Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73not60
§2227 Fire Safety Systems in Federally Assisted Buildings
Title 15 › Chapter 49— FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL › § 2227
Summary
Federal buildings and housing paid for with Federal money must have automatic sprinkler systems or another system that gives the same or better fire protection in many cases. Office buildings that are 6 or more stories tall must have sprinklers while Federal employees work there. If leased Federal space is partly on the sixth floor or higher and at least 35,000 square feet is used by the Government, the whole building must have sprinklers unless the lease was made before October 26, 1992 or no suitable sprinkled building is available at an affordable cost (no more than 10 percent higher than a similar building without sprinklers). Federal money cannot pay to renovate or lease renovated tall Federal office buildings unless sprinklers (or an equal level of safety) are installed after the work. For housing, multifamily buildings acquired, rebuilt, or newly built with housing assistance generally must have sprinklers and hard-wired smoke detectors. After the 180-day period beginning on October 26, 1992, housing paid for with Federal funds must have hard-wired or battery smoke detectors. Agencies must invite local fire authorities to help make and review prefire plans every two years. Key short definitions and other rules: “affordable cost” = up to 10% higher than comparable non-sprinkled space; “automatic sprinkler system” = a supervised sprinkler and alarm system meeting national standards; “equivalent level of safety” = an alternate fire-safety design shown to be as good or better; “Federal employee office building” = any office with more than 25 full-time Federal employees; “housing assistance” = Federal grants, loans, contracts, guarantees, etc., with some program exceptions; “hazardous areas” = places named hazardous in the Life Safety Code; “multifamily property” = more than 2 units for employee housing, or more than 4 units otherwise; “prefire plan” = a plan for fighting fires at the property; “rebuilding” = repairs equal to 70% or more of replacement cost; “renovated” = repairs equal to 50% or more of current building value; “smoke detectors” = standard single or multiple station alarms; “United States” = the States. The General Services Administrator must define “equivalent level of safety” within 2 years after October 26, 1992, agencies must report to Congress on fire safety (GSA every 3 years starting within 3 years of October 26, 1992; housing agencies within 10 years), and NIST must study fire systems and report within 30 months after October 26, 1992 with 25% non‑Federal matching funds and up to $750,000 Federal funding. State and local fire rules that are stricter still apply.
Full Legal Text
Title 15, §2227
Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)The term “affordable cost” means the cost to a Federal agency of leasing office space in a building that is protected by an automatic sprinkler system or equivalent level of safety, which cost is no more than 10 percent greater than the cost of leasing available comparable office space in a building that is not so protected.
(2)The term “automatic sprinkler system” means an electronically supervised, integrated system of piping to which sprinklers are attached in a systematic pattern, and which, when activated by heat from a fire—
(A)will protect human lives by discharging water over the fire area, in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association Standard 13, 13D, or 13R, whichever is appropriate for the type of building and occupancy being protected, or any successor standard thereto; and
(B)includes an alarm signaling system with appropriate warning signals (to the extent such alarm systems and warning signals are required by Federal, State, or local laws or regulations) installed in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association Standard 72, or any successor standard thereto.
(3)The term “equivalent level of safety” means an alternative design or system (which may include automatic sprinkler systems), based upon fire protection engineering analysis, which achieves a level of safety equal to or greater than that provided by automatic sprinkler systems.
(4)The term “Federal employee office building” means any office building in the United States, whether owned or leased by the Federal Government, that is regularly occupied by more than 25 full-time Federal employees in the course of their employment.
(5)The term “housing assistance”—
(A)means assistance provided by the Federal Government to be used in connection with the provision of housing,11 So in original. The comma probably should not appear. that is provided in the form of a grant, contract, loan, loan guarantee, cooperative agreement, interest subsidy, insurance, or direct appropriation; and
(B)does not include assistance provided by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; the Federal Emergency Management Agency; the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the single family mortgage insurance programs under the National Housing Act [12 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.] or the homeownership assistance program under section 235 of such Act [12 U.S.C. 1715z]; the National Homeownership Trust; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the affordable housing program under section 1831q of title 12; or the Resolution Trust Corporation under the affordable housing program under section 1441a(c) 22 See References in Text note below. of title 12.
(6)The term “hazardous areas” means those areas in a building referred to as hazardous areas in National Fire Protection Association Standard 101, known as the Life Safety Code, or any successor standard thereto.
(7)The term “multifamily property” means—
(A)in the case of housing for Federal employees or their dependents, a residential building consisting of more than 2 residential units that are under one roof; and
(B)in any other case, a residential building consisting of more than 4 residential units that are under one roof.
(8)The term “prefire plan” means specific plans for fire fighting activities at a property or location.
(9)The term “rebuilding” means the repairing or reconstructing of portions of a multifamily property where the cost of the alterations is 70 percent or more of the replacement cost of the completed multifamily property, not including the value of the land on which the multifamily property is located.
(10)The term “renovated” means the repairing or reconstructing of 50 percent or more of the current value of a Federal employee office building, not including the value of the land on which the Federal employee office building is located.
(11)The term “smoke detectors” means single or multiple station, self-contained alarm devices designed to respond to the presence of visible or invisible particles of combustion, installed in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association Standard 74 or any successor standard thereto.
(12)The term “United States” means the States collectively.
(b)(1)(A)No Federal funds may be used for the construction or purchase of a Federal employee office building of 6 or more stories unless during the period of occupancy by Federal employees the building is protected by an automatic sprinkler system or equivalent level of safety. No Federal funds may be used for the construction or purchase of any other Federal employee office building unless during the period of occupancy by Federal employees the hazardous areas of the building are protected by automatic sprinkler systems or an equivalent level of safety.
(B)(i)Except as provided in clause (ii), no Federal funds may be used for the lease of a Federal employee office building of 6 or more stories, where at least some portion of the federally leased space is on the sixth floor or above and at least 35,000 square feet of space is federally occupied, unless during the period of occupancy by Federal employees the entire Federal employee office building is protected by an automatic sprinkler system or equivalent level of safety. No Federal funds may be used for the lease of any other Federal employee office building unless during the period of occupancy by Federal employees the hazardous areas of the entire Federal employee office building are protected by automatic sprinkler systems or an equivalent level of safety.
(ii)The first sentence of clause (i) shall not apply to the lease of a building the construction of which is completed before October 26, 1992, if the leasing agency certifies that no suitable building with automatic sprinkler systems or an equivalent level of safety is available at an affordable cost.
(2)Paragraph (1) shall not apply to—
(A)a Federal employee office building that was owned by the Federal Government before October 26, 1992;
(B)space leased in a Federal employee office building if the space was leased by the Federal Government before October 26, 1992;
(C)space leased on a temporary basis for not longer than 6 months;
(D)a Federal employee office building that becomes a Federal employee office building pursuant to a commitment to move Federal employees into the building that is made prior to October 26, 1992; or
(E)a Federal employee office building that is owned or managed by the Resolution Trust Corporation.
(3)No Federal funds may be used for the renovation of a Federal employee office building of 6 or more stories that is owned by the Federal Government unless after that renovation the Federal employee office building is protected by an automatic sprinkler system or equivalent level of safety. No Federal funds may be used for the renovation of any other Federal employee office building that is owned by the Federal Government unless after that renovation the hazardous areas of the Federal employee office building are protected by automatic sprinkler systems or an equivalent level of safety.
(4)No Federal funds may be used for entering into or renewing a lease of a Federal employee office building of 6 or more stories that is renovated after October 26, 1992, where at least some portion of the federally leased space is on the sixth floor or above and at least 35,000 square feet of space is federally occupied, unless after that renovation the Federal employee office building is protected by an automatic sprinkler system or equivalent level of safety. No Federal funds may be used for entering into or renewing a lease of any other Federal employee office building that is renovated after October 26, 1992, unless after that renovation the hazardous areas of the Federal employee office building are protected by automatic sprinkler systems or an equivalent level of safety.
(c)(1)(A)Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, no Federal funds may be used for the construction, purchase, lease, or operation by the Federal Government of housing in the United States for Federal employees or their dependents unless—
(i)in the case of a multifamily property acquired or rebuilt by the Federal Government after October 26, 1992, the housing is protected, before occupancy by Federal employees or their dependents, by an automatic sprinkler system (or equivalent level of safety) and hard-wired smoke detectors; and
(ii)in the case of any other housing, the housing, before—
(I)occupancy by the first Federal employees (or their dependents) who do not occupy such housing as of October 26, 1992; or
(II)the expiration of 3 years after October 26, 1992,
(B)Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to supersede any guidelines or requirements applicable to housing for Federal employees that call for a higher level of fire safety protection than is required under this paragraph.
(C)Housing covered by this paragraph that does not have an adequate and reliable electrical system shall not be subject to the requirement under subparagraph (A) for protection by hard-wired smoke detectors, but shall be protected by battery operated smoke detectors.
(D)If funding has been programmed or designated for the demolition of housing covered by this paragraph, such housing shall not be subject to the fire protection requirements of subparagraph (A), but shall be protected by battery operated smoke detectors.
(2)(A)(i)Housing assistance may not be used in connection with any newly constructed multifamily property, unless after the new construction the multifamily property is protected by an automatic sprinkler system and hard-wired smoke detectors.
(ii)For purposes of clause (i), the term “newly constructed multifamily property” means a multifamily property of 4 or more stories above ground level—
(I)that is newly constructed after October 26, 1992; and
(II)for which (a) housing assistance is used for such new construction, or (b) a binding commitment is made, before commencement of such construction, to provide housing assistance for the newly constructed property.
(iii)Clause (i) shall not apply to any multifamily property for which, before October 26, 1992, a binding commitment is made to provide housing assistance for the new construction of the property or for the newly constructed property.
(B)(i)Except as provided in clause (ii), housing assistance may not be used in connection with any rebuilt multifamily property, unless after the rebuilding the multifamily property complies with the chapter on existing apartment buildings of National Fire Protection Association Standard 101 (known as the Life Safety Code) or any successor standard to that standard, as in effect at the earlier of (I) the time of any approval by the Department of Housing and Urban Development of the specific plan or budget for rebuilding, or (II) the time that a binding commitment is made to provide housing assistance for the rebuilt property.
(ii)If any rebuilt multifamily property is subject to, and in compliance with, any provision of a State or local fire safety standard or code that prevents compliance with a specific provision of National Fire Protection Association Standard 101 or any successor standard to that standard, the requirement under clause (i) shall not apply with respect to such specific provision.
(iii)For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “rebuilt multifamily property” means a multifamily property of 4 or more stories above ground level—
(I)that is rebuilt after the last day of the second fiscal year that ends after October 26, 1992; and
(II)for which (a) housing assistance is used for such rebuilding, or (b) a binding commitment is made, before commencement of such rebuilding, to provide housing assistance for the rebuilt property.
(C)After the expiration of the 180-day period beginning on October 26, 1992, housing assistance may not be used in connection with any other dwelling unit, unless the unit is protected by a hard-wired or battery-operated smoke detector. For purposes of this subparagraph, housing assistance shall be considered to be used in connection with a particular dwelling unit only if such assistance is provided (i) for the particular unit, in the case of assistance provided on a unit-by-unit basis, or (ii) for the multifamily property in which the unit is located, in the case of assistance provided on a structure-by-structure basis.
(d)The Administrator of General Services, in cooperation with the United States Fire Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Defense, within 2 years after October 26, 1992, shall promulgate regulations to further define the term “equivalent level of safety”, and shall, to the extent practicable, base those regulations on nationally recognized codes.
(e)Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the power of any State or political subdivision thereof to implement or enforce any law, rule, regulation, or standard that establishes requirements concerning fire prevention and control. Nothing in this section shall be construed to reduce fire resistance requirements which otherwise would have been required.
(f)The head of any Federal agency that owns, leases, or operates a building or housing unit with Federal funds shall invite the local agency or voluntary organization having responsibility for fire protection in the jurisdiction where the building or housing unit is located to prepare, and biennially review, a prefire plan for the building or housing unit.
(g)(1)Within 3 years after October 26, 1992, and every 3 years thereafter, the Administrator of General Services shall transmit to Congress a report on the level of fire safety in Federal employee office buildings subject to fire safety requirements under this section. Such report shall contain a description of such buildings for each Federal agency.
(2)Within 10 years after October 26, 1992, each Federal agency providing housing to Federal employees or housing assistance shall submit a report to Congress on the progress of that agency in implementing subsection (c) and on plans for continuing such implementation.
(3)(A)The National Institute of Standards and Technology shall conduct a study and submit a report to Congress on the use, in combination, of fire detection systems, fire suppression systems, and compartmentation. Such study shall—
(i)quantify performance and reliability for fire detection systems, fire suppression systems, and compartmentation, including a field assessment of performance and determination of conditions under which a reduction or elimination of 1 or more of those systems would result in an unacceptable risk of fire loss; and
(ii)include a comparative analysis and compartmentation using fire resistive materials and compartmentation using noncombustible materials.
(B)The National Institute of Standards and Technology shall obtain funding from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to 25 percent of the cost of the study required by subparagraph (A). Funding for the National Institute of Standards and Technology for carrying out such study shall be derived from amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated, for the Building and Fire Research Center at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, not to exceed $750,000. The study shall commence until receipt of all matching funds from non-Federal sources. The scope and extent of the study shall be determined by the level of project funding. The Institute shall submit a report to Congress on the study within 30 months after October 26, 1992.
(h)In the implementation of this section, the process for meeting space needs in urban areas shall continue to give first consideration to a centralized community business area and adjacent areas of similar character to the extent of any Federal requirement therefor.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The National Housing Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(5)(B), is act June 27, 1934, ch. 847, 48 Stat. 1246, which is classified principally to chapter 13 (§ 1701 et seq.) of Title 12, Banks and Banking. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
References in Text
note set out under section 1701 of Title 12 and Tables. section 1441a(c) of title 12, referred to in subsec. (a)(5)(B), was repealed by Pub. L. 111–203, title III, § 364(b), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1555.
Amendments
1997—Subsec. (c)(2)(B)(i). Pub. L. 105–108, § 3(4), inserted “or any successor standard to that standard” after “(known as the Life Safety Code)”. Subsec. (c)(2)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 105–108, § 3(5), inserted “or any successor standard to that standard” after “Association Standard 101”. 1996—Subsec. (b)(1)(B)(iii). Pub. L. 104–316 struck out cl. (iii) which read as follows: “Within 3 years after October 26, 1992, and periodically thereafter, the Comptroller General shall audit a selection of certifications made under clause (ii) and report to Congress on the results of such audit.” 1994—Subsec. (c)(1)(A). Pub. L. 103–254, § 6(1), substituted “Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, no Federal” for “No Federal”. Subsec. (c)(1)(C), (D). Pub. L. 103–254, § 6(2), added subpars. (C) and (D).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Pub. L. 102–522, title I, § 106(b), Oct. 26, 1992, 106 Stat. 3417, provided that: “Subsection (b) of section 31 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 [15 U.S.C. 2227], as added by subsection (a) of this section, shall take effect 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 26, 1992].”
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of all functions, personnel, assets, components, authorities, grant programs, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Under Secretary for Federal Emergency Management relating thereto, to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, see section 315(a)(1) of Title 6, Domestic Security. For
Transfer of Functions
, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the functions of the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see former section 313(1) and section 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
15 U.S.C. § 2227
Title 15 — Commerce and Trade
Last Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60