Exam 2 - Building Code Flashcards
What is in Division A?
Parts 1, 2, 3 (Compliance, Objectives, Functional Statements) apply to all buildings. Defined Terms.
Division B, Part 1, 7 and 8 apply to?
All buildings
Parts 3, 4, 5 and 6 Division B apply to?
post disaster buildings, Group A. B, F1 major occupancies, buildings more than 600m2 or more than 3 storeys used for Group C, D, E, F2 and F3
What is Vol 2?
Div. B: Acceptable Solutions, Part 9
Part 9, Division B applies to?
buildings less than 600m2 and not more than 3 storeys for Group C, D, E, F2 or F3
Defined Term for Building Area
Greatest horizontal area of a building above grade within the outside surface of exterior walls or within outside surface of exterior walls and centre-line of firewalls.
Defined Term for Fire Wall
fire separation of non-combustable construction that subdivides a building or separates adjoining buildings to resist the spread of fire. Has fire-resistance rating as prescribing in this Code and structural ability to remain intact in fire conditions for the required time. Uppermost storey having its floor level not more than 2m above grade.
Defined term for Floor Area
Space on any storey between exterior walls and required fire walls including space occupied by interior walls and partitions but not including exits, vertical service spaces and their enclosing assemblies.
Defined term for Suite
single room or series of rooms of complementary use operated under single tenancy. Can include dwelling units, individual guest rooms or complementary rooms for business and personal services.
Defined term for Compartment
enclosed space in a building that is separated from all other parts of the building by enclosing construction providing a separation with required fire resistance rating
Fire Separation is
a construction assembly that acts as a barrier against spread of fire(A-1.4.1.2.(1).)
Defined term for Fire Resistance Rating
the time in minutes or hours that a material or assembly will withstand the passage of flame and transition of heat when exposed to fire. Appendix D, Division B (D-1.2.1.(2)
Defined Term for Fire Protection Rating
the time in minutes or hours that a closure will withstand the passage of flame when exposed to fire.
Defined Term for Closure
a device or assembly or closing an opening through a fire separation or exterior wall (door, shutter, damper etc). includes all hardware.
Defined Term for Fire Stop
a system consisting of material, component and means of support used to fill gaps between fire separations or between fire separations and other assemblies (fully or partially penetrate the separation).
Post disaster building
a building that is essential to the provision of services in the event of a disaster (hospitals, emergency treatment, power generation stations etc).
What sections related to Fire ?
Division A, Division B Part 3. Appendix D
A material that fails to meet the acceptance criteria of CAN/ULC-S114 “Test for Determination of Non-Combustibility in Building Materials”
Is combustible
A material that meets criteria CAN/ULC-S114
Noncombustible
Part 3.1.5
Noncombustible Materials
Occupancy for performing arts
A1
occupancy for arenas
A3
occupancy for open air
A4
occupancy for detention
B1
Care and treatment occupancies
B2
Care occupancies
B3
Residential occupancies
C
Business and personal service occupancy
D
Mercantile occupancy
E
high, medium, low hazard occupancies
F1. F2, F3
Restaurant occupancy
A2
Parking Garage & Storage occupancy
F3, subsidiary
NBC Table 3.1.3.1
Fire Separation between adjoining major occupancies
How is Occupant Load determined?
Section 3.1.17:
The occupant load of a floor area or part of a floor area shall be based on
a) the number of seats in an assembly occupancy having fixed seats,
b) 2 persons per sleeping room in a dwelling unit, or
c) the number of persons for which the area is designed, but not less than that
determined from Table 3.1.17.1. for occupancies other than those described in
Clauses (a) and (b), unless it can be shown that the area will be occupied
by fewer persons
What does 3.2.2 address?
Building Size and Construction Relative to Occupancy, ordered more flexible less expensive to more conservative, more expensive.
What concept does this imply?
Construction requirements containing multiple major occupancies determined on a floor-by-floor basis when occupancies are superimposed.
- take the occupancies and apply as if it encompasses the entire building
- determine the occupancy separations
Sprinkling in Lieu of Roof ratings are permitted for what types of occupancies?
arena, pool, gym. OR Appendix A-3.2.5.12.(16) through permission of the AHJ.
What is the minimum FRR for exits through fire separations?
Rating of the floor where it is going or 45 minutes.
Sprinkler Protection for floors of different occupancies.
If an upper floor is required to be sprinklered, all floors below need to be sprinklered. 3.2.2.18(2)
Defined term for limiting distance
Means the distance from an exposing building face to a property line, the centre line of a street, lane or public thoroughfare, or to an imaginary line between 2 buildings or fire compartments on the same property, measured at right angles to the exposing building face.
A doorway, window or opening other than one equipped with a closure having the required fire-protection rating.
Unprotected opening
Part of the exterior wall of a building that faces one direction and is located between ground level and the ceiling of its top storey or where a building is divided into fire compartments
Exposing Building Face
Can an assembly occupancy be a part of Part 9?
No
What is this term
Exposing Building Face
Are combustible materials permitted in noncombustible construction?
Yes
What is Group F3?
low-hazard industrial occupancy. Combustible content is not more than 50kg/m2 or 1200Mj/m2 of floor area.
What is Group F2?
medium hazard industrial occupancy. Combustible content is more than 50kg/m2 or 1200MJ/m2 but is not classified at high-hazard.
What is Group F1?
industrial occupancy, high-high hazard containing highly combustible, flammable or explosive materials with constitute a special fire hazard.
Access from a storage garage to a stair tower requires what?
A vestibule
What is the min. FRR of a storage garage from other occupancies?
1.5 hrs
What is the min. FRR of a repair garage from other occupancies?
2 hrs
What is the minimum width of a public corridor?
1100mm with max 100mm obstructions on either side.
What is the maximum length of dead-end corridors?
6m unless located entirely within a suite.
Is a FRR required for public corridors where an entire floor is sprinklered?
No, except for Groups B and C.
What is the maximum travel distance in a sprinklered floor?
45m
Travel distance (<45m)+ ___________ = public corridor is not required to be FRR.
Sprinklered
What is provision 3.2.6?
High Building Requirements
What must you consider to determine if a building is a high building?
1) add all of the occupant loads for all floors above the first floor = total occupant load
2) Determine aggregate width (m) of all exits serving the floor area
3) Divide the total occupant load for the building by 1.8x the width of exits x number of exits
4) if resulting value is >300, the building is a high building
What is a CACF?
Central Alarm and Control Facility (3.2.6.7)
What is a superimposed floor area or parts of floor areas in which floor assemblies are required to be fire separations are penetrated by openings that are not provided with closures.
interconnected floor space.
What is an intermediate floor assembly between the floor and ceiling of any room or storey? (including interior balcony)
Mezzanine
Mezzanine is not considered a storey if (3 points)
1) it occupies less than 40% of the open area of the room
2) space above is open
3) space below can be enclosed.
What section is 3.2.8.2?
Interconnected floor spaces (IFS)
Are vestibules required to elevator doors within the storeys above the interconnected floor space?
Yes
Smoke Baffles: when are they required?
Around each IFS opening at every floor.
What is the mechanical exhaust system requirement to remove smoke from IFS?
4 ACU/h (air change units per hour)
Sleeping rooms on a floor area of the hospital can be located in an area with an interconnected floor space.
false
Only the NBCC code applies and not the fire code
false
Are mezzanines always considered a storey?
Not if they are less than 40% of the open area of the room
What type of fire alarm is required for an F1 occupancy?
One Stage
When is a one stage fire alarm required?
B3 Occupancies less than 3 storeys, all F1 occupancies
When is a two-stage fire alarm required?
All buildings, all B occupancies except for B3 less than 3 storeys
Firefighting access to above grade storeys is required when?
For storeys that are not sprinklered and less than 25m above grade
When is firefighting access required for roofs?
on buildings exceeding 3 storeys or where roof is more than 4m above grade and contains HVAC equipment
Access is required by an interior stair or fixed ladder and hatch
what is 6m wide, has 5m clearance, connected to a public thoroughfare and is able to support a fire truck in all weather conditions?
access route (3.2.5.6.)
how far do DC need to be from a hydrant?
45m, unobstructed
Where are hose stations located?
within 5m of exits, cover all floor areas and do not obstruct egress
true or false, are hose connections required in exits in un-sprinklered buildings?
true
What is the minimum width of stairs?
1100mm, 900mm for stairs that do not serve more than 2 floors above grade
What is the handrail extension length?
300mm
Minimum guard height
1070mm
Stair run requirement (3.4.6.8)?
no less than 280
Stair rise requirement (3.4.6.8)?
between 125 and 180mm
Formula for Smoke Distance between exits
> or = to 1/2 Diameter of floor plate
Distance between 2 areas of exterior exit stair discharges (door to outside)
Not less than 9m or 6m if sprinklered and if discharges are within 15m of a street
When is no travel distance required?
If a building has exits spaced 60m apart around the perimeter of the building and each main aisle running directly to an exit.
________ to be spaced at least 1/3 of the maximum diagonal dimension of the suite
Egress Doors
What elements does occupant load effect? (6 points)
1) exits + egress 2) # of wc, 3) fire alarms 4) emergency lighting and signage 5) if the building classifies as high building, 6) direction of door swings.
Occupant loads are determined by?
1) Number of fixed seats (assembly), 2) 2 persons per sleeping room in dwelling units, 3) number of persons for which area is designed for, 4) as calculated based on 3.1.17.1
How do you calculate occupant load?
Step 1: measure floor area in the rooms
Step 2: determine the use of all floor areas
Step 3: Refer to table 3.1.17.1
Step 4: divide the floor area (m2) by occupant load factor
Are cores (non-simultaneous uses) included in Occupant load calculations?
No
What is the minimum width of exits (ramps less than 1/8, doorways, corridors, passageways)?
6.1mm per person for occupant load
What is the minimum width of stairs whose rise is <180mm and whose run is <280mm?
8mm per person
What is the width of ramps with slopes more than 1/8 or stairs exceeding the code requirements?
9.2mm
What is the minimum width of exits for Group B occupancies?
18.4mm per person
T/F: A single storey office building with 100 occupants does not require a fire alarm system
False
Occupant load within a patient room is base on what?
floor area and occupant load factor