spaces of all buildings, except where the' roof and attic
are of noncombustible or fire proof construction, must be subdivided into
areas not exceeding 3,000 sq. ft. by means of approved fire stops. Attic
spaces equipped throughout with on approved automatic fire suppression
system may be subdivided into areas not exceeding 9,000 sq. ft.
(4.) Fire Damper Option
Section 905.11 (5) - Use Groups: All
Fire dampers are required in ducts penetrating fire resistance rated cor-
ridor walls unless th-: ducts are port of an engineered smoke removal
system or unless the building is completely sprinklered.
II- 16
(5.; Floor-Ceiling Assemblies Below Grade Option
Section 905.7.1- ,Use Groups: All except R-3 - Dwellings
Construction Types: All except Type I
In buildings with habitable or occupiable stories or basements below grade,
floor-ceiling assemblies and supports must either have a fire resistance
rating of 1 hour, be of heavy mill (Type 3A) construction, or be protected
,with an automatic fire suppression system.
(6.) Roof Framing Reduction Option for Type 3 Construction

Section 217.2.3 - Use Groups: All
Construction Types: 3
Framed or glued laminated arches, for roof construction springing from
floor line or grade which do not support flo~r loads must have members
not less than 6 inches nominal width. Such arches for roof construction
springing from tops of walls or wall abutments, framed timber trusses,
and other roof framing not supporting floor loads must have members
not less than 4 inches nominal width. When protected by automatic,
sprinklers under the roof deck. framin~ members must be not less than
3 inches nominal width.
2. Means of Egress Options

Article 6, Means of Egress, includes the following under the category of
"exitway":
Doorways Corridors
Passageways Interior, stairways
Exterior Stairways Moving stairways
Smoke-proof enclosures Ramps
Horizontal exits Bridges
Balconies Fire escapes
Exitway - "That portion of a means of egress separated from all other spaces
of a building . . . to provide a protected way of \ravel to the
exitway discharge."
Exitway Access - "That portian af a means of egress, leading to an entrance

to an. exitway."
Exitway Discharge --' "That portion of a means' of, egress between the termi-
nation of anexitway and. a public space.". ,
a. EXIT LENGTH INCREASE OPTION,',

Section 607:4 - U s e Groups:. All
Construdion Types: All
Table 607 ~tates maximum lengths,' of exit';"ay access. travel for both
, sprinklered and unsprinklered buildings. When a floor area is subdivided
',into rooms orcompar.tments and the egress travel in the room or com-
partmentisnoigreater, than 50 feet (100 feet if sprinklered), the
distance can be, measured from. the exitwayaccess entrance to the
nearest exitway
11- 17
Table 507
LENGTH, OF EXITWAY ACCESS TRAVEL 1FT.)
I' ; Without fire I With fire

Use group i suppression .system ' ! suppression system
,t·.s~,e:-;;b
iy
i,
150,' i, 200
I
Business ", 200 I . 300
I
Factory and industrial' 200 300
High hazar,d' ' '
Institutional 100 2b~ ,
Me:cant lie 100 150
Residential . . 100 150
Storage, low hazard , i 300
. 200
400
Storage, moderate hazard' " 300
Note. The maximum length or.'exitway access trav'el in unlimited area buildings shall' be 400 feet ..
r.::::=:::::===.......,----------,
Example: I'" i
One advantage gained through increased exi,'woy . r
access travel IS the' increase In building' area rho' 200' maxlmu~1
can be served bya single exit system. For example, exit length .1.
on assembly (Group A) building designed as a
square can be built to a certain maximum area
using one exit on each side. I
For on unsprinklered building, this maximum area is
90,000 square feet, For a sprinklered building, on
1
'area of 160,000 square feet' could be served,
In this manner, eve'n buildings "unlimited" In area
by virtue of Type 1 construction can benefit from
sprinkler instal/ation, since such buildings must 160,000 sq ft
nevertheless satisfy the egress requirements of
Article 6.
. b. EXIT CAPACITY INCREASE OPTION
Section 608 Use Groups: All

A "unit of egress width" is set as 22 inches. Half units of credit are
allowed for 12-inch additions to the 22-inch units. Table 608 spells out
egress unit requirements for both sprinklered and unsprinklered buildings:
Table 50B
CAPACITY PER UNIT EGRESS WIDTH
Without fire suppression system With fire suppression,system

! Number of occupants Number of occupants
I
Use group i Doors, ramps and Doors, ramps and

! Stairways corridors Stairways corridors
Assembly 75 100 113 150
Business 60 100 90 150
Factory and
industrial 60 100 90 150·
High hazard -- -- 60 100
institutional 22 30 33 45
Mercantile 60 100 90 150
Residential 75 100 113 150
Storage 60 100 90 150
Note. Th~ main ex:tw2v of a bJ'r','iinr allev Sh211 be of suffiCIent capacltv to accommod2te 50 per cent of the
total oCcuDant loae, witnout regard 1:8 -the nlJmb~i of aisles which It serves.
11-18
Example:
In a lecture hall {Use Group A-3-Assembly;, the capacity per unit egress width of
corridors and doorways is limited to J00 persons in an unsprinklered building or 150
persons in a sprinklered building.
Assuming a single exit corridor of a lecture hali needs to be designed for 300 persons,
the corridors and doorways in the unsprinkler-.:d building would have to be at least
66 inches wide (300/100 =
3 x 22 =
66). The corridors and doorways in the building
would only need to be 44 inches wide (300/) 50 = 2 x 22 = 44) if the lecture
hall were sprinklered.
For an exit that ;s J50 feet long, the decrease in required exit width gained through
the installation of automatic sprinklers represents a gain in "net usable" floor area
of J 50 ft. x (66-44) inches = 150 ft. x 1.883 ft. = 275 square feet.
BOCA's Building Valuation Data Report for April of 1980 shows that Group A·3
buildings average about 53.19 per cubic foot ill construction costs (refer to Appendix).
At a height of fifteen feet, that would translate to a cost of $48 per square foot.
Two hundred seventy-five square feet at $48 per square foot is worth about $13,200
to the building owner per exit corridor.
c. OPEN WELL ENCLOSURE OPTION - ESCALATORS
Section 520.1 - Use Groups: All except A-4 and I

Construction Types: All,
Open wells in unsprinklered buildings are required to be enclosed. This
rule applies whether the open well serves as a required means of
egress or not. However, when occupancies other than assembly buildings,'
schools, or institutions are equipped with an approved automatic sprinkler
system, enclosures are not required for open wells not serving as re-
quired exitways.
The waiver of the open well escalator enclosure in sprinklered buildings

is conditional upon the installation of an exhaust system or other ap-'
proved means of preventing the passage of fire, smoke, or gases to the'
story above.
Draft stops extending downward from the ceiling at least (18) inches
are required. Automatic sprinklers must be provided around the perimeter
of the opening and within tw~ feet of the draft stop. The distance be-
tween sprinklers may not exceed 6 foot o~ center. Baffles must be inter-
posed between sprinklers.
Used with permission from NFPA 13, hstella'!io~n o,f Automelic Sprinkler Syslems,'·
Copyright, 1976" I"lc~lonoi Fi~e 'Protection c.,s'iociaflon, Boston, Moss. .
II- 19
'.,-
d.' LOBBY EXIT OPTION

Section 611.3 Construction Types:' All
Use Groups: All
, Every required interior. and 'exterioi exitway, element which'does not ad-,
'join a street can be directly connected to' the' street by ; an 'enclosed
passageway; ~orrjdor, o~ lobby. Up t050~7o of the required stairways
may discharge through, the same passa,gewCly'or lobby.
The grade passageway or. lobby, must be provided with an automatic,
fire suppression system~ as' well as any other portion of the floor with
ac:c:ess to the lobby. ' , '
e, COMMUNICATING FLOORS OPTION

Section 616.10 - Use Groups: B, M, R-l, and R-2
Construction 'Types: All
For ordinary hazard oc:c:upanc:ies with automatic sprinkler protection,up
to 3 communicating floor levels may be permitted without enclosure or
protection between such areas, provided that ',certain listed conditions
are met.
3. Use of Materials Options

Automatic sprinkiers' can be specified to widen, the architect's or engineer's
choice of materials for interior finish, to compensate for higher flame spread
characteristics of interior finish, or to allow the use of certain plastics or foam
plastics which have burning' characteristics regarded as too unsafe without
a means of immediate and automatic fire control.
This. increased freedom to select C1 broader range of materials can, enable'
desi.gners to, solve design problems, reduce construction costs, and provide
aesthetic effects, not permitted in the absence of sprinkler protection. .~
a. INTERIOR FINISH OPTIONS r,J
(1.) Flamespread Option
Interior finish of wall and ceilings must have a flame spread rating not
greater than that designated. by Table 920 when tested in accordance
with the requirements of Section 904.0 (ASTM E84 - 70):
Table 920
INTERIOR FINISH REDUIREMENTS
Required Corridors
vertical providing Rooms or
exitwavs and exitway enclosed
Use groups passage'ways Id) access spaces, (a)
A·j Assembly, theatres I I II (bl
A-2 Assembly, night clubs I I II (b)
A-3 Assembly, halls, terminals, I I II (b)
restaurants
A·4 Assembly, churches. schools I I III
B Business I II III
F Factory and industrial I II III
H High hazard I II III
1-] Institutional. restrained I I I (c)
1·2 InstitutIOnal, incapaCitated I II I Ic)
M Mercantile walls,' I II III
ceilings I II II (e)
R-] ReSidential, hotels I II III
R-2 ReSidential. multi·famlly I II III
dwellings
R-3 Residential, I and 2 family I III III III
dwellings
S-I Storage, moderate hazard I II III
S-2 Storage. low hazard I II I 111
1I- 20
Note a. h.equlrem,:nts for rooms 0: encl'Jsec spaces are based L:pon SDClC8S enclosed In partitions af the
~":liair'5or str'~cture. ana where fHereslstance r[Jtlng IS requlfed ~or the sH:..:ctuaJ elerT,ents the enclos~niS par·
tlt:ons sha!1 e)'t,=n,:, from the floor to the c,;lilns_ P2.rtltlons 'l/hiCh co j,ot com;J):; ',',11th thiS shall be consicerea
as ~rclosjng s;Jaces and the ,oem:=: or spaces on b8th ~:des thereof shall be CD~nte:i as one. In determining
the applicable requirements fer roo:ns or enclosed spaces, tile sceclflc us~ or occupancy tr.ereof shall be the
2:0vernlnb factor, regardless of the occupancy group. clasSlflcatlcn of the bUllclng or structur~. V/hen an ap-
provea automatic fire suporesslon system is provided. the intenor finish of Class II or III materials may be
used ,n,place of Class I or II materials respectively, where reouired In the tabie,
Note b. Cless III ,nleCior finish materrals may be used In place of assembly '/11th a capacity of three
hundred (300) per::ons or less.
Note c. Class III Interior finish materials may be ',jsed In administrative areas, Class II intericr finish mate-
rials may be used in indlvlcual rooms of not over, four (":) persons capacity. PfOlJiSIOnS in Note a allOWing a
change In interior f,n,sn classes when fire scpprAsslon protection is prOVided shall not apply.
Note d. Cless III interIOr finish materrals may be used for wainscoting or paneling for not more than one
thousano 11.000) square feet of applied surface area In the grade lobby when apolied directly to a non-cem-
bustlble base or over lurC!ng strrps applied to a noncombustible base and fire-stopped as required by Section
921 0,
Note e_ Class 111 Interror finish materials may be used in mercantile occupancies of three thousand (3,000)
square feet or less gross area. Us~u for sales purposes on the street floor only. (8alcony permitted).
Finishes are classified according to flame spread characteristics In

Table 904:
Table 904
INTERIOR FINISH CLASSifiCATION'
Class Surface burning characteristics
of material test Itunneltestl
I o to 25
II 26 to 75
III 76 to 200
'.
The numerical values obtained from the Tunnel Test are dimensionless.
They represent a comparison to reference classifications of 100 for a
section of red-oak flooring and 0 for asbestos-cement board.
Note that Footnete"a" af Table 920 states that if an approved auto-

matic fire suppression system is pravided, Class II materials may be used
in place of Class I materials, and Class III I materials in place of Class II.
(2.) Furred Construction Option

. Construction Types: All
Where walls, . ceilings, or· other structural elements are required to be
. fire resistance rated or of noncombustible materials and the interior finish
is set out or dropped more than 1}; inches from the surface, only materials
,having both faces qualify' as Class I finish must be used, unless ,the finish
material is protected on both sides byan automatic fire suppression system
(See Note a to Table 920).
b. PLASTIC OPTIONS·
(J.) Foam Plastic Insulation Option

Constructio'; Types: All
Foam plastic insulatiQn having a .flame spread of 75 or less (when tested

in' a thickness of, 4 inches) may be used in thicknesses up to· 10 inches
in cold storage rooms, foed processing rooms, ice' plants and similar
rooms when the roem is' protected with automatic sprinklers' and the in-
sulationis covered with !/2
inch portlcnd cement; plaster or other ap-
proved material having a finish rating of not less than 15 niinutes.
II- 21
, ,6'.
. ~.
Foam' piasticins.:Ulation having a. flame spread of twenty-five (25) or

less· may be used in a thickness ,otnot: more th6nfour (4) inches when
the foam· plastic is covered by ,a metal facing of No. 20 B & SGage
,(0.032 ,inches) aluminum of No. 26 Manufacturers Standard Gage (0.179
inches) steel: or, greater thickness or either met~l, and the ,insuiated 'area
is protected with automatic' sprinklers. Such panels sholl" not b~. used
where noncombustible, or. fire resistance,' rated, construction is. required.'
(2.) Glazing ,of Unprotected Openings Opti~n

Section 1902.4 Use Groups: All except F
Construction Types: All except 4-B
In other than Type 4-6 construc1ion arid, Use Group F. buildings; openings
not required to· be fire resistance rated by Section 914.0 may be glazed
or equipped with approved plastic [11aterials in up 'to 25% of, the wall·
face of the story in which they are installed ..
When a' complete approved" automatic· fire suppression system is pro-
vided, the permis~able area of glazing may be increased 100ro.
(3.) Exterior Wall Panels Option.·
Section 1903.2,- Use Groups: All except A-1, A-2, H, and I

Except in Use Groups A-l, A~2, H, and I, approved plastic materials may
be used as wall panels in exterior walls not required to have a fire-
resistance rating. Table 1903' states area limitation and separation re-
quirements:
Table ,1903
AREA LIMITATION AND SEPARATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PLASTIC WALL PANELS' :~'
.: J
Max. % area Minimum separation
of ext. wall of panels
Fire separation Class of in plastic . Max. SQ. tt. (ft.)
(ft.) plastic I .' panels single area Vertical Horizontal
6 ft. or less - NP.J NP - -
6 ft. or more Cl 10 50 8 4
but less than 11 ft. C2 NP NP - -
11 ft. or more Cl 25 90 6 4
but less than 30 ft. I
t
C2 15 70 8 4
Over 30 CI 50 Not limited 32 0
I C2 I 50 100 6' 3
Note 1. See Section 1903.3 fat combination of glazing and wall panel areas permitted.
Nole 2. See Section 1903.1.5.
Note 3. Not permitted.
When a complete approved automatic fire suppression system is pro-

vided in the building, the maximum percent· area of exterior wall in
plastic panels and the maximum square feet of single area given in
Table 1903 may be increased 100(;'~. The area of plastic wall panels
may not exceed 50';; of total· wall area. These uses shall be exempt
from height limitations:
(4.) Roof Panels Option·

Section 1904 - Use Groups: All except A-1, A-2, A-3; H. and I
Except in Use Groups A·1, A-2, A-3, H, and I, approved plastic :oof
panels may be installe~ where the roor is not required to have a fire-
~esistance rating by Tobie 214, or where the building is protected by
a complete approved automatic rire suppression system.
1I- 22
IS.) Skylight Assemblies Option
Section 1905.1.6 - Use Groups: All except H and I
Except in Use Group H, skylight assemblies may be glazed with ap-
proved plastic materials. The aggregate area of skylights must not ex-
ceed 2570 of the corresponding floor area sheltered by thp. roof in
which they are installed.
Except in Use Groups H and I, the aggregate area may be increased

100ro if the building is equipped with a complete approved automatic
fire suppression system.
16.) Light-Diffusing Systems Options

Light diffusing systems are not permitted in Use Grouos H and I or in

exitways unless the building is protected' with an aut~motic suppression
system.

Plastic light diffusers of up to 10 feet in length and 16 square feet. in
area may be installed. When properly protected by an approved fire
suppression system, the areas of light-diffusing systems are not limited.
Automatic sprinklers must be both above, and below unless the system
has been specifically approved for sprinkler installation above only.
C,' Construction Types: All
The area of approved plastic materials when used in required fire exits
'or corridors must not exceed 30 percent of the aggregate area of the
ceiling in which they are'installed: unless the occupancy is protected by,
an approved fire suppression system.
4. High.Rise Options
High-rise provisions are found in Chapter 4 - Special Use and Occupancy
Requirements. Section 431.0 - High-Rise Buildings addresses itse,lf to build-
ings, more than 6 stories'or 75 feet in heignt of the following use groups:
B- Business
R-l - Residential, Hotel
R·2 - Residential, Multi~family .
. . :., '." '.. .. ..
'
a. COMPARTMENTATION VS. AUTOMAT.lC FIRE SUPPRESSION

Two options are presented - Compartmentation .Dr Early Fire Control
(fire suppression system). ' '
.A building over 75 feet in height

must satisfy one of the twooptions.-.
1I- 23
. :.,',t' ....... '
Automatic
Compartmentation . Fire Suppression
Areas ·of. Installation of fire walls to subdivide floors. t-Jo requirements

Refuge . into sub-o~ea~ ~t 15,000 ~q. ft .. ?rless.,'
, .
Exterior Wall Openings 'within 5 fLOf' each 'ot:;er hori- N~ requirements
. Protection zontally or on. adjacent floors, or verticcilly
above one another,' must· be protected by
flame barriers extending 30. inches beyond
the wall or by approved verticol panels
complying with~06.3.1. . ,
Flame Barriers Ne Requirements

er if
Spandrels Sprinklered
Smoke Detectors Smoke detectors in all mechanical equip- No requirements for rooms protected with
ment rooms and return air ducts and automatic suppression system.
plenums.
Fire Alarm Approved automatic fire alarm system to No requirements voice alarm activaTed
activate voice alarm system. by sprinkler operation.
Voice Alarm ,A,utomatically-activated pre-recorded Same requirements

System me,sage ..
Voice Communi- Two-way fire department communication Same reql'irements

cation System system and .one-way public address system
may be combined.
Central Control Containing panels controlling a[1d main- Same. requirements - contains sprinkler
Station taining detection, alarm, communication, valve and woter flow detector indicators ..
and elevator systems:
II- 24
Automatic
Compartmentation Fire Suppression
Smoke Control Venting faci lities I equ ired - panels or Mechanical air handling equipment may
windows in exterior wall that can be be designed to accomplish smoke removal.
opened from an approved lacation other
or
~hcn the fire floor.
Windows or panels may be manually
openable from within the fire floor or fixed
tempered glass windows may be used in
lieu of remotely operated panels.
Elevators At least one elevator for fire department At least one elevator· for fire department
access. Elevator must be in smoke proof access. No smokeproof enclosure require-
enclosure or open into lobby separated ments.
from remainder of building by one hour
resista nee.
Emergency Permanent standby power generation sys- Same requirements. Electric fire pumps In-
Power and tem conforming to requirements of Article cluded on emergency power.
Light 15.
Exitway Travel 200 feet maximum exitway access travel 300 feet maximum exitway access travel.
Length for Business, 100 ft. for Residential.
Hose Cabinets 1 y~ inch hose lines and cabinets required No requirements

on each floor for. occupant use.
r::"
\ ..
Standpipes Standpipes with2Y:? inch hose connections Standpipes may be combined with sprink-
required for fire department use. ler risers.
Fireresistance No reductions allowed. Type of construction may be modified by

Reductions dropping one level below the requirements
of Table 214:
/
Type of construction Modified type of construction
set forth in Table 214 permitted hereunder .
1A 1B
18 2A
2A 28
Fireresistance rating' of, exitway access

corridors and vertica I separation of tenant
spaces not required for Group B
Business buildings, and maybe reduced to
Yz hour in Group R1 (hotel) and R2 (multi-
family). Residential buildings. Weills and
partition's may. be terminated at lowest
portion of rated floor-ceiling assembly
above. .
·Fireresistance rating of shafts, other than

exitway stairways· and hoistway enclosure
shafts, may be reduced' by one hour when
sprinklers are installed within shafts at
. alternate floors.
.,0. '
":'i.:
Automatic .
. Compartmentation . Fire Suppression
. Fireresistance . .. Exitwayaccess 'and .com mon hallway doors

Reductions (cant.) not. required to comply with section 61 0.4
except that they be self-closing and tight-
. fitting. . .. ' .
Fire dalnpers maybe omitted except those

'needed' to .. maintain the fireresistance
rating. of •the floor-ceiling assembly.
'. Smokeproof AI least '. one exitway required to be 'a' SmoKeproof enclos·ures. ma'y be omitted if
Enclosures· smoke proof enclosure in accordance .with required stairways' are' pressurized to .15
Section 618 ..' inches of water column. .
Automatic No requirements. Sprinkler systems designed in accordance

Sprinklers with NFPA 13 or BOCA 100' with:
Shut-off valves and water flow devices on

each floor at riser..
In seismic zones 2 and 3, each floor must

be supplied by 2 or more risers, with an
approved check valve installed at the point
of connection of the. system to each riser
, so that one riser can remain operational
. if a break occurs. in.the other.
.(J.
,~,
.
Note: this clouse deleted in 7979 amend-
ments.
In seismic' zones 2 and 3, a secondary

on-site water supply equal to the hydrauli-
cally calculated sprinkler design demand
plus 100 gpm for the total standpipe sys-
tem. must be provided. If principal supply
foils, this supply must be automatically
available for a 3D-minute duration.
Note: 7980 amendments. state this supply

sholl have 0' duration of thirty (30;
minutes, but need not exceed ten
thousand (7 0,000; gallons.
5., Other Options

a. COVERED MALLS OPTION
Section 432.3 Use Groups: M
Construction Types: 7, 2, or 3A
Rather than treat a covered moll and all buildings connected thereto as
a single building,' an option exists to consider the mall on "accessible
unoccupied open space."
The provisions of this option include the requirement that an automatic

fire suppression system be provided throughout the covered mall and all
buildings connected thereto. The mall' area must be protected by an
independent system.
Standpipes must be placed at 200 foot intervals along the covered moll.
II-26
b. AUTOMATIC ALARM OPTION
Section 1216.4 Use Groups: All
Buildings or portions of buildings equipped wirh automatic fire suppres-
sion protection are not required to be equipped with an automatic fire
alarm system.
The requirements for such systems are given in Section 1216.0:
Use Groups: Automatic Alarms Required ..
Group I - Institutional In all new and existing buildings
Group R-1 - Residential. In all hotels - except over 6 stories or 75

Hotels feet equipped with an automatic fire sup-
pression system.
Group R - Residential Within each dwelling unit
When the automatic alarm system requirement is waived with sprinkler

installation, the manual pull stations (which would be installed in con·
junction with the automatic alarm system) are still required.
c. MANUAL ALARM OPTION

Section 1217.3. U~e Groups: B
,~ --,
Manual fire aiarm stations (pull stations) are required in all buildings of
.. Use Group B - Business when 3 or more stories in height.
However, the manual fire alarm stations are not required in buildings
equipped with an automatic· fire suppression system .and less than 7
stories in height.
.11- 27
.... ~:.
e"
D~ 'System Requiremerits
1. ApplicableStandareis
The 1978 editi~n of the Bas,ic Building Code adopts by reference the fo:low',
ing standards;·
NFPA13 - Automatic Sprinklers":" 1976 edition
, BOCA 100- Life Safety Suppr~ssion S'ystems - 1975 edition
NFPA 14 -:-:Sta~dpipes and Outside Protection -1976,edition'
2. Alarms
Section 1204.5
Approved audible or visual alarm devices must, bec6nnected to every water
sprinkler system and such ,alarm device must be located in an approved location.
Exception: Alarms not required for limited ar,ea sprinkler systems (refer to
Section 1205.0 of code).
One additi~nal oudible or visual alarm device must be installed yvithin the
building.
3. Water Supplies
Section 1214.0 -
All fire suppression systems must be provided with at least one 'automatic supply
of exti~guishing' material' of adequate pressure, capacity, and' reliability to
,
,,""1
~.~'. j
perform the function intended. --""-
Where sprinkler systems are' combined with standpipes, the water supply must
be adequate for the greater of demands of the sprinklers or standpipes.
Where a' sprinkler system is connected to the domestic water supply system as
allowed by the code, a check valve must be installed in the sprinkler supply
line to prevent contamination of the domestic water. '
4. Standpipes
Section 1211.0
Standpipes are required In the following buildings:
Use Groups St'andpipes Required . . .
A-l, A·2, A-3 When occupancy load exceeds 300.
B, F, M, S-l In buildings 3 stories in height and exceeding 3,000 sq.

ft. in area per floor.
A,I, R-l In buildings 3 stories iii height.
All In buildings exceeding 10,000 sq. ft. in area per floor.
All In buildings 4 stories or more in' height.
Minimum standpipe size is controlled by Table 1211. Standpipes must extend

from, the lowest portion of the building to a height 5 feet above the finished
floor of the topmost story.
(NOTe: These requirements differ somewhat from the referenced standard.

NFPA14 ollows a minimum 2/1 standpipe. Also, the requirements far roof
outlets are more severe in NFPA 14.)
Standpipes may be combined with the sprinkler supply in a combination riser.
II- 28
5. Fire Department Connections
Section 1213.0 -
All sprinkler and standpipe systems must be provided with at least one Two-
way fire department connection.
Exception: Limited area sprinkler systems (refer io Section 1205.0 of code).
Fire department connections must be located and be visible on a street front

or in a location approved by the department.
Fire department connection must be not less than l' 6" nor more than 3'
6" in elevation measured from \=lround level to center line of ttre inlets.
II-29
/
~~~. STANDARD BU~LDaNG C ~!\'C
~~ -
"'~7"\~."
tsl7'" '7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. BASIC PRINCIPLES
1. Occupancy Classifications 2
2. Construction Clossifications 3
B. WHERE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRED
1. Complete Automatic Sprinkler Systems Required 4
2. Partial Automatic Sprinkler Protection Required 6
C. AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER TRADE-OFFS AND OPTIONS
1. Area, Height, and Fire-Resistance Options 7
a. Area Increase Options
(1.) Area Increases for Sprinklers
(2.). Unlimited Area Options
b. Height Increase Options
(1.) Height Increase for Sprinklers
c. Fire-Resistance' Options
(1.) Fire-Resistance Reductions from Area and Height Increase Options
(2.) Fire-Resistance Reduction Option In Type I Construction
(3.) Fire-Resistance Reduction Option Within Fire, District
,(4.) Fire-Resistance Reduction Option for Floors Above Usable Cellar
Space In Schools
(5.) Roof Framing Reduction' Option for, Type III ConstruCtion
..,'
(6.) Grain Elevator Fire-Resistance Reduction Option -
(7~) Exit, Enclosures Option, '
(8.) Vertical Openings a~d Shaft En~losure Options
(9.) Hoistway Vent 'Op.tion ~c -'-",
c- ::." ' ".,'.: _ ,_'
. ,': ~
.-(10'.) Exterior WciW Opening< (Flame"Bar~ier):'O p t i o n - - ." ."

:.-,"-",-
, 2. Means of Egr~ss' Options"" ., ,'" , , " " , "" ,,14
. 6; Sprinkler Travel Length Iricrease' Option:
h. Escalator Protection
3. Use of Materials Options 17
a. Interior Finish, Options'
(1.) Flame'spread Option,
(2.) Interior Finish Application Option
(3.) Floor. Covering Option
b.PlasllCs Options
(1.) Foam Plastic Insulation' Option
(2.) Glazing of Unprotected Openings Option
(3.) Exterior WaiL Panels Option
(4.) Roof Panels Option , '
,{5.) Skylight Assemblies Option
(6.) light-Diffusing Systems Options
4. High Rise Options ' 19
a. Compartmentationvs;'AutomaticSpri~klers'
5. Other Options
a. Fire' Alarms
, D: ' SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
, , 1. Applicable Standards , 23
2. Supervision 23
3:WaterSupp!ies 23
. ". "
4. Standpipes
.
23
APPENDIX
Building Valuation Data .25
'Tablesa'ppeciri'ng on pages 3,7,8,9,15,17,18, and 25 are copyright, 1979; Southern
Building., Code Congress International, Inc, and are reproduced herein with their
permission.
'III-1
.f· ....'.
A. Basic. Principles
- '1. Occupancy CI~ssifications
.~ , . .
'The Code categorizes every new and existing' building, structure or, port there-
of according to use. The following. occupancy groups are established.
Group A - Assembly
A-1 Large Assembly
Theatres with working stage and capacity of 700 or,' more, or places
of .as·sembly without working stage having a capacity of 1,000 'or
more persons. ,
A·2 Small Assembly

Theatres and places with capacity of. .100 persons or more, but less
than that designated for Large Assembly.
Group B - Business
Offices, banks, service stations, non-school libraries, bowling alleys,
restaurants accommodating less than 100, etc.
Group E - Educational
Schools
Group H - Hazardous
Involving highly combustible, f:~mmcible, or explosive. materials.
Group F - Factory-Industrial
. Assembling, disassembling, repairing, fabricating, .' finishing, manufac-
turing, packaging, or' processing operations 'not classified ,as"' ha7ardous.·
Medical treatment or care of aged, "infirmed, disabled.·
Institutional - Restrained
Jails, reformatories, etc.
Institutional - Unrestrained
Hospitals, orphanages, homes for aged, etc.
Display and sale of merchandise.
Group R --- Residential

Hotels, dormitories, etc.
Group S - Storage
Aircraft hangers, garages, warehouses, etc.
III- 2
2. Construction Classifications
Buildings are classified into construction types according to the amount of fire
resistance as per Table 600:
TABLE 600 - FIRE PROTECTIVE REQUIRE;\IENTS
REQUIRED FIRE RESISTANCE IN HOURS
Ty~e IV Ty~e V Type VI
STRUCTURAL ELEMENT
I I I
\ TYllI I TYlll II TYllI II! I
1· Hour 1- Hour
I II Protected Unprotocted I Protect.d Un~rotOtlod
i
l·Hour
Protect,d I Unprotoctod
tMCSC TYPE OF
CONSTRUCTION
Type I
443
I Type I
332
Type IV Type 11 TYDe II I Type lit Type III Tyne V Type V
I 3HH 211 100 311 300 111 100
PARTY Al'ID FIRE
WALLS' (a) 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
INTERIOR BEARING (i) , (i)
WALLS ! I
Supporting more than i I
I
one floor. column. or
other bearing wall.
Supporting one floor' only
I 4 3
2'
2 I 1 NC 1 0 1
1
0
3 1 1 NC 1 0 1 0
Supporting a roof, only 3 2 1 I 1 NC 1 I 0 1
I 0
INTERIOR NONBEAR- I
ING PARTITIONS
I See Sections 403" 701 I and i'QZ I II
COLUMNS (e)
Supporting mar<! than one
I See Sec. 604 I
floor or other columns 4 ,3 H(d) 1 I NC 1 0 1 0
Supporting one floor only 3 2 H(d) 1 NC 1 0 1 0
Supporting 8 roof only' 3 2 H(d) 'I NC 1 0 1 0
BEAMS, GIRDERS.
TRUSSES &: See See. 604
ARCHES (e)
SupportIng more thaD
one floor OJ" column. 4 3 H(d) 1 NO 1 0 1 0
Supporti ng one floor only 8 2 ,H(d) 1 NC 1 0 1 0
Supporting .. roof only
I 1 J,I, (f) 1 (f. g) H(d)' ,I NC 1 0 1
I
0
! , I,
ISee,sa
FLOOR c 604
CONSTRUCTION 3'
I 2 . 1' 1 . NC I ,1 0 I 1 0
ROOF
CONSTRUCTION, (h).
EXTERIOR BEARING
1% (f)
;.,-
·1 1 (f:~)
See See. 6041
. H(d),· 1 NC
"
I 1 0 I' I' 0
WALLS (hI (j) ',(% indica.tes pereent ' of wall opening p"rn,itted)
Horizontal separation-' ..
(diltance from' common -
property line or a88umed 'I
property line).
,Oft. to 3. ft. (c) 4 (0%) 3(0%) 3(0%)(b) 2(0%). 1(0%) . 3(0%) (hI 3(0%I(b) 110%) 1(0%) ,
. over 3 ft. to, 10 ft. (c)
over 10 ft. to 20 ft. (c)
over 20 ft; to 30' ft.
4
4
4
(10%)
(20'1'0)
(40%)
3(10%)
3(20%)
3(40%),
2(10%)(b)'
2(20%)(h')
. 1(40%)
I 1(40%)
1(10% )
20% I
, I(
l(lO%)
INC(20%)
NC(40%)
2(100/0I(bl 2 (100/0)(b) 1(20%)
2(20% lib) 2(20%) (b) 1(40%)
1(40%) 1(40%) I 1 (60%)
0(20%) ,
0(40%)
0(60%)
over 30 ft. 4 (NL) I, 3(NL) , I(NL) l(NL) NC(NL) I(NLl I(NL)
I I(NL) O(NL)
I
indic~te.
EXtERIOR NONBEAR.
ING WALLS (h)'(w) '(% I: percent of wall opening I permitted) I
Horizontal separation-·
(distance from common
I
property line or auumed,
property line).
I I,
'1~(0%) : I 3-(0%)
"
o ft. to 3ft. (c) 3·(0%) 3·(0% ) 3·(0%)' 2.(0%) 3.(0%) 1.(0%) 1"(0%)
over 3 ft. to 10 ft. (c) 2·(10% \' 2·(10%) "2·(10%) 11'110%) 1·(10%) 2·(10%) 2-(10%)' 1-(20%) 0.(200/,-1
over 10 ft... to 20, ft. (c) .' 2·(20%)' '2·(200/01 2·(20%) 1-(20%)· NC-(20%) 2·(20%) 2·(20%) 1.(40%) 0.(40%)
over 20 ft. to 30 ft. , 1.(40;§]) . 1·(40%\ '1-(400/. I., NC.(40%) NC.(400/0) I 1·(40%) 1'(40%) 0.{6011o) 0.(60%)
over' 30 ft. NC· (. L) NC· (NLI NC· (NL) INC. (NL). NC· (NL) NC· (NL) NC· (NL) O-(NL) 'O.(NL)
I I .1
,
.-:see Section 608.3, H-HeaVl" Timber Sizes
NC-Non Combuetible See Section 604
INL)-No Limita t For informational purpose. only
,TARLE 600 - REFERE..'I1CEj NOTES-
a. Pai-ty and Fire Walla '.hall enend not les~' than three (3) " f;"'t, f. 'In two (2) story,buildings approved Fire Retanln;'t Treated Wood
above the roof, except' that fire walls. need not extend above the' may be ust'd.
roof where the roof is of noncombuatible construction for the
In buildings of Group· A' - Assembly'and GroupE. Educational oc-
ares. within forty (40) feet of each side of the ";·all. -: .
cupancies, fireproofing may be omitted where structural members
b: Exterior walls shall extend not less than eighteen '(18) inches ,support a roof only and are twent}· (20). feet or more clear above
above the roof, except that parapet walls need. not be constructed any floor or balcony. •
on buildings where the roof alopea'more than four (4) inchea·ver·
g. In one, (» .tory building" ,tructural'members of heavy li!'!'.ber
tical to twelve (12), inch~. horizontal irom the'back of the e"terior
sizes may be' used as a.n alternate to unprotected structural roof
wall of sucb buildings or where the exterior waH', of, such build·: - ,members. - -, .
ing is located, fifteen' (IS) feet or more distant trom the common
. property line or the center line of 8 public way. ' Ii.. See Section 716' for Penthouses and Roor' Structures.,
c. See Section' 703 for protection of wall ope;'ings. i.. The use of, combustible 'construction 'for interior bearing partitions
'd.. Where ,horizontal separ~tion of t";'enty (20) feet o~ more is'pro. 'shall be limited to'the support of not more than Iwo (2) floor. and,
a roof.
vided, wood columns, arches, beams, and roof deck conIor1ning to
heavy, timber si~es may be used externally. ' . . j .. E"lerior walls shall be fire tested in accordance with Section 601.2
from Ihe' interior side, of. Ihe wall for Iherequired time period.
e. Coluinn., beams, trusses and girders supporting masonry or ·con·
crete walls eight· (8) feet.or more in, height shall have, the fire
res is_lance required for 'th~ wall they support, but in 110 ca.se Jess
than one (1) hour.
1II-3
B~ ,Where Automatic Sprinkler, Systems Are ~. equired
1. Complete Automatic Sprinkler Systems Req~ired
Section Construction'
Number Occupancies Types Affected" Complete Syst~m Required
407.4(e) Group H - Hazardous All Except where application of water would

407.9 Combustible Film Storage 'be ineffective. (Alternative protection
wauld be. required).
412.4(f) ,Aircraft Hanger All " ,In buildings used, for painting or
Accessory Buildi ngs "daping" involving use of a volatile'
(Group,S) , ,flammable solvent.
412.4(g) Aircraft Hangers All When area exceeds '10,000 square feet. "
(Group 5)
" .
, 412.8(g) Public Garages All As pro~ideci for' in Section 901.7 -

(Group 5) , Commercial Garages.
507.3(g) Covered Malls All Throughout the mall and all tenant
(Group M), spaces co'nnected thereto.,
703.2(a) All - Windowless and' All ' Whe~openings: are not prOVided on at
901.6(a)2 Underground Buildings least one side' every .50 ,linear ft. up •
~
0-
. -;. ~. (Blank Wall Construction) , to ,75 . ft. in height. Openings must ,be ,",J
:aminimum 'of 32 inches wide and 48
inches higl;, with bottom of opening no
more "than 32, inches above floor.
Note: Sprinklered buildings must have
access panels every 200 feet.
or
When used as lounges or nightclubs,

regardless .of size.
901.7 Group F Commercial Garages All When 'enclosed and over 65 ft. in height
and exceeding 10,000 sq. ft. per floor.
or
X 32" min
Opening ReqUirements. - Unsprinklered
111-4
Section Construction
Number Occupancies Types Affected Complete System Required .
When used for repairs and two or more.

stories in height and exceeding 10,000
sq. ft. per floor, or when located below
another occupancy.
or
When one story repair garage exceeds

15,000. sq. ft.
or
When basement or sub-basement gar-

ages exceed 5/eOO' sq. ft. in area or
. have a capacity of more than 3 motor
vehicles.
or
When used for storage of commercial
trucks and exceeding 5,000 sq. ft. in
area, .
or
When bus' garage is 3 or more:, stories
in height.
:' _ ..
901.8(0) Group M' - Me'r~~ntile When story floor' area exceeds 15,000
s9: ft..
901.8(b) Group I Institutional All In every hospital sanitarium, convalescenl
· home or hospital, nursing home and home
for the aged. In every. institutional occu-
pancy where restraint' is practiced (jails,.,
reformatories, prisons, mental institutions.)
Exception: In' hospitals only, sprinklers
'may be omitted from operating, delivery,
x-ray, cardiac, 'and intensive care rooms
and patient sleeping rooms not exceed-
ing600 square feet. when each room is..
provided with an approved listed smoke
·detector connected. to the. alarm system.
Note: The required' 'approved sprinkler
system in institutional occupancies w'here
restraint is. practiced may be automatic.
or manual. ' .
901.6(0)3 All All Throughout buildings having a contiguous

. 901.8(d) area (minimum separation between stor-
· age ,areas of 60 feet) 'used for high
piled combustible storage, as' defined in
the Fire . Prevention Code; exceeding'
20,000 square f e e t . ' '.
Exception: Automatic sprinklers may be

provided only in the storage area of
· buildings "":hen the storage area is sepa-
. rated from the remainder of the building.
by a mini.mum 2 hour fireresistive sepa-
ration in accordance with this Code.
III...s ..'
·.e
2. Partial Automatic Sprinkler Protection Required
Se.ction Construction Partial System Required . . . '

Number Occupancies.' .'. Types Affected
404.7 Group A 1 - Large Assembly All Over stage; in toilet' rooms, lounges,
with working stage smoking' rooms, and. all other parts in·
c1uding basements, cellars, property
rooms, dressing rooms, storerooms,
workshops,.' and all portions. 'of stage
and rooms under' the· stage floor level.
." I --
Exceptions: :
Auditoriums, foyers;' and lobbies,. over
generators ond other electrical equip-
ment and switch boa rds.
407.6(dl In drying rooms of dry cleaning estab·

: lishments.
407.9(a)6 All . In cabinets, rooms, and vaults used for

407.9(a)7 storing combustible film.
407.9(b)6
901.6(a)1 All - basements and cellars In basements and cellars with ceiling less
than 4' 6" above grade having floor
areas exceeding 2,500 'square feet when';
used 'as workshops or for the manu-
facture, repair, sale, ·or storage of com-
bustible materials, .. or' when used as
lounges or. nightclubs regardless of the
size.
901.8(c) Group A1 - Lorge Assembly Over areas which could be used for the
display, sale or storage of combustible
materials when such area exceeds 15,000
sq. ft.
III-6
c. Automatic Sprinkler Trade-Offs and Options
1. Area, Height, and Fire-Resistance Options
Area (building) . . . the maximum horizontally projected area of the building
at or above grade, exclusive of court and vent shafts.
Height (building) . . . the .vertical distance from grade to the highest finished
roof surface for flat roofs, or to a point at the average height of roofs having
a pitch of more than 1 foot in 4~/i feet.
Maximum building areas' and heights for buildings of different construction

types and occupancies are found in Table 400.
. TA BLE 400 - ALLOWABLE HEIGHTS A~D AREAS
Letters in Table reler to "Notes to Table 400".

Height lor types of construction Is limited to the number 01 stories shown, or height in leet.
Allowable areas are shown in thousands 01 square leet. UA = No limit 01 floor area.
For Modifications to allowable heights and areas see: UH = No height limit.
402.2 Height Modifications 402.3.Area Modilications . NP = Not permitted.
TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION
TYPE / TYPE 1/ TYPE 11/ TYPE IV TYPE V TYPE VI

H
1-Hour Unt'forected l·Hour Unp,ot~cred I·Hour. Unprotecred
E
"lese Typo / "lese Typo I MCSe Typo IV
OCCUPANCY I
'G "3 332 3HH MeSe Type 1/ "lese Typo 1/ "lese Type 1/1 ~ese Type 11/ MeSe Type V "lese Typo V
I 211 100 311 300 171 100
H
T
P . P . 'p P p. .p P P P
Un,pl< Spl< Un,pl< Spl< Un,pl< Spl< Un,pl< Spl< Un,pl< Spl< Un,pl< Spl< Un,pl< Spl< Un,pl< Spl< Un,pi< Spl<
MAXIMUM HEIGHT IN FEET

No L,mJf 80 . 65 .. 65: . 55. 65 55 50 .0
(A·l)
ASSEMBLY·LARGE
d
-
I·
(Wor~ing
Stag.) -
a,b,c UH UA UA
80' UA UA UA UA
MUI".S~Of'; 1 UA UA UA UA NP NP NP NP 1';> NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP
One Stor'f On(y UA UA UA UA . NP 'NP NP NP NP NP NP NP' NP NP NP . NP NP NP
(A-II
ASSEMBLY-LARGE
d 0 0 0 •
(Wilhoul .worl<ing
Sl.ge)
a,b,c UH UA UA,
O' UA UA UA UA
Multi·Story 1 UA UA . Uk UA NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP
On. Story Only· Uk. UA: UA UA 120 36.0 12.0 36.0 8.0 24.0" 12.0 36.0 . 8.0 24,0 NP NP NP NP
(A·2)
ASSEMBLY·SMALL
d e
• 0 ~
(Wor.,ng. Stage)
'.
.. a,b UH . UA UA
0' 'JA UA' UA ,.UA·
Mu/r,'-Staty 1 UA UA ' UA VA NP, NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP
Ono S,ory Only UA UA UA UA 100 300 ., 90 27.0' 60' 78.0 9.0 270 6.0. 18.0 .5 13,5 3.0 9.0
(A·21
AS"SEMBL Y-SMA lL
d
, • • • 0
(Wlthour' wor~lng
SI.gel
. a.b ~H UA UA
O' UA UA UA UA
2 IJA UA !JA I UA 12 Q 2'.0 12.0 2.0 eo, 150
I
120 ,2.,0. 8.0 160
Mull/-Story 1 VA UA UA IJA 12.0· 2•. 0 8.0 . 12.0 160 NP NP NP NP
2'.0 12.0 18.0
'1 2•. 0 8.0
One Siory Onfy UA UA IJA UA I 12 a 36.0 12.0 360 B.O 2•. 0 12.0 36.0 B.O ., 2' 0 7.5 225 5.0 150
..
(B) f I,d f I h h h h h h
BUSINESS H UA UA
a,c.9 2 UA UA
0 IJA UA • UA IJA ..
5 IJA ,UA UA UA 25.5 ,51.0 25.5 51.0 " 3.'0 21.0 .2.0 28.0
• UA UA UA UA 25.5 51.0 25,5· 51.0 3'.0 27,0 . '2.0 2B.0
3
2
UA
UA
UA
UA' ,
UA
IJA
UA
UA
25.5
25.5,
51.0,
5/.0
25.5 .
2~.~
5/.0
51.0 :Il·O
J4.0
3•.0
I 21.0
21.0
.2.0
.2.0 14.0
28.0
28.0 13.5 . 27.0 9.0 B.O
Mult,-Story 1 . UA IJA . UA UA 25.5 51.0 25.5 5/.0 '17.0 H.O. '21.0 '2.0 28.0 '13.5 27.0 9,0 8.0
.. ' •.0
On. S,ory Only UA UA UA IJA 25.5 76.5 25.~ 76.5 .17.0 5 1.0 21:0 63.0 1•. 0' '2.0 1J.5 .O.~ 9.0 ~7.0
1II-7
, ~ \'
e~··.
'.
.. "
TABLE 400':'" ALLm~'ARLE HEIGHTS AND .AREAS- Continued

TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION' "
TYPE I . TYPE 1/ TYPE III. TYPE'lv .TYPE v TYPE VI

,., '·Hour Unprotecred 1·Hour Unprotectod 1·Hour Unpro ... ,ed
E
°IllCSC Trpe / IMcsc Trp, / ~CSC Trp. IV
OCCUPANCY I
~ 332 . 3HH ,,",CSC Trp. 1/ lICSC Trp, 1/ ~ese Trpe III ~CSC Typ. 1/1 ~cse Type V lIIesc Type V
·1 G 211 100 311 . .300 . 111 100
H
T .p
P P P P P P P P
lJ".pIr Sp_ U".pO Splr li".p- Sp_ U".plr Sp_ U".P_ SpIr ju".plr SpIr u".pIr SpIr li".plr SPk 1U".Pk Sp/l .

No Limi, SO 55 85 55 e5 55 50 40
(E) d I I I I
EDlJCATlOHAL
;
' •• b· ilJH UA. UA
SO' UA lJA lJA III','
2 lJA III', UA III', 18.0 38.0 18.0 :Ill.O 18.0 38.0 12.0 24.0
ltIulfi.srOfY 7 III', IJA IJA UA IB.O 311.0 18.0 311.0 NP NP 18.0 3e.0 NP NP 12.0 2 •. 0 NP NP
0". Slory Only III', III', III', IIA 18.0 5•. 0 18.0 54.0 12.0 38.0 18.0 54.0 12.0 38.0 12.0 311.0 8,0 2'.0
(H)
HAZARDOUS
b.1
•
3
NP
NP
11.5
11.5 NP 8.'
2 NP fI.S NP 8.3 NP 7~
lIIulli-Slory 1 NP II~ NP 8.3 NP 7.5 NP NP NP NP NP 'NP 'NP NP NP NP NP NP
0". SlOry O"/r NP lU NP '8.3 NP 7.5 HP 5.0 NP 5.0 ··NP 5.0 NP 5.0 NP NP NP NP
IF) d
FACTORY· .
INDUSTRIAL UH III', IJA "
•••b.Q.o 80' UA UA UA. UA

8 UA UA UA UA 153.0
III', -'
5 III', III', UA '. 113.0 ~
,
•3
III',
III',
UA
UA
lJA
UA
UA
IJA 31.5
113.0
113.0
153.0
113.0
.2:0
·.2.0
15.0
'5.0
30.0
30.0
2 III', IJA IJA III', 31.5 113.0 31.5 113.0 21.0 '2.0 22.5 15.0 /5.0 30.0
IIIulll·Storr I IJA IJA IJA III', 31.5 113.0 31.5 153.0 21.0 .2.0 22.5 .5.0 15.0 30.0 NP NP NP NP
. On. Slory 0,,1y IJA IJA ·IJA IJA 31.5 11I.5 31.5' Ill,S 21.0 83.0 22.5 e7.5 15.0 .5.0 /5.0 .5.0 10.0 30.0
. (/)
INSTITUTIONAL UH NP VA
RESTRAINED BO' NP UA NP VA
MulU-Story I NP UA NP VA NP NP NP NP .. NO N~ NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP
'One Story Only NO UA NP VA NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP NP, NP NP
(I)
INSTITUT/ONAl
UNRESTRAINED
b.< UH
BO'
I NP
NP
UA
UA lJA
2 NP VA VA 2•. 0 21.0 27.0
MtJ'fj·Sro,¥ / NP VA NP VA NP NP 21.0 NP NP NP 21.0 NP NP NP NP NP 1'0
2'.0
One Story Only NP VA NP UA NP 35.0 NP 315 NP 30.0 NP 3/.5 NP NP NP 225 NP NP
(M) n n n h n 11 r .,. n.n 11 n 11 n n

MERCANTilE I
a,b,c,g U,.,
80'
150
15.0
l'A
UA 15,0 VA I
5 150 VA 150 UA 73.5 27.0 13.5 27.0 16.0 13.5 27.0 16.0
4 15.0 VA 15.0 VA 13.5 27.0 13.5 27.0 TB.Q 13.5 27.0 16.0
3 IS 0 VA 150 VA 13.5 27.0 13.5 27.0 lB.O 73.5 27.0 78.0
Multi·SIOf."
2
, 150
15,0
VA
VA
150
150
VA
UA
13.5
13,5
27.0
27.0
13.5
73.5
27.0
~7.0
9.0
9.0
18.0
18.0
13.5
13.5
27.0
27.0
9.0
9.0
16.0
16.0
9.0
9.0
16.0
16.0
5.0
5.0
120
12.0
One SIO,)' Onfy 150 UA 150 UA 13,5 40.5 135 40,5 90 2T,0 1J5 .0,5 9.0 270 90 27.0 SO 160
111-8
. TABLE 400 - ALLOWABLE HEIGHTS AND AREAS - Continued
TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION
I TYPE I TYPE II TYPE I" TYPE IV TYPE V i TYPE v/
H
E . AlCSC Type I
'-Hour Unprotected 7-'010;;1 Unprotected 1·!-/our Unororec/"d
OCCUPANCY
I G
H
I AlCSC Type I
4'3
AlCSC Typ! I
332 3HH Alcse Type II
211
IAcse TyP!
700 . "I MCSC Type II
]11
AlCSC T~pe "
300
Alcse Type V
711
Alesc Type V
700
T
p P p p p I pi p p p
Un.p/( 51'/( Un.pl< 51'1< Unsp/( 51" Uf'lS~"c 51'/( Un. 1'1< 51'1< Unsp,1( Spl< U"5,,/Je Spl< Unspl< Spl< Un.pl< Spl<

No Llm,t 80 6S 65 5S 55 55 SO '0
(R) I I,d I / h h h h h h
RESIDENT/AL
a,b UH UA UA
12 UA UA
80 UA UA UA UA
5 VA VA UA VA 18.0 38.0 24.0 78.0 36.0 2'.0
•
3
VA
VA
UA
UA
VA
UA
VA
UA 18.0 360
18.0
J8.0
36.0
38.0
2•. 0
2•. 0
78.0
78.0 i
380
38.0
2•. 0
2•. 0 70.S 21,0
2 UA UA UA UA 78.0 36.0 18.0 38.0 12.0 2' 0 18.0 38.0 12.0 2' 0 10.5 21.0 70 ".0
Multi-Slory 1 UA UA UA 'UA 780 36.0 18.0 38.0 12.0 2•.0 '8.0 38.0 12.0 '2'.0 70.5 210 T.O 1'.0
One Slo,y Only VA UA VA VA 78.0 5.0 18.0 S'.O . 72.0 36.0 18.0 5'.0 12.0 36.0 10.5 37.5 7.0 21.0
(5)
STORAGE
a,b,g,l<,o,m VH UA UA
.6
5
3
2
'
UA
UA
UA
UA
UA
UA
UA
UA
UA
UA
30.0
30.0
30.0
30,0
. 30,0
60.0
50.0
60.0
50.0
60,0 24.0
'8.0
'8.0
'8,0·
'8,0
'8.0 2•. 0
48.0
.8,0
'8.0 16'.0
32.0
32.0
32.0 2'.0
'8.0
'8.0
'8.0 16.0
32.0
32.0
32.0
Mult/-Slory 1 UA UA 30.0 60,0 2' 0 '8.0 2•. 0 48.0 76.0 32.0 2'.0 .8.0 160 32.0 Np NP NP NP
One Slo,y Only UA UA 30,0 90.0 2.0 72.0 24.0 72.0 16.0 .8.0 2',0 72.0 160 '8.0 9.0 27.0 6.0 18,0
TABLE,400 NOTES
e. Fo, height modUlc.llon. artd limir.rlon•. by Occupancy,,'••:
1. Slory /nc,...e lor 'Prink/e,. .•02.2 (I)
Z.. Mell.n/ne. . '02.2 (c)
3. BaSSmerH! .02.2 (d)
•. As•• mbly-B..,menl. .02.2 (e)
5. Bu.ine.. .02.2 (g) ..
8, Educ.tlona/-S..emenl. '02,2 (e)
7. Merc.nWe '02.2 (g)
B. R.ir/denrl., .02.2 (b) & (I)
b. For 'area modification, and limitations, by Oeeupaney, see:

I, Ate. Incruu lor .eper.lion (All. occup.nci•• e.ce"r H) .02.3 (b)
2. A..embly .02.3 (d)
3. Bu.lnes. .02.3 (c)
•. Educatlon.' '. '02.3 (0)
5.· Haz.rdous '.402.311;"
8 .. Faclory-Indusrrial '02.3 (e) & (g)-.
7. Ins'''ulione/-Ufltestrarned 402.3 (h) .
8. Mercantile -",' ·'02.3·(c) & (i)
9, Slor.g. . '02.3 (c)& (i)
c. s~rirJk'~r r~Qulr8,"enti . _
See 901.8, for· .
d. 'n Typ. I Co;;struC'r,ori, partitions. columns. tr~sses; glfders, beam! and floors', ma~ be reduced by on.
autom,rfc sprinkfer 'rstem throughout, t>ur' no componen' or, assembly may, be less 'han ,one (J) hour.
(1 J. hour II ths building I' equiPtJed with ,S" approW'.d
e, Olle (f) hour ii,.· r..i.t/ve IIOOfS sh." bo provid.d.

t, See Secli~n 506 for high .riS6_ 'requirements ..
Q, See Section ,",4.4 h"erein for unfimited 8''18 p,ov,sions,
h. When ,', ..e (5) or more 5tor,8' in heig~" I~O (2) !'Io~r lire-resistlvB 1I00rs sha/l be requlfod Ollef the bueml9'nt or cellar. . "
'I. Floors located imm&diate/r ebotos, useable space" in basement oi c,lIar,' shall- ha'/e ti ""e-resistive 'Bting ot not leu than one (1)' hour' Bleept where an
.pproY&d suromatic spriMOsr ,Sysrem is prOVIded. , :'._
j. Modi/ieations in height, and .rell. !Jh'8/1 nol· be permitted in HSllJfdous Occupancies. For detail- reQuirements .see Section 407.
See 412.7 for allowable height _an,d floor ,sreaa -~, AlJtomObife Par~ing Structures,-:
Ie.'
See got,.S for sprinkler requirements In b~s"ment~ an" ro, buildings. without, aces!J.! ooenings,
m, Se., 901.~ for s~rlnlfl.r requite me"" 'for P,ubl1c Ga,ages.
n. Tol., .r• • •,rer Inc'.... "ermill.d by 402,3 (bi shall not exceed 15,000 sq. II. '.
0_ Height in "., not .policabl& to 3torage -(5) tJ~d 'actory-industflBI,fF) occupiJnc/f;s.
~. When burldrng, ,listlJd lJnde'.lh;~ coiumn are-sprinkltlr&d,',".e height may·'oe Increa~ed 'one (1) storr.
. . '
.• These r.'.renca. ar. to. I". Mod.1 Codes StandardilaUon Council. ·r.commendad typo'. Of consrructlon and ar. Ipr in/ormatjonal "urpoee. only.
III- 9.
.:.
"e
>
a. AREA INCREASE OPTIONS f::

(I:) Area Increases for Sprinklers Occupancies: All
,Construction Types: All
'Incorporaled int,o Table 400 or,€: substantial area increases .for buildings
protected with automalic sprinklers:
Example:
A 'one-story warehouse (Group 5) occU- .

. pancy of Type V~Unprotected construction.'
is limited to an area of 16,000 square feet
. if .unsprinklered, but to an area of 48,000
Occupancy' group 5; type V .' Unpratected
square feet if sprinklered. , Unsprinklered ar~a limit = 16,000 sq. ft.
This is an increase
floor" area allowed for sprinkler
Occupancy grau'p' 5; type V • Unpr-;'i'~'cted
'installation. " Sprinklered area limit = 48,000 sq. ft.
(2.) Unlimited Area Options

Occupancies: Groups B, F, M, 5
Section 402.3(c) ~ Construction Types: All
One-story buildings of occupancy groups B - Business, F - Factory-
Industrial, M - Mercantile, or S - Storage may ,be built to unlimited
areas if surrounded on all sides by permanent open space at least 60
feet in width and if equipped throughout with automatic sprinklers.
Where water would cause or increase' a .fire, other fire-extinguishing
systems are required.
Note: Buildings must comply with exit requirements of Chapter XI.
Section 402.3(c) 4 - Occupancies: Group E
Construction Types: IV
The area of a one-story building of Type IV construction used for Edu.
cational Occupancy shall not be limited provided the building is equip-
ped with automatic sprinklers throughout in accordance with Section 901,
is surrounded on all sides by a permanent open space.of not less than
60 feet ond is provided with one-hour fire-rated. smokestop partitions
dividing the building into areos not to exceed 30,000 square feet in
floor area.
Section 402.3(d)1 Occupancies: Group A
Construction Types: III, IV, & V - 1-hour
Group A - Assembly occupancies without a working stage can be built
of Type III .. IV and V ]·hour construction to unlimited areas when sur-
rounded by 60 feet of permanent open space on all sides and provided
with a complete sprinkler system.
111-10
Example:
If the warehouse in the previous example is surrounded on 0/1 sides by 60 feet of
open space and is provided with automatic sprinklers, the area restrictions of Table
400 do not apply, and the building may be built to an unlimited area.
---------- --==--.J:::>---""il
b. HEIGHT INCREASE OPTIONS

(1.) Height Increase for Sprinklers'
Tobie 400, -:- footnote P Occupancies: All

, ' Construction Types: All
.. . '. .
Within Table .400, each column listing unsprinklered building areas'
'carries a footnote p. This, footnote allows one: story to' be added to the
, height of' the buildin9, if sprinklers, are provided~' In effect, this allows
,,: ,'"vertical''' movement" within' the table as, on alternative to the "hori-
zontal" movements. of a larger area 'for sprinklered buildings.
Example:
A small theater without a working' stage (GroupA-2) of Type III construction (heavy'
timber) is limited by Table 400 to two stories of 12,000 square feet each if un-
sprinklered, or two stories of 24,000 square feet each if sprinklered. By not specifying
areas for a third story, Table 400 does not, allow such theaters to. be constructed to
more than two stories.
However~ under the, provisions of footnote p, a third story can be added to. the
unsprinklered building whim sprinklers are providec/o This would add a third story
of 12,000 square feet. ......', ' , ,
.. Therefor:e, the designer has' the option.· of choosing' the "horizontal" movement .to
, build a two-story theater of 4.8,000 square feet maximum total area, or the "vertical" ,
movement which will allow; a three-story theater of 36,000 square feet maximum
total area. . . .
: , r. .'
III- 11
'··a ' ~'
, , ••_ " ',... • I
. c. FIRE-RESISTANCE OPTIONS
.n.} Fire: Resistance'Reductions from Area and' Height Increase Options
Table 400"::" Occupanci~s: All ,
Construction Type~: All
The area and height increas~,optibns allowed in the Code have the net
effect of, reducing the 'fire-resistance requirements for a given occupancy
design. In other words, lesser construction types can be utilized when
the building issprinklered. .
Example:'
Table, 400 permits a one-story Group B office occupancy of Type VI-One Hour
construction to be, built to an area of over 40,000 square feet, by includi~g automatic
sprinklers. If sprinklers are not installed, the office building would hove to be built
using Type I or II construdi,on, to be allowed, an area of 40,000 ,square feet. By
aI/owing Type, VI-One Hour construction in' lieu of', Type .. 11 'construction, the Code
is accepting sprinkler protection' as a, substitute for part of the fire resistance ,re-
qu~eme~L '
Those requirements can be compared in Table 600:

Structural Unsprinklered Sprin klered
Element Type II, 'Type VI - One Hour
Party and Fire Walls 4 hrs., 4 hrs:
Interior Bearing Walls
Supporting Roof 2 hrs. hr.
'Colu'mns
Supporting Roof 2 hrs.
Beams, Girders, T"russes;
and Arches
Supporting Roof 1 hr.' hr.
Floor 2 hrs., hr.
Roof 1 hr. hr.
The lower fire-resistance requirements of some structural elements' translate into

lower construction costs for the same size building when sprinklered.
The Southern Building Code Congress periodically publishes Building Valuation Data
representing average building costs (See Appendix), The data for July of 1979 in-
cludes the following costs for Group B Offices:
Type /I Type VI - One Hour

$39.20/sq. ft. $29,80/sq, ft,
,The data also provides a figure of $1,00/sq. ft. as the average cost of installing
automatic sprinklers in 0 building,
Thus,' the total estimated costs of the unsprink/ered and sprinklered office buildings
would be:
Unsprinklered - Type J
$39.20/sq, ft, x 40,000 sq, ft. == $1,568,000
Sprinkfered - Type VI - One Hour
($29.80 + $ 1.00) so, ft. x 40,000 sa ft. =
$30.80/sq ft. x 40,000 sq. ft. $,1;232,000 =
The sprinklered office building could be built for approximately 30% less than the
unsprinkJered office building.
II.I- 12
(2.) Fire-Resistance Reduction Option in Type I Construction
Table 400 - footnote d Occupancies: A, B, E, F, R
Construction Types: I
In Group A, B, E, F, and R occupancies of Type I construction, the par-
titions, columns, trusses, girders, beams, and floors may be reduced by one
hour if the building is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system
throughout. No component may be of less than one hour fire-resistcince.
Example:
If. sprinklers are installed in a two-story'
school (Group E) building of Type I con·
struction, the fire-resistance rating of par-
titions, columns, trusses, girders, beams,
and floors may be reduced by one hour,
but to no lower than one hour fire- re-
sistance. Consider the construction of a'
first-floor interior classroom:'
Structurar Unsprinklered Sprinklered

Element Typel Type I '
Beams Supporting ./
One Floor 3 lirs. 2 hrs.

Interior Bearing
:~l/·';I.\"~$:';I 1"1(' ''\~?;/~~i\~J~·,
Walls Supporting
,One Floor 3 lirs. 2 lirs: -, ~'4\)."J i~, ~l~,~k.\l':":l'~jl"!f.o\i:· ...!tI,\j'j1~~'r~
Interior Non- .
,Bearing Partitions :: 1 hr.. lhr:
',. (3.) Fire-Re5istance~Reduction Option Within ,Fire District

Section 301.3(e)-O~cuponcies: All
, Construction Types: IV, V
Multi-story buildings within on ' established fire district (except those of
" Type III construction" automobile parking garages, and those surrounded
by 30 feet of permanent open space) must have all wells,' floors, roofs,
and their supporting structural members of at least one hour fire-resistive
construction, unless, sprinklered throughout.
(4.) Fire-Resistance Reduction Option 10rFloo;'s· Above Usable
Cellar Space'n Schools, ' '
'Table: 400 .:.... footnote i . Occuponcies: Group E - Educational
Construction Types: III, IV - Unprotected,'
V - Unprotected, VI - Unprotected
Floors located immediately above usable space, in school basements or
cellars must have" at, least one hour fire-resistance, except where ,an
approved automatic sprinkler system is provided. '
(5.) RoolFraming Reduction Option For Type III Construction
Section' 604.4(b) Occupancies; All
Construction Types: III
Arches for roof constructio'n which spring from the, top of walls or wall
abutments, timber trusses, ,and other roof framing which do not wpport
floor loads must'havemembers not less than 4 inches, nominel, in width.'
'When prote~ted by autom~tic sprinklers ,under the roof ,deck, framing
members 'must be' not less than 3 inches, nominal, in width.
"(6.) Grain Elevator:'Fire'-Resista,nce Reduction Option
,Section 407.7(c)-· Occupancies: Grain Elevators (Group H)
Construction Types: All except Type J
When combustible' material, other than grain,. is present in quantity, , "

" '
• III- 13 '
',,-
"'.,' ,: ,".
sufficient t~ ,,'produce a serious, fire, fire protection equivalent, ,to Type

I Construction', must be provided" unless approved' automatic sprinkler
, protection is ,provided.
(7.) Exit Enclosures Option
: Occupancies: All' except Groups E: and I
Construction'Types:, All
,All stairways ,and other openings betw~en floors ;;'ust be' enclosed in
fire-resisti,ve construction'except where low or ordinary, haiard occu-
pancies are provided with automatic sprinkler protection in 'which case,'
up. to three communicating floor levels are permitted without enclosure,
provided ce~tainspecified.conditions are met.
(8.) Ve~tical'Openings and Sh,aff Enclosure Options
, Section 701.1 (e)' -;- Occupancies: 'All'
In fully sprinkle~edbuildings, which art~, supervised, fire dampers may
be omitted.
(9.) Hoistway Vent Option.
Section 701.3(9), Occupancies: All except Groups R and I

Construction Types: All " ,
,Elevator hoistways serving more than three f1~ors must be provided with
means,for venting, smoke and hot gases to the outer air unless equipped-
with approved automatic sprinkler system, which is sensitive ,to an accumu-
lation of smoke' as well ,as heat at the top of the hoistway.
" ,
(l 0.). Exterior Wall Opening (Flame, Sarrier) Option

Section ,ZQ3.1 (c) Occupancies: ,All, except one and twa family "
- , residential. '
Where exterior wall openings are above and within 5 feet laterally of
an opening of the story below, such openings must be separated by an
approved flame ,barrier extending 30 inches beyond the exterior wall in
the plane of the floor or, bi approved vertical flame barriers not less
than 3 feet in height above and below the floor. Such flame borders
are not required when an approved automatic sprinkler system is installed.
2. Means of Egress Options

Means of egress - a continuous path of travel from any point in the building
to the open air outside. It consists of the exit access and the exit, and may
include the room space, doorway, corridor, hallway, passageway, stairs, ramp,
lobby, fire escape, escalator, and other paths of travel.
Exit - that portion of the means of egress separated from the building area
by walls, floors, or doors to provide a protected path.
Exit access - that portion of the means of egress which leads to an' entrance
to an exit.
a. SPRINKLER TRAVEL, LENGTH INCREASE OPTION

Section 1103.1 -, Occupancies: All
Table 1103 specifies the maximum allowable distance of travel to an
exit from the most remote point in the floor area, room, or space served
by the exit. A 50 foot increase is allowed in buildings with sprinklers
installed throughout. In office buildings, hotels, and apartments where
floor areas are sub-divided into small areas and the egress travel in
tha area does not exceed 50 feet, the distance of travel to an exit is
measured from the corridor entrance to such areas.
111-14
.e
. TABLE 1103 MAXIl\WM DISTANCE OF THAI.VEL TO
AN EXIT, IN FEET
Occupancy Unsprinklered . Sprinklered
Group A-Assembly 150 . 200
Group B-Business 150 200
Group E-Educational 150 200
Group H-Hazardous NP 75
Group F-Factory-Industrial 150 200
Group I -Institutional NP 200
Group M-Mercantile 150 200
Group R-Residential 150 200
Group S-Storage 150 200
Open Parking Structures 200 200
Example:
A three-story open-plan office building is designed in a "W" shape to allow maximum
olJtdoor views through a' glasS" curtain wall ,on one side. The Code requires at least
two exits for all areas, "located as remote from each other as practicable and . . .
arranged to provide direct access in separate directions from any point in the area
served".
If the oHice building ;s unsprinklered.. the maximum allowable distance of travel to
an exit stair.way is 150 feet. At least five- exit stairways would be required .
. :-'
. ' .
If the. building were sprinklered, three exit stairways would suffice, since they could
be reached from 0/1 areas within the 200 feet' of exit travel distance' allowed.
The elimination of tho~e two 'exit stairways could easily create an economy, of 400
square' feet per floor, or 1,200 square feet overall for the three stories. . .
At $38 per square foot, that' is a savings of over $45,000. Alternatively~ the elimina-.
tion' of stairwells can' be . viewecJ as an in crease in the rentable floor space .
. III-15
Section 1103.1 (d)-'-
In one-story' storage and factory-industrial (Gr~~ps ·s and F) occupancies ..
equipped with. complete . automatic . sprinkler. protection;. the Building
Official.may·,. by special ruling~ permit exit travel distances up to 400 feel. .
b. ESCALATOR PROTECTioN
Sections. 70 1.4 and 1122 Occupancies: All
. Escalators in . unspr.inklered buildings. are required to be enclosed' by
reference to ANSI A17.1 -1971. "American Safety Code for Elevators,
Dumbwaiters,Escalators, and Moving Walks."" .
The 1971 edition of ANSIA17.1 adopts ·the NFPA'101 Section 6 -123 ....
. Spray. Nozzle Method as' a'n, .alternate to enclosure of escalators in
sprinklered buildings. This· method consists of an arrangement of automatic
heat 'or smoke detectors and .a system of high velocity" open spray nozzles;
The water supply may betaken from the sprinkler, system. Draft curtains'
are required. .
An important exception in ANSI A17.1. - 1971 states that "The floor
opening protection specified is not required for escalotors that ore' not
accredited os a required means of egress, ond which connect ·floors
permitted by local laws and ordinances' to be connected by unenclosed
stairways." Therefore, the spray nozzles. would. not be required in
sprinklered buildings for which the escalators do not serve as a required
means ·of egress.
..-.......
~.
,
;, • .-Y-
.'
111-16
a. INTERIOR FINISH OPTIONS
(1.) Flamespread 0Pfion
Section 704.3 - Occupancies: All except one and two family

dwellings
Interior finish means the exposed interior surfaces of buildings except for
interior trim or wall or ceiling coverings of less than 1/28 inch. th ickness
applied over non-combustible or fire-retardant treated wood backing.
Interior finish materials shall be classed in accordance with ASiM E-34
in the following classes in accordance with their flame and smoke de-
velopments:
Class A - Flame Spread 0 - 25 Smoke Development 0 - 450
Class B- Flame Spread 26 - 75 Smoke Development 0 - 450
Class C -Flame Spread 76 - 200 Smoke Development 0 - 450
The following table compares the minimum interior finish requirements for
sprinklered and unsprinklered occupancies.
TABLE 704.3 -MINIMUM INTERIOR FINISH

CLASSIFICATION
Occupancy Unsprink!ered Sprink!ered .
Aernl to Other Aeeesl to Other
Exits I Exits Spa••• Exital E:dts SP""'.
A-I' Working Stage- A A B B C C,
A-I. Non-Working Stage A 'A B B C C
,A-2 Working Stage A A B B. C C
A-2 Non-Working Stage A A B B C C
B B ,8 C C C C
E' A B C B C C
F C C C C C C
H Sprinklers required B C C
I Restrained A A B2 A A B2
, I Unrestrained . Sprinklers required, B3 B C C
:M: B B C C C C
·R B B C C C C
S C C C C C C
(2.) Interior Finish Application Option
, Section: 704.8 - , Occupancies: All'
Whe~ walls and. ceilings are required to be of fire-resistive, noncom-
bustible, or fire retar.dant treated wood construction, Class B or C materials
must be' applied n'ot more than. 1% inches. ~way from such surfaces, with
intervening spaces' firestopped at 8 feet intervals or filled with inorganic
or Class A materials, except where finish materials are protected on both
sides by automatic' fire-extinguishing systems.
(3.) Floor Covering Option
Section' 704:7:- Oc~upC!ncies:.t..I!

. '
Carpet materia Is used on floors of exit access' corridors and enclosed exits
must withstand the following minimum critical levels of radiant flux:
Occupancy Unsprinklered . Sprinkle red
Group I .-,- 0.45 watt/ cm 2 0.22watt/ cm 2
. Institutional
All Others .0.22watt/ cm 2 . N.A. .
111- 17
.'.t,.
" : ... '
',,'
'~
a'. /
b.' PLASTICS OPTIONS ,

(I.) Foom Plastic Insulation Option,
, Oc~uponcies,AW
,:." 'Section 717 .2(b) - Construction Types: All.
, Foam plastic insulation with flame spread of ,75 or. lim ,whe~ t~sted in, a ,
thickness of 4 inches may be used in thicknesses up to .1 0 inches for' cold,
storage rooms, food processing rooms, ice plants,- and similar it. room is
protected, by automatic sprinklers, and the insulation is 'protected, 'from ,
building ,interior by one-half inch of portlond cerrient or equivalemt thermal' .
barrier. ' "' ' ,
Section 717.2(c)
Foa~ clastic insulation with flame scread of 25 or less may'be used ,in
thickne'sses up to 4 inches in or on ~alls when' 'the foam plasti~ is covered
by a metal facing of not, less than 0.032' inch aluminum or 0.019 inch,
galvanized steel sheet and the, insu,lated ar,ea is protected with automatic
sprinklers.,. .
(2.) Glazing of Unproteded Openings Option
Section 2602 - Use, Groups: All except Rand E
In other than Residential and Educational buildings, openings not required
to be fire, protected may be glozed' or equipped with approved plastic
materials in up to 25% of. the wall face of the story in which they are
installed. '
, When a complete approved automatic sprinkler system is provided, the
"permissible area of glazing may be increased to, a maximum of 50%
of :the wall face of the' ,story. '
(3.) Exterior Wall -Panels Option
"Section ,2603 :-UseGro~ps: All except I, A.l; and H
Construction Types: All '
Except in Use Groups I, A·1 and H, approved plastic materials may be
used as wall panels in exterior wails not required to have a fire·resistive,
rating. Table 2603.1 states area limitation and separation requirements.
TABLE 2603.1- AREA, LIMITATIONS AND SEPARATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR PLASTIC WALL PANELS·
Minimum Separation
Ma:=<. % area of Panel.
of Ext. Walla (ft.)
"Fire Separation Claa. of in Plastic Max. SQ. ft.
(ft.) Plastic Panel. Single Area Vertical Horizontal
6' ft. or less NP NP

6 ft. or more CC 1 10 50 8 4
But less than CC 2 NP NP
11 ft.
11 ft. or more CC 1 25 90 6 4
But less than CC 2 15 70 8 4
30 ft.
Over 30 CC 1 30 300 3*· 0

CC 2 25 100 6·" 3
·See Section 2602.2 (0) for combination ot' glazing and wall panel aTe.... permitted.
··See Section 2602.1 (a) 2.
When a complete approved automatic fire sprinkler system is provided

in the building, the maximum percent area of exterior wall in plastic
panels and the maximum square feet of single area given in Table 2603.1
may be increased 1 OOo/c, but the orea of plastic wall panels may not
exceed 50% of total wall area. These uses sholl be exempt from height
limitations.
'IlI-18
(4.) Roof Panels Option
Section 2604 - Use Groups: All except I, A-1, and H
Except in Use Groups I, A-I, and H, approved plastic roof panels may be
installed where, the roof is not required to have a fire-resistance rating,
where the roof panels meet the requ'irements for roof coverings of
the particular occupancy group, or where the building is protected by a
complete approved automatic sprinkler system.
(5.) Skylight Assemblies Option

Section 2605 - Use Groups: I, A-1, and H
Except in Use Group H, skylight assemblies may be glozed with approved
plastic materials. The aggregate, area of skylights must not exceed a
specific percentage (25 or 33113 %) of the corresponding floor, area
sheltered by the roof in which they are installed, depending upon the
material used.
Except in Use Groups I, A-1, and H, the aggregate area may be increased
beyond these limits if the building is equipped with a complete approved
automatic fire extinguishing system. '
" (6.) light-Diffusing Systems Options

Note: A plastic light-diffusing system is' not to be installed in areas re-
quired to be equipped with automatic sprinklers unless appropriate
tests by an -independent laboratory have shown that the system
does not- prevent effective operation of sprinklers or unless sprink-
,i;;.."
lers are located both above and below the light-diffusing system.
(Section 2606.1 (c)).
Section 2606.1;a -Use Groups: I, A-l, and W
'Light diffusing systems are not permitted in Use Groups I, A-1, and H
unless the building is protected, with an automatic sprinkler system.
The area of approved plastic materials when used in required fire exits_
or corridors must -not exceed 30 percent of the aggregate area of the
ceiling ,in which they are installed, unless the' occupancy is protected by
an approved automatic sprinkler system. ' .
,4: High Rise Options

a. COMPARTMENTATlONVS. AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS
Section, 506 -
Occupancies: 'All ,
,Construction Types: All,'
For apartment houses, hotels, and office' buildings, having floors used
, for human occupancy located more than 75 feet above the lowes! level
of Fire Dept." vehicle access: Buildings must, be pr,ovided with either' an
automatic ~prinkler system' or areas of refuge (compartmentotion).
III-19
'.- "
Compo rtme'ntation . Aut~motic . Sprinklers
Areas of Each story' exceedingi 5,OOOsg, .ft. must

Refuge be divided' into tv:,o or more areas ap- ..
,proximately the same size,' but noL ex-
ceeding 15,000 sg. ft. each.
Each' area must· contain at least'· one' en-

closed stairway ~nd each· com'partment
must have access to an elevator: Walls for
compartmentation must have; a fire-re-'
sistance rating of not less than 2 hours.
. .
Exterior Wall , Opening~' in exterior wall· 'located verti- , . No requirements ..: .
Protection . cally above one another or within 5 feet
of each other horizontally must be pro-
tected by approved flame ba~riers extend-
ing 30 inches beyond the wall in .theplane
of the floor, .01' by vertical panels not less
'~han 3 feet in height above the floor.
Smoke Reguired in building service. equipment No requirements.

Detectors' rooms, return oil' ducts, vertical shaft open-
ings, dridelevator lobbies.
Manual ,Manual (pull~box)',fire' alarm' system're- No, 'reguirements ~voice alarm system
'Fire. Alarm 'quired 'to' activate voice alarm system. aClivated by sprinklers. '~".
,,,,~~
Voice Alarm Pre-recorded message, activated by man- Similar .reguirements - Sprinkler' opera-
System' ual 'alarm. tian~will activate.
Voice Communication :Same reguirements.

System
Central Control Containing panels for voice communica- Same requirements contains sprinkler
Station tion, fire detection, and alarm systems; supervisory equipment and valve control
elevator and oil' handling controls, mechanism.
Smoke Control Venting facilities required - panels or Mechanical oil' handling equipment may
windows in exterior wall that can be be designed to assist or accomplish smoke
opened from an approved location other removal.
than the fire floor.
or
Fixed tempered glass may be used in lieu

of open able panels, Panels or windows
maybe manually openable from within
fire floor.
Elevators Open ings limited, Elevators must return to Same requirements.

main floor in fire situation.
Stondby Power Permanent standby power generation sys- Same requirements.

and Light tem In accordance with NFPA 70,
Exit Travel 150 feet maximum exit access travel. 200 feet maxim um exit access travel.
Length
IIl- 20
Compartmentation Automatic Sprinklers
Hose Cabinets 1 l /:: hose lines required on each floor for No requirements.
use by occupants.
Standpipes Standpipes required at each floor for fire Standpipes may be combined with sprink-
department use. ler risers.
Fire-Resistance No reductions allowed. In buildings of Type I construction, the

Reductions partitions, columns, trusses, girders, beams,
and floor may be reduced by one hour,
but no component or assembly shall be
less than one hour.
Fire dampers are not required, except
those needed to protect floor - ceiling
assemblies and those necessary to by-pass
smoke to the outside.
Automatic No requirements; Installed in accordance with NFPA 13 and:

Sprinklers Supervised shut off valves and water flow
devices on ,each floor at riser.
A secondary ,on-site water, supply equal
to. the hydraulically calculated sprinkler
system demand plus 1OOgpm for the
standpipe system.' 'c '-." '.cc
:.Sprinklers may, beo";itted from the follow-

ing rooms or areas when protected with .
.."'., . an'· approved particles-of.. combustion de-·
tection system:
--Generator and transformer rooms.

-Rooms where application of, water
would. be a serious hazard
-Communication areas under the exclus-
.ive control of a public utility, provided
such areas are used exclusively for such
equipment and are separated from the
remainder of the building by one-hour'
walls and two-hour floor-ceiling assem-
blies. '
Smokeproof At least one of the required exits must No requirements ~ required exit stairways
Enclosures be a smokeproof enclosure with vestibule, to , ,be pressurized to 0.15 inch water
meeting, the natural or mechanic'al ventic column.
lotion requirements of Section 1104.6.
III- 21
5.. Other Options
. .
a. FIRE ALARMS - ", -
. ..
Section 1126 ~ oc:~upa~Cies: R, B, E, I, A, F, H
.'-
Constructio~ Types: All . .
A manual or automatic. fire alarm system must be in~talled. in

the fol-
lowing buildings, unless ~.the building is equipped with' an, automatic
sprinkler system covering all areas.·
. ..
Group R: Hotels having' accommodations for more' than. 15 guests,
.' apartment, hOL;ses four. stories or more· in height, dorm i-
)ories, ·Iodging or rooming houses having more than 20
sleeping accommodations.· "
.Group 8.: Business buildings h~ving a tatal occupancy of 500 or

·more. persons ar more than .100 persons above or below .
the street floor:. '
Group' E: Schools.
Group I: Hospitals, sanitariums, nursing, homes, homes for .the·

aged,and orphanages.
Group A: Assembly having' a capacity of 1,000 persons.
Group F: Factory-Industrial occupancy buildings .two stories, or more

in height,. and having a total. capacity of SOOor more
above Or below the street floor, level.
Group H: ,Hazardous' occupancies. . ·~·"'~·k
'.Actuation of theauto"';atic . sprinkler . system' .must:saund

--, - .'. -~,_,.~.:I~,J'!
on ·internal evacuation alar'm.' Provision must :bemcide to

manually activate the inter,na!. evacuation" alarm at a mini-
. mum. of one centrally .Iocated ·station. "
IIl-22
1. Applicable Standards
Section 901.2 -
The Code requires that sprinkler systems conform with the 1976 edition
of NFPA 13 - Installation of Sprinkler Systems.
Section 902.1 -
Unless otherwise provided within the Code, standpipes, standpipe systems,
hose, water su'pply, pumps, connections, etc. must be constructed and in-
stalled to meet the requirements of the 1976 edition of NFPA 14 - Stand-
pipe and Hose Systems.
2. Supervision
Section 901.9 -
Where an automatic sprinkler system is provided whether as a require-
ment or as an alternate to another requirement of the Code, the system
must be supervised. Closing of control valves or interruption of power
must sound a local trouble· alarm. System actuation must' initiate an alarm
either directly to the Fire Dept. or through a central station facility or
other approved equ91.
3. Water Supplies
Sections 901.2 - . : . . . . . . ..
A single water supply of adequate pressure, c~pacity, and reliability, equal
:to the primary supply required by NFPA 13, may be permitted. by the
______________~_l!.j1~i_ng. Official, . .. .
- ..
~
4. Sta~dpipes
Section 902 -
Standpipes - are to - be installed in accordance with NFPA 14' with .the
following exceptions:-
a. A single source· of water supply may be permitted by' the Building

Official. "
b.· Wet (NFPAClass II) standpipes shall be located so that all portions
of the building' ~re within. 20 feet of a nozzle attached to 75 feet of
hose, and each outlet shal.1 be supplied. with a hose not less than
'P/2 inches: in· diameter. and equipped· with an approved variable
fog' n o z z l e . , ' .
. c. Dry standpipes may be permitted where the Building Official and

Fire Department' Chief.ar,e of the opinion that a constant and auto-
matiC: water supply is not necessary. .
Occupancies . Standpipes Required . . .

All In buildings two or more, stories' and 50 feet in
height.
Group A- 1 - Large Assembly With h6seattached on each side of rear. of each

balcony and' gallery on each sid~ of the stage,
. on: each. tier of dressing rooms, and within 50·
feet of. all property-rooms, store rooms, and
wo'rk' rooms. .
Group. I ,~ . Institutional. In buildings three stories or more in height.
Hotels and Motels In buildings three stories or more in. height.

(Group R)
111-23,
.. _
..
Covered Malls In all covered malls,'

(Group M) Hose outlets connect~d .to a:. supply 'capable. of
delivering 250, gallons. per minute must: be located
, , within the mal,1 at the entrance to an ,exit passage
or exit corridor, at each fbor level ·Ianding within., .
the enclosed stairways opening directlY: onto' the'
. mall, and adjacent to:principal exterior entrances·
to the mall. (See Section 507.3(h)),
IIl- 24
Appendix
The following Building Valuation Data ment architectural, engineering, and! costs listed here, It should be noted that
represents the average costs for most contractor profits. Special site conditions, these values are based on national
buidings and IS presented as a service and architectural or structural extras averages and may change from day to
to our members. These unit costs include may require adjustments to the average day.
plumbing, electrical, mechanical equip-
~-I
struction Type
I
Type
II
Type
III
Ty~elV
l·Hour Unprotected l·Hour
Ty e V
Unprotected
Tye e VI
'·Hour Unprotected
Occupancy
Apartment (R) 35.20 33.10 31.00 30.90 29.10 29.70 27.10 25.80 24.00
Automobile
Parking Structure (S)
24.20 22.00 20.00 1980
.
18.00 19.20 17.50 19.10 17.40
Church (A) 40,20 38.00 32.20 32.70 30.20 32.20 29.70 28.20 26.40
Covalescent (I) . 47.90 45.70, 39.00 38.90 37.10 36.80 NP 3300 I~P
Dwelling (R) 39.30 37,10. 35.00 34,90 33.10 32.90 31.10 3040. '28.60
Educational (E) '39.40 37.20 33.60. 33.50 31.70 33.60 31.60 31.40 29.50 I
..
--
Factory-Industrial (F) - 24.20 22.00 17.70 18,10 16.30. 17.70 15.80 . 15.80 14.00
Hazardous (H) 20.60 18.80 ·16.50 16.60 14.20 16,50 1410 NP I~P
--
Hospital (I) 68,30 66,10 64.00 63.90 62.10 59.20 NP 49.70 NP
--
Hotel (R)' 38,30 36.10 31.50 31.00 29.20 '30.50 28:70 30AO 28.60
Office (B) 41.40 ,39.20 3320 30040 28.60 2990 28.10 29.80 28.00
-
Private Garage
18,90 , 16:70 15.00 14.50 . 12.70 14.00 12.20 13.90 12.10
And/Or Shed (5)
- - 1------
Public Garage (5) 24.40 22,20 . ,17.00' 16.80 .15 00 '1690 . 14.50 16.80 14.50
--
Restaurant (Aor B) 41.90 39.70 36.40 35:30 33.50 3530 .3350 35.30 32,80 I
--
Retail Store (M) 32.70 30,50 25.70 23.90 22.10 23.40 . 21,60 2330 21,50
--
Service Station (B) ~38.50 36.30 33.00 . 32.50 30.80 31.90 30.10 2760 . 25.80
-- 1 - - - - - -
Theater '(A) 45.20 43,00 35.30 33.70 31.90 .3320 31.40 •3310 3.1 30
Warehouse (5) 19,60, 1780 15.50 15,60 13.20 15.50 13.10 14.80 13.00
I
. Notes:
1.. Np·Not permited by code
2. Apartment Basement $15.10(sq. ft.. '

Dwelling Basement $10.90(sq. ft. .
3. Sprinklers $l.00/sq. ft..
Continu.ed on next page
" ..,
',' :',
,-.
.. ::;.-
--e-
o'
.' ,~." ,
Appendix -
Building Valuation Data

--Regional Modifiers _C·
, The Building Valuation Date should be used i~ conjunction with "theJollov.'-tng· modifiers. Choose the type'of con·
struction for -the building and mu Itiply the Q\;erage cost per square foot by the modifier listed for the state Example: To .
'0
adjust cost ofa woodframe dwelling for the Florida area, select Regional Modifier 1.02 and average unit cost per
square foot from Building Valuation Data $28.60, Multiplying! you obtain 1.02 x 28:60' $29.17. '
CENTRAL U.S. ' Modifiers' EASTERN U:S. Modifiers WESTERN U.S. ~odifiers
Alabama 1.00 Connecticut 1.10 Alaska 1.58

Arkansas 1.00 Delaware 1.15 Arizona 1.14
Illiols 1.12 District of Columbia ,', 1.14 California 1:24
Indiana 1.10 Florida 1.02 Colorado 1:11
Iowa 1.09 Georgia 0.98 Hawaii 1.26 '
Kansas 1.06 'Maine 1.03' Idaho 1.07
,Kentucky 1.08 ,Maryland 1.07 .Montana 1.09
Louisiana -1.05 Massachusetts . 1.13 Nevada 1.17
Michigan 1:12 New Hampshire" 1.01 New Mexico 1.07
Minnesota 1.11 New Jersey c 1.17 Oregon 1.16
Mississippi ,0.98 New York 1.14 Utah ' 1.08
Missouri 1.15 North Carolina 0.95 ' Washington - 1.16
Nebraska 1.05 Pennsylvania. ' 1.12 Wyoming 1.09
North Dakota 1.10 ' Rhode Island 1.10
Ohio 1.14 South Carolina 0.94
Oklahoma 1.08 Vermont 1:06
South Dakota 1.02 Virginia 0.99
Tennessee 1.10 West Virginia nO
Texas' 1.02
Wisconsin 1.11 -~.
!...-
- ~ .'
_/
III-26
~v. UNUFORBV\ BU~lro~NG coro~ -1979
TABLE OF' CONTENTS
A. BASIC PRINCIPLES
1. Occupancy Classifications 2
2. Construction Classifications 4
B. WHERE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRED

1. Complete Automatic Sprinkler Systems Required 5
2. Partial Automatic Sprinkler Protection Required 6
C. AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM TRADE-OFFS AND OPTIONS

1. Area, Height and Fire Resistance Options 7
a. Area Increase Options
(1.) Fire Separation Walls
(2.) Separation 'on Sides Increase'
(3.) Automatic Fire-Extinguishing System Increase
(4.) Unlimited Area Option
(5.) Combinations and Limitations
(6.) Storage, Area Increase Option
b. Height Increase Options'
(1.) Height increase for Automatic Fire-Extinguishing System
(2.) Unlimited Height Aircraft Hangers
c. Fire Resistance Options,
(1.) Fire 'Resistance Reductions from Area and Height increase Options
(2.) Fire-Resistive Substitution Option
(3.) Roof Framing Reductions for Heavy Timber Construction,
2. Means of Egress Options ,,14
a. Exit Distance ·Increase Options
b. Shaft Enclosure Option - Escalators
c. Lobby Exit Option
3. Use of Materials Options .. 17
a. Interior Finish Options
b. Plastics Options
(1.) Foam Plastic Insulation Option ,
(3.) Skylights Option '
(4.) Light-transmitting Exterior Wall Panels,
,(5.), Light-diffusing Sysetms
4. High Rise Options . " . , . ",., , , . ,,... " 20
Compartmentation vs. Automatic Fire:Extin'guishment
, 5. Other Options 23
a. Standpipe Option.
b. AttiC Draft Stops
c. Smoke and Heat Vents
d. Storage of Hazardous Materials
D. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
1. Applicable Standards 24
2. Alarms 24
3. Water Supplies 24
4. Standpipes 24
APPENDIX:
Building Valuation Data ,25
Tables appearing on pages 2, ,3,4,.7, 8, 17, lB,and 24, a;Ei copyright, 1979, by the
Int,e'rnational Conference of Building Officials,and.are reproduced· herein with '
their permission .. The tableapp~dring O~ page 25 is
copyright, 1980, by the inter-
national Conference of Building Officials .
.. IV- ,
, .... , '
A.· Basic PrinCiples
. 1. Occupancy Classifications
Occupancy groups are· c1a~sifjed .in Table 5-A:
TABLE NO. 5-A-WALL AND OPENING PROTECTION OF OCCUPANCIES BASED ON LOCATION ON PROPERTY
TYPES II ONE-HOUR, II-N AND V CONSTRUCTION: For exlariorwall and opening proteclion of Types II One-hour, II·N and·
V buildings, see table below. Exceptions to limitation for Types II One·hour, II·N and Type V Construction, as provided in
'. Sections 709,1903 and 2203 apply. For Types I, II·F R., III and IV Construction , see Sections 1803 , 1903, 2003 and 2103
EX~~~~~~~~~' "
FIRE RESISTANCE OF
GROUP DESCRIPTION OF OCCUPANCY EXTERIOR WALLS
I-Any assembly building with a stage and an occupant load of 1000 or
more in the building Not applicable [See Section 602 (all
2-Any building or portion o(oi building having an assembly room with

an occupant load of less'than 1000 and a stage Not permitted less
2.I-Any building or portion of a building having an assembly room with 2 hours less than 10, than 5 feet·
. an occupant load of 300 or more without a stage, including such feet, 1 hour elsewhere Protected less than
buildings used for educational purposes and not classed as a Group E 10 feet
or Group B. Division 2 Occupancy
A
3-Any building or portion of a building having an assembly room with Not permitted iess
See also an occupant load of less than 300 without a stage, including such 2 hours less than 5 than 5 feet
Section . bUildings used for educational purposes and no! classed as a Group.E feet, I hour elsewhere Protected less I han
602 or Group B. Division 2 Occupancy ·10 feet
4-Sladiums, reviewing stands and amusement park structures not in- , 1 hour less than 10 feet Protected less than
c1uded within other Group A Occupancies 10 feet
I-Gasoline and service stations. storage garages where no repair work is

done except exchange of parts and maintenance requiring no open
flame, welding, or the use of highly flammable liquids 1 hour less than 20 feet Not permitted less
B 2-Wholesale and retail stores, office buildings, drinking and ·dining than 5 feet
establishments having an occupant load of less than 50, printing Protected less than
See also plants, municipal police and fire slations, factories and workshops us- 10 feet·
Section ing material not highly flammable or combustible, storage and sales
702 rooms for combustible goods, paint stores without bulk handling.
Buildings or portions of buildings having rooms used for educational
purposes, beyond the 12th grade, with less than 50 occupants in any
room
3-Aircraft hangars where no repair work is done except exchange of Not permilled less
parts and maintenance requiring no open flame, welding, or the use of I hour less than 20 feet than 5 feet
highly flammable liquids Protected less than
Open parking garages (For requirements, see Section 709.) 20 feet
Heliports
4-lce plants, power plants, pumping plants, cold stOrage and cream-
eries, factories and workshops using noncombustible and nonexplosive 1 hour less than 5 feet Not permilled less
materials. Storage and sales rooms of noncombustible and nonex- than 5 feet
plosive materials
I-Any building used for educational purposes through the 12th grade by
E 50 or more persons for more than 12 hours per week or four hours in
anyone day
See also No! permitted less
Section 2-Any building used for educational purposes through the 12th grade by 2 hours less than 5 than 5 feet
802 less than 50 persons for more than 12 hours per week or four hours In feet, 1 hour less than Protected less than
anyone day 10 feel' 10 feel'
3-Any building used for day-care purposes for more than six children
I-Storage and handling of hazardous and highly flammable or ex- See Chapter 9 and the Fire Code
plosive materials other than flammable liquids
H 2-Storage and handling of Classes I, II and Ill-A liquids as specified in

U .B.C. Standard No.9-I, dry cleaning plants using flammable Iiq-
See also uids, paint stores with bulk handling, paint shops and spray painting 4 hours less than 5 Not permitted less
Sections rooms and shops feet, 2 hours less than than 5 feet
902 and 3-Woodworking establishments, planing mills. box factories, buffing· 10 feet, I hour less Protected less than
903 rooms for lire rebuilding plants and picking rooms; shops, factories or than 20 feet 20 feel
warehouses where loose combustible fibers or dusl are manufactured.
processed, generated or stored, and pin refinishing rooms
4-Repair garages
'Group E, DIl,,'ision'\' 2. and 3 Occupancies haVing an occupam load oi nQl more lhan 20 may have exterior wall and opemng protection as reqUired f('of
Grauo R. DiVision 3 Occupancies
1'1- 2
TABLE NO. 5·A-Continued
TYPES II ONE·HOUR, II·N AND V ONLY
FIRE RESISTANCE OF OPENINGS IN

GROUP DESCRIPTION OF OCCUPANCY EXTERIOR WALLS
EXTERIOR WALLS
5-Aircraft repair hangars 1 hour less than 60 feet Protected less than
60 feet
I-Nurseries for full-time care of children under the age of six (each ac-
commodating more than five persons), 2 hours less than 5 Not permitted less
Hospitals, sanitariums. nursing homes with nonambulatory patients feet, 1 hour elsewhere than 5 feet
and similar buildings (each accommodating more than five persons) PrOlected less than
10 feet
[ , 2-Nursing homes for ambulatory patients, homes for children SIX
years of age or over (each accommodating more than five persons) I hour
See also
Section 3-Mental hospitals, mental sanitariums. jails, prisons, reformatories Permitted in Types I and [I-F,R, buildings only
1002 and buildings where personal liberties of inmates are similarly [See Section 902 (b)]
restrained
l-Private garages, carports, sheds and agricultural buildings I hour less than 3 feet Not permitted less
(or may be than 3 feet
protected on the ex·
terior with materials
approved forI-hour
fire-resistive
construction)
M"
2-Fences over 6 feet high. tanks and towers Not regulated for fire resistance
'For agricultural buildings, see Appendix Chapler 11,
R
See also I-Hotels and apartment houses 1 hour'less than 5 feet Not permitted less
Section Convents and monasteries (each accommodating more than 10 persons) than 5 feet
1202
3-Dwellings and lodging houses I hour less than 3 feet Not permitted less
than 3 feet
NOTES: (I) See Section ~04 for types of walls affected and requirements covering percentage of openings permllled'in eXlerior walls,
(2) For addillonal restriclions, see chaplers under Occupancy and Types of Construction,
(3) For waUs facing streelS, yards and public ways, seo: Part IV. '
(4) Openings shall be protecled by a fire assembly having a 'lhree-fourths-hou'fire-protection rating.
1'1- 3
.e •••••
2 .. ConstructionC lassifications
. Construction types 'ore defined according to the fire·resistance requirem~nts
in Table 17.-A:.
TABL.E NO: 17-A-TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION-FiRE-RESISTIVE REOUIREMENTS

. . .'.. " . . (In Hours) , " . . ..' ,.'.
ForDetails see Chap,ters under Occupancy and Types of, Construction and tor Exceptions see Section 1705.
TYPEI TYPE II f
TYPE III TYPE I\' TYPE \'
NONCOMBUSTIBLE I COMBUSTIBLE
FI..... , ,. Fir.· I,
BUILDING ELEMENT R••I.U•• R••I.II•• '·Hr. N i·Hr. N H.T. '·Hr. : N
. 4
4 ! 4 4 4
'Exter;'or Bearin" Wall, Sec.
1903 (a) 1 N 2003 (a) 2003 (a) 2103 (a) 1 1\
1803 (a)
Interior Bearing Walls 3 2 I N 1 N 1 1 N
Exterior !':onhearing 4 4 4 4
Sec, 4 I N 1 N
Wall.' 1903 (a) 2003 (a) 2003 (a) 210.3 (a)
1803 ( a )
lor ' '1
N N
Structural Frame! .3 2 1
" II I
I H.T.
I or
PartitlOn:-.. - Permanent 12 P ]2 i'\ 1 1\ ] N
I, I B.T.
1 I
Shaft Enclosures 2 2 I 1 1 1 1. ] 1706 1706
Floors 2 2 1 N I 1 N H.T. 1 N
2 I 1
Roofs
Sec. 11106 1906 1906
N 1 N H.T. 1 N
Exterior Don,-, and Sec..

1903 (b) 1903 (b) 1903(b 2003 (b) 2003 (b) 210.3 (b) 2203 220.1
Windows 1803 (b)
N-No general requiremeOls for fire resistance. H. T.-Heavy Timber.

'Structural frame elements in Ihe eXlerior wall shall be protected against external fire exposure as required for exterior bearing walls
or the structural frame, whichever is greater.
'Fire·retardant treated wood (see Seclion 407) may be used in the assembly, provided fire-resislance requiremeOls are maintained.
See Se.::tions 1801 and 1901, respectively.
IV - 4
B. Where Automatic Sprinkler Syste:ms Are Required
1. Complete Automatic Sprinkler Systems Required
Section Construction Complete System

Number Occupancies Types Affected Required . . .
3802(b)1.A Windowless and Under- All

ground Buildings
Except: GroupR3-Dwellings
Group ill - Miscellaneous Blank
Wall Construction
Opening Re~uireme';I' - Unsprinklered'
3802(b)2.B Group A - Assembly All When occupancy· area usable for ex-'
hibition or display exceeds 12,000 sq. ft.
'3802(b)4 Group I ,~ Institutional All Excepf: In hospitals of Types I, II·FR, and
11-1 hr. construction the automatic sprinkler
system may be omitted from operating'
rooms, X-ray rooms, ·delivery rooms, cardiac
and intensive care. rooms, and patient
sleeping rooms not exceeding 450 sq. ft.
in area when each such room is provided
with smoke detectors connected to a con-
tinuously attended station. Increases for
area and height do not apply when this
exception is used. In jails, prisons and
. reformatories, the sprinkler system may be
manual.
.3802(b)5 Groups H 1 and H2 -,- All. When area exceeds ',500 sq. ft.
High Hazard
Storage and handling
of hazardous materials
GroupH3 - High Hazard . All When area exceeds 3,000 sq. ft.
Woodworking shops, storage'
of combustible materials
Group H4 - High .Hazard All When over one story in height.
'Repair garages,
3802(b)6 Group B2 - Business All When single story 'sales roam exceeds'
Retail Sales Room 12~OOO sq. ft.
or.
Wheil multiple-story total sales' area ex-
ceeds 24,000 sq. ft;
UFC High Piled Storage All When. used for the storage of high-piled
combustibies (in accordance .with Uniform
'Fire Code when, orea exceeds two-thirds
'of:floor area.): ' .
IV- 5'
2. Partial Automatic Sprinkler Protection R~quired
Section. ·Partial System

Number Occupancies Required
3802(b)l.A All ··In sto~ies, basements, and. ·cellars over 1,500 sq ..

Except: Group R3-Dwellings fl. where there is not cit least 20 so. fl. of opening
Group M-Miscellaneous ~bove ground. level in each 50 lineal· feet of ex-·
terior wall. on at least one side of the building.
· Openings must have a minimum tlimension of 3d
· inches.
or·
In ··sto·ries, basements, or cellars. with portions more
than 75 feet from openings.
3802(b)1.B All At top of rubbish and linen chutes and in their

Except: Group R3-Dwellings terminal room. Chutes extending through three or
more' floors sholl. have. additional sprinkler heads
within such chutes at 'alternate floors, accessible for
servicing.
3802(b)1.C All In rooms where nitrate film is stored or handled.
Note: Fire~ extinguishing system must comply with

USC Standard No. 48-) (NFPA 40-) 974).
3802(b)1.D All In protected combustible fiber storage vaults.
3802(b)2.A Group A - Assembly In baseme~ts larger than 1,500 sq. ft.
3802(b)2.C Groups A2, A2.1, A3, In any enclosed usable space below or over a
and A4-Assembly stairway. See Section 3308(f).
Group E - Educational
3802(b)2.D Group Al -..-:. Assembly Under the roof and gridiron, in the tie and fly
Theatres with stage galleries and in all places behind the proscenium
wall of stages, over enclosed platforms in excess
of 500 square feet in area, and in dressing rooms,
workshops, and accessory· storerooms.
Exceptions:
Stages or enclosed platforms open to audi-
torium on 3 or more sides.
Altars, pulpits, or similar.

0
Stage gridirons. when 135 F rated sidewall
sprinklers with heat baffle plates are installed
around entire perimeter of stage at points not
more than 30 ins. below the gridiron nor more
than 6· ins. below the baffle plate.
Under stage or enclosed platform areas less

than 4 feet in clear height used exclusively for
chair or table storage and lined inside with
one hour fire-resistive materials.
3802(b)3.A Group E - Educational
3802(b)5.D All In rooms where flammable or combustible liquids

UFC are stored or handled in excess of quantities speci-
fied in Table 10-A, Of any combination of flam-
mable liquids totaling 240 gallons, as defined in
the Fire Code.
1'/-6
c. Automatic Sprinkler Trade-GUs and Options
1. Area, Height, and Fire Resistance Options
Floor Area - ~he area included within the surrounding exterior walls of a
building or portion thereof, exclusive of vent shafts and courts.
Height of Building - the vertical distance above "Grade", as defined herein

to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof or to the deck line of a
mansard rcof or to the average height of the highest gable of a pitched or
hipped roof.
Allowable basic floor areas for one-story buildings are specified for the
various occupancy groups and construction types in Table S-C:.
TABLE NO. S·C-BASIC ALLOWABLE FLOOR AREA FOR BUILDINGS ONE STORY IN HEIGHT
(In Square Feel)
TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
II II IV II
OCCUPANCY
I
F.R. F.R.
II
ONE·HOUR , N II ONE·HOUR
III
I N. Ii H.T. II ONE·HOUR "I N
A-I Unlimited 29,900 Not Permilled

A) 2-2.1 Unlimited 29,900 13,500 Not 13.500 NO[ 13,500 10,500 Not
Permitted Permitted Permitted
A) 3-4 Unlimited 29,900 13,500 9.100 13.500 9,100 13,500 10,500 6,000
B) 1-2-3' Unlimited 39,900 18,000 12,000 18.000 12,000 18,000 14,000 8,000
804 Unlimited 59. Q()() 27,000 18,000 27,000 18,000 27,000 21.000 12,000
E Unlimited 45.200 20,200 13,500 20,200 13,500 20,200 15,700 9,100
H) 1-2' 15000 12400 5600 3,700 5.600 3.700 5,600 4,400 ·2.500
H) 3-4-5 Unlimited 24,800 11,200 7,500 11,200 7,500 11.200 8.800 5,100
I) 1-2 Unlimited 15,100 6,800 No! 6,800 Not 6.800 5,200 Not
Permitted Permilled Permitled
1-3 , Unlimited 15,100 Not Permiued' .
M' See Chapter 11
R-t Unlimited I 29,900 13,500 9,100' II 13,500 9,100' 1113,500 & 10.500 6.000'
R·3 Unlimited
'For open parking garages. ,ee Section 709. !II-No requirement for fire re5l.5tance
'See Sect ion 903 .. F.R.-Fire Resisrive
'See Section 1002 (b). H.T.-Heavy Timber.
'For agricultural buildings, see also AppendlX Chapter II'.
'For limitations and excepuons, see Section 1202 (b).
The total area of all floors ~f multi-story buildings cannot exceed twice the
area allowed for .one-story buildings. (Section SOS(b) )
. .
I
:x~~~~e:R_1 hote/occupancy of Typell/-') Hour construction is assigned a basic
aUowable . floo~ area of 13,500 . sq. fi.-. in Table S~c. This is for a building one story
in height.
, .
A two-story building would be allowed twice that area, Or 27,000 sq: ft.
A . three'-story building could' not exceed, 27,000 sq. ft. in total, area for' all floors.
If the three' stories are to be of. equal areas', th~ basic allowable floor area per
floor .is./imited to:.." '
27,000 sq. ft./3 = 9,000 sq. ft.'
Similar/y".a four-story hate! .'of such construction ';"'ould be limited to· an area per
'floor of. ".. : ... '
27,000sqft/4 =6,7S0sq: ft.
IV- 7
TABLE NO. S·D-MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS
TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
, 11 II n III' IV V
OCCUPANCY F.R II F.R. I ONE·HOUR I N 1I0NE·HOUR I N II H.T II ONE-HOUR ! N
'.
Unlimited II 160 65 . 55 65 55 65 50 40
MAXIMUM HEIGHT IN STORIES -
A-I ·Unlimited 4 NOI Permitted
A) 2-2.1 unlimited 4 2 NOl 2 No! 2 ·2 0'01
Permitted Permitled Permitted
,
A) 3-4 Unlimited 12 I I .1 2 2 r
B) 1-2-3' Unlimiled 12
"
4 2 4. 2 4 3 2
8-4 Unlimlted 12 4 2 4 2 . 3 2
E' Unlimited 4 2' I 2' I 2' 2' I
H-I Unlimited 2 I I I I I I 1
H) 2·3-4-5 Unlimited 5 2 I 2 I 2 2 I
1-1 Unlimited 3 I Not I NOI I I Not
Permitted Permltled Permitted
1-2 Unlimited 3 2 t"Ot 2 Not 2 2 Not
Permitted Permitled Permitted
1-3 Unlimited 2 Not Permitted'
M' Sp, rh~nlPr II
R-I Unlimited II 12 4 2' .4 '. II 4 3 2~
R-3 Unlimited- 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
'For open parking garages. see Section 709. N-No requiremem for rire reSISlance
. 'See Section 802 (c) - F.R.-Flre ReSISlive
'See Section 1002 (b). H_T.-Heayy Timber
'Fer agricultural buildings. see also Appendix Chapler II.
'For limilp- -, and exceplions. se "liOn 1202 (b)_
a. AREA INCREASE OPTIONS

The basic allowable floor areas giyenln Table 5-C may be increased
by various provisions of the Code.
(J.) Fire Separation Walls
Section 505(d) - Occupancies, All

Each portion of a building separated by one or more area separation
walls may be considered a separate building_ Area separation walls
must have a four·hour fire rating for Types I, II, and III buildings, and
a two-hour rating for Types IV and V. Protected openings in 'such walls
must be of three-hour fire-resistive construction for four-hour walls, ond
of one-half-hour fire resishve construction for two-hour walls_ Area
separaflon walls must extend from- foundation to a point al least 30
inches above roof. Total areas can be increased by creating adjoin.
ing buildings.
Example:
A building con be built, in effect, by
"stocking" smoller buildings side by side
until the desired total area is obtained.
The area separation requirements are
severe,. however, and such construction
necessitates their added expense and
design inconvenience.
1'/ - 8
(2.) Separation on Sides Increase
Section 506(a) - Occupancies: All
Where public space,· streets, ar yards more than 20 feet in width ex-
tend along and adjoin more than one side of a building, rhe basic floor
area may be increased at a given rate for each foot by which the
minimum width exceeds 20 feet.
RATE OF AREA INCREASE FOR SEPARATION
Area Increase Rate Maximum Increase
Separation on two sides 11::' /0 per foot over 50;:1r
20 feet of width
Separation on' three sides 2 1 i S>;o per foot over 100S;c
20 feet of width
Separation on all sides 5% per foot over 100%
20 feet of width
Example:
'An occupancy with two sides fronting on open space 40 feet in width is entitled to
an area increase of:
=
1~/4%(40 ft. - 20 ft.) 25%
If the scace were' 60 feet in width, the allowable increase would be
Yt
! %(60 ft. - 20 ft.) = 50%
60 ft, frontage two sides

basic area plus 50%
. With three sides fronting on the 40 feet

of open space, the allowable increase.
'would be .
=
2'1'2 %(40 ft. :- 20 ft.) 50%
The increase allowed for 60 feet of sepa-
,ration on three sides would be
2: 2%(60 ft . ..:.. 20 It.) =.100%·
This is the maximum incr~ase'-allowed uno,
de, the Separation' on 'Sides Increase " . -~ .... '--
Option. . 60 ft, Frontage three sides
''-----~/
basic area plus lOOo/a
(3.) Automatic Sprinkler System.lncrease

Section 506(c)
Occupancies: All
The basic allowable areas may be' tripled in one-story buildings and
doubled in buildings 'of more than one srory if the building is provided
with a complete aut,omatic sprinkl~r system.
1'1- 9
• '.l
e",
Note:/ncrease not applicable when automatic sprInkler system is in-
, stalled'in accordance ,with:
Sec1ion 507"':'" height increase for sprinklers
Section 3802(b) 5 :- tor Groups,Hl and H2,high" haiard,
, ,occupancies
Seci,on 508 sp'rinkler subslitutio~ for o~e-h~ur fire-resistive

construction'
Example:
A Group E School of Type III-N can:
struetion is assigned a bas'ic allowable floor
area of 13,500 sq. ft. in Table 5-C If
, sprinklered, th~ area of a one-story school
sq, It.
could be increased by 2007~' to an area
of 40,500 sq. ft.
The basic allowable area of a two-story
school of Type III·N construction would be
twice the one-story area, or 27,000 sq. feet.
If automatic sprinklers were provided, the
area could be increased by 100/'0, or
doubled, to a .total of 54,000 sq, feet.
basit area plus 200%

'allowable area =
40,500 sq. ft.
(4.) Unlimited Area Option

Section 506(b) - '
Occup~ncies:'Groups B, H5 '
The area of one and two-story buildings of Group, B-Business and
Storage and Group H5-Aircraft Hangers shall be unlimited if entirely
surrounded by at least 60 feet of public space, streets, or yards, and if
,provided with an approved automatic sprinkler 'system, throughout.
Example:
Factories are classified as Group B occupancies. If surrounded by at least 60 feet 'of
open space on all sides and provided with an automatic sprinkler system, factories
can be built of any type construction to unlimited areas.
---'--- ---------- - --~ -
~m.\
.~~)
~
, IV -10
IS.) Combinations and Limitations
Section 506(c) states that the area increase option allowed for automatic
sprinkler systems may be compounded with the area increases allowed
for separation on building sides.
No limitation is placed by the code on the extent to which areas may

be compounded.
Example:
Suppose that the one-story school of Type III-N construction from a previous example
is being designed for a site outside the city fire limits which has at leasl 40 ft ~ of open
space on all sides, The area increases for separation on sides and automatic sprinklers
mar be compounded:
13,SOO sq. ft basic area
+ 13,SOO 1OOre. separation increase

5% 140 - 20) = 10070
27,000 sq. ft.
+ S4,000 200lt sprinkler increase

--- Group E; type III-N
81,000 sq. ft. basic area limit = 13,500 sq, fl.
Compounded 'allowable area 81,000 sq. ft.
(6.) Storage Area Increase Option

Section 702(b) Occupancies: Group B
Construction Types': All
Storage areas in. connection with wholesale or retail sales can be a'
maximum of 1,000 square feet before 'one-hour occupancy separation
is required. When sprinklers are installed, in the' storage. area, up to
'3,000 square feet. is allowed:
Exception: The occupancy sep~ration is not required if the building 15
sprinkJered throughout. .
. b.' HEIGHT INCREASE. OPTIONS

(1.) Height Increase'for AiJtomatic Sprinkler System
S~ction 5'07 - O~cJpancies;' AI.I '
. . .. Construction Types: All
The h~ight' limitations of Tobie 5-0 maybe increased by 6nest~ry if'
the building is
provided with on automatic sprinkler system throughout.
Note: I~crease not applicable whe'fl automatic sprinkler system is installed
in accordance with:,' .....
Section 506 - area increase for sprjnk/~rs
Section 3802(b) S"":' for Group H I and H2 high h~zard 'occupancies
. Section "S08 ..:- spr{nkle'r substitution for one-hour fire-resistive'
construction
'. '-
IV- 11
·e.', .,e
Example:
A' group' A3 assembly of T.ype, II·N .constr uctibn' IS limited. la' a 'height of, one' story
by i able S·D. If sprinklered; the assembly may be bui'''' to a heighlof tw,o stories .
. (2.) Unlimited Height Aircraft Hangers
Section 507 (Exception 2)- . Occupancies: Group 63

The height of one-story aircraft hangers shall be unlimited if building'
is equipped .with automatic sprinkler system throughout and is surrounded
by open space not less in width than' one and one-half times the
building height.
. c. FIRE RESISTANCE OPTIONS

_(J.) Fire Resistance Reductions from Area and Height Increase
The increased heights and areas gained through the installation af auto-
matic sprinkler systems have the net effect of reducing_ fire. resistance
requirements. A building of a given .size and height may be constructed
of a lesser construction type when Section 506 or 507 is employed.
Example:
In a previous example, it was demonstrated that a one-story school of Type III-N
construction could be built to on area of over 80,000 square feet by using the com·
pounding feature with the area increase options for side separation and automatic
sprinklers.
If automatic sorinkiers were not installed: the - 80,000 square feet could be obtained
uSing construct"ion of either Type I or Type II - ' fire resistiv€'. For a Group E occu-
pancy, Type II - fire resistive is assigned- a basic allowable floor area of 45,200
square feet, but this may be increased for the side separations:
45,200 Basic area
x 20010 J 00'1'0 separation increase (maximum)
90,400 sq, ft ..
Thus. by installing" aulomatic sprinklers in the school and taking advantage of the
resultant area increase allowance. the designer is able to use Type III-N conslrue/ion
instead of Type II - fire resistive. The Code ;s ac/ually allowing a reduction in the
fire resistance requirements for the 80,000 square foot building.
IV- 12
Example: (continued)
It is p05Sible to compare the Fire resistance requirements of various components for
the two comtruction types' in Tobie 17 -A.
Unsprinklered Sprinkiered
Component Type II - F.R. Type III-N
Exterior Bearing Walls 1 hr. N
Interior Bearing Walls 2 hrs. N
Structural Frome 2 hrs. N
Permanent Partilions 1 hr. N
Floor 2 hrs. N
Roof 7 hr. N
N - No protection requirements; noncombustible construction
What does the fire resislance reduction amount to in terms of construction cost?
ICBO periodically. publishes "B uilding Valuation Data" .(see Appendix), a com-
pilatIon of average costs of construclion for the various occupancies of each type
construction. The April 19BO data states the rollowing average costs for schools:
Type II - F.R. Type III-N
$64.00jsq. ft. ' $43.00/sq. ft.
The report provides a figure of $1.30/sq. ft,' as Ihe average cost of sprinkler systems.
, This brings Ihe total cost of the unsprinklered and sprinklered schools to:
Unsprinklered - Type II - F.R ..
$64.00/ sq. ft. x BO,OOO sq. ft. = $5,120,000
Sprinklered -.: Type II/ N
($43.00/sq. ft.-'- $7.30/sq. fl.) x BO,OOO sq. ft.
$44.30/sq. ft. x 80,000 s~, ft. =' $3,544,000
The ~prinklered s~hool' could be built for approximately 70% the cost of the un-
sprinklered school; 0 savings of 30%.
(2.) Fire-Resistive Substitution Option.

Section 508 - ' Occupancies:' All
An approved automatic sprinklier system may be substituted where one-
hour,fire:resistive 'construction throughout is, required by the Code, pro-
'vided such, system is not otherwise required.
Exceptions:,', Such substitution cannot reduce fire-resistive construction for
1. Occupancy separations - Section 503(c)
2. 'Exterior wall protection due to;' property line, proximity -:-' Section
504(b) ,
",3. Area separations - S~ction505(d)
. 4. Shaft enclosures-, Se~tion 1706
5. Corridors '- Section 3304(g) and (h)
6. Stair. enclosures - Section 3308'
7., Exit passageways --,- Section 3311(0)
8. Type of. construction, sepciration - Section 1701
(3.) Roof Framing Reduction Option' for Type IV Construction

'Section 2106(d) .'Use Groups: All ',',"
, . ' Construction Types: IV -:- Heavy Timber:
. Framed or glued laminated arches forroofconstrucrion' springing from
, floor line 0'- grade ,which do not Support fioor loods must 'heve members-
not less 'than 6 i'nches'nominal width. Such arches for' roof construction
springing from to'p, of'wails or wa'il 'abutments, framed timber trusses, and
, other, roof framing, not supporting floor loads must ha'vemembers not"
, less than 4 inches nominal widlh. When protected by an approved 'auto'.
matic sprinkler system under, the roof - deck, framing members must not
be less than 3 inches, nominal width. '
1:1/- 13
, ,
2. Means"of Egress, Options

Exir - a ~ontinuous and' unobstructed' means ,of egress toa public way;"in '
cludinginte'rvening door~, doorways, corridors, ,stairways, exit courts, "possage·
, ways,' and horizontal exits, 'exit passageways" and yards.' 'c, " "
'Exit Passageway -an 'enclosed ineans of exit' conne~ting' a', rf"quired exi,t:or
exit courl io a' public way. " , '
Horizontal,exil,- '0 'way, of passage:'from one, building to:'onother on approxi- '
mately the same .level, or a way of passnge through or, around a wall. con·
strucled as required, for a, twa-hour 'occupancy, and completely dividing a
'floor into two or more separate areas,' to establish areas' of refuge from 'fire
or smoke. ' ,, ' ' '
a. EXIT DISTANCE'INCREASE OPTIONS

Section 3302(d) -Occuponcies: ,All
Seetion3313(c) ...:.., Construction Types: All.
, '
'The maximum distanc~ of travel from any point to on exterior door,

horizontal exit, exit passageway,' or on enclosed stairway, must not
exceed 150 feet. When the lost 150 feet is within a corridor, 250 feet
of travel distance is allowed,
'In' a building equipped with an automatic sprinkler system throughout,
the maximum distance of, travel to, an exterior door, horizontal exit,'
. exit passageway, ,or enclosed stairway, may bein,creased f~om 150 feet
to 200 feet. When the lost 150 feet is wi,thin a corridor, 300 feet of
travel distance is allowed.
Example:
A single exit has 'the capability of serving
a specific maximum, area. For compart-
mented buildings, such area is dependent
upon partitioning. For open floor areas:
the "service area" of an exit is theoretical-
ly semi-circular, but roughly triangular for
practical purposes. This is due to the fact
that most egress must travel through grid-
ded aisles as established by sales displays,
machinery or furniture arrangements, or
~' I
seating configurations, 200 ---'---oj EXIT
In an unsprinklered building, the maximum •
exit travel distance of 150 feet allows a
service area' of approximately 22,500
square feet.
I
1
The increased travel distance of 200 feet
allowed in a sprinklered building results
in a service area increase of 780/0, to a
total of 40,000 square feet.
Occupancies: Group B4
In a one-story Group B4 occupancy cl05sified as a factory or warehouse
and in one~story airplane hangers, the exit travel distance may be in·
creased to 400 feet if the building is equipped throughout with an auto-
matic sprinkler system and provided with smoke and heat ventilation.
1'1-·14
Section 3317(c) - Occupancies: Group E
No point in a room in a Group E - Educational building may be more
than 75 feet from 0 minimum protection as provided by an exit corridor,
enclosed stairway, or building exterior. In buildings protected by a
complete automatic rire-extinguishing system, the distance may be in-
creased ro 110 feet.
No· point in an unsprinklered school building may be more than 150
feet from an exterior exit door, horizontal exit, exit passageway, or
enclosed stoirwoy. In a building prctecte:J by an automatic fire ex-
tinguishing system, the .distance may be increased to 225 reet.
b. SHAfT ENCLOSURE OPTION - ESCALATORS

Section 1706(0)2 - Occupancies: Group B
Openings extending vertically through floors must be enclosed in a shaft
of rire-resistive construction having the time period set forth in Table
17-A for "Shah Enclosures." However, in Group B-Business and Storage
occupancies equipped with on automatic sprinkler system throughout, en-
closures are not required for escalators where the top of the escalator
opening at each story is provided with a draft curtain and automatic
fire sprinklers are instailed around the perimeter of the opening within
2 feet of the draft. curtain. The draft curtain must enclose the perimeter
of the unenclosed opening and extend downward rrom the ceiling at ·Ieast
12 inches on all sides. The spacing between sprinklers must not exceed
6 feet.
Note: The recommended method of protecting unenclosed escalators
with sprinklers is shown in Figure A-4-4.B.2.3 of standard NFPA 13-1976
- Installation of Sprinkler Systems.
Used witt, permission from NFPA 13, Installation 'ot Automotic Sprinkler Systems,
Copyright, 1976, Notional Fire Pro~ection A:ssoci'otlon, Boslon, Me:!.!..
IV- 15
Section' 1706(a)6 - Occupancie:s: 'All
'Construction Types: All
'Gas vents' and, ~on~ombu;tible pipiriginstalled in walls of buildings must
comply with Table, 17-A, if passing 'thr,ough, more than' .three floors: I!
equipped with, a sprinkler system, compliance with Table 17-A is' re-
quired when passing through more than four floors.
c. LOBBY E>m OPTION

Section 3308(dj Occupancies' Group B2
Stairway and, ramp enclosures must include landings' and parts of floors
connecting stairway flights and must also include a 'corridor on the
ground floor leading from the stairway to the' building exterior: However,
'in, Group B2 office buildings, up to 50(7~ ,of the exits may' discharge
through a street floor lobby provided the required exi,t width is free and
'unobstructed and the entire street ,floor is protected with an automatic
sprinkler system., '
IV-16
Automatic sprinkier systems can be specified to widen the designers choice aT
materials for interior finish," ta compensate for higher flame spread character-
istics of certain finishes, or to allow the use of ce~tain plastics and foam plastics
with dangeraus burning characteristics.
The increased freedom allowed by a broader choice of materials can be used

to enhance design and reduce materials costs.
a. INTERIOR FINISH OPTIONS

Occupancies: All
Flame-spread characteristics of materials are classified according to per-
formance in the "tunnel test" set forth in:
UBC Standard No. 42- 1
UL 723
ASTM E-84
Table 42·A presents these classifications:
TABLE NO. 42·A-FLAME·SPREAD CLASSIFICATION

,(
,"---,-
MATERIAL QUALIFIED BY:
Crass Tunner Test
I I 0- :25
II 26- 75
III 76-200
The nume~icalvalues are dimensionless, representing a' comparison with

a reference of 100' as the flame-spread of red oak flooring, and a
reference of zero as the flame-spread 'of asbestos-cement boord.
. ,',
,Section 4203.2
Where walls' an'd ceilings are' required' to' be of, .fire-resistive, or non-
combustible construction and walls are set out or ceilings are dropped
distances greater than 1 ~ inches, Closs I, finish mate~ials must be used
except where the finish, materials are protected on both sides 'by auto-
matic .'fire sprinkler systems or are attached to a, noncombustible backing
arto fu~ring strips as 'specified in Section 4203.1,·
Section 4204 -.
The minimum flam'e-spreod classification of interior finish is based on.'

occupancy as 'set forth in Table, 42-B:
iV-.l7
" ->
•••
< •• '
, "~.
TABLE NO. 42.B-MAXIMUM FLAME-SPREADCLASSIFICATIONS
OCCUPANCY ENCLOSED
VERilCAL OTHER ROOMSOR
'GROUP EXITWAYS' AREAS
EXITWAYS
A I- lL III
E I II III
I I II II'
H I II III'
B I II III
R-I I II III
R-3 III III III'
M' NO RESTRICTIONS
'In rooms in which personal libenie< of ,nmates are forcibl~ restrained. Class I
material only shall be used.
'Over two stories shall be of Class II.
'Flame-spread provisions are nOt applicable to kitchens and bathrooms of Group
R, .Division) Occupancies.
'Foam plastics shall comply with the requirements specified in Section 1717.
'Finish classIfication is not applicable [0 interior walls and·ceillngs of exterior exit
balconies.·
Where approved full fire' sprinkler system. protection is provided, the

flame-spread classification may be reduced one classification: In no
case may. materials having a classification greater than Class In be used.
"')
. '
b. PLASTIC OPTIONS
(l.J Foam Plastic Insulation Option
Section 1717(b)2 - Occupancies: All
Constructio'n Types: All except as noted
Foam plastic insulation with a flame spreae of 75 or less (tested in
thickness of 4.inches) may be used up to 10 inches thick in cold storage
rooms, food processing rooms, ice plant and similar rooms .when pro-
tected w'ith automatic sprinklers and when protected from building
interior with portland cement or other approved material with a finish
rating af not less than 15 minutes.
Section 1717(b)3 -
Foam plastic insulation on walls having a !iame·spread of 25 or less

may b.e used in. a thickness up to 4 inches in or on walls when the loam
plastic is covered by at least 0.032 inch thick aluminum or 26 gauge
golvanizeJ sheet steel and protected with· automatic sprinklers. Not
allowed where noncombustible or fire-resistive construction is required,

Section 5204.1 - Oceurancies: All
In all buildings equipped with an cpproved sprinkler system, the maxi-

mum aggregate area of plastic glazing may be increased from 25'7et of
the area of C1 wall face to 50'0/0 of the oreo.
1'1- 18
(3.) Skylights Option
Section 5207 - Occupancies: All except A 1, A2, I and H
Approved plastics may be used in skylights installed on roofs in ac-
cordance with listed provisions, among which are:
4. Each skylight unit may have a maximum area of 100 sguare feet
within the curb for CC2 material and 200 sq. ft. far eCl material.,
6. Skylight units must be installed with a minimum distance of 4 feet

between units measured in a horizont~1 plane .
. In buildings eguipped with approved automatic fire-extinguishing systems,
these reguirements are waived, except for Group A 1, A2, I, and H
occupancies.
(4.) Light-transmitting Exterior Wall Panels

Section 5205 - Occupancies: All
Construction Types; All except Y-N
Where a fire-resistive rating is not required for the walls and in all
buildings provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system, approved
plastics may be installed in exterior walls in an amount 50'10 in excess
of limits set forth in Table No. 52-A and separation reguirements may
be reduced 50'70. '
(5.) Light-diffusing Systems

( Section 5208(0)4 - Occupancies: Groups A 1, A2, and I.
Unless the occupancy is protected by an approved automatic sprinkler
system, the area of approved plastic materials used ,in light transmitting
and light diffusing panels made from plastic materials in approved light,
ing fixtures when used in reguired' exits must not exceed 30'!c of the
aggregate area of the ceiling in which they are installed.
111- 19
.', . ~:. ' :
4.. High Rise Options

'Provisions for.high, rise buildings can be fo.und, within' Chapler 18' -,- Type 'I·'
Fire~Resistive' Building~. Section" 1807.. set; ,forth .Spe~ia·I, Pr'ovisions .for Group
B2.office Buildings and GroupRl:occupancies for' both, Type.1 and II con-
struction. Such. buildings having floors used for human occupancy located more
than· 75 feet' abo~e .the lowest level, of fire department vehicle access must be
provided. with' either an appr~ved automatic sprinkler system in accordance
with Section 1807(C)or areas of r'efuge (comportmentation) in accordance with
Section 1807(e)., '
,Compa~tmentation vs, Automatic Sprinkler System

Section 1807 -' Occupancies: Groups B2 and Rl
.Construction Types; I and II
Compartmentation . Automatic Sprinkler Systems
Areas of Horizontal exits dividing a story into two No requirements.

Refuge or more areas of approximately the same'
size with no single area exceeding 15,000
.sq. ft.
Exterior Wall Openings in exterior walls, where such No requirements.

Protection openings are within 5 feet of each othe~
horizontally on veriically adjacent floors,
must be protected by approved flame
barriers extending 30 inches beyond ex-
terior wall in plane of floor, or by vertical
panels not less than 3 feet in height above
the floor.
Barriers No Requirements
or if
Spondrel, Sprinklered
1V- 20
Com pa rtmentation Automatic Sprinkler Systems
Smoke Detectors Required in mechanical equipmen~ rooms, Same requirements.

in main return and exhaust air portions
of each air conditioning system and at
each connection to a vertical duct or riser
serving two or more stories from a return
air duct or plenum of an air-conditioning
system.
Smoke proof A vestibule and continuous stairway en- Smokeproof enclosures may be eliminated
Enclosures closed by 2-hour construction must be made if required stairways are pressurized to
smokeproof by natural ventilation or mech- .15 inch water column.
anical ventilation with a positive pressure
of .05 inch - of water column in the stair
shaft and an additional _1a inch of water
in the vestibule. (Section 3309)
Fire Alarm A manual fire alarm system (pull boxes) No requirements.

must be provided.
Voice Alarm Detection and alarm systems must activate Same requirements - system operated by
System a" voice alarm system operated from central sprinkler activation.
control station.
Voice Communi- Fire Deportment communication system and Some requirements.

cation System public address system required between
central control station and elevators,
elevator, lobbies, corridors, exit stairways,'
rooms and tenant spaces exceeding 1,000
sq. ft., and each dwelling ,unit and guest
room. "When approved, ,systems may be,
combined. ' ,
Central Control < Containing panels for voice communica- Some requirements. Contains sprinkler
Station tions systems, detection and alarm systems, . supervisory equipmenr and valve controls.
elevator and air handling 'controls, stand·
, by power control, etc.
Smoke "Co"ntrol Venting facilitie"s required - panels or' Sprinklers' allow, design of air handling,
windows in exterior woll that can be equ'ipment to effect smoke removal. Win-
opened from other than fire floor"" dows or panels manually openable from
within the' fire -floor or approved fixed,
tempered glass may be used in lieu of
the remotely operated ponels and windows .
. IV - 21
... - ~:, . ','-~:
,
'-.
,,'"
Compartmentation .Automatic Sprinkle~ Systems
EI,evators' Elevators· on Hoors other: than main en-: Same requirements ..

trance floor must open into lobbies sepa-
rated by. corridor construction from re-
mainder of' building. Smoke detector
activation in lobbies to return cars to·
main floor. At least one car identified with
. specific mini~um .dimensions.
Standby Power. An· approved per~anentlyinstalled stand-.

and Light by power generating system.
Exit Travel" 150 feet maximum to harizontal exit ar 300 ·feet maximum to horizontal' exit or
Length enclosed stairway. encl.osed stairway from most remote point.
Hase 'Cabinets 1 Yz'inch ho.se lines and nozzles required Not·required.

for occupant use.
Fire. Resistance No reductions allowed. Fire-resistive time periods of Table . 17.·A

Reductions may. be reduced by one hour far interior
bearing walls, exterior bearing and non-
. bearing walls,. roofs, and the beams sup-
porting- roofs,. providing they do not frame
into columns. Vertical 'shafts' other than
stairway enclosures and elevator shafts
may be' reduced to one. hour, when sprink-
lers are installed. within .ihe shafts at
alternate floors ..
Except for corridors in Group· 82 and R1

occupancies and partitions separating
, dwelling units' or guest' rooms, all interior
partitions required to have one hour fire-
'resistance by Table 17-A may be of non-
combustible construction.
Sprinkler . None Designed in accordance with UBC 38-1,

System with the following requirements:
Shutoff valves and waterflow devices on
each floor. .
In seismic zones 2, 3, and, 4, an onsite
secondary water' supply equal to the
hydraulically-calculated sprinkler demand
. plus 100 gpm additional for the standpipe
system, autolT)atically available if the
principal supply fails with a duration of
30 minutes.
1V-22
5. Other Options
a. STANDPIPE OPTION
Table 38·A - Occupancies: A1, A2, A2.1, H, B, R1
Standpipes for occupant use (i.e. NFPA Class II standpipes) must be
provided in ail Group A occupancies with an occupant load exceeding
1,000, in all occupancies (except R3) exceeding 150 feet or 4 stories in
height, and in Group I, H, B1, 82, and 83 occupancies with a floor area
exceeding 20,000 sq. ft. per floor. Such standpipes must extend from
the cellar or basement into the topmost story. Class il. standpipes are not,
however, in basements or cellars equipped with a complete automatic
sprinkler system .. UBC Standard 38-3 permits ~he omission of the 1 L~-inch
hose and hose outlets in buildings equipped with an automatic sprinkler
system throughout (See page 5-26).
b. ATTIC DRAFT STOPS

Section 3205(b) - Occupancies: All
Enclosed attic spaces formed of combustible construction must be divided
into horizontal areas not exceeding 3,000 sq. ft. by partitions extending
from the ceiling to the roof. Where the entire attic is equipped with an
approved automatic sprinkler system, the attic space may be divided into
areas not exceeding 9,000 sq. ft.
c. SMOKE AND HEAT VENTS,

Section 3206(a) - .occupancies: Group 'B4
Smoke and heat vents are required in all Group H occupancies and all
single story Group B2 and B4 occupancies having over 50,000 sq. ft. in
undivided area except office buildings and retail' sales areas. The vents
are not. required in Group B4 occupancies used' for bulk frozen food
storage when the building is protected by a 'complete automatic sprinkler
. system.
d. STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

Section 901 and Table 9-A - Occupancies: All except H
·Table 9.-A set limits for the. amount of hazardous materials for storage
or sale without classifying buildings as Group.H occupancies. In. buildings
where autom'atic fire-extinguishing; systems are installed, the quantities
may be increased 100% in areas accessible to the public.
11/-23
I'
.,- .
,D. 'System Requirements'

1; Applicable Standards, " ,
The' 1979 edition of the UBC requires thot,aut~~ati~'Sp~inkle~,systems

comply with U2C Stcndard No.' 38-1. Standard 38-1 is based on',NFPA 13
- Installation' of Sprinkle~- Systems - ,1976.
r . . .
Stcindpipe syste~s must comply y.-ith UBC Standard' No. 38-3. This standard
is. based on NFPA 14 - Standpipes and Hose Streams ~ 1976.
2. Alarms
Section 3802(c) - ,
When serving' mcirethan 100 sprinklers, automati.c sprinkler 'systems must

'besupervised ,by, ,an approved central,. proprietary, or remote' station
service or a local, alarm which will give' an audible signal at a constantly
attended location.
3. Water Supplies
Section 3801 (d)
Automatic sprinkler systems may be connected to the domestic water

supply' main when approved by the Building Official, provi.dedthe
domestic supply is of adequate pressure, capacity, and sizing for the,
. combined domestic 'and sprinkler requirements. In such case, the sprinkler
sysl€:m connection must be made between the public, water main, or
meter and the building shutoff valve, with no intervening valves or .con-
nections. T~,e fire department connection may be omitted when approved
by the fire department.
4. Standpipes
Standpipe requirements are ,summarized in Table. 38·A:
TABLE NO.,38·A-STANDPIPE REQUIREMENTS
NONSPRINKLERED SPRINKLERED
BUILDING3 BUILDING3 4
Slandplpe Hose Standpipe Hose
Occupancyl Class ReqUirement Class ReQulremenl
J. OccupanCies ~
1 SO It In height and III Yes III No
more than one story
2. Occupancies 4 stones or
more but less than 150 I and No land No
ft. In height, except II S( or III) Yes II (or Jll) No
Group R Oi ..... 3
3. Group A Occupancies No
with occupant load II Yes No
exceeding 1000 ReQuirement
4. Group A. 01'.1. 2.1 Oc·

cupanCles over 5000
sQuare feet In area used II Yes II Yes
lor exnlcition.
5. Groups I, H, B, DIV. I
2 or 3 Occupancies less
than 4 stories on height []5
I Yes,
No
but greater than 20.000 I ReQUirement No
SQuare feet per floor.

i
lCtass 11 standpipes need nO'! be prol.'iaed in assembly areas used Soolely 10r worShiP.
2ClaSs II standpipes need not be prOVided in basements having an automatic flre~extinQulshin9
system throughout such basements.
3Combmed systems WIth their relatea water SUPPlies may be used m,sDrinklered bUlldlng:s..
'PortIOns 01 otherwise sprinklered Dulldings which are not protected by automatic sprInklers
shall have Class II standpipes 'Installed as required for the unsprinklered portions, .
51'n open structures where Class II standPIPes may be damaged by freeZing. the OUlldlJ1g official
may authorIze the use of Class 1 stanOPlpes whleh are located as required for Clas.s II stand-
pipes.
UBC Standard 38-3 permits the omission of 1',i-inch' hose and hose out-
lets (Closs II service) in buildings equipped with an automatic sprinkler
system throughout, provided each standpipe outlet is equipped with a
2 Jh-inch hose valve, a 2Y2-inch b/ 1%·inch reducer, and a cop with
attachment chain. Sprinkler risers may be combined with standpipes.
IV- 24
Appendix
3. CHURCHES: EQUIPMENT
!vpe I or II F.R ... 5050
AIR CO,'iDITIONING:
Tvpe III-I-Hour. 4000
Tvpe 111-i\J 38.00
Commercial 80
Residential. .40
Type V-l-Hour 35.50
Type V-,\J
SPRINKLER SYSTEMS: . .30
340C
.. ,Ado 0.8 percenr to torai cost (Dr eJch s:ory over tnree
4. CONVALESCHH HOSPITALS:
'Type I or II F, R. 6900
Type 111-1-Hour. 5650
Type V-1-Hour . 4890
S. DWElliNGS:
Type V-;Masonry 4440 34 50
Type V-Wood Frame 41 AD 3110
Basements-
Finished. 10.80 790
Regional Modifiers
Unrlnished, 8.40 6.30 The [allowing modifiers are recommended [or use In
conlunctlon with the Budding Valuation Data in addi-
6, HOSPITALS: tion, certain local conditions may require further mod!~
"Type I or II F,R". 85.00 ficalions To use these modifiers merely multiply the
Type 111-1-Hour . 75.80 listed cost per square root bv the approoriate regional
Type V- 1-Hour, . 69.40 modliler. For example:
d\.\'ellln~
Buildin oo 7. HOTElS AND MOTELS: To adiUS( cost or a wood frame oi overage

"TYoe I or II F.R .. ,. 51.00 construction lor thl:" Deiaware area, 'le/Pel Regional Mod-
Ti/pe 111-1-Hour. 4380 iiier O. BI and unit cost irom Valuallon Data, 531.1 C
Type III-N 42,00
0.87 x $31.10 = $2706
Valuation Type
Type
V-1-Hour .
V-N.
B. INDUSTRIAL PLANTS:
Type I or II F.R ..
39,50
37.80
31.00
ladjusted cos I per square foot)
Eastern United States Modifier
Data Type II-1-Hour

Type II-(Stock: .
Type III-1-Hour.
Type III-N
19.80
18.10
25.10
20.50
Connecticut, ..
Delaware ..
District or Columbia
Florida.
0.90
0.87
0.88
0.79
Tilt-up,. , 1500 Georgia, 0.77
Type V-l-Hour 19.80 Maine. , 0.84
Type V-N. 18,10 Maryland 082
9. MEDICAL OFFICES: Massachusetts 0.90
"Type I or II F,R ... 64.00 New Hampshire .. 0.82
Type III-l-Hour .. , , . 51.40 . New Jersey. , , . 0.94
Type III-N 4900 New York
· Type V-l-Hour 4720 New York City. , 1.00
Type V-N. 45 50 Other. .. , 0.90
10. OFFICES: North Carolina, 0,75
"Type I'or II F.R. 57,00 Pennsylvania
( · Type 111-1-Hour . , 41.20 Philadelphia. 0,94
'. Jype III-N 39.50 Other . 0,90
· Type V-1-Hour 35.00 Rhode Island , 0.90
Type V-N ..... 32.50 South Carolina, , " . 0.74
11. PRIVATE GARAGES: Vermont 0.82
Wood Frame ... 10.30 Virginia, , ..... 0.78
Masonry, . 13,60 West Virginia, 0,90
Open Carports, 5.50 Central United States
At the request of numerous building officials, Building 12. PUBLIC GARAGES: Alabama .. , 0,79
Standards offers the following building valuation data "Type I or II F, R. , , ... 26.30 Arkansas ... 0,77
representing average costs for most buildings, Bec'ause Type II-N .. 1730 Illinois .. , 0,94
residential buildings are the most common ior many Type 111--:-1-Hour, 20.70 Indiana .. 087
cities, tvvo general classes are considered for thes'e, one · Type III-N ..". 17 30 Iowa, ... 088
for "average" construction and the other for "good,".' Type V-l-Hour .... , .. . 1710 Kansas. ·0.82
AdJustments should be made for special architectural or 13. RESTAURANTS: Kentucky, .. 0.84
structural features and localion of the prolect. Often high- Type 1I1-1-Hour. 52.00 Louisiana. , . , 0,83
er or lower unit costs may result. . Type III-N ... , .. ", 48,00 Michigan .. ·0.90
The unit com are intended to comply with the defini- TypeV-1-Hour,., . 45.00 Minnesota, 0.90
tion of "valuation" in SeCtion 423 of the Uniform Building . Type V-N .. , , , . 42,00 MississippI 0,77
Code and thus include architectural. structural. electri- 14. STORES:. . Missouri ,'" 0.84
cal, plumbing, and mechanical work, except as specifi- . "Type I or II F.R" . 4120 i\Jebraska .,. 0,82
cally listed below, It also Includes the contractor's profit Type 111-1-Hour. 3210 l\Jorth Dakota. 089
which should not be omitted'if he has a iinancialinterest Type III-\J ' 3040 Ohio, . 0.90
In the prolect.' Type V-I -Hour, 28.00 Oklahoma 0.81
. The determination of plan check fees. for projects Jype V-N . ·26,00 South Dakota 0.88
reviewed by the International Conference of Building 15. SCHOOLS: . Tennessee, 0.78
Officials will be based on valuation computed from Type I or II F.R . 64.00 Texas. 0.81
these figures. Type 111-1-Hour . 45,00. Wisconsin. 0.B9
Type III-N . 43.00
Tvpe V-1-Hour.'.:' .. ,,: 4030 Western United Slates
16. SERVICE STATIONS: Alaska .. 1.36
Type II-N , . 3890 Arizona. 094.
Cost per Type 111--":'l.-Hour. - ~2.JO Cal ilornia
April, 1980 '. Square Foot · Tvpe V-':l -Hour. 2680 Los Angeles 1.06
Occupancy and Type Good Average 'Canopies : . 13.40 Lake Tahoe. LOb
1. APARTMENT HOUSES: 17. THEATERS: . San FrancIsco. , . __ 1.04
"Type I orll F.R., $54.50 45.30 Typei or II F. R: 58.40 Other. . 1.01
Type V-Masonry .. TYpelll-1-Hour. 43.60 .Colorado, 0.89
.Ior Type 1111, ,.. .. 42.-W 34.50 . Tvpe III-N 41.20 Ha,vaii 120 .
Tvpe V-Wood Frame 35.60 30.00 'Type V-I -Hour 3900 Idaho. 0:87
Tvpe I-Basement Garage 19.70 Type V-N. 37,00 Montana. 0.86
2. BANKS: 18. WAREHOUSES: ,\Jevada . . 0.96
"Type I or II F.R.". 75.60 · Type I or II FR. 2670 New Mexico. 0,82
Type III-l-Hour 6170 Type II or V-1 ~Hour .'.. 17.50 Oregon. 0.92
Type III-I\J 60.00 Type II or V:""-;',: , . 15.00 Utah ... 0.85.
Type V-1-Hour 54,50 Type 111-1 :HOur. 19.50 Washington 0.96
Tvpe V-,\J. 52.70 .. T,'pe III--:-N 17.00 Wyoming ,0.B9
TV-'?"i
V. TECHNIC~ASIS AND RATIONALE FOR SPRINKL~ROVISIONS
Automatic sprinklers are required by the model codes for a variety of
occupancies. In general, sprinklers are required for buildings or parts or
buildings of such a significant hazard that collective judgement determines
that this is the most appropriate fire protection. The hazard demandin~
sprinklers can be in the form of the occupancy contents or processes them-
selves, special difficulties posed by the size or configuration of the
building which \iJOuld inhibit !-.raditional m8.nual fi.re fighting, or ptoblej;Js
associated with occupant eV3cuation either d~e to building configuration,
crowJing, or occupant mobility.
Table 1 presents a summar:T of primary cc;nsidcl"ations ;:;:.',7en to requirc-
lilentE; for 2utoiDatic sprinkler systems in certain occupancie.s.
Reproduced from
besl available copy.
~).
v -'.1
T:.:ole 1 - Primary Considerations for Sprirlkler RequiTD'::lents in the Model Codes
f"""'", Special Difficulties

~- in Hanual Fire
Hazard Fighting Other Than viff icul tics in
OCCUPAJ\iCY of Contents ----_=.::..::.:..=..:::..::..-=.
Hazard of Contents Occ.upant Evac!ja tiC)
Institutional x
--------------_---.:_------------
Assembly
Exhibition x x
Nightclub x
EdL;cational x
Theater StagE: x
Mercc.ntile x x
Fac.tory/Storage/
High Hazard x
High Rise x x
Undergro-,md and
Hindmvless x x
·Vi - 2
In recognition of the improved safety achi-eved thrGugh the jn-
stallation of a complete Automatic sprinkler syste~l1s> the Codes permit
sprinklers to relax or substitute for certain other fire safety
requirements. The relaxations and s~bstitutions take the form of
design options or "trade-offs".
Table' 2 presents a summary of the clesign options permitted Hith
autom~tic spri~kler protection.
--,
(
"
'. -,,'
~ .../
V -: 3
Table 2 - Design Options for Automatic Sprinkler Systems
Basic Standard Uniform

1978 1979 1979
Area Increases by 200% one-story by 200% one-story Tripled for one-story

by 100% multi-story by 100% multi-story Doubled for multi-story
unlimited areas Certain occupancies under Certain occupancies under Certain occupancies under
specific conditions specific conditions specific conditions
Height Increases by one story or 20 feet by one story by one story
simultaneous with area? Yes NO NO
Fireproofing
e
Spacing of fires tops Triple area between attic
stops 3,000-9,000
1 hour substitution For floor-ceiling assem-

<: blies below grade
, roof framing reduction Within fire district and for For all components in all
school floors above cellars. For types, except shaft enclos-
partitions, columns, beams, etc. ures, corridors, etc.
in Type I, but 1 hr. minimum.
Haiver of unprotected All occupancies-heavy timber All occupancies-heavy timber

vertical openings construction construction
Increased fire wall openings Permit grain elevators iI~

non-Type I
Fire damper omission Under certain conditions Unconditional
Open well enclosure waiver If not serving as required Unconditional

exitways
Communicating floors Up to 3 levels Business & storage occupancies

if not required exitway
Heans of Egress
Exit travel length Increases average 50% Up to 3 levels
Exit capacity Increases average 50%
Exit through lobby Up to 50% of stairways
Table 2 (continued) - Design Options for Automatic Sprinkler Systems
,
Basic ", Standard Uniform
1978 1979 1979
Use of Materials
Interior finish Class II or III in Class n or C in lieu Class II or III in lieu

place of I or II of A or B of I or II
Furred construction Other than Class I if Other than Class I if

protected both sides protected both sides
Foam insulation Up to 10 inches Up to 10 inches
Increased use of plastics Increased allowable areas for Increased allowable to

e
glazing of unprotected open- areas for glazing of un-
ings, wall panels, skylights, protected openings, wall
light-diffusing systems, etc. panels, skylights, light-
diffusing systems, etc.
<1
VI Alarms
Automatic fire Waived
Hanual Waived for Businesss use group
Smoke detection
High Rise In lieu of compartmentation,

exterior wall protection, smoke
detection, automatic & manual alarms, -
automatic smoke vents, and hose cabi-
nets. Construction type may be modified
from 1A to 1B, IB to 2A, or 2A to 2B.
Other
Eliminate smokeproof towers Hoistway vent. elimination

•
The model building codes all set maximum size limits for buildings.
These area and height limits depend upon the nature of the occupancy and the
construction type. mIen a sprinkler system is provided, the codes generally permit
the area to be tripled (single story) or doubled (mu1d-story). Under certain
conditions of occupancy, access, and arrcmgement of egress, the codes permit.
sprink1ered buildings to be of unlimited area. Usually as an alternative, the codes
permit the height of a sprink1ered bui Idj ng to be one story above that \"bich \\Iould
be al10\ved for an ul1sprinklered building of the sawe occupancy and const:·uction.
Regulations to cOlltrol the height of buildings are reported to have appeared
in the United States as early as 1885, predating the publication of the first model
building code in 1905. The 1905 edition of the Natjonal Building Code pJ2ced
restrictions on both building heights Bnd areas.
The si;;~c limitations have their origins in a concern for property prot2c tion.
It 'das recognized that the ultimate extent of a fire can generally be 1im_~ted by
reducing the amount of combustible material to an amount which a fire department
could re.asonab1y control. The specific maximLcw bllj_lding areas and heights are
judgmental, based on the available fire experience and r~cords. The depth and
penetration of fire department hose streams provides a practical limitation for
outside fire-·fighting.
To some extent, the area increases for sprinklers Here brought aboll t by industry's
need for larger areas for eccno'niC2.1 manuf accuriilg and assembly processes. Sprinkler
performance statistics demonstrated that the large majority of fires were controlled
by a very few sprinklers, thus confining the fire to a small area.
v- 6
2. Fire Resistance
Fire resistance is simply a relative measure of the extent to which a material or
structure resists the effect of fire. While numerous fires have indicated that it is
often the contents rather than the building vlhich burn, fire containment has been
vlidely recognized as a means tmvard improving fire safet.y.
Fire resistance of buildings is fundamental t.o the property-protection orientation
of building codes, and has essential life safety implications as well. Fire resistance
can prevent or delay the collapse of primary and secondary structural members, can
protect agcdnst the passage of fire and smoke when related to ban.. iers such as
fire divisions and partitions, and can help maintain a safe path for egress.
Although the first model building (1905 National Building Code) included provisions
for "fireproof" buildings, it Has the first edition of the Uniform Building Code jn
1927 whic~ introduced the concept of fire resistance ratings. From the start, tile
,---"\
\J idea has been to ba~ance the degree of fire resistance of the buildi~g against the
weight of combustible contents and construction. Testing begun in 1922 by the Nationgl
Bureau of Standards suggested a relationship (Tagle~5 ) bet\,Teen vleights of comt,u,~til:l(:,s
and the fire j_ntensity of the ASTM E1l9 standard time-ter.1perature curve. (Figure I )
The El19 curve had been adopted in 1918 as a "measuring stick" agai.nst which the fire-
resistance of various building components could be ccmpared.
Average Weight of EquivaJ.ent Fire Duraticn

Combustibles (psf) ASTM E1l9 (hours)
5 1/2
7~ 3/4
10 I
Table 5 15 1-1/2
20 2
30 3
40 4-1/2
v "'".7
I ).<~,\\D· ",° --l
1 I
-
Figure 1 / J
! TI__ r=
lif
1-' - I
I Iii 13
11
,0
I i ,I!:~
I lil~~
! Ii 2
I
2 3 4
TIME III HRS
For each type of construction, the model building codes specify a minimelr,1
hourly rating of fire resistance for each building cOr.1ponent such as columns, beams,
partitions, and floors. These hourly ratings refer to the per£orirance of the component
in the Ell9 standard time-temperature oven test.
All four of the model building codes effectively pel:mit fire resistance r,"ouctioES
for sprinklers by virtue of permitting area and height increases. Such increases can
have the net effect of allowing a given occupancy of a given size to be built using
a less fire resistive construction type.
c~ Some codes additionally, or alternatively, spell out specific fire resist&DCe
reductions that are allowed. In general, the codes permit automatic sprinkler
protection to substitute for one hour of fire resistance. In many cases sprinklers
may be provided in lieu of one-hour fire resistive construction. Some codes, however,
"'ill permit a reduction by one hour but to a minimum of one hour, 1. e. they do nOl:
permit substitution of sprinklers for all fire resistance.
There has been considerable testing and other subsLantiation demonstrating the
capability of a properly designed, installed, and maintained automatic sprinkler systen
to protect structural members. Developmental work on the present automatic sprinkler
which took place in the late 19 ZfO's and early 1950's at Factory [':utual Research shO\Jed U1at
the sprinklers ,Jere able to eliminate active flaming comeustion of wood ceilings by
preventIng adjacent air from rising substantially above lOOOoF. Extensive testing
conducted in the development of National Fire Protection Association standards 231C -
c' Rack Storage of Materials and 231 - General Storage showed' that sprinkler systems alone
prevented overhead bare steel roof DlCmbers from reaelling critical temperatures, thereby
v..:. 8
eliIilinating the need for fire resistance ratings of SIJch nJE'mbers.
The ability of all ~tandard sprinklers to controJ. temperatures is tested by
both Underwriters Laboratories and Factory Mutual Research as paft of their product
approval criteria. A 300-pound wood crib is centered under four sprinklers and
burned for 30 minutes above a continuously-supplied gasoline fire. Figure 2
shows that s~rinklers are activated after approximately one minute, by whicl1 time ceiljng
temperatures can reach over l400 0 F. Within five minutes and throughout the duration of
0
the test the sprinklers must bring temperatures back to below 600 F. Crib wei.ght loss
must be less than 20%. The ASTM EJ19 curve is superimposed for purposes of cQrnp~rison.
Figure 3 provides a clearer example of the ability of 3.\.;l:omatic spr.Lnk1E:Tr, tc
substitute for fire resistance. These curves were prOd\lCed by Factory ~Jtual in 1965.
Curve A represents the temperatures reached by a bare steel. H-column during a fire
exposure in accordance with the Ell9 standard tir::.e--te.r.lperature curve. The resC'3rchLYS
found th2t a 2.8 gpm gasoline spray fire directed upward 1 inch away from th? cclumn
could have an effect close to that of the El19 exposure. Curve B, however, shOl;::;
the reduction in temperature which occurs when sprinklers located 25 feet above are
activated by the fire. Without sprinkJ ers, the bare steel caul,:} be expectr:.d to fail
in 11 to 15 minutes. With sprinklers, the steel will maintain its strength indefinitely.
In this manner, the sprinkler system effectively substitutes [or fire resistant
construction as a means of p:cotecting st'cucLural r1ien:bers.
The ability of sprinklers to provide equivalency to a fire resistive rating is not
limited to the protection of structural members or steel. Testing at Under~~iters
Laboratories in 1969 proved that t~npered double-pane glass windows with sprinkler
protection maintained fire integrity at least equivalent to wire glass with a 45-minute
rating. Later small-scale testing established that even single-pane glass could
provide the equivalent of two-hour protection with sprinklers. In 1972, research

r""',
~) at the lIT Re.search Institute demonstrated tb<lt a hollm" core \'lOoe1 door that \>,oulcl
fail a standard fire test within 5 minutes could be protected from a room fire
representing c~ heavily-loaded residential occupancy by mea:1S of a simplified sprinklec

v- 9
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system flowing less than 2 gpm. Finally) a series of 14 full-scale tests
conduC'Led in 1971f for the American Health Care Assoc.iation conc.luded that corric(Jl"
v18ll construction having a one-hour fire resistalJ.ce rating provided no
significant fire safety function in buildings protected by automatic sprinklers.
BARE STEEL H-COtUrl~NS TEMPERAWRES DU;;.:ING FiRE r:XPOSURE
FIGURE 3
Reproduced from
v - 11.
3. Vertical and Horizontal Openi~gs
Vertical fire spread is a major contributing factor in large loss fires,
and is often aided by the absence of fire cut-offs at openings between building
floors. Horizontal opening protection is likeHise important to the concept of
limiting potential fire grovlth by means of maintaining fire v:alls and compart-
mentation.
In fully sprinklered buildings, the Codes permit sprinklers to protect
vertical and horizontal openings.
Perhaps the mo[;t COlTunon use of sprinklers in vertical opening protection
is for escalators. All of the Codes permit the use of the escalator protection
criteria found \,lithin NFPA Standaru 13 - Aut01\1i'ltic. Sprinklers (Figure 4 ) in
lieu of enclosure for non-required meal",S of egress. The first testing of sprj_:1kler
protection for escalators was a joint effort by the Otis Elevator Company,
Heslinghouse Electric Cc'opany and the Grinnell Comp,:my in 1947. Other private
tests led to the present protection criteria. Hany of the Codes utilize sprinklEr
protecti.on to permit stairways to be open for up to three stories in. a variety of
occupancies under "communicating floors" optio:1s.
Several Codes permit automatic spl:inklen:; to allm, larger openings in fire
walls, and all of the Codes effectively call upon sprinklers to provine horizontal
"opening" protection by virtue of larger building areas and eUlTlil.ation of ccm-
partmentation. Research at the Factory ~1utual Laboratories in the 1940's found
that while ordinary sprinklers designed to provide a vJater curtain over a doon;r2y
were not effective in countering the flow of hot gases through the opening, care-
ful positioning of nozzles and spray was capable of protecting conveyor system
and other openings.
Research is presently being conducted at the National Bureau of Standards to
examine sprinkler and spray nozzle methods· for the protection of stain.,ays and
other openings.
v - 12
(
FIGURE 4
".----~
i .
\ .. /
v - 13
4. HCcrris of E~ess
Beginning with a 1918 National Fire Protection Association technical report
,,,hich pre-dated the Build.ing EXi~~od~, automatic sprinklers have been permitted
to modify the requirements for egress fad.lities. Initially this ,,-,as in the fonT!
of allowing more occupants per floor in sprinklered buildings. In the 1930's the
concept of exit capacity was introduced, and sprinklered buildings were permitted
more occupants per ur..it of exit ~"idth. Today, while some Codes (Basic BuDding
Code, NFPA Life Safety Code) permit exit capacity increases for sprinklers and
one (National Building Cocia) contains spc':'.ial floor use options fur sprinkle:.:-s.
the Codes are nearly uniform in their allowance of lon8cr exit travel distances in
fully sprinklered buildings. Table 6 presents a comparison of exit travel, dis-
tance requirements in the various occupancies.
Thp populari,ty of exit travel distance increase options may be due in paJ:t
/"'-""-,
\j to their compatibi.li ty ~"i th area increase a llm,:ances for spd.nkleTf:d build in~~.s.
The apparent rationale for all means of egress options is the observed Clb:U.ity of
automatic sprinkJers to control a fire and prevent a major disaster.
Follo~,Ting the Our L2.dy of the Angel s School f ire in Chicago in 1958: Hhi ch
killc:d 95 pu;}ils and teachers, the Los Anzeles Fire Departrr,ent l;~ld2rtGok Cl 5e1'ie2,
of fire tests, "Opel"ation School Burning", in D 3-story school facil,ity
The teGtf~ c.oncluded th::lt a complete system of automatic. sprinkleY.':; ,-,ill lIli.d.rJti:lln
low t~nper~turcs throughout the building and will reduce build-up of smoke and
irritating gases, allowing more time for evacuating occupants. Partial automatic
sprinklers (installed in corridors and stairways hut n8t over the test fire) did
not, ~owever, prevent smoke spread through0ut the building.
In 1966, tests conducted by the City of Denver at the Park Lane Hotel in-
,·.- .",, clicated that sprinklers located in corridors ouly were able to permit egress past
l ..-
,
an open fire room. Research sponsored by the Departments of Dousing and Urban
Development (HUD) and Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) at the National Bureau
v - 14
• TABLE 6
Exit Travel Distance Increase Options

Unsprinklered / Sprinklered
OCCUPANCY CODES
-
Basic Standard Uniform
1978 1979 1979
--
Assembly 150/200* 150/200 150/200
Business 200/300* 150/200* 150/200
Educational (See Assembly) 150/200 150/200
Factory/Industrial 200/300* 150/200 150/200-400
High Hazard NP/75* NP /75* NP /200
Ins ti tutional 100/200* NP /200 150/200
Hercantile 100/150~~ 150/200* 150/200
Residential 100/150* 150/200* 150/200
Storage 200-300/300-400* 150-200/200 150/200-400
NP ~ Not Permitted
* ~ Where floor area is divided into small areas an additional 50 feet is permitted
from cO;("Tidor entrance to remote point on such areas. -. - . . -;. .- -,,--
-- .-" - . - --- -
_ '., , , " j : l . : ~;--,o;~",' 1.88 P'--;,:)C~::~ If sprink-

le~ed, Basic 'permits ext~a 100 TeeL·· uniform pe~~its, an ext~a 100 feet (150
feet if sprinklered) travel distance when last lSJ feet is within a corridor.
V-IS
Page 2
of Standards in 1977 confirmed this, showing that the application of spriaklcr
spray in the corridor is effective in reducing corridor exit gas i.:emperatl'res
outside of the spray zone to a level low enough for passage.
In general, exit travel distance increases are based on the idea that sprinklers
"dll permit more time for evacuating occupants, due to early fire control.
,j"'" .......
v- 16
5.
,r'
Int2rior Finish
Recognition of the hazard of rapid flame spread and the contribution of
flamrnable lining materials is a relatively recent development, ,,,ith studies
initiated following large loss-or-life fires in this country in the 1940's.
While factors such as ventilation and geometry of fuel can also greatly
affect the rate of fire development, fires tend to develop £2ster in
comportments ,'lith more. flanmlable lining materials.
Tl-,e. Ill'Jdel codes uniforJ1.',ly restrict fla,nmabj lity of lining materials lly
adoi'ting classifications of flame spread based on the Steiner Tunnel Test
developed by Under~rriters Laboratories and described within ASTU E84.
(Table 7 ). The test compares fl~\e travel on a material's surface
within a 25-foot wind tunnel to a scale wherein asbestos cement board is
assigned a z:ero rating and -red oak fleoring is assigned a value of 100.
Table 7 - Classifica tion of Flame Spread for Interior Finish
Basic
----
Standard Uniform
- ----
0-25 I A I
26-75 11 B II
76-200 III "
C III
The codes permit a general increase of one flame spread classification
for sprinkle-red buildings. Cla~s III or C is permitted where Class II or B
is normally req:..lired, and Class II or B is permitted ,,,here Class I or A is
normally required.
Tests conducted by the National Bureau of Standards in 1977 concluded
r-", that combustible interior finishes (Class C) did not play any role ip. fire
~
~,~
development ""hen either ceiling mounted or side,,,all sprinklers were installed in
the room.
v - 17
In 1975, the National Bureau of Standards intro~uced the Flooring
( Radiant Pnnel Test for evaluating flooring systems used in corridors and
exitways of buildings. In suggesting radiant flux l~nits for regulating
floor coverings, the Bureau observed that the need for such regulation
diminishes in a building protected by automatic sprinklers and that the
limits therefore could be reduced or elirnina ted.
Use of Plastics
Several of the model codes offer a variety of options pertaining to
increased use of plastics in buildings protected by sprinklers. In some
cases, allowable areas for glazing of unprotected openings, wall panels,
skylights, and light-diffusing systems are permitted to be increased.
Other options permit foam insulation to be used in increased t"nicknesses
(-'" 'vl'C:l spri111~ler S 2re provided. Hc:wy of these options are baseo un 1ar ge-
"... ~.....
scale corner tests conducted by the Factory Mutual Research Corporation for
the Society of Plastics Industry between 1972 and 1977.
v- 18
• r
6. Alarms
!
\
A sprinkler system is required by the national installation standard,
NFPA 13, to sour..d a local ,·,'aterflo,v alarm u:Jon actuation, for any system
having more than 20 sprinklers. Electrically operated alarm attachments
forming part of an auxj_liary, central station, proprietary or remote station
signaling sys~em may be installed in accordance \oJith uther NFPA standards.
The codes permit elimination of other alarm systems to varying degrees
",hen automatic sprinklers are provided. In SC-ime cc~ses, such as a substitution
for heat detection ~ysteTi1s, the basis is eCll1ivCilency. In other c&ses, such as
elimination of manual pull stations, there is no direct equivalency, but a
desire on the part of the Codes to help offset the costs of the sprinkler
system, with the underlying assumption that sprinklers will. provide better
(""--. o'.ierall protection tban \,'ou.l G the manual pull stat.::on:.,.

"-"...... Some codes are reluctant to waive requirements for smoke detection 8vstema
in sprinklered buildings. It has been demonstrated, L1 tests conducted at
the National Bureau of Standards, that automatic sprinklers ctre much slo\o"er
in responding to certain types of fires than smoke detectors.
Nevertheless, an automatic sprinkler system begins extinguishment in
addition to sounding an alarm. Detectors i::imply sou\;d the a121"11'.. Actual
protection provided occupants depends upon a vari.ety of other factors such as
occupant mobility, fire department or fire brigade response, assistance
of ~rain€d staff in rescue, and products of combustion generated.
Reproduced from
!
v - 19
Case Studies olprinldered vs. Unsprink:lered BUil~
The purpose of thes,:- studies is to examine the economic impnct that instAlling
an automatic sprink:ler system has on the cost of constructing vnrious types of
buildillt:;::> under the provisions of the three most widely used model building
codes. Allhough it was not possible to conduct a thorough study of all building
types and occupancies because of time and cost constraints, an analysis has been
made of the cost differences bet ween sprink:lered and unsprinklered buildings of
three different types: a high-rise office building, a two-story combination
mercantile and office building and a four-story apartment building. Each of the
buildings is typical of its selected from of construction and all make' use of
conventional materials and structural systems.
A. Case Study: High-Rise Office Building
The building used for the study was designed as a speculative office building.
Construction documents were completed and bids were received in 1975, but the
project was not built.
Figure 1 is 8 photograptl of a model of the building. As designed, it consisted

of 16 rentable floors plus an additional floor at the top of the building for
mechanical equipment. A partial basement and a mezzanine floor were also
used to accommodate building equipment. The gross building area is -120,000 sq
ft. The structure is a steel frame with cellular metal deck: protected by
sprayed-on cementi'ious fire insulating material. The exterior wall consists of
anodized aluminum, glass and precast concrete. The building was originally
designed with a complete sprinl\ler installation. The structure \\'as to be located
in an urban renewal area within the central business district of a medium sized
city in the northeastern Vnited States.
The method used to establish the cost differential between the sprinl\lered and
unsprinklered designs was to redesign the original sprinklered building as an
unsprinklered building in conformance with the requirements of the three model
building codes and then mal\ing a detailed cost estimate of the differences
between the sprinklered and compartmented designs.
Draw ings 1 and 2 show typical tenant floors of the building in the sprinklered
and compartmented configurations. The differences are considerable. The most
obvious, and the most difficult to cope with for a designer are the two-hour fire
rated compartmenting wall and the one-hour rated exit access corridors and
elevator lobby enclosure. Not as difficult to deal with from a design point of
view but very important as regards cost is the code requirement to provide
smok:e vents that are operable from a point other than on the fire floor in the
compartmented design. In a sprinklered building tempered glass window panels
can be used in place of remotely operable smoke vents. Drawing 3 shows a
smoke vent of the type required in a compartmented high-rise building. The
vents would be operable from the fire control station on the ground floor of the
building.
An option exists in the codes to use the building exhaust system for smol\e
removal in a sprinklered building in place of the tempered glass smol\e vents. In
this instance, this option was not selected because the cost of the controls and
additional emergency power necessary to achieve the required number of exhaust
VI - 1
.
air changes exccedCd'C cost of providing the tcmpere~lass, however, the

mechanical system in the sprinklered design is used to assist in the removal of
smoke.
Other differences between the code requirements for sprinkle red and unsprink-
lered buildings nrc the need to provide a smokeproof tower. fire alarm pull boxes
und first aid fire hose cabinets in a compartmented building. In addition, the
fire protection requirements are increased in unsprinklered buildin~ from
2 hours to 3 hours for columns; from 1 1/2 to 2 hours for floor/ceiling assemblies
and from 1 hour to 2 hours for vert ical shafts.
Drawing 4 shows the interior partition assemblies used for the purposes of this
study. Drawing 5 shows the exterior wall asseJTlbly proposed for the building.
Although all of the model codes offer a trade-off involving the fire rating of
spandrel panels, no effective way of taking economic advantage of this option
was found.
The model codes differ slightly in that the Basic Building Code only requires that
when exit access corridors are provided in a sprinklered building that they be of
noncombustible construction whereas the Standard Building Code and Uniform
Building Code stipulate that corridors must have a one-hour fire rating. This
difference is not reflected in following differential cost analysis as there is
essentially r.o difference in the cost of the two types of wall assemblies.
There are only minor differences in the design of the heating, ventilating and air
conditioning systems for the sprinklered and unsprinklered buildings. As none of
the model codes permits a duct to penetrate the 2-hour fire separation wall in
an unsprinldered building, the air supply, return and exhaust systems must be
entirely separate for each compartment. In this case it was necessary to provide
an additional toilet exhaust system in the unsprinklered design to conform with
this requirement. Of greater economic importance in an unsprinklered building
is the requirement to provide automatic fire dampers on all ducts penetrating a
shaft or corridor wall and automatic self-closing fire rated doors activated by
smoke detectors \\'hen such doors are located in a fire rated wall and are
normally held in an open position.
In both versions of the building, the mechanical equipment rooms are fUlly
sprinklered. This decision was made because the code provision prohibiting the
penetration of a fire separation wall would make it necessary to provide two
entirely sepurate air handling systems, one for each compartment. This would
not make economic sense in view of the relative cost of providing sprinkler
protection. The mod::l codes differ slightly with respect to mechanical
equipment spaces. The Basic Building Code requires that all such spaces be
equipped with automatic sprinklers but does not require the installation of a
smoke detection system. The Standard Building Code and Uniform Building Code
require smoke detection systems but n,ake the installation of sprinklers optional.
VI - 2
.j
{
,'l
Reproduced from
FIG. 1 best available copy.
HIGH RISE OFFICE BUILDING
VI - 3
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VI - 5
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VI - 6
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VI - 7
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SPRINKLER SYSTEM
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VI - 8
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SPRINKLER SYSTEM
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VI - 10
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SPRINKLER SYSTEM
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VI - 11
lI"T1oo----- TYPIClles;: V~LVE
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D-ll
SPRINKLER SYSTEM
RISER DIAGRAM
VI - 12
l1ruwings 6 throughtt show the sprinlder installation de,11Cd for this b:J;;ding.
The system is hydraulically designed in aCCOrdflnCe with the requirements of the
National Fire Protection Association flnd all of the modcl codes with one
exception. The Standard Building Code requires that a secondary on-site source
of water be provided in all cases whereas the Basic Building Code and L'nifcrm
Building Code only impose this requirement in seism ic zones 2 and 3. In the
following differential cost analysis the added expense of providing a secondary
source of water has been identified.
Drawing 11 shows the fire standpipe and sprinkler riser diagram for the building.
[n both configurations this installation would be nearly identical. In the
sprinklered design the sprinkler supply run""Juts are equipped with automatic
supervision. In the unsprinklered design these connections would be required to
feed the firehose cabinets but would not be equipped with supervision devices.
The following cost analysis was prepared for the purpose of comparing the cost
of constructing the high-rise office building used for the study in sprinklered nnd
unsprinklered configurations. The costs represent national average costs in mid
1978 and therefore would differ somewhat in areas that have higher or lower
than average construction cost indexes. The analysis was prepared by Lothrop
.-\ssociates, Architects, assisted by Jaros, Baum and Bolles, Consulting Engineers
and the Turner Construction Company.
The following additional costs are associated with the unsprinklered version of
the building:
1. Fire Doors
47 single leaf "B" label doors,

frames and hardware @ $587 each $ 27,589
16 double leaf liB" label doors,

frames and hardware @ $1,095 each 17,520
General contractor!s overhead

and profit @ 10% + 1096 9,473
Sub-total $ 54,582
2. Fire Separation Walls (2 hour rating)
18,315 sq ft @ $2.66/sq ft $ 48,718

13,320 sq ft paint @ $.25/sq ft 3,330
General contractor's overhead and
profit @10% + 10% 10,930
Sub-total $ 62,978
VI -13.
3. Remote Control Smoke Vents (Other options
availnble that may be less costly)
256 units © $740 each installed $189,440

Conduit, wiring, controls 96,000
profit @ lOC!o + 10 0 v 59,942
Sub-total $345,382
4. Additional Fire Insulation
420,000 gross sq ft building

area @ $.10/sq ft over
2A rating for 18 construction $ 42,000
General contractor's overhead
and profit @ 10% + 10% 8,820
---
Sub-total $ 50,820
5. Fire Hose Cabinets
36 units @ $300 each $ 10,800

General contractol"S overhed
and profit @ 10% + 10% 2,268
Sub-total S 13,068
6. Additional Toilet Exhaust Riser
Duct work S 3,300

and profit @ 10% + 10% 693
Sub-total S 3,993
7. Additional Fire Dampers
Dampers $ 12,000
and profit @ 10% + 10% 2.520
Sub-total $ 14,520
8. Additional Smoke Detectors and Door Releases
Detectors and releases $ 18,000

and profit @ 10% + 10% 3,780
-- -
Sub-total $ 21,780
VI - 14
9. Fire Alarm Pull -,:_cs
36 Pull Stations © SSG/cach S 1,800

Conduit and wire (0 $lOO/CllCh 3,GOO
General contractor's ovcrhcn.d
and profit © 10% + 10l}, 1,134
Sub-total $ 6.534
Total add cost items $573,657
The following items are not required III the unsprinklered configuration:
1. Tempered Glass Smoke Vents
256 lights 4'-9" x 6'-0" © $62.70 S 16,051

additional cost/light
and profit © 1090 + 10% 3,371
---
Sub-total $ 19,422
2. Sprinklers on Tenant Floors
Tamperproof valves, alarms, piping

and heads 360,000 sq ft © $.80/sq ft S288,000
and profit © 10C\:, + 1090 60,480
Sub-total S348,480
Total delete cost items S367,902
Summary
Add cost items:
1. Fire doors $ 54,582

2. Fire walls 62,978
3. Smoke vents (see Note item 3) 345,382
4. F ire insulation 50,820
5. Fire hose cabinets 13,068
6. Toilet exhaust riser 3,993
7. Fire dampers 14,520
8. Smoke detectors, door releases 21,780
9. Fire alarm pull boxes 6,534
Sub-total $573,657
vi-=-- 15
· e
Delete cost Items:
1. Tempered glass smoke vents $ 19,422

2. Sprinklers on tenant floors 348,480
Sub Total $367,902
Net additional cost for

unsprinklered building $205,755
$205,755 ~ 420,000 sq ft = $.49/sq ft
Secondary Water Supply When Required by Codes
Tank $ 16,000
Additional piping, valves, etc. 5,000
Additional supporting structure 6,000
and profit © 10% + 1096 5,670
-- -
S 32,670
Although the above cost comparison is based upon national average costs, the
conclusions that can be drawn from it would remain the same throughout the
nation. First, there is very little difference in the construction cost of a
sprinkle red and unsprinklered high-rise office building of this construction type
with perhaps a slightly lower cost for a sprinklered building particularly if a
secondary water supply is not required. Second, space planning within a
sprinklered building is more flexible than in a compartmented building becallse
of the elimination of fire separation walls.
During the course of the study the differences in certain operating costs were
investigated. While most operating costs were the sa me for sprinklered and
unsprinklered buildings some of the differences would be of interest to a building
owner.
Improved Risk 1\1 utuals, an insurance company, was asked to analyze and rate
both building designs and establish a fiie insurance rate for each. They
concluded that the insurance rate for the sprinkle red building would be about 25
percent lower than the rate for the unsprinklered building. \\'hile this may seem
significant, the fact is that well designed high-rise office buildings of either type
are very safe buildings as reflected in the actual cost difference of insuring the
two buildings of approximately $7,000 per year. This amounts to about two
cents per rental square foot per year in reduced insurance premiums. It should
also be noted that only one company of a highly specialized type was asked to
rate the buildings. Competition for actual business among several insurance
companies might change the picture somewhat.
The differenct~ in the maintenance cost for a smoke detect ion and manual fire
alarm system and a sprinkler system was found to be insignificant with the
former perhaps slightly higher because of the need to inspect and maintain the
smoke venting system.
,'-,-
VI ::. 16
A cost that is associld with 8. sprinklered building th. was impossible to
quanti fy but nevertheless must be considered by an owner is the Ii fe cycle cost
of moving sprinkler heads when II renovation teh:es place. While this mny not
be a significl:int cost in an owner-occupied building, it can become an appreciable
expense in a rental building with multiple tenants.
A final aspect of the sprinklered design that would be of considerable interest

to an owner is the potent ial incre: 1 se in the building area available to occupy or
rent if exit access corridors are not required because an entire floor was
occupied by a single tenant. The additional space available amounts to
approximately 630 sq ft per floor. The actla! ability of an owner to take
advantage of this additional space would depend upon several factors such as the
number of tenants on a particular floor and the conditions included in leases.
However, over the life of a building this could be the most important factor in
determining if a building is to be sprinklered or unsprinklered.
D. Case Study: 1\1id-Rise Apartment Building

The building used as the prototype for this case study was designed in 1978 for
a large medical care institution to provide housing for its staff and for a number
of seriously disabled people who, despite their disability, could Ii ve independently
if they were provided with properly designed housing. The design anticipated
that up to twenty-five percent of the residents may be confined to wheelchairs.
Because of this requirement the design provides somewhat more space in the
circulation areas and the individual apartments Ulan would normally be found in
a building of this type. However since the purpose of this case study is to
I
examine the economic impact of providing an automatic fire suppression system

in a mid-rise multifamily residence building and is not concerned with the
overall construction cost of the building, it is not felt that the validity of the
conclusions reached is affected.
\\'hen the building was originally designed, it was to be constructed to meet the
requirements of the Type 2A, noncombustible, protected construction classifica-
tion because it was felt that at some time in the future all or parts of the
structure might be used for institutional purposes. The permitted construction
types for the multifamily residence occupancy classification do not meet the
requirements for an institutional occupancy. Therefore, in order to present a
more accurate picture of the economic impact of installing a sprinkler system
in this occupancy the construction classificetion has been changed to 28 for the
unsprinklered version and 2C, noncombustible, unprotected for the sprinklered
design.
The trade-offs offered in return for providing automatic fire protection in mid-
rise multifamily residential buildings while limited offer the designer of such a
building an interesting set of options. Basically there are three economically
significant trade-offs available for consideration. A one-story height increase
within a given construction classification, a floor area increase that varies with
the height of the proposed building within a given construction classification and
an increase in the permitted travel distance to a required exit. It is interesting
to note that while all of the model codes provide similar relief under normal
circumstances it would probably not be possible to take advantage of all of the
available trade-offs b.~"'use of zoning restrictions whicll2d toke precedence.
For example, there.... d be nothing gained from a perl1.ed height increase
from three stories to four stories in 8 residence zone that limited buildings to
two and one-half stories in height. On all but the very largest sites, tile
increased travel distance permitted in sprinklered buildings would probably not
provide much relief. Also, as a general rule, area and bulk restrictions combined
with the need to provide automobile parking and required open space inevitably
combine to reduce the a mount of construction that can be put on a given site
to far below what would be possible if only height and set-back requirements had
to be met.
Thus, until a particular set of circumstances have been examined it is difficult

to make an accurate general statement regarding the economic impact of
installing sprinklers in a multifamily residential building. In this instance, only
one available trade-off could be used, the one story height increase permitted
in sprinklered buildings. The extra travel distance to an exit that installing
sprinklers would permit could not be used as a longer building could not be
placed on the site; thus in both sprinklered and unsprinklered designs three exit
stairs are required. The increased floor area between fire separation walls
likewise produced no cost effect as in both versions of the building one firewall
is required. Thus, it seems fair to conclude that this case study is reasonably
representative of a typical set of circumstances.
The economic impact of three different sprinkler system designs were examined.
The first, a system in which only the corridors are sprinklered is of the type
required by the Federal Housing Administration ]l,linimum Property Standards for
all government financed multifamily housing. While systems of this type may
provide a certain level of protection, none of the model codes offer any trade-
orfs when such a system is provided. Thus, the additional cost of the system
is, by definition, a straight additional cost. Also, the fact that very few
apartment house fires start in corridors causes one to seriously question the
logic behind this F.H.A. requirement. Drawings D-l and D-2 show the system
design used for the study. While it is an economical system utilizing only 148
sprinkler heads and pipe sizes ranging from one inch to one and one-half inch,
its cost, $38,720 cannot be off-set as mentioned above.
The second system studied is a modified version of the first. In this system an
additional sprinkler head is installed just inside each corridor door. While the
logic behind the design of this type of system would seem to be an improvement
over a system in which only the corridors are sprinklered as virtually all
apartment house fires start within rooms, none of the model codes regard this
type of system as being adequate. Thus, no trade-offs are available to off -set
the cost of such a system. Because of the similarity between this system and
a corridor-only system, no additional drawings were prepared beyond sketches
for estimating purposes. The system utilizes 256 sprinkler heads and its cost has
been estimated at $58,080.
Drawings D-3 and D-4 show the fully sprinklered design use for this study. The
system meets all of the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association
and thus is in conformance with all of the model building codes. The system
utilizes 880 sprinkler heads and pipe sizes range from two inches to one inch.
The total estimated cost of the system is $137,940. However, as was mentioned
above, one very important trade-off could be utilized to off -set the cost of the
system. By changing from noncombustible, protected to noncombustible,
VI - 18
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VI - 21
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VI - 22
•
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D-5
RISER DIAGRAM
VI - 23
unprotected constructio.a cost saving of $1.52 per sq ft e be reAlized. As
the gross building area is approximately 98,000 sq ft. this trElnslntes to a
construction cost saving of $148,960. The model codes also permit the
elimination of fire hose cabinets in fUlly sprinklcrcd buildings which would
produce an additional saving of $4,356. Thus, the totHl sBving, $153,316 more
than off -sets the cost of the sprinkler system in this particular set of
circumstances.
The following is a summary of the comparative cost of each of the systems

included in this case study:
System # 1 - Corridors Only
Sprinkler system S 32,000

profit @ 1096 + 10% 6,720
Sub-total $ 38,720
Code permitted trade-offs -0-
Total additional cost S 38,720
System # 2 - Corridors Plus Additional Sprinkler Inside

Each Corridor Door
Sprinkler system S -18.000

profit © 1096 + 10% 10,080
Sub-total S 58,080
---
Total additional cost $ 58,080
System #3 - Fully Sprinklered BUilding
Sprinkler system $114,000

profit © 1096 + 10% 23,940
Sub-total $137,940
Reduction in construction requirements
98,000 sq ft @ $1.52 ($148.960)
ElirT'iilate fire hose cabinets
12 @ $363 (4,356)
Sub-total (S153,316)
Net cost reduction $ 15,376
VI - 24
- e
Once again, the reader is reminded that the above findings reflect El particular
set of circumstances and cannot be used to reAch a gener,:tl conclusion.
However, experience with this and other similar projects leads to the opinion
that the trade-offs available in the model codes would permit an owner or
developer to install an automatic fire suppression system in a multifamily
residential building under many circumstances without increasing the construc-
tion cost.
'(... Case Study: Two-Story Mercantile and Office Building
The building used a:; the prototype for this case study was completed in mid 1979
and contained a branch bank on the ground floor and bank offices on the second
floor. The building was, however, quite small so for the purpose of this study
it was increased in size from 4,400 gross sq ft to 10,000 gross sq ft in order to
present a more realistic idea of the cost of providing .. an automatic fire
protection system in this typical building type.
Figure I is a photograph of the original version of the building and is included

here to give the reader an idea of the basic design concept. The structure is
steel frame with brick masonry veneer exterior walls, anodized aluminum double
glazed windows and doors, and concrete floor and roof decks. The ground floor
is slab on grade,
For buildings of the size, occupancy and construction type used in this case
study, none of the model building codes offer any meaningful trade-orrs to
reduce the additional cost of a sprinkler system. However, although not
considered in this case study, a building of this size and occupancy could be built
of unprotected wood frame construction outside of a fire district if it was
equipped with sprinklers. If it was not so equipped, it would not be permit ted
by the model codes. If this trade-off option had been used, the building
construction cost could have been reduced by considerably more than the cost
of the fire protection system. However, as buildings of this type are normally
located within a fire district, the use of noncombustible construction is more
rea list ic.
The sprinkler system designed for this case study is a hydraulically calculated
system that meets the requirements of National Fire Protection Association
Code 13 and is acceptable under all of the model codes. Drawings 1 and 2 show
the sprinkler system design used for this case study. The design area of
application is 1,500 sq ft and the area covered per sprinkler is 130 sq ft for the
mercantile space and 225 sq ft for the office space. The incoming water service
is four inch pipe. Distribution piping ranges in size from three inches to one
inch. Drawing 3 shows the riser diagra m for the syste m.
The estimated cost of the sprinkler system is as follows:
Sprinkler system installed complete S 7,800

Trenching, backfill and paving repair 475
Total system cost S 8,275
VI~- 25
• •
As mentioned above, the model codes did not provide an:,!st reducing trade-
ofCs for buildings of this type that could be taken advantage of using this
building design. There is one possible saving offered that could be taken
advantage of if the building were sprinklered and the top floor were occupied by
more than one tenant. If the space were divided for two or more tenants, a
corridor connecting the two exits would have to be provided. In an unsprinklered
building the corridor walls would be required to have a one-hour fire rating
whereas in a sprinklered building this requirement is waived. Although this
would appear to provide some cost savings, the fact is that the least expensive
corridor wall construction, steel studs and gypsum board, can provide the
necessary fire rating at little or no increase in cost over an unrated wall.
The significant cost saving is obtained through a reduction in both owner's and
tenant's insurance rates. An estimate obtained indicated a premium reduction
to the owner in the area of $2,000 per year which would mean that the cost of
a sprinkler system would be covered in about four years. If the owner were also
the tenant the payback period would be even shorter. If the owner were not the
tenant, the reduced insurance rates available to the tenant might induce him to
rent space or possibly to pay a slightly higher rent.
In conclusion, we found that there were no major cost saving trade-offs to

reduce the economic impact of installing an automatic sprinkler system in this
building type. Therefore, installing such a system was essentially an add-on cost
to the owner. The chief incentive to install a sprinkler system is the reduction
in insurance premiums available to owners of sprinklered buildings. In terms of
the impact that installing sprinklers might have on the design of a building of
this type there is little or none if the building is located in a fire district. In
terms of visual appearance, the concealed sprinkler i1eads now available are
essentially unnoticeable .
....
VI726
•
,.'
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VI - 27
• •
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-3" SPK, ON
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F.D, CONN, REFER TO RISER DIA
o 5 10 15 20
15""'"'''\",,,,•.-., 1'" !*~;::;;I
• -;, I
VI - 28
D-l
GROUND FLOOR SPRINKLER SYSTEM
•
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<>--4l---+-- CALCULATED AREA 1500 FT. 2
SPACING AT 225 FT 2
--l DENSITY " G PM.! F T 2
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VI - 29
D-2
SECOND FLOOR SPRINKLER SYSTEM
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D -3
RISER DIAGRAM
VI - 30

Study of Fire Supp in Model BLDG Codes FEMA - 1982

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Study of Fire Supp in Model BLDG Codes FEMA - 1982

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A STUDY OF

AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS

REPRODUCED BY, NTIS.

Council of American Building Officials

Federal Emergency Management Agency

17. Document Analysi. a. DescriPtors

automatic sprinklers extinguishing systems

II. Identlfi.n1/0pen·Ended T.rms

• This document may contain data which exceeds the sheet

• This document may contain tone-on-tone or color graphs, charts

• This document is paginated as submitted by the original source.

The OpinIOnS, findings. conclusIOns and recommendatIOns herem do not

II. SPRINKLER PROVISIONS IN THE BASIC BUILDING CODE - 1978 II

B. Where Automatic Fire Suppression Systems are

1. Complete Automatic Fire Suppression Protection II - 4

C. Automatic Fire Suppression Trade-Offs and Options

1. Area, Height, and Fireresistance Options II - 10

III. SPRINKLER PROVISIONS IN THE STANDARD BUILDING CODE - 1979

1. Occupancy Classifications III - 2

B. Where Automatic Sprinkler Systems are Required

1. Complete Automatic Sprinkler Systems Required III - 4

Area, Height, and Fire-Resistance Options III - 7

l. Applicable Standards III - 23

IV. SPRINKLER PROVISIONS IN THE UNIFORM BUILDING CODE - 1979

B. Where Automatic Sprinkler Systems are Required

1. Complete Automatic Sprinkler Systems Required IV - 5

C. Automatic Sprinkler System Trade-Offs and Options

1. Area, Height, and Fire-Resistance Options IV - 7

V. TECHNICAL BASIS & RATIONALE FOR SPRINKLER PROVISIONS

A. Sprinkler System Requirements for Occupancy V-I

l. Area and Height V- 6

VI. CASE STUDIES OF SPRINKLERED VS. UNSPRINKLERED VI

A. Case Study: High-Rise Office Building VI- I

C. Case Study: Two-Story Mercantile and Office VI - 25

This report was prepared under fl

The Building Offi~ia.ls and .C?d~Administrato.rs ,lnternational, Inc., Interna~ional

The National Institute of Building Sciences assembled a panel of experts to

John T. O'Hagan, Chairman, New York City Fire Department (Ret.)

Members of the Review Panel do not necessarily e.ndorse this report.

IFormerly, National Fire Prevention and Control Administration,

Russell P. Fleming. PE, National Automatic Spl'inkler and Fire Control

Edward J. Reilly. National Automatic Sprinkler and Fire Control

In vest iga tors

Paul K. Heilstedt. PE, Building Officials and Code Administrators

John C. Fannir. III, Lnited States Fire Administration C~OI'"W\erlj)

Approximately three fourths of the municipalities in the United States have

oBuildin§ Officials and Code :\dministrators International-Basic Building Code

l. The identification and compilation of code provisions for and design

3. A determination of the technical basis or rationale. AS available, for

4. A review by an expert panel of the draft report developed. The

5. Update "Guide to Automatic Sprinklers in the ~lodel Building Codes".

Basic Building Code

". - - . - -_.- --Q

Standard Building Code

1. The model codes are generally consistent with regard to sprinkler

2. 'I1odel code provisions are based on the best technical information

3. A majority of local and state building regulations are based on

4. Sprinkler requirements and design options were included in most of

7. Fire tests involving automatic sprinkler systems have produced

8. Very little documentation exists with respect to why most design

9. Reliability of the automatic sprinkler systems to perform satisfac-

10. The cost analyses of the sprinklered and unsprinklered versions of

It is recommended that the United States Fire Administration undertake the

Sh~~t~e b~c~~:sef~reac;~~~~~fll~nIS7iIID~r~) In as.