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Status of NIST's Recommendations Following the 

Federal Building and Fire Investigation of the World Trade Center Disaster

August 8, 2011 

Recommendation, Affected Standards and Codes Outcomes

Recommendation 1. NIST recommends that: (1) progressive collapse be prevented in 

buildings through the development and nationwide adoption of consensus standards 

and code provisions, along with the tools and guidelines needed for their use in 

practice; and (2) a standard methodology be developed—supported by analytical 

design tools and practical design.

Affected Standards: ASCE-7, AISC Specifications, and ACI 318. These standards and 

other relevant committees should draw on expertise from ASCE/SFPE 29 for issues 

concerning progressive collapse under fire conditions. Model Building Codes: The 

consensus standards should be adopted in model building codes (i.e., the International 

Building Code and NFPA 5000) by mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the 

latest edition of the standard. State and local jurisdictions should adopt and enforce the 

improved model building codes and national standards based on all 30 WTC 

recommendations. The codes and standards may vary from the WTC 

recommendations, but satisfy their intent.

Research Outcome: (NIST) Best Practices Guideline published February 2007.

Code Outcomes: (IBC) Provides minimum structural integrity for framed and bearing 

wall structures through continuity and tie-force requirements for buildings over 75 ft. 

in height that represent a substantial hazard to human life in the event of failure (e.g., 

buildings with occupant loads exceeding 5,000) and essential facilities, such as 

hospitals.) This code change is intended to enhance overall structural integrity but is 

not intended to prevent progressive collapse in structures.

(IBC) Clarifies the definition of secondary structural members by including roof 

construction that does not have direct connections to the building columns. 

Recommendation 2. NIST recommends that nationally accepted performance 

standards be developed for: (1) conducting wind tunnel testing of prototype structures 

based on sound technical methods that result in repeatable and reproducible results 

among testing laboratories; and (2) estimating wind loads and their effects on tall 

buildings for use in design, based on wind tunnel testing data and directional wind 

speed data.

Affected National Standard: ASCE-7. Model Building Codes: The standard should be 

adopted in model building codes by mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the 

latest edition of the standard.

Research Outcomes: (NIST) NIST has made available on its website 

(www.nist.gov/wind) software for applying database assisted design techniques to 

high-rise buildings. NIST has also made available through the website a large 

aerodynamic database for rigid low rise buildings. 
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Recommendation, Affected Standards and Codes Outcomes

Recommendation 3. NIST recommends that an appropriate criterion be developed and 

implemented to enhance the performance of tall buildings by limiting how much they 

sway under lateral load design conditions (e.g., winds and earthquakes).

Affected National Standards: ASCE-7, AISC Specifications, and ACI 318. Model 

Building Codes: The standards should be adopted in model building codes by 

mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.

Recommendation 4. NIST recommends evaluating, and where needed improving, the 

technical basis for determining appropriate construction classification and fire rating 

requirements (especially for tall buildings)—and making related code changes now as 

much as possible—by explicitly considering factors including: 

timely access by emergency responders and full evacuation of occupants, or 

the time required for burnout without partial collapse; 

the extent to which redundancy in active fire protection (sprinkler and 

standpipe, fire alarm, and smoke management) systems should be credited for 

occupant life safety ;

the need for redundancy in fire protection systems that are critical to structural 

integrity; 

the ability of the structure and local floor systems to withstand a maximum 

credible fire scenario without collapse, recognizing that sprinklers could be 

compromised, not operational, or non-existent; 

compartmentation requirements (e.g., 12,000 ft2 (27)) to protect the structure, 

including fire rated doors and automatic enclosures, and limiting air supply 

(e.g., thermally resistant window assemblies) to retard fire spread in buildings 

with large, open floor plans;

the effect of spaces containing unusually large fuel concentrations for the 

expected occupancy of the building; and 

the extent to which fire control systems, including suppression by automatic 

or manual means, should be credited as part of the prevention of fire spread.

Model Building Codes: A comprehensive review of current construction classification 

and fire rating requirements and the establishment of a uniform set of revised 

thresholds with a firm technical basis that considers the factors identified above should 

be undertaken.

Code Outcomes: (IBC) Increased by one hour the fire-resistance rating of structural 

components and assemblies in buildings 420 feet and higher. This change was 

approved and included in the 2004 supplement to the IBC and later in the 2006 IBC 

(section 403.3.1, Item 1).

(National Electrical Code) Article 708 of the 2008 National Electrical Code addresses 

critical operations power supply. The article can be applied to any critical systems.
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Recommendation, Affected Standards and Codes Outcomes

Recommendation 5. NIST recommends that the technical basis for the century-old 

standard for fire resistance testing of components, assemblies, and systems be 

improved through a national effort. Necessary guidance also should be developed for 

extrapolating the results of tested assemblies to prototypical building systems. A key 

step in fulfilling this recommendation is to establish a capability for studying and 

testing the components, assemblies, and systems under realistic fire and load 

conditions.

Affected National and International Standards: ASTM E 119, NFPA 251, UL 263, 

and ISO 834. Model Building Codes: The standards should be adopted in model 

building codes by mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the 

standard.

Recommendation 6. NIST recommends the development of criteria, test methods, and 

standards: (1) for the in-service performance of sprayed fire-resistive materials (SFRM, 

also commonly referred to as fireproofing or insulation) used to protect structural 

components; and (2) to ensure that these materials, as-installed, conform to conditions 

in tests used to establish the fire resistance rating of components, assemblies, and 

systems.

Affected Standards: AIA MasterSpec and AWCI Standard 12 for field inspection and 

conformance criteria; ASTM standards for SFRM performance criteria and test 

methods. Model Building Codes: The standards should be adopted in model building 

codes by mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard. 

(See Recommendation 10 for more on this issue.)

Code Outcomes: (IBC) Increased bond strength for fireproofing (nearly three times 

greater than currently required for buildings 75-420 feet in height and seven times 

greater for buildings more than 420 feet in height). The increased fireproofing bond 

strength is required to be "installed throughout the building."

Field installation requirements for fireproofing to ensure that: 

installation complies with the manufacturer's instructions; 

the substrates (surfaces being fireproofed) are clean and free of any condition 

that prevents adhesion; 

testing is conducted to demonstrate that required adhesion is maintained for 

primed, painted or encapsulated steel surfaces; and 

the finished condition of the installed fireproofing, upon complete drying or 

curing, does not exhibit cracks, voids, spalls, delamination or any exposure of 

the substrate.

Special field inspections of fireproofing to ensure that the as-installed thickness, 

density and bond strength meet specified requirements, and that a bonding agent is 

applied when the bond strength is less than required due to the effect of a primed, 

painted or encapsulated steel surface. The inspections are to be performed after the 

rough installation of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, sprinkler and ceiling systems. 

Standards Outcome: (ASTM) ASTM E2584-07 "Standard Practice for Thermal 

Conductivity of Materials Using a Thermal Capacitance (Slug) Calorimeter." 
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Recommendation, Affected Standards and Codes Outcomes

Recommendation 7. NIST recommends the adoption and use of the “structural frame” 

approach to fire resistance ratings.

Model Building Codes: This approach is currently required by the International 

Building Code (IBC), one of the model codes, and was incorporated into the 2006 

edition of NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code. This requirement 

ensures consistency in the fire protection provided to all of the structural elements that 

contribute to overall structural stability. State and local jurisdictions should adopt and 

enforce this requirement.

Codes Outcomes: (IBC) Explicit adoption of the "structural frame" approach to fire 

resistance ratings that requires all members of the primary structural frame to have the 

higher fire resistance rating commonly required for columns. The primary structural 

frame includes the columns, other structural members including the girders, beams, 

trusses, and spandrels having direct connections to the columns, and bracing members 

designed to carry gravity loads. The definition of the primary structural frame was 

broadened to include bracing members essential to vertical stability (e.g., floor systems 

or cross bracing) whether or not they carry gravity loads.

(NFPA) The structural frame approach is mandated in the 2006 edition of NFPA 5000.

Recommendation 8. NIST recommends that the fire resistance of structures be 

enhanced by requiring a performance objective that uncontrolled building fires result in 

burnout without partial or global (total) collapse.

Model Building Codes: This recommendation should be included into the national 

model codes as an objective and adopted as an integral part of fire resistance design for 

structures. The issue of non-operational sprinklers could be addressed using the 

existing concept of Design Scenario 8 of NFPA 5000, where such compromise is 

assumed and the result is required to be acceptable to the Authority Having 

Jurisdiction. Affected Standards: ASCE-7, AISC Specifications, ACI 318, and 

ASCE/SFPE 29.

Practice Outcome: (NIST) Published “Best Practice Guidelines for Structural Fire 

Resistance Design of Concrete and Steel Buildings,” (NIST TN 1681)

Recommendation 9. NIST recommends the development of: (1) performance-based 

standards and code provisions, as an alternative to current prescriptive design methods, 

to enable the design and retrofit of structures to resist real building fire conditions, 

including their ability to achieve the performance objective of burnout without 

structural or local floor collapse: and (2) the tools, guidelines, and test methods 

necessary to evaluate the fire performance of the structure as a whole system.

Affected National and International Standards: ASCE-7, AISC Specifications, ACI 

318, and ASCE/SFPE 29 for fire resistance design and retrofit of structures; NFPA, 

SFPE, ASCE, and ISO TC92 SC4 for building-specific multi-compartment, multi-floor 

design basis fire scenarios; and ASTM, NFPA, UL, and ISO for new test methods. 

Model Building Codes: The performance standards should be adopted as an alternate 

method in model building codes by mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the 

latest edition of the standard.
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Recommendation, Affected Standards and Codes Outcomes

Recommendation 10. NIST recommends the development and evaluation of new fireresistive coating materials, systems, and technologies with significantly enhanced 

performance and durability to provide protection following major events.

Affected Standards: Technical barriers, if any, to the introduction of new structural fire 

resistance materials, systems, and technologies should be identified and eliminated in 

the AIA MasterSpec, AWCI Standard 12 and ASTM standards for field inspection, 

conformance criteria, and test methods. Model Building Codes: Technical barriers, if 

any, to the introduction of new structural fire resistance materials, systems, and 

technologies should be eliminated from the model building codes.

Standards Outcome: (ASTM) ASTM E2584-07 "Standard Practice for Thermal 

Conductivity of Materials Using a Thermal Capacitance (Slug) Calorimeter." 

Practice Outcome: The slug calorimeter has been commercialized by Anter 

Corporation.

Recommendation 11. NIST recommends that the performance and suitability of 

advanced structural steel, reinforced and pre-stressed concrete, and other highperformance material systems be evaluated for use under conditions expected in 

building fires.

Affected Standards: AISC Specifications and ACI 318. Technical barriers, if any, to 

the introduction of these advanced systems should be eliminated in ASTM E 119, 

NFPA 251, UL 263, ISO 834. Model Building Codes: Technical barriers, if any, to the 

introduction of these advanced systems should be eliminated from the model building 

codes.

Recommendation 12. NIST recommends that the performance and possibly the 

redundancy of active fire protection systems (sprinklers, standpipes/hoses, fire alarms, 

and smoke management systems) in buildings be enhanced to accommodate the greater 

risks associated with increasing building height and population, increased use of open 

spaces, high-risk building activities, fire department response limits, transient fuel 

loads, and higher threat profile.

Affected Standards: NFPA 13, NFPA 14, NFPA 20, NFPA 72, NFPA 90A, NFPA 

92A, NFPA 92B, and NFPA 101. Model Building Codes: The performance standards 

should be adopted in model building codes by mandatory reference to, or incorporation 

of, the latest edition of the standard.

Code Outcomes: (IBC) Requires greater reliability of sprinklers with a minimum of 

two water supply risers for each sprinkler zone in buildings over 420 ft. in 

height. Each riser is required to supply sprinklers on alternate floors. The sprinkler 

risers are to be placed in stair enclosures which are remotely located.

Clarifies the prohibition against locating sprinklers in elevator machine rooms, elevator 

machine spaces, and elevator hoistways of fire service elevators. Also clarify the 

prohibition against the installation of shunt trip devices in fire service elevators.
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Recommendation, Affected Standards and Codes Outcomes

Recommendation 13. NIST recommends that fire alarm and communications systems 

in buildings be developed to provide continuous, reliable, and accurate information on 

the status of life safety conditions at a level of detail sufficient to manage the 

evacuation process in building fire emergencies; all communication and control paths 

in buildings need to be designed and installed to have the same resistance to failure and 

increased survivability above that specified in present standards.

Affected Standards: NFPA 1, NFPA 72, and NFPA 101. Model Building and Fire 

Codes: The performance standards should be adopted in model building and fire codes 

by mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.

Recommendation 14. NIST recommends that control panels at fire/emergency 

command stations in buildings be adapted to accept and interpret a larger quantity of 

more reliable information from the active fire protection systems that provide tactical 

decision aids to fireground commanders, including water flow rates from pressure and 

flow measurement devices, and that standards for their performance be developed.

Affected Standards: NFPA 1, NFPA 72, and NFPA 101. Model Building and Fire 

Codes: The performance standards should be adopted in model building and fire codes 

by mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.

Code Outcomes: Requires an increase in the area of the Fire Command Center from 

96 sq. ft. to 200 sq. ft. in buildings over 75 ft. in height. The minimum dimension of 

the Fire Command Center is increased from 8 ft. to 10 ft.

Requires the inclusion of a Building Information Card to be located at the Fire 

Command Center. The Building Information Card will put critical response 

information for a building in a user-friendly format and medium.

Recommendation 15. NIST recommends that systems be developed and implemented 

for: (1) real-time off-site secure transmission of valuable information from fire alarm 

and other monitored building systems for use by emergency responders, at any 

location, to enhance situational awareness and response decisions and maintain safe 

and efficient operations; and (2) preservation of that information either off-site or in a 

black box that will survive a fire or other building failure for purposes of subsequent 

investigations and analysis. Standards for the performance of such systems should be 

developed, and their use should be required.

Affected Standards: NFPA 1, NFPA 72, and NFPA 101. Model Building and Fire 

Codes: The performance standards should be adopted in model building and fire codes 

by mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.
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Recommendation 16. NIST recommends that public agencies, non-profit 

organizations concerned with building and fire safety, and building owners and 

managers develop and carry out public education and training campaigns, jointly and 

on a nationwide scale, to improve building occupants’ preparedness for evacuation in 

case of building emergencies.

Affected Standard: ICC/ANSI A117-1. Model Building and Fire Codes: The standard 

should be adopted in model building and fire codes by mandatory reference to, or 

incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard. Affected Organizations: NFPA, 

NIBS, NCSBCS, BOMA, and CTBUH.

Practice Outcome: (NFPA) Guidance document to address emergency procedures 

for persons with disabilities.

This proposal will require fire safety and evacuation plans for all occupancies and 

buildings where required by the International Fire Code. This provision will provide 

consistent requirements for jurisdictions regarding fire safety and evacuation plans. 

Recommendation 17. NIST recommends that tall buildings be designed to 

accommodate timely full building evacuation of occupants when required in buildingspecific or large-scale emergencies such as widespread power outages, major 

earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes without sufficient advanced warning, fires, 

explosions, and terrorist attack. Building size, population, function, and iconic status 

should be taken into account in designing the egress system. Stairwell capacity and 

stair discharge door width should be adequate to accommodate counterflow due to 

emergency access by responders.

Affected Standards: NFPA 101, ASME A 17. Model Building and Fire Codes: The 

standards should be adopted in model building and fire codes by mandatory reference 

to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.

Code Outcomes: (IBC) An additional exit stairway for buildings more than 420 feet 

in height. The total width of any combination of remaining stairways with one 

stairway removed cannot be less than the total width previously required. Scissor stairs 

are not considered to satisfy the additional stairway requirement. A horizontal exit is 

not an acceptable alternative to an additional exit stairway.

Requires an increase of 50 percent in the width of exit stairways in new sprinklered 

buildings with floor areas exceeding about 15,000 sq. ft. This change eliminates the 

credit in width of exit stairways for sprinklered buildings (i.e., sprinkler trade-off).

Permits use of elevators for occupant evacuation in fires and other emergencies for all 

buildings over 420 ft. in height. All passenger elevators for general public use and 

other elevators used for self-evacuation must meet additional requirements to be used 

as occupant evacuation elevators, including requirements for electric power, protection 

of wiring and cables, automatic sprinkler system, water protection, emergency 

voice/alarm communication system, elevator lobbies, emergency signage, two-way 

communication system, design and installation and elevator system monitoring.

Provides requirements for the activation of occupant evacuation elevators in the event 

of activation of an automatic sprinkler system, activation of smoke detectors, or 

approved manual controls.

Clarifies the multiple requirements related to egress width. 
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Recommendation, Affected Standards and Codes Outcomes

Clarifies the requirement for enclosed fire service elevator access lobbies to state that 

they are not required at the level of exit discharge (defined term) rather than at street 

level. 

Reinstates the width requirements for stairs and other egress components in buildings 

with sprinklers and add a requirement for an emergency voice/alarm communication 

system in these buildings.

(NFPA) The 2006 editions of NFPA 101 and NFPA 5000 include requirements for 56 

inch wide (minimum) stairs when an aggregate of 2000 occupants are expected to use a 

stair.

Recommendation 18. NIST recommends that egress systems be designed: (1) to 

maximize remoteness of egress components (i.e., stairs, elevators, exits) without 

negatively impacting the average travel distance; (2) to maintain their functional 

integrity and survivability under foreseeable building-specific or large-scale 

emergencies; and (3) with consistent layouts, standard signage, and guidance so that 

systems become intuitive and obvious to building occupants during evacuations.

Affected Standard: NFPA 101. Model Building and Fire Codes: The standard should 

be adopted in model building and fire codes by mandatory reference to, or 

incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.

Code Outcomes: (IBC) Luminous markings delineating the exit path (including 

vertical exit enclosures and passageways) in buildings over 75 feet in height to 

facilitate rapid egress and full building evacuation.

Requires the addition of luminescent markings for obstacles, exit doors, exit signs, and 

floor numbers in the exit path for buildings over 75 ft. in height.

Requires luminescent exit path markings in existing buildings greater than 75 ft. in 

height, with the exception of open, unenclosed stairs in historic buildings.

Requires exit stairway enclosures to be separated by a distance not less than 30 ft. or 

not less than on-fourth of the maximum building diagonal, whichever is less. The 

distance shall be measured in a straight line (not along the walking path) between the 

nearest portions of the stairway enclosure.

Requires hardening of exit stairway and passageway enclosures and elevators shaft 

enclosures in buildings. This requirement applies to all buildings over 420 ft. in 

height. It also applies to buildings between 75 ft. and 420 ft. in height that represent a 

substantial hazard to human life in the event of failure (e.g., buildings with occupant 

loads exceeding 5,000 and essential facilities, such as hospitals.) The hardening 

requirement is based on ASTM Standard 61629/C1629M-06 for gypsum and fiberreinforced cement wall enclosures. Concrete and masonry enclosures are deemed to 

satisfy this requirement.

Require an approved method of preventing water from entering the elevator hoistway 
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Recommendation, Affected Standards and Codes Outcomes

due to operation of the automatic sprinkler system outside the fire service access 

elevator lobby.

Requires an approved method of preventing water from entering the elevator hoistway 

due to operation of the automatic sprinkler system outside the occupant evacuation 

elevator lobby.

(NFPA) The 2007 edition of NFPA 72 includes provisions to recognize exit marking 

audible notification appliances.

Recommendation 19. NIST recommends that building owners, managers, and 

emergency responders develop a joint plan and take steps to ensure that accurate 

emergency information is communicated in a timely manner to enhance the situational 

awareness of building occupants and emergency responders affected by an event. This 

should be accomplished through better coordination of information among different 

emergency responder groups, efficient sharing of that information among building 

occupants and emergency responders, more robust design of emergency public address 

systems, improved emergency responder communication systems, and use of the 

Emergency Broadcast System (now known as the Integrated Public Alert and Warning 

System) and Community Emergency Alert Networks.

Affected Standard: NFPA 101 and/or a new standard. Model Building and Fire Codes: 

The standard should be adopted in model building and fire codes by mandatory 

reference to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard to the extent it is 

within the scope of building and fire codes.

Code Outcome: (NFPA) The 2007 edition of NFPA 72 recognizes exit marking 

audible notification appliances. In addition, the new version recognizes criteria for 

mass notification systems that will formalize notification criteria for large building, 

campus and even urban areas. 

Recommendation 20. NIST recommends that the full range of current and next 

generation evacuation technologies should be evaluated for future use, including 

protected/hardened elevators, exterior escape devices, and stairwell descent devices, 

which may allow all occupants an equal opportunity for evacuation and facilitate 

emergency response access.

Affected Standards: NFPA 101, ASME A 17, ASTM E 06, ANSI A117.1. Model 

Building and Fire Codes: The standards should be adopted in model building and fire 

codes by mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.

Standards Outcomes: (ASTM) ASTM E-2484-06 Standard Specification for HighRise External Evacuation Controlled Descent Devices.

ASTM E-2513-07 Standard Specification for Multi-Story Building External 

Evacuation Platform Rescue Systems.

Code Outcome: (NFPA) The 2006 editions of NFPA 101 and NFPA 5000 include 

requirements for the installation of stair descent devices for use by mobility impaired 

occupants in certain circumstances.
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Recommendation 21. NIST recommends the installation of fire-protected and 

structurally hardened elevators to improve emergency response activities in tall 

buildings by providing timely emergency access to responders and allowing evacuation 

of mobility-impaired building occupants.

Affected Standards: ASME A 17, ANSI 117.1, NFPA 70, NFPA 101, NFPA 1221, 

NFPA 1500, NFPA 1561, NFPA 1620, and NFPA 1710. Model Building and Fire 

Codes: The standards should be adopted in model building and fire codes by 

mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.

Code Outcomes: (IBC) A minimum of one fire service access elevator for buildings 

over 120 feet in height.

Requires the entire height of the elevator hoistway to be illuminated not less than 1 

foot-candle at the top of the car of each fire service access elevator.

Requires each enclosed fire service access elevator lobby to be a minimum of 150 sq. 

ft. in area with a minimum dimension of 8 ft.

Requires a standardized pictorial symbol designating which elevators are fire service 

access elevators and specifies size and location of the symbols.

Requires an independent, key-operated three-position “Fire Recall” switch at the 

designated level for each occupant elevator.

Requires an independent key-operated “Fire Recall” switch and the designated level 

for each fire service elevator or group of fire service elevators. Also require that an 

activation of any building fire alarm also initiates Phase I emergency recall of all fire 

service elevators. All other elevators will remain in normal service unless a Phase I 

emergency recall is manually initiated. If the building also employs occupant 

evacuation elevators, an independent, three-position key-operated “fire recall” switch 

shall be provided at the designated level for each fire service access elevator.

Clarifies the prohibition against locating sprinklers in elevator machine rooms, elevator 

machine spaces, and elevator hoistways of fire service elevators. Also clarify the 

prohibition against the installation of shunt trip devices in fire service elevators.

Requires each doorway to a fire service access elevator lobby or an occupant 

evacuation elevator lobby, other than the hoistway door, to have a 3⁄4 hour fire door 

assembly.

Requires that the exit enclosure containing the standpipe shall have access to the floor 

without passing through the fire service access lobby. This will prevent smoke from 

entering the fire service access elevator lobby possibly causing a recall of the elevators.

Clarifies that wiring and cables that provide control signals to fire service access 

elevators are not required to be protected provided that the wiring or cables do not 

serve Phase II emergency in-car operation.

(IFC) Requires fire service access elevator lobbies to be maintained free of storage.
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Recommendation, Affected Standards and Codes Outcomes

(City of San Francisco Building Code) The City of San Francisco adopted a 

requirement for a fire service access elevator. The provision applies to buildings over 

200 ft. in height and includes requirements for hoistway lighting, pressurization, 

standby power, lobby monitoring, direct access to a stair, and not placing sprinklers in 

the elevator machine room.

Recommendation 22. NIST recommends the installation, inspection, and testing of 

emergency communications systems, radio communications, and associated operating 

protocols to ensure that the systems and protocols: (1) are effective for large-scale 

emergencies in buildings with challenging radio frequency propagation environments; 

and (2) can be used to identify, locate, and track emergency responders within indoor 

building environments and in the field.

Affected Standards: FCC, SAFECOM, NFPA Standards on Electronic Safety 

Equipment, NFPA 70, NFPA 297, and NFPA 1221. Model Building Codes: The 

standards should be adopted in model building codes by mandatory reference to, or 

incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.

Code Outcomes: (IBC) Requires approved radio coverage in all buildings for 

emergency responders within the building based upon the exiting coverage level of 

public safety communication systems at the exterior of the building. Existing buildings 

that do not have approved radio coverage within the building shall be equipped with 

such coverage within a time frame established by the adopting authority. The code 

change specifies requirements for signal strength, system design (including signal 

booster requirements), installation requirements (including acceptance test procedure), 

and maintenance (including field testing and compliance.)

Requires an emergency responder radio communications system to be installed in 

buildings, replacing the typical hardwired communication system, to provide the 

required level of radio coverage throughout a building. Amplifiers are required to 

handle the frequencies in operation by the local emergency responder agencies.

Completes the necessary modifications to the code to ensure that emergency responder 

radios have coverage throughout new and existing buildings.

Recommendation 23. NIST recommends the establishment and implementation of 

detailed procedures and methods for gathering, processing, and delivering critical 

information through integration of relevant voice, video, graphical, and written data to 

enhance the situational awareness of all emergency responders. An information 

intelligence sector should be established to coordinate the effort for each incident.

Affected Standards: National Incident Management System (NIMS), NRP, 

SAFECOM, FCC, NFPA Standards on Electronic Safety Equipment, NFPA 1500, 

NFPA 1561, NFPA 1620, NFPA 1710, and NFPA 1221. Model Building Codes: The 

standards should be adopted in model building codes by mandatory reference to, or 

incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.
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Recommendation 24. NIST recommends the establishment and implementation of 

codes and protocols for ensuring effective and uninterrupted operation of the command 

and control system for large-scale building emergencies.

Affected Standards: NIMS, NRP, SAFECOM, FCC, NFPA Standards on Electronic 

Safety Equipment, NFPA 1221, NFPA 1500, NFPA 1561, NFPA 1620, and NFPA 

1710. Model Building Codes: The standards should be adopted in model building 

codes by mandatory reference to, or incorporation of, the latest edition of the standard.

Code Outcome: Requires an increase in the area of the Fire Command Center from 

96 sq. ft. to 200 sq. ft. in buildings over 75 ft. in height. The minimum dimension of 

the Fire Command Center is increased from 8 ft. to 10 ft.

Recommendation 25. Nongovernmental and quasi-governmental entities that own or 

lease buildings and are not subject to building and fire safety code requirements of any 

governmental jurisdiction are nevertheless concerned about the safety of the building 

occupants and the responding emergency personnel. NIST recommends that such 

entities be encouraged to provide a level of safety that equals or exceeds the level of 

safety that would be provided by strict compliance with the code requirements of an 

appropriate governmental jurisdiction. To gain broad public confidence in the safety of 

such buildings, NIST further recommends that as designed and as-built safety be 

certified by a qualified third party, independent of the building owner(s). The process 

should not use self-approval for code enforcement in areas including interpretation of 

code provisions, design approval, product acceptance, certification of the final 

construction, and post-occupancy inspections over the life of the buildings.

Recommendation 26. NIST recommends that state and local jurisdictions adopt and 

aggressively enforce available provisions in building codes to ensure that egress and 

sprinkler requirements are met by existing buildings. Further, occupancy requirements 

should be modified where needed (such as when there are assembly use spaces within 

an office building) to meet the requirements in model building codes.

Codes: Provisions related to egress and sprinkler requirements in existing buildings are 

available in such codes as the International Existing Building Code (IEBC), 

International Fire Code, NFPA 1, NFPA 101, and ASME A 17.3.

Code Outcomes: (IBC) Luminous markings delineating the exit path (including 

vertical exit enclosures and passageways) in buildings over 75 feet in height to 

facilitate rapid egress and full building evacuation.

Requires the addition of luminescent markings for obstacles, exit doors, exit signs, and 

floor numbers in the exit path for buildings over 75 ft. in height.

Requires luminescent exit path markings in existing buildings greater than 75 ft. in 

height, with the exception of open, unenclosed stairs in historic buildings.
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Recommendation 27. NIST recommends that building codes incorporate a provision 

that requires building owners to retain documents, including supporting calculations 

and test data, related to building design, construction, maintenance and modifications 

over the entire life of the building. Means should be developed for offsite storage and 

maintenance of the documents. In addition, NIST recommends that relevant building 

information be made available in suitably designed hard copy or electronic format for 

use by emergency responders. Such information should be easily accessible by 

responders during emergencies.

Model Building Codes: Model building codes should incorporate this 

recommendation. State and local jurisdictions should adopt and enforce these 

requirements.

Recommendation 28. NIST recommends that the role of the “Design Professional in 

Responsible Charge” be clarified to ensure that: (1) all appropriate design professionals 

(including, e.g., the fire protection engineer) are part of the design team providing the 

standard of care when designing buildings employing innovative or unusual fire safety 

systems, and (2) all appropriate design professionals (including, e.g., the structural 

engineer and the fire protection engineer) are part of the design team providing the 

standard of care when designing the structure to resist fires, in buildings that employ 

innovative or unusual structural and fire safety systems.

Affected Standards: AIA Practice Guidelines. Model Building Codes: The IBC, which 

already defines the “Design Professional in Responsible Charge,” be clarified to 

address this recommendation. The NFPA 5000 should incorporate the “Design 

Professional in Responsible Charge” concept and address this recommendation.

Recommendation 29. NIST recommends that continuing education curricula be 

developed and programs be implemented for (1) training fire protection engineers and 

architects in structural engineering principles and design, and (2) training structural 

engineers, architects, fire protection engineers, and code enforcement officials in 

modern fire protection principles and technologies, including fire-resistance design of 

structures, and (3) training building regulatory and fire service personnel to upgrade 

their understanding and skills to conduct the review, inspection, and approval tasks for 

which they are responsible.

Affected Organizations: AIA, SFPE, ASCE, ASME, AISC, ACI, and state licensing 

boards. Model Building Codes: Detailed criteria and requirements should be 
14

 http://wtc.nist.gov/

Recommendation, Affected Standards and Codes Outcomes

incorporated into the model building codes under the topic “Design Professional in 

Responsible Charge.”

Recommendation 30. NIST recommends that academic, professional short-course, 

and web-based training materials in the use of computational fire dynamics and 

thermostructural analysis tools be developed and delivered to strengthen the base of 

available technical capabilities and human resources.

Affected Organizations: AIA, SFPE, ASCE, ASME, AISC, and ACI, ICC, NFPA.