Emergency power systems in high-rise buildings need to be in a separate room enclosed with how many hours of fire barriers?

Emergency power systems in high-rise buildings are critical to ensuring the safety and operability of essential services during emergencies, such as fires, power outages, or natural disasters. The requirement for the emergency power systems to be housed in a room with a specific fire barrier rating is to minimize the risk of fire spreading to and from this area.

A fire barrier rating of two hours is deemed necessary for these rooms to provide adequate time for occupants to evacuate, for firefighting efforts to mitigate the situation, and to protect vital emergency operations and equipment. This level of protection helps to ensure that the emergency power systems remain operational when they are most needed, effectively supporting life safety systems, communications, and other necessary functions during an emergency situation. The two-hour rating aligns with various building codes and standards that emphasize robust fire protection measures for critical infrastructure in high-rise buildings, helping to ensure a higher level of safety for occupants.