Citation

Beller DK, Watts JM. Fire Mater. 1999; 23(6): 281-289.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A fundamental concept of fire safety codes is the categorization of buildings according to their occupancy or use. The intrinsic purpose of such classification is to simplify the application of code regulations. While actual occupancy fire risk varies in every building space, administration is greatly facilitated by classification into a small number of categories. In application, once determined, occupancy class becomes the basis for building fire risk assessments. Traditional occupancy classification by building function is challenged by modern multifunctional structures that do not fit the earlier categories. Furthermore, these traditional categories ape unnecessary given the current capabilities of performance-based fire safety design and by performance-based fire safety codes.