Section 27-521.1
§ 27-521.1 Applicability. This article shall apply to the
construction, alteration and use of atriums.
Section 27-521.2
§ 27-521.2 Classification. An atrium shall be classified in occupancy
group F-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
§ 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
§ 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
§ 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
§ 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
§ 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
§ 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.