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Exit Strategy: The Case for Single-Stair Egress

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31–40 of 95 posts

Re: Exit Strategy: The Case for Single-Stair Egress

#31

I liked this youtube video that covers the same topic[1]. The US focusing entirely on this strategy to increase fire safety seems obviously stupid to me. As people say in other comments here - Europe and other countries require better fire suppression measures and materials instead of particular egress options. An obvious improvement would be to allow builders to use any combination of these approaches to achieve a m…

Europe is also where Grenfell Towers happened.

Re: Exit Strategy: The Case for Single-Stair Egress

#32
post #31

I liked this youtube video that covers the same topic[1]. The US focusing entirely on this strategy to increase fire safety seems obviously stupid to me. As people say in other comments here - Europe and other countries require better fire suppression measures and materials instead of particular egress options. An obvious improvement would be to allow builders to use any combination of these approaches to achieve a m…

Europe is also where Grenfell Towers happened.

A lot of people from the UK would differ on your description of their country.

Re: Exit Strategy: The Case for Single-Stair Egress

#33

In Tokyo there can be one stairwell, and then the balconies have foldable ladders in their floors. How about that?

Concrete stairwells are supposed to double as refuges, if you can't climb.

Also devices that allow easier access to an apartment are more acceptable in Japan. In the US there is a much greater need for security oriented design.

Re: Exit Strategy: The Case for Single-Stair Egress

#36
post #12

My 30+ story building has two concrete stairwells wrapped around each other, which seems like a super efficient way to achieve the current legislation

These ('scissor stairs') are an important part of the discussion here. They are allowed (or counted as two separate means of exit) in New York, Australia, Vancouver, etc. but not permitted (or counted as one means of exit) in most of the rest of the USA, the UK, etc.

For a high rise building they don't take up much more space than a single stair and can play an important role in the structure of the building also.

Re: Exit Strategy: The Case for Single-Stair Egress

#37

In Tokyo there can be one stairwell, and then the balconies have foldable ladders in their floors. How about that?

That looks cool! Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzETWeO5nqw

Is this one purely for demonstration purposes? In practice I think I'd want it to be flush with the floor. As shown in the video it looks like a massive tripping hazard.

Re: Exit Strategy: The Case for Single-Stair Egress

#38

It's a thought-provoking article. I have mixed feelings about the idea: on one hand, visiting a friend's Weimar-era home in the DDR side of Berlin really impressed me. It was slightly different from those depicted in the article (it was part of a longer row of connected buildings), but the green space afforded by the courtyard was wonderful and the opportunities for community building palpable. Yet, on the other hand…

Don’t most deaths in modern multi story buildings come from smoke inhalation?

Re: Exit Strategy: The Case for Single-Stair Egress

#39

I suspect the 6 story and shorter buildings will end up having an alternative design where the stairwell and possibly certain walls are concrete, poured around the same time as the foundation, but the remaining structure is engineered timber. The challenge is going to be convincing fire departments and insurance agencies that theyre safe enough to not prevent.

Ugh. Fire departments, not generally staffed or lead by engineers…

Re: Exit Strategy: The Case for Single-Stair Egress

#40
post #3

Single-stair egress costs lives. It shouldn't be allowed. They were right to ban them, no matter how 'ugly' or costly it makes the buildings.

For timber frame buildings, maybe. But in modern concrete fire resistant compartmentalized building it does not make sense at all.

It’s more about drywall and sprinklers vs concrete walls
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