For those of you who own a condominium unit in a high-rise building, you are keenly aware of the many changes through the years to the fire safety requirements for high-rise buildings. The Condominium Act, in Section 718.112(2)(n), Florida Statutes, currently states that all high-rise buildings had to retrofit with either a fire sprinkler system or an engineered life safety system by January 1, 2024.
Notwithstanding the above, the Florida Fire Prevention Code (“Fire Code”) was amended last year to change this deadline. The Fire Code states that it applies without restriction, unless specifically modified by the Florida Statutes, the Florida Administrative Code, or any Florida specific amendment to the Fire Code.
For condominium associations that have chosen to protect their building throughout by an approved, supervised automatic sprinkler system, the following phasing schedule applies:
(1) By January 1, 2025, the condominium association shall retain a Florida Registered Professional Engineer to develop the engineered design criteria for the fire sprinkler system and submit the engineered design criteria to the AHJ for review and approval.
(2) By January 1, 2026, the condominium association’s fire sprinkler contractor shall have applied for and received a permit for the installation of the fire sprinkler system by the AHJ.
(3) The installation of the fire sprinkler system shall be completed, as demonstrated by passing the final inspections of the AHJ, by January 1, 2027.
For condominium association that have chosen to install an engineered life safety system the following phasing schedule shall apply:
(1) By January 1, 2025, the condominium association shall retain a Florida Registered Professional Engineer to conduct an evaluation of the building to develop an engineered life safety system and submit the engineered life safety system design to the AHJ for review.
(2) By January 1, 2026, the condominium association’s contractors shall have applied for and received a permit for the installation of all improvements associated with the engineered life safety system by the AHJ.
(3) The installation of the engineered life safety system shall be completed, as demonstrated by the passing the final inspections of the AHJ, by January 1, 2027.
High-rise condominium associations were required to decide by January 1, 2024, as to their selection to protect the property throughout by an approved supervised automatic sprinkler system, or an engineered life safety system (ELSS). The determination of the selection had to be sent to the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) by February 1, 2024.
If you have not yet notified the AHJ about your selection of either fire sprinklers or an engineered life safety system, you should immediately do so. You must then follow the phasing schedule for the installation of your selected method in accordance with the above deadlines.
