Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The Hawaii 2007 Legislature created a new Building Code Council Agency that has the authority to adopt any code(s) statewide. The statute specifically names the IBC as one of the statewide codes.
Obviously the building was built prior to 2007.
Today nearly everything >4 stories in height is required to have sprinkler protection and some of them, depending on construction type and occupancy, will easily require sprinklers in single story buildings.
In case you are interested building codes will not tell how to install sprinklers what they do is reference a standard and it is the standard that is incorporated into the building code.
Sprinklers for example... the building code as adopted by the state will reference "NFPA #13 Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems - 2013 Edition" or something similar. By similar they will all be NFPA #13 but some states use different editions.
What this means is a fire sprinkler system installed in New York will be practically identical to the ones installed in California, Alaska, Hawaii or Nebraska but once in a while a small difference will be incorporated into the code by statute. For example the Georgia fire marshal requires a 10 psi safety factor on all calculations which differs from other states and sometimes by good margin.
I witnessed the fire burning from my apartment (about half a mile away). I'd post pictures if I knew how to. A very tragic outcome. Apart from not having sprinklers, another major problem was that firefighters weren't able to access the stairwells initially (unlike newer buildings where code requires fire exits to automatically unlock when the alarm sounds, this was not the case here). Makes you wonder where building security was if this was the case, though. I live in an older but well maintained building, too, but the way my building is set up makes such an occurrence unlikely. In fact, my building had a fire just in 2014, which started on the 9th floor. Thanks to a responsive security team, great alarm system, building layout that allowed firefighters to get to the unit quickly, and water hoses on each floor, the fire was completely contained within 45 minutes.
These two recent fires make you really think about fire safety in high-rises now. When I lived at the Jersey shore, the fire department did an inspection every year on our condominiums (which had sprinklers). Everything had to be tested, they entered each condo to make sure you had fire extinguishers that were tagged and visible, and the building had to have an outside lockbox with keys to all the units. I thought it was overkill at the time...but now I realize how lucky the residents in that town are.
I am wondering why older high rise buildings are not required to add sprinkler systems besides the obvious fact that it would costly financially.
I think it primarily comes down to cost. I know that the residents of many buildings would revolt if their condo boards tried to require sprinkler installation. The legislatures seem to be receptive to the cost argument, too. The cost to install sprinklers would probably bankrupt some residents.
there likely wasn't a resident in that entire complex that didn't know that their apartment didn't have any sprinklers, I guess the amount of their rent didn't persuade them to look for a sprinkled building as an alternative.
there likely wasn't a resident in that entire complex that didn't know that their apartment didn't have any sprinklers, I guess the amount of their rent didn't persuade them to look for a sprinkled building as an alternative.
To add: even if everyone wanted to live in a sprinkler-fitted building, there are simply not enough such buildings to meet that hypothetical demand.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
