|
|
John Klote, P.E., John Klote Fire and Smoke Consulting
|
|
|
Paul Turnbull, Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
|
|
|
Douglas H. Evans, Clark County Building Division
|
In the past, the International Building Code (IBC) has required pressurized stairwells to maintain pressurization with all exit doors closed. Most jurisdictions in the U.S. are adopting the 2015 IBC that considers the status of exterior doors as opened or closed. A 2016 ASHRAE research project (RP-1447) has shown that a tenable environment can be maintained in stairwells with many open doors provided that the stair doors on the fire floor are closed. Smoke that leaks into the stairwell is quickly diluted resulting in a tenable environment in the stairwell. There are stairwell systems that are intended to maintain pressurization with a number of open doors, but many such systems are complex and have dangerous failure modes. This paper discusses these issues including suggested stairwell pressurization systems.
