# 2015 903.2.1 Changes Not Worth Mentioning



## Francis Vineyard (Aug 10, 2016)

or is it?

The change to "story" from "floor area" has major consequences or have I been interpreting incorrectly that the floor area is limited to the fire area?

*2012
[F] 903.2.1 Group A. *An _automatic sprinkler system _shall be provided throughout buildings and portions thereof used as Group A occupancies as provided in this section. For Group A-1, A-2, A-3 and A-4 occupancies, the _automatic sprinkler system _shall be provided throughout the floor area where the Group A-1, A-2, A-3 or A-4 occupancy is located, and in all floors from the Group A occupancy to, and including, the nearest _level of exit discharge _serving the Group A occupancy.

*2015
[F] 903.2.1 Group A. *_An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings and portions thereof used as Group A occupancies as provided in this section. For Group A-1, A-2, A-3 and A-4 occupancies, the automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout the story where the fire area containing the Group A-1, A-2, A-3 or A-4 occupancy is located, and throughout all stories from the Group A occupancy to, and including, the levels of exit discharge serving the Group A occupancy.




*Gregory R. Keith, Professional heuristic Development, representing The Boeing Company, requests Approval as Modified by this Public Comment. *

*Further modify the proposal as follows: *

*903.2.1 Group A. *An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings and portions thereof used as Group A occupancies as provided in this section. For Group A-1, A-2, A-3 and A-4 occupancies, the automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout the story_ (delete _floor_)_ where the fire area containing the Group A-1, A-2, A-3 or A-4 occupancy is located, and throughout all stories _(delete _floors_)_ of the building from the Group A occupancy to, and including, the nearest level of exit discharge serving the Group A occupancy. For Group A-5 occupancies, the automatic sprinkler system shall be provided in the spaces indicated in Section 903.2.1.5.

*Commenter’s Reason: *This public comment for approval as further modified is intended to be entirely editorial in nature. It replaces the term “floor(s)” with the term “story(s)” in two locations. Floor is not a defined term in the IBC or IFC. Story is a defined term: “That portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor and the upper surface of the floor… Additionally, Section 903.2.1 refers to the “level of exit discharge.” That term is defined as, “The story at the point at which an exit terminates and an exit discharge begins.” Replacement of the term “floor” with the term “story” will be consistent with current IBC/IFC terminology and will assist code users by clarifying the application of this important provision.

https://www.iccsafe.org/wp-content/uploads/06-IFC1.pdf
_


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## Builder Bob (Aug 10, 2016)

IMHO, it still remains the same - see the definition of fire area --- this just makes the terminology consistent in the codes. At first glance, I was agreeing with what you were leading up to, until I looked up the definitions which a fire area has to be surrounded by a horizontal assembly... IN this case, a horizontal assembly as defined by the code is a rated assembly..


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## JBI (Aug 10, 2016)

If it is 'not worth mentioning' then why mention it? LOL

It does clean up the language of the Code though.


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## Builder Bob (Aug 10, 2016)

The sprinkler system is only required in the story that the fire area is located plus the areas that lead to the exit discharge.


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## Francis Vineyard (Aug 10, 2016)

BB not sure if we are on the same page about fire areas.

Notice in the illustration "All of the building required to be sprinklered, even if separate fire areas are created" 

The illustration is from the 2015 IBC Handbook authored by  . . .
*

Douglas W. Thornburg, AIA, C.B.O., *is the Vice President of Education and Certification at the International Code Council (ICC), where he provides leadership in the technical development and positioning of support products, educational activities, and certification programs. Prior to joining the ICC in 2004, Mr. Thornburg served as a code consultant and educator for building codes. He has been involved extensively in building code activities since 1980.

*John R. Henry, P.E., *is the former Principal Staff Engineer at the International Code Council. During his tenure with the ICC, he worked in code development, technical services, government relations, training and education, and product development. Mr. Henry is currently a consulting engineer in private practice in Northern California.


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## cda (Aug 10, 2016)

It is limited to the portion of the A occupancy first,,

To determine if a fire sprinkler is required 

As in a place could have an A occupancy with say 20 people


But if say there attached non seperated office could hold say 99 people

No sprinkler is required


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## JCraver (Aug 11, 2016)

I'm with FV here - the plain language of the code says you're sprinkling the whole story if there's an A on it, and that you're sprinkling all the stories below that until you get outside.

This was a bad change, IMO.


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## steveray (Aug 11, 2016)

cda said:


> It is limited to the portion of the A occupancy first,,
> 
> To determine if a fire sprinkler is required
> 
> ...



2012, you are sprinklering that....


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## JBI (Aug 11, 2016)

Anybody want to remind cda that with an occupant load of 20 you wouldn't have an A occupancy? 
Or are we just going to run with it?


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## cda (Aug 11, 2016)

JBI said:


> Anybody want to remind cda that with an occupant load of 20 you wouldn't have an A occupancy?
> Or are we just going to run with it?




In the old days the entire business was included in the occupant load


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## steveray (Aug 12, 2016)

I'll get CDA's back on this one....If the 20 person "A" was a "Subway" and it was attached to an office building with 99OL and not separated, it would be A2 >100 and sprinklered...If they were separated, they could both be B...It's an A until it isn't....


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## Francis Vineyard (Aug 12, 2016)

Don't know how young you have to be for the old days to be in 2003, but it appears that was when assembly uses with less than 50 allowed to be classified as B and not have to be an accessory to another occupancy. But it didn't change to sprinkler provision for 300 or more.


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