Large floor plates and short buildings can use a manual standpipe that does not require a fire pump connection. These standpipes can only be used after a fire truck arrives. Manual standpipes offer huge construction cost savings. By eliminating the need for a fire pump, electrical connections, and 2 water services with backflow prevention devices, this construction cost saves approximately $300,000.
First, if you don't need a standpipe, then you don't need a fire pump. A fire pump serves standpipes and should not be confused with a sprinkler booster pump that serves sprinklers only. Fire pumps are substantially larger than sprinkler booster pumps. Standpipes are required by BC 905 when:
- The building has 2 or more stories and a floor area of 10,000 feet 2 or greater on any floor.
- The building has 3 or more stories and a floor area of 7,500 ft 2 or greater on any floor.
- The building has 30 or more occupants on any floor 55 feet or more above the street.
- The building has occupants on any floor 75 feet or more above the street.
The New York building code refers to NFPA 14 for standpipe installation requirements, which is then modified by BC Q105. BC Q105 requires all tall buildings (above 75 feet) to have automatic wet standpipes; they need a fire pump. Low-rise buildings (less than 75 feet tall) can choose between manual or automatic wet. Therefore, these large buildings over 7,500 square feet per floor but less than 75 feet tall can utilize manual wet standpipes that do not require an expensive fire pump. As always, a detailed analysis should be performed by a licensed EP to ensure your specific location can utilize manual standpipes.
Code references
NYC 2014 BC 902 Definitions
S TANDPIPE, TYPES OF. The types of vertical tubes are as follows:
Automatic drying. A dry standpipe system, typically filled with pressurized air, that is arranged through the use of a device, such as a dry standpipe valve, to admit water into the system piping automatically upon opening a hose valve. The water supply for an automatic dry source system must be capable of meeting the system's demand.
Automatic Wet A wet standpipe system that has a water supply capable of automatically meeting system demand.
Manual drying. A dry standpipe system that does not have a permanent water supply connected to the system. Manual dry standpipe systems require water from a Fire Department pumper to be pumped into the system through the Fire Department connection to meet system demand.
Manual wet. A wet standpipe system connected to a water supply for the purpose of maintaining water within the system, but which does not have a water supply capable of meeting system demand linked to the system. Manual wet standpipe systems require water from a Fire Department pumper to be pumped into the system in order to meet system demand.
Semi-automatic drying. A dry standpipe system that is arranged through the use of a device, such as a deluge valve, to admit water into the system piping upon activation of a remote control device located at a hose connection. A remote control activation device shall be provided at each hose connection. The water supply for a semi-automatic dry source system must be capable of meeting the demand of the system.
STANDPIPE SYSTEM, CLASSES OF. The vertical tube classes are as follows:
Class I system. A system that provides 2 ½ inch (64 mm) hose connections to supply water for use by the Fire Department and those trained in handling heavy fire flows.
Class II system. A system that provides 1 ½ inch (38 mm) hose stations to supply water for use primarily by building occupants or the Fire Department during initial response.
Class III system. A system that provides 1 ½ inch (38 mm) hose stations to supply water for use by building occupants and 2 ½ inch (64 mm) hose connections to supply a larger volume of water for use by the Fire Department and of those trained in the management of heavy stream fires.
Standpipe Systems NYC 2014 BC 905
905.2 Installation Standards. Standpipe systems shall be installed in accordance with this section and NFPA 14 as modified in Appendix Q.
905.3 Required facilities. Standpipe systems shall be installed where required by Sections 905.3.1 through 905.3.6 and in the locations indicated in Sections 905.4, 905.5 and 905.6. Standpipe systems can be combined with automatic sprinkler systems.
Exception: Standpipe systems are not required in buildings occupied entirely by Group R-3.
905.3.1 Applicability. Class III standpipe systems must be installed in the following buildings:
1. In buildings two stories or more in height with a floor area of 10,000 square feet (929 m 2 ) or greater in any story;
2. In buildings three stories or more in height with a floor area of 7,500 square feet (697 m 2 ) or greater in any story;
3. In buildings of any area with a floor level having an occupancy capacity of 30 or more and which is located 55 feet (16,764 mm) or more above the lowest level of Fire Department vehicle access;
4. In buildings of any size, constructed in accordance with Section 403, with occupied floors located 75 feet (22,860 mm) or more above the lowest Fire Department vehicle access level.
Exceptions: The following exceptions are permitted as an alternative to the requirement for a Class III standpipe system:
1. Class I standpipes are permitted in buildings fully equipped with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2, provided the following additional requirements are met:
1.1. A locked storage cabinet shall be provided on the main entrance floor. An additional locked storage closet shall be provided on every tenth floor above the main entrance floor so that no occupant on any floor will have to travel more than 5 floors to reach a closet in a location less than 15 feet from the pipe vertical. Where a standpipe riser is installed in the building, such cabinet shall contain at least one fog nozzle, a 1.5 inch (38 mm) open-end wrench, a 2.5-inch (64 mm) open-end wrench, one 2.5 inch (64 mm) by 1.5 inch (38 mm) non-swivel reducing coupling and 38 m (125 ft) of 38 mm (1.5 in.) hose. When two or more pipe risers hose are installed in the building, at least two of each of the above equipment items must be provided. However, the hose may be omitted when serving Group R-2 occupancies.
1.1.1. The cabinet must be kept locked and can be opened with a standard municipal Fire Department key.
1.1.2. The cabinet must be labeled “FIRE DEPARTMENT USE ONLY.”
1.1.3. A metal sign clearly indicating where the storage locker is located shall be placed in each stairwell on the main entrance floor and on each floor where the storage locker is located.
1.2. Hose valves are capped with a hose valve cap attached to the valve with a chain.
2. Class I manual standpipes are permitted in open parking lots where the highest floor is located no more than 150 feet (45,720 mm) above the lowest level of Fire Department vehicle access.
3. Class I manual dry standpipes are permitted in open parking garages subject to freezing temperatures, provided that hose connections are located as required for Class II standpipes in accordance with Section 905.5.
4. Class I standpipes are permitted on underground floors, fully equipped with an automatic sprinkler system.
5. Vertical exits may be omitted in sections of the first floors or basements that are completely separate from the entrance hall or closed stairs leading to the upper floors, provided that portable fire extinguishers are installed, subject to approval by the fire commissioner.
NFPA 14 2007 Edition
5.4* Type of system required.
5.4.1 Class I Standpipe Systems.
5.4.1.1 Class I standpipe systems may be any type described in NFPA Copyright Section 5.2 for buildings not classified as high-rise buildings.
5.4.1.2 Class I standpipe systems in buildings classified as high-rise must be automatic or semi-automatic.
New York 2014 BC Q105
5.4.1.1 Delete the words “any type described in Section 5.2” and replace with the words: manual wetting or automatic wetting.
5.4.1.2 Delete the words “automatic or semi-automatic” and replace with the words: automatic-wet.
