Think Twice About Special Purpose Sprinklers.
In February 2015, the ICC-ES Evaluation Committee agreed to adopt a modified AC 385 which allows an exemption for “special-purpose sprinklers used with fixed glass assemblies”. Before rushing out to specify non-rated, fixed glass assemblies with special purpose sprinklers in lieu of fire resistant glass, there are important issues that every architect and specifier need to consider. Click to View: Code Considerations, April 2015
Designing Secure Buildings.
Increasingly, architects need to incorporate measures to deter, delay and protect people and property from human aggressors. New glazing and framing systems offer helpful, attractive tools that can meet security, fire protection and energy efficiency needs all at the same time. Click to View: Code Considerations, December 2014
Take the Stairs – Reinventing Stairways. Research and experience tells us that centrally located, spacious, appealing staircases will encourage use. Today’s fire rated glazing and framing products offer building materials that support design efforts to make stairs more visible, appealing and safe. Click to View: Code Considerations, September 2014
Building with Glass in Hurricane Zones. Tropical cyclones and storms cause increasing amounts of destruction and monetary damages. Glazing innovations, like the SAFTIfire Hurricane system, meet both fire resistive and hurricane impact requirements, and can be used without the need for duplicative systems such as hurricane shutters or side-by-side glazing assemblies. Click to View: Code Considerations, June 2014
NFPA 80 Annex Note Clears Up Framing Confusion. Code confusion has led to mismatched fire rated glass and framing assemblies with costly results. To minimize expensive mismatches, a proposed NFPA 80 annex note, which recently passed the first NFPA Technical Committee ballot, works to clarify situations where fire-resistive framing must be used. Click to view:Code Considerations, March 2014
Decoding Framing Requirements. To avoid a costly mistake, the tested and listed performance capabilities of the framing system should match those of the glazing. The glass and framing must meet the same code requirements. Using fire protection-rated, hollow metal framing with fire resistance-rated glazing negates the fire resistance rating of the assembly. Click to view: Code Considerations, December 2013
Liability From Traditional Wired Glass. Washington state school district recently paid $2 million to a student who was severely injured by a traditional wired glass opening. Today, school districts, private schools and architects are responsible for unsafe traditional wired glass in impact areas, and experts say “it’s virtually impossible to plausibly claim ignorance of the dangers of wired glass.”Click to view: Safe Glass for Schools, August 2013
ing Codes for Healthcare. In hospitals, urgent care, long-term care and other healthcare facilities, immobile patients make complete evacuation in the case of a fire difficult or impossible. So, it’s crucial to contain fire through the passive fire protection that fire rated glazing materials provide. And, research shows that adding natural light in healthcare interiors leads to healthier outcomes. Click to view: Code Considerations, April 2013
Science Labs Use Transparent Walls to Promote Collaboration. Modern science is a social activity. Labs today are above ground, use transparent walls instead of solid walls, and atriums, courtyards, corridors and staircases are gathering places. Fire rated glass products that meet ASTM E119 wall standards up to 2 hours are invaluable in increasing collaboration, sustainability and fire safety. Click to view: Safe Glass for Schools, February 2013
60-minute doors and glazing in 1-hour walls. There are only a few applications where 60-min doors are required in 1-hour rated walls. In some places, doors and glazing with 45-min or 20-min fire ratings are allowed. This newsletter clarifies code confusion surrounding fire rated glazing allowed in various 1-hour fire rated applications. Click to view: Code Considerations, November 2012
Greener and Cheaper to Reuse Existing Schools. A profile of “The Greenest Building” concludes that renovating a school is 9-12% better for reducing CO2 emissions, 7-11% better for human health and 11-14% better for ecosystem quality than building new. Click to view: Safe Glass for Schools, September 2012
New Bugs Use Letters. The new, fire rated glazing marking system contained in Chapter 7 tables of the 2012 IBC uses letters instead of test standards to indicate the performance standard that the glazing product meets. Learn more about Table 716.3 and the new glazing bugs. Click to view: Code Considerations, July 2012.
A Tour of Places to Use Fire Rated Glazing in Schools. An outside to inside tour of schools reviewing codes that affect the type and size of glazing in places that provide protection against the spread of fire and radiant heat. Case study of glass wall at David Eccles School of Business. Click to view: Safe Glass for Schools, May 2012.
IBC Codes and Building Exteriors. This issue focuses on IBC sections addressing fire resistance ratings for exterior walls and tables that prescribe what type and how much glass can be used on building exteriors. We also offer links to examples where designers used fire rated glass on exterior walls to meet building codes and gain benefits. Click to view: Code Considerations, March 2012.
Effectiveness of Passive Fire Protection. Built-in fire protection contains school fires to the room of origin in 87% of educational properties. The use of fire rated glass in exits stops the spread of fire and radiant heat. University of Michigan preserves historic stained glass while meeting fire safety codes. Click to view: Safe Glass for Schools, December 2011.
Code FAQs. What do codes require in 1-hour exit corridors? Hazardous locations? If a building is sprinklered, can door vision panels be larger than 100 sq inches? Questions frequently asked by architects, contractors and others who have attended SAFTI FIRST‘s free AIA webinar are answered. Click to view: Code Considerations, October 2011
A College Replaces All Unsafe Wired Glass. Middlebury College surveyed and cataloged 1500 pieces of traditional wired glass and then embarked on a multi-year, proactive effort to replace the unsafe glass. Click to view: Safe Glass for Schools, August 2011
The New Chapter 7 Tables in 2012 IBC. The revised Chapter 7 tables in the new 2012 IBC work to clarify when fire resistive glass must be used to protect people and property from radiant heat transmission. Click to view: Code Considerations, June 2011
New Rules Require Certain Vision Panels to Stop Radiant Heat. The 2012 IBC makes it clear that vision panels over 100 square inches in 60 and 90 minute temperature-rise doors located in paths of egress must block radiant heat. To meet both the new IBC and ADA requirements, vision areas must be large and fire resistive. Click to view: Safe Glass for Schools, April 2011
2012 IBC & Temperature-Rise Doors. A recent revision to the IBC model building code limits the size of fire protective glazing used within vision panels for 60 or 90 minute temperature rise doors to no more than 100 square inches, with or without sprinklers. Click to view: Code Considerations, January 2011
The Dangers of Radiant Heat. Where there’s fire, there’s an invisible deadly threat called radiant heat. Learn more about the dangers of radiant heat and how fire-resistive glazing protects people and property. Click to view: Safe Glass for Schools – November 2010
Telling the Difference Between Safe and Unsafe Wired Glass. Today’s model building codes restrict the use of “traditional wired” glass in hazardous locations like doors, sidelites, and any location that requires safety. Learn more about the two types of wired glass: non-safety, traditional wired glass and safety wired glass. Click to view: Code Considerations 1 – June 2010
Glass in School Design. Designers are finding exciting ways to use fire rated glazing to help school districts increase student performance, make schools safer, and meet LEED standards. Click to view: Safe Glass for Schools – May 2010
Choosing School Renovation Over Building New. School enrollment is declining, and budgets are tight. Many school districts are choosing to renovate rather than build new schools. Click to view: Safe Glass for Schools – January 2010