Model Codes & High-Rise Buildings

•The Past

•The Present

•The Future

FSDA/SFPE/FDNY Joint Meeting 2015Presenter: Jim Tidwell

The Past:

• Modern History of Model Building Codes• BOCA, ICBO, SBCCI

• ICC Established in 1994

• First I-Codes published in 2000

• Regional Code Organizations Merged Effective 2003

• NYC Adoption Process• Building Code Process

• Fire Code Process

• Results

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Fitting Three Codes Into One

• Scoping

• Drafting

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Results:•Not Lowest Common Denominator

• Inter-organizational Conflicts’ Impact

•Philosophical/Political Issues

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The Current Process:

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Participation Levels:

• FSDA is an ICC charter member

• SFPE

• Fire Service

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The Present:

• Height & Area Tables• Middle Ground

• Result Challenged

• No substantive changes since 2000

• Sprinkler Trade-offs

• “Super” High-Rise Provisions

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Height & Area Issues (Hi-Rise Buildings)

• IBC Table 504.3:

• Type IA Construction (3 hour frame, bearing walls, etc.) Permits Unlimited Height & Area

• Type IB Construction (2 hour frame, bearing walls, etc.) Permits Height of 160 ft. (180 if sprinkled)

EXCEPTIONS: Reductions by one hour if sprinkler system has floor control valves with flow & tamper switches. (doesn’t apply above 420 ft; doesn’t apply to columns supporting floors).*

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Types of Construction

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Height & Area Table

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Sprinkler Trade-Offs

• Reduction in overall construction ratings

• Increase in egress distances

• Elimination/Reduction of Passive Protection

• Reduced distances to property lines

• More than 100 trade-offs in the IBC (NFSA)

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Sprinkler Effectiveness:

• Only five percent of fires are reported to fire departments (CPSC)

• Of reported fires in sprinkled buildings, the fires didn’t grow large enough to activate the system in 65% of the cases (NFPA)

• Of reported fires in sprinkled buildings where the fires grew large enough to activate the system, sprinklers were effective 87% of the time (NFPA)

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“Super” High-Rise Provisions

• NIST Study of WTC Disaster

• Terrorism Resistant Buildings Committee Report

• Code Technology Committee Debate

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“Super” High-Rise Provisions

• Apply to buildings above 420 feet, and include:• Limited Reductions in Passive Fire Protection

• Enhanced Requirements for Stairway Enclosures (Impact Resistance)

• Greater Bond Strength for Spray-On Fire Resistance Materials (1000 psf as opposed to 430 psf)

• Enhanced water supply requirements for sprinkler systems

• Additional stairway OR Occupant Evacuation Elevators

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Elevator Requirements

• Above 420 ft., Occupant Evacuation Elevator• Exception for buildings with one additional stairway

• Elevator Lobbies Required

• Direct access from elevator lobby to stairway

• Protection from water, etc.

• Above 120 ft., Firefighter Access Elevators Required• Many similar characteristics to OEE

• Enhanced shaft construction (impact resistance)

• Clearly marked

• No Shunt Trips permitted

• Access to Standpipe Required

• May be utilized for normal service 15

Options• Appendices do not apply unless specifically adopted

• Appendix B = Fire Flow Requirements

• Appendix C = Hydrant Location Requirements

• Appendix D = Apparatus Access Roads

• Appendix J = Building Information Sign

• Appendix L = Firefighter Air Replenishment Systems - NEW

Tactical Considerations

Type Construction

Fire Protection SystemsHazards of Content

Occupancies16

Building Information Card

• ICC – IBC (2012 Edition). Section 911.1.5 (13) Building InformationCard approved by the fire department……..

• ICC – IFC (2012 Edition). Section 508.1.5 Building Information Card (same as Section 911.1.5 (13) above)…..

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Firefighter Air Replenishment Systems (FARS)IFC Appendix-L (2014 Edition)

• Stainless Steel Tubing

• Pressures appropriate for department’s SCBA’s

• Fill station design options• Quick Fill

• Complete Fill Station

• Air supply options• In-Building (Cascade, Compressor)

• FD Supplied from exterior (EMAC)

• Air quality assurance requirements• Constant Monitoring of key gases

• Quarterly Lab tests18

The Future:

• Energy Conservation Challenges

• Innovative Use of Construction Materials

• Replacing Ozone Depleting Gases

• Building System Technologies

• Sustainability and Fire Safety – Co-existence??

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Battery Technologies• Smart batteries may be dumb

• Utilization of batteries may save building owners $$$

• Utility load shifting may delay construction of power plants

• Different battery technologies present different hazards• Liquid Sodium

• Sodium Ion

• Electrolyte Storage Materials

• Technology developing quickly

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Fire Risk:

Multiple fire risks associated with battery energy storage have beenidentified including:

• Hydrogen gas production from batteries

• Flammable compounds in lithium and lithium-ion batteries

• Thermal runaway

• Electrical fire risks

• Reaction of metallic lithium

• Reaction of sulfuric acid

• Fire risks due to contact with water

• Extreme temperaturesSodium Sulfer Battery Installation (2011) Japan

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Insulating Foams

• Polystyrene

• Polyisocyanurate

• Polyurethane

• SIPS

• Rigid Foam Insulation Applications

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Engineered Wood Products

• Lightweight• Trusses

• I-Beams

• Heavy Timber• Glue Lam

• Cross Laminated Timber

• Composite Materials

CLT without adhesives

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Post Tensioned HT

• “Cored” middle

• Steel tensioning cable

• Protection schemes

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Tall Wooden Buildings

• Currently existing:• London: 9 stories, 8 stories

• Sweden: 8 stories, 134 apartments

• Germany, 8 stories

• Melbourne – 105 ft.

• On the drawing board:• 90 ft. building in British Columbia

• 7 Story building in Minnesota

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The Plan:

• Current building code limitation is 85 feet or 6 stories, depending upon occupancy type (HT)

• Current engineering principles indicate an effective height limitation of about 30 stories

• U.S. Department of Agriculture sponsoring a contest on utilization of wood in tall buildings with a $2,000,000 prize

• Wood industry is attempting to modify the IBC to allow taller wood buildings

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Composite Buildings

• Most HT buildings will have concrete floors

• Steel Connectors

• CLT Panel Construction – SIPS?

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Coming to a Community Near You:

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Ozone Depleting Gases

• CFC’s phased out in 1996

• HCFC’S being phased out• Reduce by 75% by 2010

• Reduce by 90% by 2015

• Reduce by 99.5% by 2020

• Replacement Refrigerants:• Flammable

• Highly Flammable

• Toxic

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Building System Technologies:

• Building Management/Automation Systems:• Ventilation Controls vs. Smoke Management Systems

• Security Controls vs. Fire Department Access needs

• Security Controls vs. Egress Systems

• Lighting controls vs Egress lighting needs

• Load shedding’s impact on BMS/BAS

• Impact of BMS/BAS failure on life safety systems

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Building Commissioning

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Commissioning:

Sprinkler System

Alarm System Plumbing System

Special Hazard SystemIn-Building Communications

(PA)

ElevatorsHVAC Systems

Smoke Control Systems

Water Conservation System

Alternative Power Systems

Building Management Systems

Which system is the controlling system? Under what conditions? Is the

hardware/software compatible? Have non-fire systems been tested

for durability, etc. under fire conditions?

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Commissioning Issues

• Clearly identify responsibilities

• Involve Everyone

• Plan inception begins in the design phase

• Communication with stakeholders throughout the construction phase

• Final acceptance of individual systems should wait until completion of the commissioning process

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Commissioning is NOT:

• Acceptance Testing

• The responsibility of the fire/building inspector

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Code Development Process

Change will happen – It’s your choice whether it will happen:

TO YOU

OR

WITH YOU

Affecting the Future Requires you to

GET INVOLVED 35

Thank You

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