Code of Massachusetts Regulations
780 CMR - STATE BOARD OF BUILDING REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS
Chapter 10 - Means of Egress
Section 1018 - CORRIDORS
Subsection 1018.5 - Air movement in corridors

Universal Citation: 780 CMR MA Code of Regs 1018.5

Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024

Corridors shall not serve as supply, return, exhaust, relief or ventilation air ducts.

Exceptions:

1. Use of a corridor as a source of makeup air for exhaust systems in rooms that open directly onto such corridors, including toilet rooms, bathrooms, dressing rooms, smoking lounges and janitor closets, shall be permitted, provided that each such corridor is directly supplied with outdoor air at a rate greater than the rate of makeup air taken from the corridor.

2. Where located within a dwelling unit, the use of corridors for conveying return air shall not be prohibited.

3. Where located within tenant spaces of 1,000 square feet (93 m2) or less in area, utilization of corridors for conveying return air is permitted.

4. Incidental air movement from pressurized rooms within health care facilities, provided that the corridor is not the primary source of supply or return to the room.

1018.5.1 Corridor ceiling. Use of the space between the corridor ceiling and the floor or roof structure above as a return air plenum is permitted for one or more of the following conditions:
1. The corridor is not required to be of fire-resistance-rated construction;

2. The corridor is separated from the plenum by fire-resistance-rated construction;

3. The air-handling system serving the corridor is shut down upon activation of the air-handling unit smoke detectors required by the International Mechanical Code;

4. The air-handling system serving the corridor is shut down upon detection of sprinkler waterflow where the building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system; or

5. The space between the corridor ceiling and the floor or roof structure above the corridor is used as a component of an approved engineered smoke control system.

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