The David Eccles School of Business on the University of Utah campus is a new state-of-the-art teaching, learning, and research facility designed to meet future growth in student enrollment. SAFTI FIRST heard about this project following a successful AIA lunchtime presentation at MHTN Architects by Kevin Turner, SAFTI FIRST’s local architectural representative.
The design called for a 28- x 18-ft two-hour interior glass wall with a 90 minute full-vision door in an exit enclosure/stairwell. The architects selected fire rated glass to meet fire rating requirements while providing maximum visibility in the space. The project’s specifications also required the fire rated glass to have the same optical clarity as the adjacent non-rated glass systems.
To meet both the design and code requirements, SAFTI FIRST provided SuperLite II-XL 120 in GPX Framing for the walls and SuperLite II-XL 90 in GPX Door Framing for the full-vision door. With their clean lines, sharp edges and multiple finish options, the GPX Frames matched the non-rated storefront systems. Matching the optical clarity of the adjacent non-rated glazing was easily achieved through SuperLite II-XL’s superior optical clarity, free of wires or any tints.
In addition, designers were able to take advantage of SuperLite II-XL 120’s large clear view areas, which is currently the largest available in the market for 2-hour fire resistive applications.
Project Summary
Project: David Eccles School of Business, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Architect: MHTN Architects
Contract Glazier: Mollerup Glass
Products used: SuperLite II-XL 90/120 in GPX Framing
As far as the code requirements are concerned, 2-hour exit enclosures allow 90 min. doors with full vision lights using glazing tested to ASTME 119 for 90 minutes. Any other glazing in the enclosure wall, including sidelites and transoms around the door, must have a 2-hour rating that meets the ASTM E-119 wall requirements (see Tables 716.5 and 716.6 in the 2012 IBC).
SuperLite II-XL in GPX Framing meets the ASTM E-119 requirement for up to 2 hours and is impact safety rated to CPSC Cat. II, the maximum safety standard. This ability to block radiant heat transfer also made it possible to have a full-vision 90 minute door. If fire protective glazing such as wired glass and ceramics were used in the vision panel, it would be limited to 100 square inches.
At the end of the project, the architects were able to create a 2-hour exit enclosure/stairwell that provided vision and maximum fire safety using fire rated glazing that seamlessly matched the look of other non-rated glazing systems. As an additional benefit, natural daylight was also able to penetrate further into the building because of the transparency provided by the fire rated glass wall.
To locate the SAFTI FIRST representative in your area, click here. +
Related Stories
| Oct 4, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: Wall protection line now eligible to contribute to LEED Pilot Credit 43
The Cradle-to-Cradle Certified Wall Protection Line offers an additional option for customers to achieve LEED project certification.
| Oct 3, 2011
Magellan Development Group opens Village Market in Chicago’s Lakeshore East neighborhood
Magellan Development Group and Hanwha Engineering & Construction are joint-venture development partners on the project. The Village Market was designed for Silver LEED certification by Loewenberg Architects and built by McHugh Construction.
| Oct 3, 2011
Balance bunker and Phase III projects breaks ground at Mitsubishi Plant in Georgia
The facility, a modification of similar facilities used by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Inc. (MHI) in Japan, was designed by a joint design team of engineers and architects from The Austin Company of Cleveland, Ohio, MPSA and MHI.
| Oct 3, 2011
Cauceglia to lead Allsteel’s global accounts
Cauceglia is responsible for developing new global business strategies and expanding existing business within the Fortune 500 sector.
| Sep 30, 2011
BBS Architects & Engineers completes welcoming center at St. Charles Resurrection Cemetery
The new structure serves as the cemetery's focal architectural point and center of operations.
| Sep 30, 2011
Kilbourn joins Perkins Eastman
Kilbourn joins with more than 28 years of design and planning experience for communities, buildings, and interiors in hospitality, retail/mixed-use, corporate office, and healthcare.
| Sep 30, 2011
Design your own floor program
Program allows users to choose from a variety of flooring and line accent colors to create unique floor designs to complement any athletic facility.
| Sep 30, 2011
AAMA offers electronic technical documents with launch of virtual library
This new program offers a system for members to purchase annual licenses in order to offer electronic versions of AAMA publications in an effort to make AAMA’s technical information resources more readily available to their employees.
| Sep 29, 2011
Submit your Great Solutions
Profiles of Great Solutions will appear in December 2011 issue of Building Design+Construction.
| Sep 29, 2011
Busch Engineering, Science and Technology Residence Hall opens to Rutgers students
With a total development cost of $57 million, B.E.S.T. is the first on-campus residence hall constructed by Rutgers since 1994.
