ASHE supports the change in NFPA 101: Life Safety Code that would increase the maximum smoke compartment size in new facilities. An article on the ASHE website explains seven common concerns about the proposed rule change. For example:

Concern: The proposal will automatically increase the occupancy load within smoke compartments.

Facts: The increase in smoke compartment size is proposed to address current design requirements, not to increase the occupancy load. The occupancy load within a smoke compartment would not necessarily be increased since occupancy is based on the number of patient beds rather than on square footage. In fact, occupancy could actually decrease; a medical/surgical unit that was originally designed with semi-private, two-bed rooms, for example, could see a decrease in occupancy when meeting current design requirements for single-patient rooms.

Read the article.