Nec 518

[hhsting]

I have chruch with sanctuary of 56 occupancy load, vestibule of 77 occupancy load, reception and office 10 occupancy load, conference room 13 occupancy load. Total occupancy load of 156.

Nec 2014 Article 518.4 says wiring methods for occupancy load of 100 or more. So overall I have more than 100 occupancy load but sanctuary, vestibule have less than 100 occupancy load. Would wiring methods Nec 2014 Article 518.4 apply to sanctuary or vestibule?

 

[infinity]

You need to determine how 518.2(B) applies to 518.2(A).

518.2 General Classification.
(A) Examples. Assembly occupancies shall include, but
not be limited to, the following:
Armories Exhibition halls
Assembly halls Gymnasiums
Auditoriums Mortuary chapels
Bowling lanes Multipurpose rooms
Club rooms Museums
Conference rooms Places of awaiting transportation
Courtrooms Places of religious worship
Dance halls Pool rooms
Dining and drinking
facilities
Restaurants
Skating rinks
(B) Multiple Occupancies. Where an assembly occupancy
forms a portion of a building containing other occupancies,
Article 518 applies only to that portion of the building
considered an assembly occupancy. Occupancy of any
room or space for assembly purposes by less than 100 per-
sons in a building of other occupancy, and incidental to
such other occupancy, shall be classified as part of the other
occupancy and subject to the provisions applicable thereto.

 

[hhsting]

I am going of my memory and maybe correcred but 518.4(a) has place of religious worship as assembly. Sanctuary is place of assembly but in my case less than 100 person. Vestibule is not described as place of assembly in list of examples. However, has 77 occupancy load but inside church i guess but could be wromg would be considered other occupancy. Offices and reception area also inside church but I guess but i could be wrong is considered other occupancy.


I dont follow nec 518.2(b). It means whatever occupancy that accompanies sanctuary its wiring methods should follow. Its confusing.

 

[Adamjamma]

I would like to know how they determined such a large vestibule number as it is usually just a standing room hi how are you area... unless it is set up with a partition rather than a wall and doors...

Normally with churches the office and the reception area and the pastors office are all secondary and not used when calculating your occupancy, much like the dressing rooms of an arena are not considered in the occupancy figures.

But, because it is public space, you usually calculate seats plus standing... in other words, they might have space filled with 70 seats and open area equivalent where more seats could be put in but they left it open... Many jurisdictions will count the standing area as the same. That could account for such a large Vestibule number as they are giving the maximum occupancy as the Vestibule and the Sanctuary... But you might need to check with the AHJ to be sure.
If it were me, which it is not, I would use the over 100 rules just to cover everything, unless the AHJ says I am exempt... in a talk...

 

[hhsting]

Architect has vestibule calculated as follows:

Space area: 464
Occupant load factor: 7gsf per occupant

Now 464/7 = 66 but architect then states occupant for vestibule space is 77.

People come into chruch thru chruch entrance to vestibule area. There are no partitions or walls between vestibule and sanctuary area and vestibule open space leads to sanctuary area which ofcourse has fixed sitting area with 56 seats.

 

[Adamjamma]

Well, with no fixed wall.. I would say you have a sanctuary with 130 capacity... because without doors to throw open betweenthe vestibule and the sanctuary it is really just a sanctuary without all the seats...
but, that is my own feeling, though vestibules are not just found in churches.. most homes in central jersey in the forties through sixties had them as do manyhomes here in the UK. Because all a vestibule is really is the dedicated entrance porch that many homes have to cut the wind from entering directly to the home and to store coats and such in a lot of times without having a closet... usually an actual porch is on the outside of it... but it allows you to store rain coats, weeklies, and such outside of the main hallway or rooms.

 

[kwired]

Well, with no fixed wall.. I would say you have a sanctuary with 130 capacity... because without doors to throw open betweenthe vestibule and the sanctuary it is really just a sanctuary without all the seats...
but, that is my own feeling, though vestibules are not just found in churches.. most homes in central jersey in the forties through sixties had them as do manyhomes here in the UK. Because all a vestibule is really is the dedicated entrance porch that many homes have to cut the wind from entering directly to the home and to store coats and such in a lot of times without having a closet... usually an actual porch is on the outside of it... but it allows you to store rain coats, weeklies, and such outside of the main hallway or rooms.

I agree, with no separation you have one space with two sub spaces. Put at least a 1 hour wall with automatic closing doors between them and many places will consider it as two separate spaces each with occupancy less than 100 and art 518 wouldn't apply.