The Lexington Division of Fire and Emergency Services. Fire Chief Robert G. Hendricks

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1 The Lexington Division of Fire and Emergency Services Fire Chief Robert G. Hendricks

2 The Code of Hammurabi 229. If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death If it kills the son of the owner, the son of that builder shall be put to death If a builder builds a house for someone, even though he has not yet completed it; if then the walls seem toppling, the builder must make the walls solid from his own means.

3 UK Building Codes In the News January 15, 2007 // Published as a news service by HIS The U.K. government announced revisions to the Building Regulations of the Building Act 1984 relating to fire safety. The revisions to Part B (fire safety) of the Building Regulations s and supporting guidance in Approved Document B reflect recent experiences of actual fires, developments in construction, research rch findings and stakeholder engagement, including a four-month public consultation exercise. The revised code will affect future building work in England and Wales, such as the erection, extension or material alteration of a building, and how fire safety is designed into a building. They also include amendments to the guidance on domestic loft conversions, the use of door-closing devices in dwellings and the provision of sprinklers in tall blocks of flats. Note: A fire partition is the term used for the separation wall between dwelling units. Generally the requirement is a one hour wall with a 20 minute self closing door in the non sprinklered building and a ½ hour wall with a 20 minute self closing door in the sprinklered building

4 **FIRE PARTITIONS **708.1 General. The following wall assemblies shall comply with this section: 1. Walls separating dwelling units in the same building. 2. Walls separating sleeping units in occupancies in Group R-1 1 hotel, R-2 R 2 and I-1 I 1 occupancies.** Fire-resistance resistance rating. Fire partitions shall have a fire-resistance resistance rating of not less than 1 hour. (20 minute self closing door)** Note: Group R-2 R 2 is your typical apartment style with common egress hallways Group R-2 R 2 and R-3. R An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout all buildings with a Group R-2 R and R-3 R 3 fire area where more than two stories in height, including basements. **

5 **[F] Groups R-2, R R-3, R R-4 R 4 and I-1. I Single-or multiple-station smoke alarms shall be installed and maintained in Groups R-2, R R-3, R R-4R and I-1, I regardless of occupant load at all of the following locations: 1. On the ceiling or wall outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of bedrooms. 2. In each room used for sleeping purposes 3. In each story within a dwelling unit, including basements but not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. In dwellings or dwelling units with split levels and without an intervening door between the adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper level shall suffice for the adjacent lower level provided that the lower level is less than one full story below the upper level.**

6 **[F] Group R-2. R A manual fire alarm system shall be installed in Group R-2 R 2 occupancies where: 1. Any dwelling unit or sleeping unit is located three or more stories above the lowest level of exit discharge; 2. Any dwelling unit or sleeping unit is located more than one story below the highest level of exit discharge of exits serving the dwelling unit or sleeping unit; or 3. The building contains more than 16 dwelling units or sleeping units.** The changes go into effect on April 6, 2007.

7 For non-domestic buildings, the key changes include: The introduction of a maximum unsprinklered compartment size for single-story story warehouses. Note: You can build a 1-story 1 S-2 S 2 warehouse as big as you want so long as you meet the open space requirements. This is in a special section of the code that governs unlimited area buildings. For the t most part the unlimited area building will be sprinkled unless it i qualifies as the 1 story F-2 F 2 or S-2. S Table 503 ALLOWABLE HEIGHT AND BUILDING AREAS govern how big a building can be based on use group and construction type. From the tables starting point you can get increases in the buildings height and area by adding open space around the building for area and adding sprinklers for height and area increases.

8 **507.2 Nonsprinklered,, one story. The area of a one-story, Group F-2 F 2 or S-2 S 2 building shall not be limited when the building is surrounded and adjoined by public ways or yards not less than 60 feet ( mm) in width.** **311.3 Low-hazard storage, Group S-2. S Includes, among others, buildings used for the storage of noncombustible materials such as products on wood pallets or in paper cartons with or without single thickness divisions; or in paper wrappings. Such products are permitted to have a negligible amount of plastic trim, such as knobs, handles or film wrapping.** I have more, but you get the picture.

Our Codes and Requirements In Kentucky, Design Professionals (Architects and Engineers) are charged to work from the Kentucky Building Code, Ninth Edition, 2007 which regionalizes the 2006

9 Our Codes and Requirements In Kentucky, Design Professionals (Architects and Engineers) are charged to work from the Kentucky Building Code, Ninth Edition, 2007 which regionalizes the 2006 International Building Code with Kentucky specific provisions. Design Professional s s plans are then submitted and reviewed by the local office of Building Inspection and local Fire Marshal s s Office. In our case, the Office of New Construction.

10 The Goal To design and build the safest possible wood constructed residential multiple unit structures within Code defined maximum allowable height and surface area. The design principle is each dwelling unit acts like a safety compartment or envelope to keep the fire contained to the room or unit of origin within the overall building system.

11 Large Multi-Unit Wood Constructed Residential Structures Any residential project of 12 units or larger require architectural and engineered stamped plans submitted for review and approval.

12 Use Groups Our R-1 R 1 Use Group is defined as Residential Occupancies containing sleeping units where the occupants are primarily transient in nature.. For example, hotels, motels, and boarding houses. R-2 2 Use Group is defined as residential occupancies containing sleeping units or more than two dwelling units where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature.. For example, apartments and condos, dormitories, other non transient housing.

13 Wood Built Construction If it has been determined that the project is to be built out of wood to achieve the maximum height of four stories there is only one option, Type 5A Construction. - One example of protecting wood building components is with 5/8 Fire Rated Gypsum. There are a multitude of UL Listed Assemblies to achieve the required rating.

14 Allowable Height and Building Areas R-1 and R-2

15 Adding Sprinklers to the Equation The minimum sprinkler system would be NFPA13R. It permits an additional story, to a maximum height of four stories. To achieve both maximum height and square footage increase (200% + allowable area) requires NFPA13.

17 R-1 1 & 2 Fire Resistance Rated Construction One hour rating vertically and horizontally between living units. Corridors rated one hour with 20 minute doors with closures. Shafts (elevators, stairs), communicating three floors require one hour rating including doors. - Four or more stories require two hour rating and door closures. - Constant lighting is required in stair shafts.

18 Code Comparison IBC Firewall material shall be of any approved non -combustible material An automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Sec shall be provided throughout all buildings with a Group R fire area. Kentucky Rev Firewall materials shall be constructed of approved masonry or concrete materials that provide the strength and fire resistance ratings as specified by this code An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout all buildings with a Group R- R 2 and R-3 R 3 fire area which are more than two stories in height, including basements.

19 Code Comparison IBC Type A-2 A (Restaurant) requires a sprinkler system for occupancies greater than 100. Kentucky Rev Sprinkler systems are required in Type A-2 A (Restaurant) with occupancies greater than 300. Examples of Exceptions In Kentucky - churches are exempt from sprinkler requirements unless they are trying to increase their height and building area without separation. - alarm systems in churches are exempt from the requirement to be monitored off site.

20 Trade Offs The Kentucky Building Code has a number of building options and trade offs. The fire code official s s job is to insure each trade off results in equal or greater life safety for the occupants and responding fire personnel.