The design and construction of high-rise buildings come with unique challenges, particularly when it comes to fire and life safety. The 2021 International Building Code (IBC) outlines specific requirements for high-rise buildings that affect construction type, fire protection, egress, and emergency systems. These requirements play a major role in the design of a high-rise building, so it’s important for architects and engineers to know and understand the requirements from the beginning of the design process.
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the key requirements from the 2021 IBC that apply to high-rise buildings. If you're interested in a cheat sheet that summarizes these requirements, scroll down to the bottom of the article to download your free one-page cheat sheet. What is a High-Rise Building?
Per the 2021 IBC, a high-rise building is defined as:
A building with an occupied floor located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access."
Any building with an occupied floor higher than this 75 foot threshold is considered a high-rise building and must comply with all of the requirements listed in this article.
Starting in the 2024 IBC, the definition of high-rise building has been changed to be: A building with an occupied floor or occupied roof located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access."
This new definition means that an occupied roof above the 75 foot threshold now also will trigger designation as a high-rise building.
Construction Type and Fire Resistance Ratings
The IBC establishes fire resistance rating requirements based on building height and occupancy type. High-rise buildings generally fall under Type I construction, which mandates noncombustible materials with high fire resistance ratings. However, some reductions are permitted (IBC 403.2.1):
Structural Integrity
Shaft enclosures play an important role in maintaining fire and smoke compartmentation. Key requirements include (IBC 403.2.2):
Fire Sprinkler Systems
High-rise buildings must be fully sprinkler-protected per NFPA 13. Additional fire suppression measures include (IBC 403.3):
Fire Alarm and Smoke Detection Systems
Fire detection and alarm systems play a big role in the safety of high-rise buildings. Key requirements include (IBC 403.4):
Fire Department Response
High rise buildings pose a unique challenge to responding fire departments. To assist local fire departments, the following features a required:
Egress and Stairway Design
Ensuring proper means of egress is critical in high-rise buildings. The IBC includes the following key stairway requirements:
Elevator Requirements
Elevators play a key role in both evacuation and firefighter access in high-rise buildings. The 2021 IBC requires:
Emergency Power and Fire Command Center
To support critical life safety systems, high-rise buildings must have emergency power systems:
Conclusion
High-rise buildings are among the most complex structures from a code compliance perspective. The 2021 IBC outlines extensive requirements covering construction type, fire protection, egress, elevators, and emergency systems. While some provisions allow for flexibility, such as fire resistance reductions and alternative egress solutions, most of these requirements are above and beyond what is required in smaller building. Understanding and integrating these high-rise requirements early in the design process helps streamline approvals and avoid costly redesigns.
Free High Rise Code Requirements Cheat SheetNeed assistance on your specific project? Add Campbell Code Consulting to your team. They are a full-service code consulting and fire protection engineering firm that can help you navigate complex code challenges.
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