Article 21 - ATRIUMS

Section 27-521.1

Section 27-521.1

  §   27-521.1   Applicability.   This   article   shall  apply  to  the
construction, alteration and use of atriums.

Section 27-521.2

Section 27-521.2

  §  27-521.2 Classification. An atrium shall be classified in occupancy
group F-3.

Section 27-521.3

Section 27-521.3

  §  27-521.3  Construction.  (a)  Atriums  may  be  constructed only in
buildings in noncombustible construction groups 1-A, 1-B and 1-C.
  (b) An atrium shall be fully enclosed except that openings of any size
into the two lowest levels of an  atrium  shall  be  permitted  if  such
openings  are provided with opening protectives having a fire-resistance
rating of  at  least  one  and  one-half  hours  or  are  provided  with
sprinklers no more than six feet apart.
  (c) The minimum horizontal clear dimension of an atrium shall be forty
feet,  provided,  however  that  this dimension can be reduced to twenty
feet where sprinkler spacing on the  occupied  side  adjacent  to  glass
panels  authorized  by  subdivision  (d) of this section is no more than
four feet or the minimum atrium area is twelve hundred square feet.
  (d)  Atrium  enclosing  walls  shall  be  of   at   least   two   hour
fire-resistant  construction  or  of  glass that is wired, laminated, or
tempered and is provided with sprinklers on the occupied side spaced  no
more  than  six feet apart, except as otherwise permitted by subdivision
(c) of this section.

Section 27-521.4

Section 27-521.4

  §  27-521.4  Fire  protection  equipment.  (a) Smoke detectors. In all
spaces opening onto  an  atrium,  a  smoke  detecting  system  shall  be
installed  in  accordance with the requirements of reference standard RS
17-5E.
  (b) Standpipes. At least one standpipe outlet in addition to  a  riser
or risers within required stairways, shall be installed in every atrium.
  (c)  Sprinklers.  (1)  Every  story or mezzanine within an atrium that
overhangs another story or mezzanine within fifty feet  shall  have  the
overhang  sprinklered  in accordance with section 27-956 of article four
of subchapter seventeen of this chapter,  except  that  atrium  ceilings
less  than  fifty  feet above the atrium floor but more than thirty feet
above the floor may alternatively  be  provided  with  smoke  detectors,
which  shall be of the central supervisory type connected to an approved
central station. Every room or space opening onto the  atrium  shall  be
sprinklered, no matter where located.
  (2)  Except  as  otherwise  permitted  by  subdivision  (c) of section
27-521.3 of this article, at glass panels permitted by  subdivision  (d)
of  such section, sprinklers on the occupied side at all levels shall be
spaced six feet apart parallel to the glass and that distance away  from
the glass panels so as to insure complete glass wetting upon activation.
No obstructions to such wetting capability shall be permitted.
  (3)  Every  sprinkler  system  for  an  atrium  shall be provided with
sources of water supply in accordance with article  four  of  subchapter
seventeen of this chapter.

Section 27-521.5

Section 27-521.5

  § 27-521.5 Means of egress. (a) No vertical exits shall discharge into
an atrium at any level.
  (b)  Atrium  corridors shall have a width equal to or greater than one
hundred fifty  per  cent  of  that  required  by  either  table  6-1  of
subchapter six or table 8-1 of subchapter eight, as applicable.
  (c)  An  unenclosed  path  of  travel  to  a  required  exit  shall be
permitted, except that access to one  of  the  required  vertical  exits
shall  be  only through an enclosed passageway or corridor conforming to
the requirements for exits of subchapter six.

Section 27-521.6

Section 27-521.6

  § 27-521.6 Fire alarm and communication system. An interior fire alarm
and  communication  system  shall  be  installed  in accordance with the
requirements of reference standard RS 17-3.

Section 27-521.7

Section 27-521.7

  § 27-521.7 Signs. Atriums shall be provided with all signs required by
articles seven and nine of subchapter six of this chapter, regardless of
the occupant load of the atrium.

Section 27-521.8

Section 27-521.8

  § 27-521.8 Smoke control. (a) In all atriums there shall be provided a
system  of  mechanical  ventilation of sufficient capacity to exhaust at
least six air changes per hour of the combined volumes of the atrium and
all spaces with an open connection to the atrium, or 1 cfm/sq. ft.  from
all  such  spaces,  whichever  is  greater,  using  either dedicated fan
equipment or the building  ventilation  system  arranged  to  shut  down
automatically,  with  manual  override  capability. Make-up air shall be
supplied  at  the  lowest  level  of  an  atrium  at  a  rate  equal  to
seventy-five percent of exhaust.
  (b)  All atriums shall have a gravity ventilation system equipped with
remote manual controls to remove smoke if the mechanical exhaust  system
fails.
  (c) A ventilation system serving an atrium shall not be interconnected
with any other system serving another space.
  (d)  Ventilation  systems  supplying  occupied  spaces  shall  not  be
interconnected with the general atrium supply.

Section 27-521.9

Section 27-521.9

  §  27-521.9  Emergency  power.  All  atriums shall be provided with an
emergency power system meeting the requirements  of  article  eleven  of
subchapter six of this chapter.