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Atrium Separation Case Study: The Max Plank Institute in Jupiter, FL

In this project, there is a three-floor atrium that is categorized as a two-floor atrium with a communicating space separated by a one-hour fire protective curtain.

The two-floor rule applies, which is 404.5 exception 6 that no active smoke control  is required for a two-floor atrium. Fire Protection  Engineers with the authority having jurisdiction are able to remove all active smoke extraction systems since the curtain is UL certified (see UL On-Line Certification Directory) for one hour. The curtain deploys by gravity and maintains tenable conditions for the egress corridors during the evacuation sequence.

Options:

  1. Provide an extraction system- this is not gravity fail-safe. Is four times the cost of curtain technology and increases life cycle cost.
  2. Provide a Glass Block wall- not possible since it needs to be open for the monumental stairway in non-alert times.
  3. Fire Shutter- No space in floating ceiling for this. The curtain is a housing of 12 inches for a 30-foot drop height and weighs only 10 pounds a linear foot.

See Photo of our curtains in action below:

Why Choose Fire Protective Smoke Curtains for Your Open Floor Plan?
  • Rated as for 1 hour, 2 hours and 3 hour smoke and fire partition, barrier and opening protective.
  • Only a 7 inch by 7 inch housing for up to a 18 feet length with a 10 feet drop height.
  • Housings of 7 inch by 11 inches for lengths longer than 19 feet.
  • Typical 60 feet length curtain housing with 40 foot drop only 8 inches by 13 inches.
  • Accordion smoke and fire barrier systems makes turns and angles without posts and rails.
  • Gravity Fail Safe Deployment.
  • Fully Integrates with Fire Alarm System with optional building management system relay per UL 864.
  • Report holder for Elevator smoke containment and elevator lobby smoke containment per ICC AC-77.
  • Utilized to Rate Corridor in lieu of fire rated glass, washing glass In lieu of horizontal accordion doors and cross corridor area separation with pass through egress.
  • Enclose monumental stairways and secondary Egress paths makes fixed glass draft curtains a thing of the past.
  • Curtains with redundant forms of egress, pass through egress, rewind switches, two stage descents, delayed descents.
  • Curtains used for stages per NFPA 80 guidelines.
  • Restricts Atrium Volume as part of an Atrium Smoke Management System per IBC 909 and IBC 404.5 exception 3.
  • Provides Atrium Separation per IBC 404.5 Exception 6 back to 2 floor rule for removal of smoke management system.
  • Horizontal Curtains to separate two floors allows architects to design more open floor plans.
See Our Products
It's not just what we make,
it's what we make possible.
Dr Steven S. Sadeghian CEO, U.S. Smoke & Fire
Our Featured Work: H&M Stores
"U.S. Smoke & Fire provided a unique solution that met safety codes without visually disrupting our space."
We challenged U.S. Smoke & Fire to provide a solution to the open architecture design in our flagship store. We needed a system that could make angles and turns without corner posts. Working with Underwriter Laboratories, U.S. Smoke & Fire customized Automatic Deployable SD240A Fire Curtains to use in place of Fire Rated glass. Because of their professionalism, proactive attention to detail, and expert execution, we use them in our other H&M facilities across the nation. I highly recommend U.S. Smoke & Fire for any curtain project.

View Our Work

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