Measure the drawn separation between the exposing and exposed buildings on the site plan, then check that the elevations, wall types, opening schedules, and any exposure protection describe the same facades. AI can flag conflicts; the designer and the authority having jurisdiction decide what protection is needed.
What does NFPA 80A cover?
NFPA 80A is the Recommended Practice for Protection of Buildings from Exterior Fire Exposures. NFPA describes it as a recommended practice that provides recommendations concerning separation distances between buildings to limit exterior fire spread based on exterior openings and other construction features, with a reasonable level of protection while fire fighting is contemplated.
NFPA’s official NFPA 80A page identifies the 2027 edition as current when checked on October 5, 2026. Confirm the edition, local amendments, and project scope that actually govern the work. The publisher’s newest edition does not establish local adoption.
NFPA 80A is a recommended practice, so it applies only where an owner, insurer, or authority chooses to use it. Building codes set their own exterior wall and opening rules, such as those reviewed in the IBC guide and the NFPA 5000 guide. Record which document the project is following before comparing anything.
Start from the site plan and the facing elevations
Bring the site plan with property lines and neighboring buildings, the building elevations for each facade that faces another building, the wall type and assembly details, the window and door schedules, the fire protection drawings for any exterior sprinklers or water curtains, and the code analysis or design narrative that states the basis.
Identify each pair of facing walls, including walls on the same property and walls of future phases. Exposure questions often come from a building the current set does not show in detail.
Trace each facing wall through the set
| Review question | Sources to compare | Decision to record |
|---|---|---|
| Separation | Site plan, code analysis, survey | Confirm the separation the narrative assumes matches the dimension drawn on the site plan. |
| Exposed facade | Elevations, site plan, building sections | Check that the elevation used for the exposure analysis is the facade that actually faces the other building. |
| Openings | Elevations, window and door schedules, code analysis | Compare the openings drawn on each facing wall with the opening areas the analysis uses. |
| Wall construction | Wall types, details, specifications | Identify facing walls whose drawn assembly differs from the construction the narrative relies on. |
| Exposure protection | Fire protection plans, window schedule, specifications | Check that rated glazing, shutters, or exterior protection named in the narrative appear on the drawings. |
| Future buildings and phases | Site plan, phasing plan, narrative | Note neighboring or future buildings that the analysis mentions but the drawings do not locate. |
Carry rated openings into the NFPA 80 fire door guide, fire walls between buildings into the NFPA 221 fire wall guide, and combustible exterior walls into the NFPA 285 exterior wall guide.
Example: windows added to a facing wall
Hypothetical example. The code analysis treats the east wall of a warehouse as having no openings toward the neighboring building. A later elevation adds a row of clerestory windows to that wall, and the window schedule lists them as standard glazing.
The east elevation and window schedule show clerestory windows on the wall facing the adjacent building, but the code analysis treats that wall as having no openings. Please confirm the openings and update the exposure basis and protection.
The architect revises the analysis or the facade. Whether the separation and protection are adequate is the designer’s and authority’s decision.
Review exterior exposure documents with Groundbook
Upload the current project PDFs and relevant specifications to Groundbook. Identify the governing issues and add the applicable NFPA 80A reference from a copy you are licensed to use, where the license permits uploading it. State the edition, amendments, review area, and known exclusions in your instructions.
Compare the site plan, facing elevations, wall types and details, window and door schedules, fire protection drawings, and code analysis. Flag separations, facades, openings, wall construction, and exposure protection that differ between sources. Use the supplied NFPA 80A edition where applicable and cite both sources.
Groundbook links each potential finding to the sheets behind it. It does not calculate separation distances or opening limits.
Document review does not calculate exposure, select protection, or decide whether a recommended practice applies. Those decisions remain with the designer and the authority having jurisdiction.