| Occupancy |
Article Index for Occupancy |
Information AboutOccupancy |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT OCCUPANCY | |
| fire protection | |
|
BUILDING CODE It is possible to have multiple occupancies (or building uses) within one building. For instance, one may have a high-rise Building , where the lower levels are occupied by retail stores, whereas the upper levels could be residential. Wherever the dividing line is between different occupancies within one building, one must construct a particularly integral Fire Barrier referred to as an occupancy separation with a defined Fire-resistance Rating , which is subject to stringent Bounding . Typically, the code requirements for an occupancy separation are more stringent than for other fire-barriers, even with an identical fire-resistance rating. For example, if an occupancy separation carried a two-hour fire-resistance rating, one may, in some Jurisdiction s, '''not''' be able to ''de-rate'' its '''closures''', such Fire Door s or Firestop s. A normal two-hour fire separation, may conceivably be fitted with 90-minute fire doors, whereas the occupancy separation would not be granted such reprieve. Firestops in occupancy separations are also more likely to be required not only an equal fire protection rating (a fire-resistance rating for closures) but must also provide a Temperature rating, such that the components of the firestop systems, including the Penetrant s, are not permitted to rise in temperature above 140°C (284°F) on average or 180°C (356°F) on any single point, so as to lower the likelihood of auto-ignition on the unexposed side. In this manner, occupancy separations are treated similarly to Fire Wall s, which have the further task of limiting fire-induced building collapse, on the unexposed side. In this sense, there are two occupancies in most . Because Automobile Gasoline or Petrol is Flammable , an occupancy separation is often required between the two, should there be a Vehicle Fire . Water Heater s and Central Heating are often placed in this space as well, for their use of Natural Gas , Propane , or other Fossil Fuel s in Combustion . This also helps to prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning . BUILDING UTILISATION Occupancy can also refer to the number of units in use, such as Hotel Room s, Apartment Flat s, or Office s. When a Motel is at full (100%) occupancy, a NO VACANCY Neon Sign is often turned on (though the sign often still says VACANCY at other times). Office Building s and apartments in particular aim for full occupancy, but if too many are built in an area this is often not the case. Completely vacant buildings can also attract Crime , and are eventually targeted for Redevelopment or at least Renovation . Occupancy can also mean the number of Person s using an undivided space, such as a Meeting Room , Ballroom , Auditorium , or Stadium . As with building codes, fire-protection authorities often set a limit on the number of people that can occupy a space, primarily because they must be able to leave the building through the available number of Exit s in a reasonable amount of time, without tripping or Trampling each other in a Panic ked Stampede , possibly blinded by Smoke . The Integrity of a Structure may also be at stake, because too many people will put excessive Weight and other Force s, leading in some cases to a collapse. An Occupancy Sensor is a device that can tell if someone is in a room, and is often used in Home Automation and Security System s. These are typically more advanced than Motion Sensor s, which can only detect Motion . SEE ALSO
|
|
|