Open to Below:

A Discussion of Allowed Floor Openings

Kevin S. Hastings, P.E., LEED AP Jay A. Ierardi, Ph.D., P.E., LEED AP

R.W. Sullivan R W S lli an Engineering (617) 523-8227, Fax (617) 523-8016 523523http://www.rwsullivan.com

Welcome
The Boston Society of Architects/AIA is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to CES Records for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for non-AIA members are available on request. request This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods materials methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

Learning Objectives
Every floor opening is not an atrium! y p g 2009 IBC and NFPA 101 provide options for other allowed floor openings. A hit t l solutions t reduce or eliminate Architectural l ti to d li i t mechanical smoke exhaust in atriums. Basic understanding of performance-based approaches to floor openings and smoke control.

R.W.SullivanEngineering(RWS)was R W Sullivan Engineering (RWS) was establishedin1945andcurrentlyhas 90employees. 90 employees RWSisafullserviceengineeringfirm offeringintegratedservicesinthe followingdisciplines:

HVAC

Electrical

Plumbing Fire Protection

Code

Agenda
Floor Opening Protection Fl O i P t ti

Codes
International Building Code 2003 Edition (780 CMR 7th Edition) Code, International Building Code, 2009 Edition (780 CMR 8th Edition) NFPA 101: Life Safety Code NFPA 92B: S k M 92B Smoke Management Systems tS t

Types of Floor Openings

General G l 2-Story Floor Openings 3+ Story Floor Openings Atriums Other Permitted Unenclosed Openings

Performance Based Approaches

General Floor Openings p g

Shaft Enclosures IBC and NFPA 101 require floor openings comply with one of the following:
1 hour rated shaft when connecting 2 or 3 floors. 2 hour rated shaft when connecting more than 3 floors. Meet an exception for an allowed floor opening.

2 Story 2-Story Floor Openings

2 Story 2-Story Floor Openings

Code 2009 IBC 009 C Code Section 708.2 Exception 7 E ti 8.6.8.1 NFPA 101 8.6.8.2 8682 Prohibited Uses Use Group I-2 & I-3 None Unsprinklered p Assembly Used for Egress Permitted e tted Not Permitted Not Permitted Required Separation Corridors in Use Group I & R All Unsprinklered C Corridors One of the Floors All Corridors

2-Story Open Exit Stairs y p

2009 IBC Section 1016.1 (Not Allowed by NFPA 101)

Exception 3 allows for 50% of the exit stairs between any 2 stories to be unenclosed and used as an exit stair. This stair however cannot be open to more than the two connected stories stories.

1 Hour Wall

2-Story Open Exit Stairs y p

2009 IBC Section 1016.1 (Not Allowed by NFPA 101)

Exception 4 allows for all exit stairs between the p first 2 stories to be unenclosed and used as exit stairs in a fully sprinklered building. The connected floors must have 2 exits and are not permitted to be open to any other floors.

Multiple 2-Story Floor Openings 2 Story

4th floor

3rd floor

Rated separation
2nd floor

Boundaries of floor openings

1st floor

2-Story Floor Openings y p g

Alternative Approach

3rd floor

Sprinkler Protected Glazing R ti Gl i or Rating Equivalent to Floor

2nd floor

1st floor

Alternative design requires approval from the Authority Having Jurisdiction or a variance. Provides smoke reservoir that performs better than a continuous floor assembly.

Alternative 2-Story Example 2 Story

Laboratory Building
3-story floor open (outlined in red) No smoke control provided

3+ Story Floor Openings

3+ Story Floor Openings

Code Code Section Restrictions Escalators only No more than 4 stories in Use Groups B & M w/ sprinkler option Unsprinklered Buildings 4 Floors Max in Use Groups other than B & M U i kl d Educational ti l Unsprinklered Ed All Healthcare Unsprinklered Apartments Lowest or Next to Lowest Level must be a Street Floor No more than 3 Floors Size Limits Twice the Escalator Area Twice the Stair Area Required Separation Draft curtains w/ closely spaced sprinklers OR Shutter at every floor opening Draft Curtains w/ Closely Spaces Sprinklers Smoke Barriers Adjacent spaces have access to an exit without entering the communicating space.

NFPA 101

8.6.8.6

2009 IBC

708.2 Exception 2 Escalator /Open Stair 8.6.6 Mini-Atrium 703.2.1

NFPA 101

None

IEBC

Escalator / Open Stair Protection O St i P t ti

2009 IBC 708.2 Exc. 2; NFPA 101 8.6.8.6 (Escalator Only)

Openings protected with a

draft curtain and closely spaced sprinklers. Th d i kl The opening area is limited to twice the horizontal projected area of the escalator. Also, 2009 IBC limit openings to not more than 4 stories in Use Groups other than B & M.

Escalator Protection for O f Open Stairs St i

NFPA 101

The Manual Escalator Same hazard as an escalator, however only 2009 IBC permit the use of the previously described options for protecting a standard open stair. Approval from the Authority Having Jurisdiction or a variance is required for states adopting NFPA 101.

Mini-Atrium: Configuration
NFPA 101 8 6 6 & IEBC 703 2 1 E 8.6.6 703.2.1 Exception 3 ti

Connects no more than 3 stories

(Not Limited by IEBC)

Lowest or next-to-lowest floor is street level Open and unobstructed communicating space

Mini-Atrium: Fire Protection

NFPA 101 8 6 6 & IEBC 703 2 1 E 8.6.6 703.2.1 Exception 3 ti

NFPA Fire Separation Options

1 hr fire barrier Smoke barrier in a fully sprinklered building No separation required for detention/correction housing

IEBC Fire S C Separation

Smoke Barrier

Mini-Atrium: Egress
NFPA 101 8 6 6 8.6.6

Considered a single floor area for egress capacity Occupants within the mini-atrium
access t at least one exit without having to to t l t it ith t h i t traverse another story within the mini-atrium space

Occupants outside the mini-atrium mini atrium

access to at least one exit without having to enter the mini-atrium space

Other Permitted Unenclosed Openings

2009 IBC Section 708.2

4 story opening within a dwelling unit (Exception 1) Mezzanines (Exception 9) Ramps in parking structures (Exception 8) Elevator hoistways serving only p y g y parking structures ( g (Exception p 14) Use Group I-3 in accordance with 780 CMR 408.5 (Exception 13)

Atriums

Atriums
2009 IBC 404, NFPA 101 8.6.7

G General requirements
Sprinkler Protection: Atriums must be protected with sprinklers (2009 IBC 404 3 NFPA 101 8 6 7(4)) i kl 404.3, 8.6.7(4)). Travel Distance: Other than the lowest floor, the egress travel distance through an atrium is limited to 200 ft (2009 IBC 404.9). Exit Discharge: Permitted within the atrium (NFPA g ( 101 8.6.7(2)).

Enclosure of Atrium
2009 IBC 404.6, NFPA 101 8.6.7(1)

Atriums are required to be separated from adjacent spaces by 1 hour rated construction except:
3 stories are permitted to be open to the atrium if the volume calculated for the design of the smoke control system includes the volume of the spaces not separated y p p from the atrium. (No limit in NFPA 101) Sprinkler protected glass

Sprinkler Protected Glass

Atrium Smoke Control

2009 IBC 404.5 Smoke control is required in all atriums that connect more than 2 stories (connect = opening in floor slab).

Smoke Control Design Criteria

Component Interface height above highest walking surface open to the atrium Design fire size

780 CMR 6th Edition 6 ft.

2003 IBC

NFPA 101 / 92B 2009 IBC 6 ft. Determined by Analysis Determined by Analysis 1.5 times egress

10 ft. 5000 BTU/s minimum Axisymmetric, Balcony Spill, Window 20 min

2000 BTU/s

Fire scenarios Time

Axisymmetric 20 min

Example Atrium

Example Exhaust Rates

Example 5-story atrium 5 story
Code
6th Edition (2,000 Btu/s) 2003 IBC (5,000 Btu/s) 2009 IBC (2,000 Btu/s) 2009 IBC w/modeling

Exhaust Free Area for make-up Requirement (cfm) air @ 200 ft/min (ft2)
195,930 664,430 479,655 207,830 980 3,320 2,400 600*

* Fire modeling may show make up air > 200 ft/min is acceptable make-up

Fire modeling permitted with a third party review (MA only) Variances for fire modeling are no longer required

Exhaust Rates
Exhaust Requirement (cfm) Open Floors 1 thru 5 1 thru 4 1 thru 3 1 thru 2 1 780 CMR 6th Edition 195,927 138,313 89,269 49,631 8,604 8 604 IBC 664,430 487,593 337,603 187,613 35,948 35 948

Performance Based Approaches A h

Due to the large exhaust rates under IBC alternative designs will likely become more common.
780 CMR, 7th Edition permits alternative designs for smoke control systems (780 CMR 909.20.4).
d A 3rd party review and variance is currently required for all alternative designs in Massachusetts (780 CMR 901.7.2.1).

2009 IBC references NFPA 92B which allows CFD modeling

Alternative Design Examples

Shutters / Curtains
Used to enclose the upper stories of an atrium. atrium Activated by building fire alarm system.

Egress
Access to required exits outside the atrium boundary

Fire M d li Fi Modeling
Used to estimate actual smoke production and p spread.

Deluge Sprinkler System

Used to limit the fire size.

Atrium Egress
Access to required exits without entering the atrium and allowing the smoke to lower down.

Atrium Fire Modeling g

Atrium Fire Modeling

Plugholing
Relatively shallow smoke layer depth and a high exhaust rate can lead to the entrainment of cold air from the clear layer.

Alternative Protection Example p

Life Sciences Laboratory Building
2-story floor open (shown in red) Designed as an atrium per NFPA 101 No smoke control provided based on analysis

Alternative Protection Example p

Visibility and Smoke Movement: Floor Opening in a University Building

154 ft

208 ft

Thank you.
This concludes The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems program.

QUESTIONS?
Kevin S. Hastings, P.E., LEED AP Jay A. Ierardi, Ph. D, P.E., LEED AP KSH@RWSullivan.com 617.337.9319 617 337 9319 JAI@RWSullivan.com 617.337.9321 617 337 9321