Smoke-control systems in high-rise buildings, 1976-1980 survey

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Smoke-control systems in high-rise buildings, 1976-1980 survey

Tamura, G. T.

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1246

_{National Research}

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SMOKE-CONTROL SYSTEMS I N HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS

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1976-1980 SURVEY

by

G.T. Tamura

ANALYZED

Reprinted from

Engineering Digest

Vol. 30, No. 7, August 1984

p.

32 - 34

DBR Paper No. 1246

Division of Building Research

Price $1.00

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L I B R A R Y

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NRCC 23874

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T h i s p a p e r , w h i l e b e i n g d i s t r i b u t e d i n r e p r i n t form by t h e D i v i s i o n of B u i l d i n g R e s e a r c h , remains t h e c o p y r i g h t of t h e o r i g i n a l p u b l i s h e r . It s h o u l d n o t be r e p r o d u c e d i n whole o r i n p a r t w i t h o u t t h e p e r m i s s i o n of t h e p u b l i s h e r . A

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of a l l p u b l i c a t i o n s a v a i l a b l e from t h e D i v i s i o n may be o b t a i n e d by w r i t i n g t o t h e P u b l i p s t . < - - " - - - ' - ""

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B u i l d i n r C o u n c i l KIA OR6.

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Smoke-control systems in high-rise buildings

-

1976-1980 survey

by

G.T.

Tamura

Surveys were conducted in Toronto and Calgary to obtain inforrna- tion on current practice in smoke-control systems in high-rise buildings. The surveys revealed that most office buildings and hospitals are fully sprinklered, occasionally together with stair and elevator shafts protected by mechanical pressurization. In most office buildings the mechanical ventilation system is designed to be used for exhausting smoke from the fire area. In most apartment buildings under 36 m high, balconies are used as refuge areas; over 36 m high, pressurized stair and elevator shafts are common. Provisions are made in some instances for mechanically pressurizing the corridors to assist in confining smoke to the fire compartment. Des enquCtes ont QB menees a Calgary et Torontoafin de recueillir des donnees sur les systbmes de contr6le de la fumee dans les batiments de grande hauteur. Ces enqates ont revele que la plupart des immeubles B _{bureaux et des hopitaux sont munis d'une}

installation d'extincteurs automatiques a eau, avec parfois des cages d'escalier et des gaines d'ascenseurs pressurisees. Dans la plupart des immeubles a bureaux, I'installation de ventilation mecanique est conCue pour evacuer la fumee de la zone d'incendie. Dans la majorite des immeubles d'appartements de .mains de 36 m de hauteur, les balcons sont utili&s comme zones de refuge; dans les immeubles de plus de 36 m de hauteur, les cages d'escalier et les gaines d'ascenseur pressuri&es sont chose courante. Quelquefois, des dispositions existent pour la pressurisatian dcanique des corridors afin de circonscrire la tumee au compartiment etanche au feu.

THE spread of smoke from fire in buildings can pose a serious threat to occupants, particularly in high-rises where evacuation time can be dangerously long. This hazard is recognized in the National Building Code of Canada (NBC)

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Part 3, "Use and Occupancy", which contains special requirements for high-rise buildings. Various methods of smoke control are re- commended in the Supplement to the NBC (2).

Requirements introduced in the 1970 edition of the NBC included special alarm and communication systems, elevator control, smoke venting, and limits on flame spread and smoke production of interior sur- faces. A voluntary technical guide for smoke control became mandatory and in subsequent years special requirements were adopted in whole or in part by the pro- vinces and municipalities.

A design engineer is permitted to choose from several methods of smoke control specified in the Supple- ment to the NBC, or use any other method that will meet the performance requirement. His choice will depend on practicality, reliability and cost. Smoke-control systems were installed voluntarily in a few of the buildings constructed during the early 1970's and later, on a mandatory basis, in all new construction.

To obtain information on the smoke-control systems being installed in high-rise buildings, surveys of buildings erected from 1976 to 1980 were conducted in Tor- onto and Calgary. Building permits and plan examina- tion records were examined for lists of high-rise buildings and the generic type of smoke-control system used. The consultants were then contacted for details.

SMOKE-CONTROL MEASURES

The Supplement to the NBC lists the following smoke-control measures:

Measure A

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Fully sprinklered building

Measure B,C -Open corridor access to stairs and elevators

Measure D,E - Protected vestibule access to stairs and elevators (naturally vented or mechanically pressurized)

Measure F,G

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Pressurized stair and elevator shafts Measure H

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Fully pressurized building

Measure I,J

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Partially pressurized building Measure K -Vertically divided building Measure L -Area of refuge

Measure M - Building with balconies Measure N

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Connected buildings.

The overall requirements for smoke control are that exit stairways, elevators be used by firefighters, and floor spaces other than those in the fire region remain tenable. Measure A, because it minimizes smoke prob- lems by limiting the generation of smoke, is considered to be a measure that meets the requirements. The requirement for protection from smoke penetration in floor spaces is waived for Measures C, E, G and J for buildings not more than 75 m high, provided the stair- shafts can accommodate all the occupants of the above-grade floors. Measures K, L and M provide refuge areas and therefore none of the floor spaces, or only some of them, need be protected from smoke con- tamination. Measure N, by itself, is not

a

complete smoke-control system for a single building; its objec- tive is to prevent the flow of smoke through connecting links from one building to another. An overview com- paring the merits of various approaches to smoke control is available (3).

SURVEY RESULTS

Metropolitan Toronto: Eighty-nine buildings (one hospital, 79 apartments, two hotels and seven office buildings) were investigated in the five boroughs of

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ywm- < Smoke-Conttol Number ' Occupar

-

--

-

arY trtlrtibna~ :upancies 2

shaft and one used glass panels for exterior wall venting. A separate exhaust fan was used in 43 cases, a building return or exhaust air fan in seven cases, and no fan in eight cases.

Damper control was fully automatic in one case, re- motely operated from the central control and alarm facility in 55 cases, and manually operated by chain and pulley in two cases.

Major Measure nto Calg

8. Insi

OCC

DISCUSSION

The survey results show that Measure A is heavilyfa- vored for hospitals and office buildings and was used in one apartment building and one hotel. In several instances where Measure A was used, additional measures for smoke control were incorporated because of the possible hazard caused by smoke generated before the sprinklers are activated and during the time a fire is being extinguished.

For apartment buildings, Measures F, G an.d Mea- sure M are strongly favored. According to the NBC, Measure M can be applied to residential buildings up to 36 m high. Therefore, Measure M, whose requirements are minimal, is used for buildings less than 36 m high and Measures F, G for all others. There are more buildings using Measure M in Calgary than in Toronto, prob- ably because Calgary has more buildings less than 36 m high. Far less common are Measures I, J which in- volve corridor pressurization.

There were only two instances of Measure H and one each of Measure D and Measure K. Measures B, C and Measure L were not encountered.

For venting and exhausting smoke from the fire floor, the Calgary survey of office buildings indicated that the building mechanical ventilation system is used in most instances; only five of the 58 buildings used a separate smoke shaft and one used exterior wall vents. As one would expect, for buildings with central HVAC, the return or exhaust air system is used; for buildings with

J M A

F

G

K iness and zonal service D. Bus per: OCC Offi upancies: ce office ant apartmen 1 1 n u & , 2 A & M

_-

?

_-

-

89 5

Table 1 -Survey results of smoke-control systems.

Total

Metropolitan Toronto. These accounted for about 90% of the buildings constructed during the survey period. Results are given in Table 1. Measure A was used in the hospital, in all seven office buildings, and in one apartment building. Measures F, G were used in 57 apartment buildings and one hotel, while Measure M was used in 20 apartment buildings. There was one use each of Measure J and Measure K.

City of Calgary; All 136 buildings under construction or completed in Calgary during the period were sur- veyed: two hospitals, 70 apartments, five hotels, 53 offices and six office-apartment complexes. Results are also given in Table 1. Measure A was used in both hospitals, 55 office buildings, two hotels, and one apartment building. Measures F, G were used in 15 apar- ment buildings and three hotels. Measure M was used in 42 apartment buildings, Measures I, J in 12, and Mea- sure D in one. For office buildings, there were two cases of Measure H. Eight of the 57 office buildings using Measure A had additional provisions for smoke control, for example, Measure G.

Venting methods for office buildings obtained from the Calgary survey are listed in Table 2. The most common method was the building return air system fol- lowed by a general or washroom exhaust system and building fresh air make-up system. Buildings with central HVAC used either the return air or exhaust systems and the compartmented type used the fresh air make- up system. Only five buildings used a separate smoke

. - >. Number of Buildinas Means t Return ; General P -.,. ~f Venting 3ir system or washr. . .. - 8 .

rresn air rnaKeup sysrern

Separatt

Glass p:

s _{smoke :} mels on F

Means of Exhausi

Return air fan

bhaust fan Separate exhaust Gravity I

.

- _ - . . relief Controf means c Fully au Remote con~ror

-

4~ 13 Mechanical l i n k a ~ 2

Table 2 -Survey results of the methods for venting the fire floor of office buildings, City of Calgary.

-

pneuma

le (chain i

tic

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compartmented-type HVAC, the fresh air make-up system is used. In most cases, there is a separate exhaust fan. In 55 of the 58 cases, smoke dampers are operated manually through pneumatic or electric switching from the central alarm and control facility. Activating the manual control afterverifying the location of thefirede- creases the possibility of opening the smoke damper on floor other than the fire floor. In only one case was the damper operation fully automatic and in two cases

,

fully manual (i.e., chain and pulley).

Openable windows are commonly used to vent a fire compartment in apartments and hotels.

SUMMARY

Surveys of smoke-control systems installed during the 1976-80 period in Metropolitan Toronto and the City of Calgary revealed that:

1. Measure A (fully sprinklered building) was most often used for hospitals and offices; occasionally, a second measure such as Measure G (pressurized stair and elevator shafts) was also used.

2. For apartment buildings under36 m in height, Mea- sure M (building with balconies), and over 36 m, Measures F, G (pressurized stair and elevator shafts), were used frequently. Measures I, J (partially pressurized building) were used in a few instances.

3. In most office buildings with central HVAC, smoke was exhausted from the fire area using the return or exhaust air system. The fresh air make-up system was used for buildings with compartmented-type HVAC.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This paper is a contribution from the Division of Building Research, National Research Council of Canada and is published with the approval of the Direc- tor of the Division. It is based on contract reports pre- ~ a r e d for the Division bv Rolf Jensen and Associates Ltd. (4), and ACPH ~ n ~ i h e e r i n ~ and Construction Ltd. (5).

George Toshiaki Tamura, P.Eng., Research Officer, Energy & Ser- vices, NRC Building Research Div., Ottawa, Ont.

REFERENCES

(1) National Building Code of Canada 1980, Associate Com- mittee on the National Building Code, National Research Council of Canada, NRCC 17303.

(2) "The Supplement to the National Building Code of Canada 1980", Associate Committee on the National Building Code, National Research Council of Canada, NRCC 17724.

(3) McGuire, J.H. and G.T. Tamura. "The National Building Code Smoke Control Measures - An Overview". Engi- neering Digest, Vol. 25, No. 9, October 1979, p. 35-38. (4) "Survey of Smoke-Control Systems Installed in High-

Rise Buildings in Metropolitan Toronto during 1976 to 1980", Rolf Jensen and Associates Ltd., Contract No.081- 029/0-4433, November 1981.

(5) "Survey of Smoke-Control Systems Installed in High- Rise Buildings in the City of Calgary since 1976", ACPH Engineering and Construction Ltd., Contract No. 081- 057/1-4408. March 1982.