Performance Based Life Safety
Analysis & Life Safety Improvements
U.S. Architect of the Capitol • Washington, D.C., USA
 AOC is responsible for maintenance, operation,
development, and preservation of 17.4 million ft2 of
buildings and more than 450 acres of land
 Library of Congress
(LOC) is the oldest
federal cultural
institution in the U.S.
 Located in four
buildings in
Washington, D.C. and
one in Culpeper,
Virginia, it is the largest
library in the world.
www.jensenhughes.com
Challenge:
The U.S. Architect of the
Capitol requested life safety
improvements for Library of
Congress (LOC) buildings.
Solution:
AOC Complex Master Plan
www.jensenhughes.com
Based on an egress study of LOC buildings, JENSEN HUGHES
coordinated:
 Architectural design services
 Fire protection engineering services
 Mechanical/electrical requirements
… To prepare a Performance-Based Life Safety Analysis
(PBLSA) and to design life safety improvements for LOC
Buildings and other spaces within the U.S. Capitol Complex.
www.jensenhughes.com
U.S. Capitol
Complex
Aerial view of Capitol and Library of Congress buildings
 Fire alarm systems and fire
suppression systems were
evaluated to determine
compliance with NFPA
codes
 Fire modeling was utilized
to determine expected
conditions through multiple
fire scenarios based on the
2000 Edition of the Life
Safety Code.
www.jensenhughes.com
JENSEN HUGHES studied accessible means
of egress to:
 Identify deficiencies
 Develop recommendations
for deficiency correction
 Provide performance-based
design solutions where necessary
improvements would cause
unreasonable hardship
www.jensenhughes.com
JENSEN HUGHES used
reports and drawings used
to:
 Develop design drawings
and specifications
 Develop detailed cost
estimates
 Provide construction
contract documents for
fire safety systems
www.jensenhughes.com
LOC Complex:
 Conducted a smoke control feasibility study:
o Fire alarm controls
o Smoke control in
atrium, Main Reading
Room, and Great Hall
o Damper upgrades
www.jensenhughes.com
Hart Senate Office Building:
 Fire alarm system design
www.jensenhughes.com
James Madison Building:
 Fire alarm & sprinkler systems
deficiency survey
 Smoke detection survey and
system design modifications
 Retrofit sprinkler system design
 Fire safety evaluation, National
Digital Library
 Fire water supply analysis
www.jensenhughes.com
John Adams Building:
 Smoke detection
system design
modifications
 Retrofit sprinkler
system design
 Fire water supply
analysis
www.jensenhughes.com
Jefferson Building:
 Fire alarm & sprinkler
systems deficiency survey
 Retrofit sprinkler design,
police locker/roll call
rooms
 Retrofit sprinkler design,
loan division space
 Smoke detection system
design modifications
 Fire water supply analysis
www.jensenhughes.com
U.S. Capitol Building:
 Specialized fire protection
systems
o Meet the site-specific
fire safety objectives
o Preserve the historic
nature of the building
o Interface with existing
fire alarm and detection
systems
o Are flexible to accommodate
future changes
www.jensenhughes.com
For More Information Contact Us:
Brian Rhodes, PE
Director of Code Consulting
410-737-8677
[email protected]
JENSEN HUGHES
www.jensenhughes.com