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NCARB Project-Planning-Design Exam - Topic 1 Question 1 Discussion
Topic #: 1
An elementary school requires a renovation, selective demolition, and a major addition in order to accommodate a growing student population. An architectural firm has prepared schematic design plans incorporating the school's increased programmatic needs, including an enlarged library, cafeteria, and gymnasium; a secure courtyard; and additional space for administrative offices and classrooms. The main entrance was relocated in order to improve the traffic and pedestrian flow at the beginning and end of the school day, and additional parking was provided to comply with current zoning requirements.
The existing single-story masonry building was built in 1950. Two small additions were built later: the north addition will be kept and repurposed, but the south addition will be demolished. The building contains asbestos and lead in roof soffits, floor tiles, pipe insulation, and window paint. All existing mechanical systems need to be replaced; new systems have not been selected.
Considerations for the renovation include:
The relocated front entrance must be easily recognizable, highly visible, and secure.
Interior and exterior materials need to be durable and maintainable in order to withstand frequent student abuse, but also economical due to strict budget limitations.
Good indoor air quality and increased energy efficiency are priorities for the selection of mechanical equipment.
After completion, the entire school should look uniform, without a distinctive difference between the existing building and new addition.
Building information:
Construction Type is II-B.
The following resources are available for your reference:
Existing Plans, including site and floor plans
Proposed Plans, including site and floor plans
Cost Analysis
Zoning Ordinance Excerpts, for off-street parking requirements
IBC Excerpts, showing relevant code sections
ADA Standards Excerpts, showing relevant sections from the ADA Standards for Accessible Design
When the addition is completed, the school will be fully sprinkled per NFPA 13 Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems requirements, with a continuous 24-foot wide fire access lane provided around the building perimeter.
Through a code analysis, the combination of construction type, occupancy, and building area present a compliance problem.
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
When a building's size and occupancy cause non-compliance with allowable building area or frontage requirements, the architect should first check frontage area increase provisions allowed by the code. The frontage increase can allow a larger building area based on the length of street frontage and fire access, especially when sprinklers and fire lanes are provided.
Adding firewalls (A) is a method to subdivide building area but is typically considered after exploring frontage increases.
Reducing building area (C) is a last resort if other allowances are insufficient.
Therefore, the architect should first verify if frontage area increases resolve the compliance issue.
IBC Chapter 5 -- Building Area and Height Limits
NFPA 13 -- Sprinkler System Requirements
ARE 5.0 PPD -- Codes and Regulations
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