building code - new york institute of technologyiris.nyit.edu/~maltwick/es2/nyc_fire_code.pdf ·...

NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS1MODEL CODE PROGRAM

BUILDING CODEOF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

New York City Department of Buildings4 June 2007

Fatma Amer, PE, Deputy Commissioner, Technical AffairsJames Colgate, RA, Executive ArchitectJohn Lee, RAKeith Wen, RAGus Sirakis, PE


Chapter 3 – Use & Occupancy Classifications

Chapter 4 – Special Detailed Requirements based on Use and Occupancy

Chapter 5 – General Heights and Areas

Chapter 6 – Types of Construction


Chapter 3 –Use and Occupancy Classification

D-1semiconductor fabrication facilities using hazardous production materials (HPM) in excess of the permitted aggregate quantity.H-5

nonematerials that are health hazards.H-4

Amaterials that readily support combustion or present a physical hazard.H-3

Auses present a deflagration hazard or a hazard from accelerated burning.H-2

Amaterials that present a detonation hazard. H-1

AHigh Hazard: Groups H-1, H-2, H-3, H-4, and H-5H

D-2involve non-combustible, non-flammable materials, or low-hazardous production. F-2

D-1moderate-hazard.F-1

DFactory and industrial: Groups F-1 and F-2F

GEducational: 5 or more persons at any time for educational purposes. E

EBusiness:office, professional, service-type transaction, public or civic services.B

F-2participation in or viewing outdoor activities.A-5

F-1bindoor sporting events with spectator seating.A-4

F-3,F-1b, F-4

worship, recreation or amusement (physically active), and other assembly uses not classified elsewhere in Group A.A-3

F-4food and/or drink consumption.A-2

F-1awith fixed seating, intended for production and viewing of the performance arts or motion pictures.A-1

FAssembly: Groups A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, and A-5 A


Chapter 3 –Use and Occupancy Classification

KUtility and Miscellaneous:

structures of an accessory character, or not classified in any specific occupancy.U

B-2low-hazard storage occupancy for non-combustible materials.S-2

B-1moderate-hazard storage occupancy for any flammable or combustible materials.S-1

BStorage: Groups S-1, and S-2S

J-3not more than 2 apartments on a long term basis (for a month or more).R-3

J-2more than 2 dwelling units on a long term basis (for a month or more).R-2

J-1occupied transiently (for less than one month). R-1

JResidential: Groups R-1, R-2, and R-3R

CMercantile: display and sale of merchandise.M

H-2

day care facilities, occupied by persons of any age who receive custodial care (without overnight) by individuals other than parents, guardians, or relatives in a place other than at the home.I-4

H-1more than 5 persons who are detained under restraint or security reason.I-3

H-2medical, surgical, nursing or custodial care, on a 24-hour basis, of more than 3 persons, who are not capable of self-preservation or responding to an emergency situation without physical assistance from staff.

I-2

J-2 ?housing persons, on a 24-hour basis, capable of self-preservation and responding to an emergency situation without physical assistance from staff.I-1

H, J-2Institutional: Groups I-1, I-2, I-3, and I-4 I


Chapter 3 – Use and Occupancy Classifications

• Fire ratings of separations for some occupancies are permitted to be reduced by one hour in fully sprinklered buildings.

• Assembly spaces occupied by fewer than 75 persons are classified as Group B (business), not A.

• Educational uses for adults beyond the 12th grade, including universities, are classified as Group B (Business), not E.

• Non-production chemical laboratories are classified as Group B (Business), not as industrial/factory.

• Student Dormitories are classified as Group R-1, not R-2.– New concept of Student Apartments (Group R-2) introduced.



• Incidental Use Areas– Incidental to the main occupancy – List of specific uses on Table 302.1.1 which provides required

separation in hours• Accessory Use Areas

– Generally, spaces accessory to the main occupancy that do not exceed 10% of the floor area, and certain assembly occupancies, will not require separation

– Otherwise treated as a mixed occupancy• Mixed occupancies

– Required separations provided in Table 302.3.2• For most occupancies, the required separations may be

reduced by 1 hour, but not less than that required for the floor and not less than 1 hour, whichever is higher

– Different tenants must be separated by fire barriers having a minimum of 1 hour fire-resistance rating


Chapter 4 – Special Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy

COVERED MALL BUILDINGS (Section 402)• Fire-resistance-rated separation between tenants not

required in sprinklered covered mall buildings• Smoke control systems required in covered mall buildings

HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS (Section 403)• High-rise buildings defined as having occupied floors

located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access (no longer measured to the roof)

• LL 26/04• Elevator lobbies required in high-rise buildings when

elevators open onto a fire-resistance-rated corridor• Emergency power and one-way voice communications

required for high-rise R-2 buildings• Smokeproof enclosures required in high-rise buildings


Chapter 4 – Special Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy

ATRIUMS (Section 404)• Defined as connecting 3 or more stories• Smoke control systems required in atriums• Under some conditions, 100% of occupants may travel

through an atrium to satisfy means of egress requirements instead of current code’s 50%

PARKING GARAGES (Section 406)• Commercial vehicles, buses, and trucks prohibited in open

parking garages• Larger floor areas will be permitted for parking garages


Chapter 5 – General Buildings Heights and Areas

• Proposed Code Table 503 indicates height and area limitations for unsprinkleredbuildings

• Height increases for sprinklered buildings based on a factor, usually additional 20 feet in height and 1 additional story

• Area increases for sprinklered buildings based on a factor, usually additional 200% for multistory buildings and 300% for single story buildings

…continued



• Area decreases for buildings greater than 3 stories in height

• Unlimited area provisions for certain buildings when fully sprinklered

• Formulary provided for frontage increases

• Special regulations for separation distances greater than 60 feet



• Basement and cellar defined as per the current code• Basements that meet certain restrictions do not need to be

included in the total allowable floor area • Mezzanines defined to be between the floor and ceiling of

the story• Mezzanines will no longer contribute to a building’s

maximum area limits, only to its fire area • Mezzanines within dwelling units are limited to 1/3 of the

net floor area of the dwelling unit as per the current code and current practice

• Garages located below certain occupancies may be considered separate buildings in terms of total building area, thus allowing larger buildings within a property’s total building area limits



• Example



• Elimination of the current code’s construction class I-A, 4-hour non-combustible construction

Class II-EType VBClass II-DType VAClass II-AType IVClass II-CType IIIBClass II-BType IIIAClass I-EType IIBClass I-DType IIAClass I-CType IBClass I-BType IA

Equivalent current code construction class

Proposed Code construction type


Chapter 6 – Types of ConstructionCombustible Materials in Type I and II Construction. • specific instances where combustible materials are permitted in

buildings of noncombustible construction– foam plastics for thermal and acoustical insulation– combustible components of show windows not over 15 feet above grade – combustible material as a component of interior partitions in buildings

occupied by a single tenant, provided that the partitions do not establish a corridor serving an occupant load of 30 or more.

– platforms and stages – exterior wall coverings, blocking for handrails, millwork and trim – combustible mastics and caulking materials – combustible nailing or furring strips– heavy timber permitted to be installed as roof construction components

and as exterior structural elements– sprayed fire-resistant-rated materials – protection of penetrations in fire-resistant-rated assemblies – protection of joints in fire-resistant-rated assemblies– combustible materials, such as combustible piping, in concealed spaces– combustible materials exposed within plenums – nonmetallic ducts – combustible piping materials


Chapter 7 – Fire-Resistance-Rated Construction

Chapter 9 – Fire Protection Systems


Chapter 7 – Fire-Resistance Rated Construction

• Exterior walls (Section 704)– Table 704.8 prescribes the area limitations, as a percentage

of exterior wall area, for both unprotected and protected openings, based upon separation distances, irrespective of construction class. • Compare to current code Table 3-4

– Table 704.8 permits unprotected openings within separation distance of 15 feet• current code permits the equivalent only for construction

classes II-D and II-E



• Exterior walls (Section 704)– Both protected and unprotected openings are permitted

within the same exterior wall, limited in area through a formulary (Equation 7-2)

– the amount of unprotected openings in exterior walls is permitted to equal the permitted amount of protected openings in fully sprinklered buildings

– fully spriiklered buildings are not required to provide vertical separation of openings



Elements of Fire and Smoke Separation

• Fire Separation of Occupied Spaces– FIRE WALL– FIRE BARRIER– FIRE PARTITION

• Fire Separation of Concealed Spaces– FIRESTOPPING– FIREBLOCKING– DRAFT STOP

• Smoke Separation of Spaces– SMOKE BARRIER– SMOKE PARTITION



Fire separation of occupied spaces

• FIRE WALL (Section 705)– A fire resistance rated wall, with protected openings,

extending continuously from the foundation through or to a roof assembly

– Each portion of a building separated by fire walls shall be considered a separate building.

– Similar to current code definition of FIRE DIVISION




• FIRE BARRIER (Section 706)– A fire resistance rated horizontal or vertical assembly with

protected openings. A fire barrier wall must extend from the floor below, through any concealed spaces, to the underside of the floor or roof slab above.




• FIRE PARTITION (Section 708)– A 1 hour fire-resistance-rated vertical assembly with

protected openings. A fire partition need not extend through any concealed spaces provided that the partition intersects a fire-rated ceiling assembly and the concealed space is fire blocked or draft stopped at the partition line



Separation of concealed spaces (Section 717)

• FIRESTOPPING– A fire-resistance-rated assembly of materials installed to

resist the free passage of flame or hot gases– generally applied to penetrations of fire-resistance rated

construction (Section 712)• FIREBLOCKING

– An assembly of materials installed to resist the free passage of flame or hot gases.

– Not necessarily required to be fire-resistance rated• DRAFT STOP

– An assembly of materials installed to resist the free passage of air in concealed spaces.

– Not required to be fire-resistance rated



Smoke separation of occupied spaces

• SMOKE BARRIER (Section 709)– A 1 hour fire-resistance-rated membrane, either vertical or

horizontal, designed to restrict the movement of smoke.– Generally permitted only in special Institutional occupancies

• SMOKE PARTITION (Section 710)– A vertical membrane designed to restrict the movement of

smoke. – Not necessarily required to be fire-resistance rated– Generally permitted only in corridors in special Institutional

occupancies



• Shaft enclosures (Section 707)– shaft enclosure materials as permitted by the building type of

construction, except in Groups I-1, R-1 and R-2 buildings which require shafts of noncombustible materials. • The current code requires noncombustible materials for

shaft enclosures in almost every instance, except in Class II-E construction.

– 2-hour fire-resistance rating required, or 1 hour if connecting fewer than 4 stories

– Shaft enclosures of refuse and laundry chutes must be 2-hour fire-resistance-rated, with no additional requirements for materials or construction type



• Automatic Sprinkler Systems– Provides the thresholds at which entire buildings must be

sprinklered, based upon occupancy– Provides the thresholds at which fire areas must be

sprinklered, based upon occupancy– Other criteria include building height and levels below grade– Requirements for alternative fire extinguishing systems

• Standpipe and Hose Systems– References NFPA 14 with modifications for very tall buildings

• Fire Alarm and Detection Systems– Provides the installation requirements for manual and

automatic fire alarm systems based upon occupancy



• Automatic Sprinkler Systems (Section 903)– References NFPA 13, 13R, and 13D, as modified for New

York City in Appendix Q– Organized by Occupancy Group and establishes the

conditions that require installation of an automatic sprinkler system, based upon • occupant load• number of stories above the lowest level of fire

department vehicle access• fire area • building area

– this section expands the requirement for automatic sprinkler systems to more occupancies

…continued



• Automatic Sprinkler Systems (Section 903)– All residential occupancies are required to install an

automatic sprinkler system, with exception for one- and two-family homes and townhouses 3 stories or less in height• Detached 1- or 2-family: sprinklers required when more

than 3 stories• Attached 1-family: sprinklers required when more than 3

stories• Attached 2-family: sprinklers required regardless of

number of stories– Any building with a floor located 55 feet above the lowest

level of fire department vehicle access, and occupied by more than 30 persons, requires an automatic sprinkler system

– High rise buildings are required to provide a secondary on-site water supply equal to the hydraulically calculated sprinkler demand



• Alternative Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems (Section 904)

– References the Fire Code for most non-water systems

– Commercial cooking systems are required to be protected by carbon dioxide extinguishing systems or wet-chemical extinguishing systems



• Standpipe Systems (Section 905)

– References NFPA 14, as modified for NYC in Appendix Q• The modifications to NFPA 14 differs from the current

code for very tall buildings• Manual fire pump not required• Redundant automatic and gravity fed water supplies• Larger tank sizes for on site storage of water for fire

fighting purposes• Dedicated high pressure siamese riser• Zoned System

– Combined standpipe systems permitted in all installations



• Fire Alarm Systems (Section 907)– References NFPA 72, as modified for NYC in Appendix Q– Organized by Occupancy Group and establishes the

conditions that require installation of an automatic and manual fire alarm system, based upon • occupant load• fire area • building area

– This section expands the requirement for fire alarm systems to more occupancies

– Mechanical and electrical equipment rooms of any size are required to be equipped with smoke detectors • Exception for R-2 occupancy which permits up to 75

square feet without smoke detectors…continued



• Fire Alarm Systems (Section 907)– Student dormitories are classified as R-1 (equivalent to J-1)

and, therefore, must comply with the fire alarm system requirements for R-1

– Student apartments classified as R-2 require fire alarm systems greater in scope than that required for all other R-2 occupancies

– Smoke alarm and CO alarm requirements within dwelling units• Required within each room used for sleeping purposes• Required outside of sleeping rooms, within 15 feet • Required one on each floor• Must be interconnected to each other• Must draw primary power from the building supply

…continued



• Fire Alarm Systems (Section 907)– High rise buildings in all occupancies, except I-1, I-2 and R-2,

are required to be equipped with a two-way voice communication system• Group R-2 is required to provide a one-way voice

communication system between the fire command center and each dwelling unit and vertical exit



• Smoke Control Systems (Section 909)– Smoke control across smoke barriers by mechanical and

passive means – Smokeproof enclosures in high-rise buildings consisting of an

enclosed interior exit stairways, each provided with one of the following:• An open exterior balcony• A naturally ventilated vestibule (2 hr rated)• A mechanically ventilated vestibule (2 hr rated)• Pressurization within the stairway

• Post-fire Smoke Purge Systems (Section 912)– Similar to current code, except R-2 occupancies are not

required to provide a smoke purge system if the building is provided with smokeproof enclosures


Chapter 10 – Means of Egress

Chapter 11 – Accessibility



Means of Egress: from any occupied portion of a building or structure to a public way

–Three components of Means of Egress:1. Exit access

• Begins at the furthest occupied point in a room and ends at the entrance to an exit

2. Exit• Provides a protected path of egress travel between the exit access and exit discharge

3. Exit discharge• The portion between the exit termination and a public way



Exit access– Begins at the furthest occupied point in a room and ends at

the entrance to an exit– The travel distance is regulated


Chapter 10 – Means of EgressExit

– Provides a protected path of egress travel between the exit access and exit discharge

– Travel distance is generally not an issue within an exit



Exit discharge– The portion between the exit termination and a public way– Travel distance is not limited at and beyond the exit

discharge



• Gross square feet vs. Net square feet



• Resulting figure cannot be less than that required elsewhere in the code



Accessible means of egress

• At least one accessible means of egress must be provided to accessible spaces

• Where two or more means of egress are required from a space or floor, at least two accessible means of egress are required

• In high-rise buildings, at least one means of egress must be an elevator with emergency power

• Area of rescue assistance is required in non-sprinkleredbuildings and must provide direct access to either an exit stairway (per 1007.3 & 1019.1) or an elevator (per 1007.4)



• Area of rescue assistance within an exit enclosure:



• Area of rescue assistance adjacent to an exit enclosure:

AREA OF RESCUE ASSISTANCE



• Area of rescue assistance within an elevator lobby:


AREA OF RESCUE

ASSISTANCE




Stairway width

• Generally requires minimum 44” of width

• 36” wide stairs are acceptable for stairways that serve a very small occupant load (i.e. 50 persons cumulative for all stories) However, 48” stairs may be required per Section 1107 unless the building is sprinklered

• 36” wide stairs are also acceptable in R-2 occupancies if not more than 125 feet high and each stairway serve not more than 30 occupants per floor



Treads and Risers

• 7” max. Risers• 11” min. Treads

• Exceptions for R-2 dwelling units and R-3 residential



Emergency Escape and Rescue in All Group R Occupancies:

• At least one exterior emergency escape and rescue opening is required in sleeping rooms below the 4th story above grade plane and below grade stories

• Dimensions: 6 square feet net clear opening, min. 30” high X min. 24” wide – The resulting dimension must be at least 6 SF



Corridor

• An enclosed exit access component that defines and provides a path of egress travel to an exit

• Can be either interior or public



Interior Corridor

• Serves only one tenant

• In Group E occupancy, corridor serving one institution is considered Interior Corridor

• Constructed as a fire partition for fire-resistance rating



Public Corridor• Serves more than one tenant • Constructed as a fire barrier for fire-resistance

rating


Chapter 16 – Structural Design

Structural Integrity – Key Element Analysis

• Key Element Analysis required for:– Buildings more than 600 feet (183 m) tall or more than

1,000,000 square feet (92 903 m2)– Essential Facilities larger than 50,000 square feet (4645 m2)– Building with an Aspect Ratio greater than 7– Buildings taller than 7 stories where one structural member

supports more than 15% of the aggregate building area– Buildings designed using non-linear time history analysis or

utilizing special seismic energy dissipation systems (Base Isolation or Dampers)

• Structural Peer Review by a qualified independent structural engineer also required – Section 1627


This concludes The American Institute of ArchitectsContinuing Education Systems Program

299 Broadway, Ste. 206

New York, NY 10007

212-385-38950

www.nysarch.com

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building code - new york institute of technologyiris.nyit.edu/~maltwick/es2/nyc_fire_code.pdf ·...

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