CSE Pure Power - Fall 2008 - (Page 22)

❯❯ PURE POWER // FALL 2008 22 emergency lighting ENHANCING EMERGENCY any engineering companies and their clients are taking a second look at emergency lighting systems because of concerns about code combined with energy efﬁciency, and U.S. Green Building Council LEED demands. Upon discovering that the systems they specify do not meet USGBC requirements, many are taking an unconventional approach by using a UPS system, an economical solution to support and enhance emergency lighting systems. Various codes describe the exit path requirements for safe exiting of buildings. Chapter 10 of the International Building Code (IBC) describes the requirements for the means of egress as being a “continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from any occupied portion of a building to a public way.” It deﬁnes this path as consisting of three parts: exit access, exit, and exit discharge. The exit access is deﬁned as an area leading from an occupied area through an area that is separated by ﬁre-rated construction, thus providing a protected path leading to the exterior doors at ground level. The exterior door is referred to as the exit. The exit discharge is deﬁned as the area from the exit to a public right-of-way. The IBC provides further detail by describing the height and width of the means of egress including a restriction for protruding objects of up to 4 in. An occupant load table www.purepowermagazine.com M lists speciﬁc types of areas and the corresponding maximum occupants allowed including mezzanine levels, ﬁxed seating, and outdoor areas. The code additionally speciﬁes that yards, courts, and similar outdoor areas accessible to and usable by the building occupants also have a means of egress. Illumination for the egress path, including the exit discharge, is required by the IBC to be a minimum of 1 footcandle (11 lux) at the walking surface. There are, however, a few exceptions, which include dwelling units and sleeping units within groups R-1, R-2, and R-3. R-1 is deﬁned as residential occupancies having sleeping areas, such as hotels or motels; R-2 is considered to be residential occupancies including apartments and dormitories; R-3 occupancies include duplexes, child care for fewer than ﬁve people, or congregate living with 16 or fewer people. Auditoriums, theaters, and concert or opera halls can have reduced lighting during performances, but not less than a minimum of 0.2 foot-candle. All lighting must be restored to standard regulations upon activation of the ﬁre alarm system. For emergency lighting, the IBC requires initial illumination to be at least an average of 1 foot-candle and a minimum of 0.1 foot-candle. It is permitted to decline to an average of 0.6 foot-candle and a minimum of 0.06 foot-candle at the end of the 90-min duration for which the http://www.purepowermagazine.com

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CSE Pure Power - Fall 2008 In the News Commissioning CHP Enhancing Emergency Lighting Data Centers for Uncle Sam Handling a Nuisance Trip Sustainable Projects and Partnerships New Products Ad Index

CSE Pure Power - Fall 2008

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