Building and life safety codes are important for fire alarm system design and fill an important place in the codes that govern the fire alarm industry. Building and life safety codes are the basis for fire alarm system design. These codes determine the building’s fire alarm (and other fire protection requirements). Based upon the fire alarm requirements of these codes, the fire alarm device and appliance requirements can be determined from NFPA 72 (National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code). Once devices and appliance requirements are determined, the appropriate wiring methods can be determined from NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code).
The two primary codes used are the International Building Code (IBC) and the Life Safety Code (NFPA 101). The IBC is produced by the International Code Council (ICC), while NFPA 101 is produced by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The code used jurisdictional decisions that may be made at the state, county, city, local, or project level. While the fire alarm requirements of IBC and NFPA 101 are similar, the differences can make a huge difference in the design system’s design.
Additionally, jurisdictions may only adopt part of these codes or state or city-specific editions of the codes. These editions may contain modifications specific to that jurisdiction that are not included in the national editions of these codes. The code of record must be identified before design begins, including the enforced edition year.
Sometimes, a jurisdiction adopts a single code that encompasses multiple codes. These single codes cover multiple aspects of building fire protection requirements and include other codes by referencing them within that code. By adopting a single all-encompassing code, a jurisdiction can adopt multiple codes at the same time. NFPA 1 (National Fire Code) and IFC (International Fire Code) are commonly adopted in this fashion. Adopting these codes allows a jurisdiction to reference multiple codes by default.
The IFC and NFPA 1 incorporate NFPA 72 as the fire alarm system installation code. Likewise, the IFC and NFPA 1 incorporate NFPA 70 as the electrical code of fire alarm systems. Therefore, regardless of which design code a jurisdiction adopts, the installation code is NFPA 72, and the electrical code is NFPA 70.
IBC and NFPA 101
The International Building Code (IBC) is a product of the International Code Council (ICC). The International Code Council was formed in 1994 by three major regional model code groups to provide a unified model code that could be adopted and used nationwide. The Building Officials Code Administration (BOCA), the Southern Building Code Congress (SBCCI), and the International Conference of Building Officials (IBCO) came together to develop the codes. The first edition of the International Building Code was published in 1997, patterned after the three legacy codes.
The Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) was first introduced in 1927 as the Building Exits Code, which focused on providing guidelines for the design of buildings with adequate exits to reduce or prevent loss of life during a fire. NFPA 101 evolved to incorporate multiple aspects of building fire protection, which is the version that is currently used.
Building and life safety codes are essential for fire alarm system design. From the perspective of the fire alarm professional, these codes are used to determine what type of fire alarm equipment is required for specific buildings based on the use of the building. The fire alarm industry code identifies which buildings require a fire alarm system and which do not. It is all based on the degree of life safety required. The requirements of this code have been developed over decades and have a solid foundation in experience with actual fires, which have caused loss of property and life.
Because different organizations govern the IBC and NFPA 101, the way these codes are laid out and function are different. For example, the current edition of the IBC is intended to apply to new construction. Therefore, existing buildings are evaluated based on the edition of the IBC, which was in effect at the time of construction. Conversely, NFPA 101 contains separate chapters for new and existing buildings for most of the occupancy classifications covered in the code.
The way information is laid out in the codes is another difference between the two codes. IBC is a system-centric code where the building system or feature organizes the requirements, followed by requirements by the building classification listed within the section covering that system or feature. NFPA 101 is an occupancy-centric code. The building occupancy classification organizes the requirements with the requirements for different building systems or features contained within the chapter covering that occupancy classification.
On a national level, the IBC is more widely adopted than NFPA 101. Typically, the IBC (or a state-specific version of the IBC) is the code of record in a state, with a project or AHJ-specific requirements that may require NFPA 101. Some states adopt both codes and typically apply state-specific modifications. Government projects, especially government government-funded projects, typically use NFPA 101.
Classification of Occupancy
The classification of a building or occupancy is a key factor in determining fire alarm requirements for a building. The classification of a building or occupancy is a determination made by the architect based on the intended use of the buildings. The classification depends upon the building or life safety code used. The classification of the building or occupancy should appear on the cover page or first page of the architectural drawings.
Occupant Load
The occupant load of a building is the number of people that can safely occupy a building or space. The occupant load of a building is based on the classification of the building and the total square footage of the building or space. First, an allowance of a specific number of square feet per person is divided into the total square footage to determine how many people can occupy the space. Then, the architect calculates the occupant load of a building or space, which should also appear on the architectural drawings.
Identification of the occupant load is another important factor in identifying the fire alarm requirements for a building. The overall occupant load of a building or the occupant load of a floor above or below the level of egress can directly impact fire alarm requirements. It is important to remember that occupant load requirements are based on the actual occupant load from the architectural drawings, not that the space currently has a specific number of occupants.
Other Factors
Other building factors may affect fire alarm requirements in NFPA 101 and the IBC. For example, the number of floors (stories) impacts time from the building and can trigger specific fire alarm requirements. The total square footage of the building or an area of the building can have a similar impact. The contents of the building, especially those that are more flammable, impact a building’s fire alarm requirements. Sleeping areas can trigger additional fire alarm requirements because humans are most vulnerable when sleeping or sedated.
