Changes to building codes for tall buildings are among a raft of fire safety measures to be introduced in 2009 across the United States. The changes have been approved by the International Code Council and are set to be adopted by many state and city authorities across the country.
Many of the changes for high rise buildings result from research carried out by the National Institute of Standards and Technology into the collapse of the Word Trade Centre towers in New York City on 9/11. Among the major changes for skyscrapers – defined as buildings over 420 ft high – are:
– an additional escape stairwell, or the use of a new class of robust elevators,
to help evacuate occupants
– increasing fire resistance by one hour to structural components of a building
– greater reliability of sprinklers by providing a minimum of two water supply
risers, each serving alternate floors
Other provisions adopted by the ICC are:
– Increasing the width of stairways by 50% in new sprinklered buildings
– Strengthening criteria for the application and inspection of sprayed-on
intumescent coatings
– strengthening exit passage and elevator shaft compartmentation
– improving escape path signage and lighting
– ensuring effective coverage of first responder radio communications
The International Code Council is a membership association for building safety and fire prevention, and develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most US cities and counties and adopt these codes for their own use.
Download this free report to find out more about:
