Is it true that the number of stories connected by the shaft enclosure must include any mezzanines?

The correct understanding is that the number of stories connected by the shaft enclosure does not include mezzanines. A shaft enclosure typically serves to protect openings for vertical transportation, such as elevators or stairs, between occupied floors of a building. When calculating the number of stories that are connected, only full stories are counted, as mezzanines are defined as intermediate levels that do not constitute a complete story.

Mezzanines are considered partial floors; therefore, they do not contribute to the total count of stories in a way that affects building code compliance regarding the shaft enclosure. This distinction is essential for understanding building safety standards, as it impacts the requirements for fire separation, structural integrity, and egress provisions. Thus, the statement is accurate in that mezzanines should not be included when assessing the number of stories connected by the shaft enclosure.