7.2 Certificate of Occupancy
Design of all fire protection and life safety systems
including but not limited to:
Fire Alarm System
No new construction or renovation project or portion
Water Based Fire Extinguishing System(s)
thereof shall be occupied until the regional fire protection
Smoke Control Systems/Stair Pressurization Systems
engineer has issued a certificate of occupancy to the GSA
See Appendix A for specific submission requirements.
Project Manager. Issuance of a certificate of occupancy
shall not be construed as an approval of any violation of
For all projects involving fire protection and life safety
a Code or GSA design standard or criteria.
issues, a dialog must be established between the design
team fire protection engineer and the GSA regional fire
Once the GSA regional fire protection engineer has ensured
protection engineer. The GSA regional fire protection
that to the best of their knowledge all fire protection and
engineer shall have the right to revise the specific
life safety systems have been completed, inspected,
requirements within this chapter based on a technical
successfully tested and approved and all outstanding fire
evaluation/analysis and the project's specific needs.
and life safety deficiencies have been corrected to afford
a reasonable degree of safety to the building occupants
In addition, the Design Team's registered fire protection
from fire and similar emergencies, a certificate of
engineer may propose alternative designs, systems,
occupancy will be issued to the GSA Project Manager.
methods, or devices not specifically prescribed within this
Chapter or in lieu of the specific prescribed requirements
The GSA regional fire protection engineer is authorized to
within this Chapter. The GSA regional fire protection
issue a temporary certificate of occupancy. This certificate
engineer shall review the technical documentation
shall allow partial occupancy of specific areas, prior to
submitted by the Design Team's registered fire protection
completion of the project. All life safety and fire protection
engineer to determine if the proposed alternative is
systems serving the areas proposed for occupancy and all
deemed equivalent or superior to the intent of the
floors below shall be completed, inspected, successfully
prescribed requirements in this chapter. If the GSA
tested and approved by the GSA regional fire protection
regional fire protection engineer determines that the
engineer. The temporary certificate of occupancy shall
proposed alternative is deemed equivalent or superior to
identify the specific area(s) of the project where
the intent of the prescribed requirements in this chapter,
occupancy is permitted. Following the issuance of a
then the proposed alternative is considered approved by
temporary certificate of occupancy, the GSA regional
GSA for the purposes of this Chapter and for the
fire protection engineer shall set a time frame for the
application for which the proposed alternative will be
completion, inspection, testing and approval of all life
used. Refer to Chapter 1 for additional information.
safety and fire protection systems, and the correction of
any outstanding life safety and fire protection deficiencies.
Upon completion, inspection, successful testing and
approval of all fire protection and life safety systems
and correction of all outstanding fire and life safety
deficiencies, the GSA regional fire protection engineer
will issue a certificate of occupancy to the GSA Project
Manager.
212 F A C I L I T I E S S T A N D A R D S
FOR THE
PUBLIC
BUILDINGS
SERVICE
7.2 Certificate of Occupancy
Revised March 2005 PBS-P100
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