International Building Code Section 910 – International Building Code 2006 Discussions

International Building Code 910.1

General. Where required by this code or otherwise
installed, smoke and heat vents, or mechanical smoke exhaust
systems, and draft curtains shall conform to the requirements
of this section.
Exceptions:
1. Frozen food warehouses used solely for storage of
Class I and II commodities where protected by an
approved automatic sprinkler system.
2. Where areas of buildings are equipped with early suppression
fast-response (ESFR) sprinklers, automatic
smoke and heat vents shall not be required within
these areas.

International Building Code 910.2

Where required. Smoke and heat vents shall be
installed in the roofs of one-story buildings or portions thereof
occupied for the uses set forth in Sections 910.2.1 through
910.2.3.

International Building Code 910.2.1

Group F-1 or S-1. Buildings and portions
thereof used as a Group F-1 or S-1 occupancy having more
than 50,000 square feet (4645 m2) in undivided area.
Exception: Group S-1 aircraft repair hangars.

International Building Code 910.2.2

High-piled combustible storage. Buildings
and portions thereof containing high-piled combustible
stock or rack storage in any occupancy group in accordance
with Section 413 and the International Fire Code.

International Building Code 910.2.3

Exit access travel distance increase. Buildings
and portions thereof used as a Group F-1 or S-1 occupancy
where the maximum exit access travel distance is increased
in accordance with Section 1016.2.

International Building Code 910.3

Design and installation. The design and installation
of smoke and heat vents and draft curtains shall be as specified
in Sections 910.3.1 through 910.3.5.2 and Table 910.3.

Design. Smoke and heat vents shall be listed and
labeled to indicate compliance with UL 793.

Vent operation. Smoke and heat vents shall be
capable of being operated by approved automatic and manual
means. Automatic operation of smoke and heat vents
shall conform to the provisions of Sections 910.3.2.1
through 910.3.2.3.

Gravity-operated drop-out vents. Automatic
smoke and heat vents containing heat-sensitive
glazing designed to shrink and drop out of the vent opening
when exposed to fire shall fully open within 5 minutes
after the vent cavity is exposed to a simulated fire,
represented by a time-temperature gradient that reaches
an air temperature of 500F (260C) within 5 minutes.

Sprinklered buildings. Where installed in
buildings provided with an approved automatic sprinkler
system, smoke and heat vents shall be designed to operate
automatically.

Nonsprinklered buildings. Where
installed in buildings not provided with an approved
automatic sprinkler system, smoke and heat vents shall
operate automatically by actuation of a heat-responsive
device rated at between 100F (38C) and 220F
(104C) above ambient.
Exception: Gravity-operated drop-out vents complying
with Section 910.3.2.1

Vent dimensions. The effective venting area
shall not be less than 16 square feet (1.5 m2) with no dimension
less than 4 feet (1219 mm), excluding ribs or gutters
having a total width not exceeding 6 inches (152 mm).

Vent locations. Smoke and heat vents shall be
located 20 feet (6096 mm) or more from adjacent lot lines
and fire walls and 10 feet (3048 mm) or more from fire barrier
walls. Vents shall be uniformly located within the roof
area above high-piled storage areas, with consideration
given to roof pitch, draft curtain location, sprinkler location
and structural members.

Draft curtains. Where required by Table 910.3,
draft curtains shall be provided in accordance with this section.
Exception: Where areas of buildings are equipped with
ESFR sprinklers, draft curtains shall not be provided
within these areas. Draft curtains shall only be provided
at the separation between the ESFR sprinklers and the
conventional sprinklers.
2006 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE 197
FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS
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Construction. Draft curtains shall be constructed
of sheet metal, lath and plaster, gypsum board or
other approved materials which provide equivalent performance
to resist the passage of smoke. Joints and connections
shall be smoke tight.

Location and depth. The location and
minimum depth of draft curtains shall be in accordance
with Table 910.3.

International Building Code 910.3.1

Design. Smoke and heat vents shall be listed and
labeled to indicate compliance with UL 793.

International Building Code 910.3.2

Sprinklered buildings. Where installed in
buildings provided with an approved automatic sprinkler
system, smoke and heat vents shall be designed to operate
automatically.

International Building Code 910.3.2.1

International Building Code 910.3.2.2

Sprinklered buildings. Where installed in
buildings provided with an approved automatic sprinkler
system, smoke and heat vents shall be designed to operate
automatically.

International Building Code 910.3.2.3

International Building Code 910.3.3

International Building Code 910.3.4

International Building Code 910.3.5

Location and depth. The location and
minimum depth of draft curtains shall be in accordance
with Table 910.3.

International Building Code 910.3.5.1

International Building Code 910.3.5.2

Location and depth. The location and
minimum depth of draft curtains shall be in accordance
with Table 910.3.

International Building Code 910.4

Mechanical smoke exhaust. Where approved by the
fire code official, engineered mechanical smoke exhaust shall
be an acceptable alternate to smoke and heat vents.

Location. Exhaust fans shall be uniformly
spaced within each draft-curtained area and the maximum
distance between fans shall not be greater than 100 feet (30
480 mm).

Size. Fans shall have a maximum individual
capacity of 30,000 cfm (14.2 m3/s). The aggregate capacity
of smoke exhaust fans shall be determined by the equation:
(Equation 9-10)
where:
C = Capacity of mechanical ventilation required, in
cubic feet per minute (m3/s).
A = Area of roof vents provided in square feet (m2) in
accordance with Table 910.3.

Operation. Mechanical smoke exhaust fans
shall be automatically activated by the automatic sprinkler
system or by heat detectors having operating characteristics
equivalent to those described in Section 910.3.2. Individual
manual controls of each fan unit shall also be
provided.

Wiring and control. Wiring for operation and
control of smoke exhaust fans shall be connected ahead of
the main disconnect and protected against exposure to temperatures
in excess of 1,000F (538C) for a period of not
less than 15 minutes. Controls shall be located so as to be
immediately accessible to the fire service from the exterior
of the building and protected against interior fire exposure
by fire barriers having a fire-resistance rating not less than 1
hour.

Supply air. Supply air for exhaust fans shall be
provided at or near the floor level and shall be sized to provide
a minimum of 50 percent of required exhaust. Openings
for supply air shall be uniformly distributed around the
periphery of the area served.

Interlocks. In combination comfort air-handling/
smoke removal systems or independent comfort
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FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS

International Building Code 910.4.1

Location. Exhaust fans shall be uniformly
spaced within each draft-curtained area and the maximum
distance between fans shall not be greater than 100 feet (30
480 mm).

International Building Code 910.4.2

International Building Code 910.4.3

International Building Code 910.4.4

International Building Code 910.4.5

International Building Code 910.4.6

Interlocks. In combination comfort air-handling/
smoke removal systems or independent comfort