Good design judgement before diving in on whether sprinklers are required or not remember that good design judgement is always important.
Do awnings need fire rating ibc.
Building codes define requirements for fire ratings fire protection egress and accessibility.
The bigger reason for putting sprinklers in every layer of cake is the possibility of flame lapping out of a window from an occupied floor onto the bottom of the floor below or if possible increasing the fire rating on the higher floors and sprinkler the ground floor where cars and the occasional ups truck may congregate.
Just because certain code verbiage or annex material exists does not mean you as a designer engineer or review authority should forfeit good judgment or common sense.
The document you need to look at is the ibc.
If you have transformers in the room it might need to be fire rated.
When allowed the codes distinguish between openings that are protected fire rated doors windows shutters and unprotected no fire rating.
See 450 21 through 450 28.
The international codes i codes are the widely accepted comprehensive set of model codes used in the us and abroad to help ensure the engineering of safe sustainable affordable and resilient structures.
Steve66 senior member.
Aug 24 2010 3 the nec does not generally require a fire rating of an electrical room.
The best way to answer the question is to review what type of equipment is being installed in the mechanical room then go to the various nfpa or icc standards for the equipment.
The international code council icc is a non profit organization dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design build and compliance process.
Then the ibc adjusts the hourly fire resistance ratings depending on the occupancy of the building.
That should give you some direction.
The room could require a 2 hour rating a 1 hour rating or no fire rating.
Tables 704 8 2006 ibc and table 705 8 2009 and 2012 ibc lay out the percentage of protected and unprotected openings and size limits allowed in exterior walls.
For separating group s 1 fire areas from group s 1 fire areas a 3 hour rated fire barrier is required.