Using Performance-Based Design Techniques to Evaluate Fire Safety in Two Government Buildings.
Using Performance-Based Design Techniques to Evaluate
Fire Safety in Two Government Buildings.
(999 K)
Stroup, D. W.
Pacific Rim Conference and Second (2nd) International
Conference on Performance-Based Codes and Fire Safety
Design Methods. Proceedings. International Code
Council and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers
(SFPE). May 3-9, 1998, Maui, HI, International Code
Council, Birmingham, AL, 429-439 pp, 1998.
Keywords:
performance based codes; fire safety; building codes;
building fires; fire models; fire protection
engineering; high rise buildings; life safety;
performance evaluation; government buildings; risk
management; egress; sprinklers; sprinkler activation
Abstract:
The General Services Administration (GSA) is the
business agent for the United States Government. It is
responsible for the acquisition and management of
everything from pencils to buildings. Within GSA, the
Public Buildings Service (PBS) operates as the federal
government's real property manager. In this capacity,
PBS is responsible for the acquisition, design,
construction, and operation and management of various
types of space for federal agencies. Currently, the
inventory of space includes 1700 Government owned
buildings and 5100 leased locations representing
approximately 28 million square meters of space. A
number of historic buildings are included in the
multitude of buildings controlled by GSA. GSA real
estate leasing policy gives preferential treatment to
historic buildings. A recent survey of buildings
indicated that the oldest building in the inventory was
180 years old. GSA is responsible for ensuring the fire
and life safety of the employees and visitors occupying
the space under its control. In addition, GSA must
protect federal real and personal property assets,
assure continuity in the mission of occupant agencies,
and provide safeguards for emergency forces if an
incident occurs. Within PBS, the Office of Property
Management develops the methodologies and procedures
used for evaluating the safety of government occupied
buildings and coordinating implementation by the GSA
regional offices throughout the nation.
