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Interior construction
Harvard Graduate School of Design
Technical criteria for interior construction
1. Safety regulations governing material behavior in fire/natural disaster
2. Durability relative to impact loads (humans, furnishings, etc)
3. Ease of maintenance
4. Tactile environment
5. Acoustic environment (reflective/absorptive surfaces)
* Weathering and waterproofing concerns less important
Fire safety regulations: building codes classify buildings by
1. Use or occupancy:
assembly, business, educational, factory, hazardous,
institutional, mercantile, residential, storage, utility
2. Construction type (types 1 thru 5):
combustible, noncombustible, and combination
These classifications together determine: • allowable building footprint• height + number of stories• applicable fire safety requirements
Construction types: based on fire ratings of structural and enclosure materials
Types 1 + 2
All noncombustibleconstruction
Types 3 + 4
Noncombustible exterior walls + combustible interior structure
Type 5
Combustible structure
Construction types: based on fire ratings of structural and enclosure materials
Interior finish materials and assemblies are given fire resistance rating.
Class I (ASTM* 0 - 25) least combustible
Class II (ASTM 26 - 75)
Class III (ASTM 76 - 200) most restricted use
Ratings based on material composition, thickness, conditions of substrate and attachment.
*American Society for Testing and Materials
Special areas of regulation:
1. Fire stairs and means of egress
= very strict in most occupancies
2. Vertical shafts, duct penetrations
3. High-ceiling spaces
4. Doors and their hardware
5. Glazed areas
* Many traditional flooring materials (wood, vinyl tile, terrazzo) exempt from restrictions except in cases of unusual danger.
Maintenance issues:
1. Porosity of finish surface
= acceptance of dirt, grease, dust
2. Exposure to water
3. Exposure to human touch/ interaction
Acoustical dilemma:
Hard, non-porous surfaces are easy to maintain but can create reverberant, harsh acoustic environments.
Quiet spaces generally require combination of hard and soft finishes.