Similar International Standards
ISO 11799:2015ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
HighCurrent
Information and documentation — Document storage requirements for archive and library materials
Specifies characteristics of repositories for the long-term storage of archive and library materials, covering site, construction, and environment.
BS EN 16893:2017BSI (British Standards Institution) / CEN (European Committee for Standardization)
HighCurrent
Conservation of cultural heritage - Specifications for location, construction and modification of buildings or rooms intended for the storage or use of heritage collections
Provides detailed specifications for constructing or modifying buildings for storing heritage collections, including archives.
NFPA 232 (2021 Edition)NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), USA
MediumCurrent
Standard for the Protection of Records
Focuses specifically and in-depth on fire protection measures for records, a critical component of the overall archive building design.
NARA 1571National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), USA
MediumCurrent
Archival Storage Standards
A directive setting forth requirements for U.S. federal agency records storage facilities, covering construction, fire safety, and environment.
Key Differences
≠IS 2663:1989 recommends a relatively warm temperature range (20-25°C), whereas modern standards like ISO 11799 and BS EN 16893 mandate much cooler and more stable conditions (e.g., 14-18°C) to significantly slow material degradation.
≠The Indian standard recommends Halon or CO2 fire suppression systems, which are now outdated or banned (Halon). International standards like NFPA 232 now specify pre-action sprinkler systems or modern gaseous 'clean agents' that are less damaging to records and environmentally safer.
≠IS 2663 provides a single live load figure (1500 kg/m²), while modern standards like BS EN 16893 require more detailed calculations, differentiating between static shelving and much heavier mobile shelving systems, which often require loads exceeding 24 kN/m².
≠International standards provide highly specific environmental parameters for different types of media (e.g., photographic film, magnetic tapes, paper), whereas IS 2663 provides a single, general-purpose environmental specification.
Key Similarities
≈All standards emphasize the fundamental principle of compartmentation, requiring high fire-resistance ratings (typically 4 hours) for walls, floors, and ceilings separating archive storage areas from other parts of the building and from each other.
≈Both IS 2663 and its international counterparts strongly recommend selecting a building site that is free from known risks such as flooding, seismic activity, industrial pollution, and proximity to hazardous facilities.
≈A common core requirement across all standards is the exclusion of non-essential utilities, particularly water, steam, or gas pipes, from passing through or being located within archival storage rooms to prevent leaks and associated damage.
≈All standards mandate robust physical security measures, including controlled access, intrusion detection systems, and monitoring to protect collections from theft and vandalism.