Parking Garage CO Analysis

An existing open parking garage undergoing renovations fell just short of the required free area to not require mechanical exhaust, based on current prescriptive code requirements.

Challenge

A renovated open-air parking structure was found to be slightly under the code-required threshold for natural ventilation, based on the latest prescriptive standards. According to the International Building Code (IBC) and International Mechanical Code (IMC), parking garages that do not meet minimum open area criteria must incorporate mechanical ventilation systems for carbon monoxide (CO) control.

Solution

The Summit Fire Consulting team used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) through Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) to demonstrate that, with a limited increase in open area (less than what the prescriptive code would require), natural ventilation could maintain safe CO levels.

Bottom Line

The team identified strategic locations for these additional openings that avoided impact to planned retail spaces. As a result, the parking garage met performance objectives without needing a costly mechanical exhaust system.