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4.1 PURPOSE GROUP
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4.1.2 SHOPPING CENTRES AND SHOP COMPARTMENTS
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4.1.5 HOSPITALS
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4.3.8 SEPARATION OF BUILDINGS (THE 6TH SCHEDULE EXPLANED)
1 Reason for Separation
When buildings catch fire, in addition to posing danger to occupants, they may also become a
source of ignition (radiant energy) to neighbouring or adjacent buildings. This section deals with
fire spread via radiation of heat through openings (termed unprotected openings') in the external
walls.
The 6" Schedule and By-law 142 to By-law 146 form the basis for assessing and establishing
the safe separation between buildings for prevention of flame spread and protection from a
radiant heat source emanating from a building on fire.
Under the 6th Schedule, the external walls and, where relevant, the roofs, of a building are
required to be designed and set back from the neighbouring building in such a way that it will
not pose a danger. damage or set neighbouring buildings on fire. In assessing the adequacy of
resistance to fire spread, regard must be given to the nature of usage of the building (Purpose
Group), combustibility of the walls (and roofing), the size of the unprotected openings, the
overall percentage of these openings and their proximity to neighbouring buildings.
Generally, external walls should serve to restrict the outward spread of fire to a neighbouring
building. This is achieved by ensuring that the walls have adequate fire resistance and façade
coverings have the necessary restrictions to surface flame spread. By-law 142(3)(a) requires
that external walls to buildings situated within 2 metres of a boundary or greater than 18 metres
in height be constructed wholly of non-combustible materials or, where an external cladding is
used, comply with testing to BS 8414.
Roofs, when pitched to an angle of 70° or more to the horizontal and adjoins a space within the
building or compartment to which persons have access not limited to the purpose of
maintenance or repair (By-law 145), shall be deemed to be part of the external wall or side of a
building and therefore also taken into consideration in assessing the area of wall (enclosing
rectangle) containing the unprotected openings.
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3 Complying with the 6th Schedule
By-law 145: Reference to 6th Schedule
For the purpose of By-law 142 to 146-
a) any part of a roof shall be deemed to be part of an external wall or side of a building if it is
pitched to an angle of 70° or more to the horizontal and adjoins a space within the building to
which persons have access not limited to the purposes of maintenance or repair; and
b) any reference to the Sixth Schedule to these By-Laws shall be construed as referring to the
provisions of Part I of the Schedule together with, at the option of the persons intending to erect
the building, either the provisions of Part II, Part III or Part IV of the Schedule.
Compliance with the 6th Schedule requires satisfaction of or compliance with Parts II, III and IV
of the Schedule.
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Part II prescribes the minimum set back distances a building is required to comply with. This
distance is derived based on the Purpose Group and percentage of unprotected openings/area
with reference to the height and width of the Enclosing Rectangle or section of facade
containing the openings while using the Tables associated with Part II of the schedule.
To determine what constitutes an "unprotected area in relation to space separation, any part of a
wall which may contribute radiation at any time during a fire must be taken into account, namely
windows, doors and any parts of the external wall not possessing the required fire resistance.
Combustible cladding must also be taken into account, as at some stage of the fire it may well
ignite and so contribute radiation. (see Diagram 4.3.8f)
Evaluate if a section or the whole of the elevation of the building must be included in the
calculations. If the building is not divided into compartments, then all the unprotected areas or
openings must be taken into account. Whereas if a building is divided into compartments, then it
is assumed that the fire will not spread beyond that compartment where the fire started. As each
compartment is treated for calculation purposes as a separate radiator and assuming the façade
is on the same plane, the area of the wall in the largest compartment must be taken into
account.
Some openings such as those in protected shafts like stairways or those below certain
dimensions (see Diagram 4.3.8g) may be disregarded.
Having complied with Part II, the design is then required to comply with Part III of the schedule.
Part III contains the rules for calculation to ensure that the aggregated total area of unprotected
openings to a building or compartment multiplied by the relevant prescribed factor does not
exceed a set limit. This is to ensure that there is no single radiant heat source so large or
intense that conventional means of fire suppression (presumably water streams) cannot
extinguish it. Therefore, Part III caps the total area of openings allowed. The multiplication factor
is based on the distance of the facade from the relevant boundary.
Part IV is confined to small residential buildings less than 3 storeys in height and where no wall
exceeds 24 metres in length.
The application of the 6th Schedule to determine the set back distance or distance between
buildings will require understanding of the concept of Relevant Boundary. Notional Boundary
and the basis for assessing the quantum and percentage of Unprotected Openings on any given
elevation or facade.
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4 BOUNDARIES
It need not be a legal boundary as in a
land or lot demarcation boundary,
established by survey, which is for the
purpose of land ownership demarcation.
The relevant boundary marks the
baseline from which measurements are
taken for the purpose of establishing the
set back distance of a side or of a
building for the purposes of 6th
Schedule compliance calculations. The
distance that a building is sited from this
boundary (set back distance) cannot
exceed that distance which is allowed in
the Part Il tables contained in this Part.
Alternatively, the set back distance is
used to reverse calculate the
percentage of openings that is
permissible in the relevant building
façade.
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4.4 MEANS OF EVACUATION
4.4.1 Basic Principles of Design for Evacuation
A fire is unlikely to start in two different places in a building at the same time, and seldom
caused by the building structure but its content. Initially, a fire poses a danger only in the part of
the building in which it starts.
The primary danger associated with fire in its early stage is not flame but smoke and noxious
gases produced by the fire. Thus, an important principle in the design of fire safety is to contain
the fire within a compartment and to extinguish it while preventing fire and smoke from
spreading to other parts of the building.
Due to the danger of smoke and fumes, fire safety designs must limit the spread of smoke and
fumes through concealed spaces in a building while evacuation routes must lead the occupants
to the ultimate place of safety which in most instances is the open air outside the building, clear
from the effect of the fire.
Good design for Means of Evacuation involves:
1. Unassisted evacuation via a means of escape
2. Recognition of Rate of Travel and mobility characteristics of the occupants under stressful
conditions
3. Due consideration on building use, layout design and fire spread
4. Provision of alternative means of evacuation
5. Provision of appropriate warning and fire extinguishing system
6. Recognising that the means of escape at most times is also the means for fire fighters to
access and stage rescue and fire fighting
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4.4.2 MEANS OF ESCAPE
1 Rate of Travel
Rate of Travel is important in the complete design for evacuation. The occupancy characteristics
will affect the rate of travel which will determine the travel distance limit and the exit capacity.
A high mobility scenario involves a higher occupant movement speed, allowing a longer travel
distance limit. This results in a higher rate of occupant exit per exit module and smaller exit
width provisions can be considered.
A slow mobility scenario involves a slower occupant movement speed, hence limiting the travel
distance. The slower rate of occupant exit per exit module will require wider exits to
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4. Alternative Routes
An escape route can be rendered impassable by fire, smoke or obstruction. Therefore, at least 1
alternative escape route should be provided from every storey or floor level unless otherwise
allowed (By-law 166).
that the escape routes are If alternative escape routes are provided, they shall be sited in such
a way sufficiently separated by direction and space and fire-resisting construction to ensure that
one is always still available if the other is rendered unavailable.
Alternative escape routes should be :
a) in directions 45° or more apart; or
b) if less than 45° apart, separated from each other by fire-resisting construction.
Exit staircases shall be remotely located from each other to reduce the possibility that more than
one staircase can be blocked off by fire or other emergency condition. Single staircase and
dead ends for specific building types/ Purpose Group are allowed as per the prescriptions in the
relevant by-laws.
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5. Dead End Limit
Dead end means an area from which escape is possible in one direction only and in an open
plan includes any point from which the direct routes to alternative exits subtend an angle of less
than 45°
In many cases there are no alternatives during the first portion of the escape route. In such a
situation. the distance the occupant has to traverse before coming to a point where alternative
routes of travel become available (route directions subtended by an angle of more than 45°)
must be less than the allowable dead end distance.
Alternatively, the occupant traverses a distance equal to or less than the permissible dead end
distance before reaching a storey exit, horizontal exit or final exit.
Dead end is acceptable provided that the following two requirements are complied:
Overall travel distance (including the dead end distance) to the nearest storey exit or final exit
does not exceed the permitted Travel Distance stated in UBBL 7th Schedule.
Dead end escape route (one direction route where there is no alternative) does not exceed the
permitted Dead-End stated in UBBL 7th Schedule.
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4.4.5 Evacuation Route Planning
An evacuation route refers to the travel path planned for occupants to exit from a building
threatened by fire, from any habitable location within a building to ultimately a place of safety
outside the building.
This path of travel begins in an unprotected area from where the maximum distance required to
be covered (travel distance) before accessing a "protected exit route" (from storey exit to final
exit) is limited by the 7th Schedule (maximum travel distance)
By-law 133: Interpretation
"exit route" means a route by which persons in any storey of a building may reach a place of
safety outside the building and may include a room, doorway corridor, stairway or other means
of passage not being a revolving door, lift or escalator:
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Fires typically do not ignite simultaneously in multiple locations within a building. Initially, the
threat is confined to the area of origin. Therefore, a fundamental principle of fire safety design is
to contain the fire within a compartment, allowing for extinguishment while preventing the
spread of fire and smoke to other parts of the building.
In the event of a fire, it is essential that occupants can evacuate from any part of a building
safely. without relying on external assistance or fire service rescue, and without needing to
operate any equipment.
In most cases, the first items to ignite are furnishings and other combustible materials, rather
than the building's structure. The primary hazard in the early stages of a fire is not the flames
itself but the heat, smoke and toxic gases produced. In a smoky environment, it is assumed an
average person may remain conscious for approximately up to 2½ minutes before succumbing
to untenable condition. Additionally, smoke significantly reduces visibility, obstructing escape
routes and hindering movement. Under these conditions, the average individual's mobility is
typically limited to about 12 meters (40 feet) per minute, thereby limiting the distance that can be
transversed at 2½ mins x 12m =30m maximum. This limit may be relaxed in sprinklered
buildings.
Given the possibility of certain evacuation routes becoming incapacitated by fire or smoke.
alternative evacuation routes should always be made available. (By-law 174-Arrangement of
storey exits)
The protected passage from a Storey Exit to the Final Exit is referred to as a "Exit Route". The
primary component of an Exit Route is an exit staircase located within a protected shaft. An
external staircase constructed in accordance to the UBBL may also form an Exit Route. Exit
Routes may also serve as firemen's access into the building, facilitating the safe entry by
firefighters and rescue teams to conduct rescue operations, fire containment, and
extinguishment from within the building
Consideration must be given to the occupancy load anticipated and to ensure that the design of
the exit route has the capacity to cater to this occupancy load
Components of an evacuation route may consist of:
'Alternative Exits [By-law 174, 177(a)]:
This is the primary concept for safe evacuation. Every floor space shall be provided with at least
two exits on the basis that if one exit is inoperable, the other exit can serve the function. This
'designing for redundancy' principle applies to all aspects of evacuation.
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Horizontal Exit [By-law 171]:
Exit that leads into an adjacent (horizontal) compartment on the same floor level that has a
travel path leading to a Storey Exit or Final Exit, where appropriate. Horizontal Exits may be
provided in lieu of a Storey Exit or Final Exit.
Storey Exit [By-law 174]:
Exits from a floor which is of a different level from the Final Exit, or, if on the same level, a
distance away from the Final Exit. A Storey Exit is to lead (within a protected shaft or passage)
to a Final Exit.
Final Exit [By-law 174A]:
Final exit refers to the threshold that separates "still within the building" and "out of the building".
The process of evacuation from the building ends at this point.
Exit Route [By-law 169]:
The protected shaft/passage from a Storey Exit that leads to the Final Exit. Exit Route may
include spaces that are designated as areas of refuge or protected corridors anywhere between
the Storey Exit and the Final Exit. No exit route may reduce in width (exit capacity) along its
path of travel from the Storey Exit to the Final Exit.
Exit Staircase [By-law 168]:
Exit staircases or staircases used as part of the Exit Route have to be designed in accordance
with the By-law 168 (Staircases), By-law 177 (computing number of staircases and staircase
widths), By-law 106 (dimensions of staircases), By-law 189 (enclosing means of escape in
certain buildings). By-law 190 (external exit staircase), By-law 195 (staircases to reach roof
level), By-law 196 (smoke lobbies), By-law 198 (ventilation of staircase enclosures), By-law 201
(staircase enclosure below ground level), By-law 202 (pressurised system for staircases),
By-law 111 (lighting and ventilation of staircases), By-law 107 (handrails), By-law 108 (maximum
flights) and By-law 109 (winders).
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