View this product

Exterior Load-Bearing Walls of a 658 Unit Multistory Construction

This apartment complex contains 500,000 square feet of residential space, 40,000 square feet of retail space, and a 350,000 square foot parking garage.  The exterior bearing walls are constructed with fire retardant treated wood studs.  The interior framing is untreated wood.

The two story parking garage consists of a one-story enclosed parking garage and a one-story open garage.  The parking garages are not considered in determining the maximum number of stories allowed in the building under either the Uniform Building Code or the International Building Code when constructed of Type I construction and a three hour occupancy separation is maintained between the parking garage
and the residential occupancy.

The International Building Code allows the base area to be doubled and a one-story height increase when a NFPA 13 sprinkler system is installed.

Code Reference

ICC International Building Code, Section 602.3:
Exterior bearing walls in Type III and Type IV
(Section 602.4) construction can be constructed
with fire retardant treated wood when the required
fire resistance rating is two hours or less.

ICBO Uniform Building Code, Section 503.4.3:
Exterior bearing walls in Type III and Type IV
construction can be constructed with fire retardant
treated wood when the required fire resistance rating
is two hours or less.

Insurance Recognition

Fire retardant treated wood is recognized by the insurance industry or its safety and can result in reduced insurance rated when used in liew of untreated wood.