| Primary value | Every 7 floors (above 24 m height) |
| Applies to | Residential, business, mercantile, assembly buildings > 24 m height |
| Exceptions | First refuge → At/above the floor at 24 m height |
| Refuge area → ≥ 15 m² OR 0.3 m² per person on the highest floor | |
| Ventilation → Refuge open to atmosphere on at least one side | |
| Alternate Refuge Location → A staircase lobby can serve as a refuge area if it is ≥ 15 m², open on one external side, and separated from the floor by a 2-hour fire-rated door. (Clause 4.12.3.2) | |
| Calculation Basis → The area of 0.3 m² per person is calculated for the occupant load of the 'two consecutive floors' it serves, not just the highest floor. (Clause 4.12.3.1) | |
| Frequency Basis → The requirement is height-based, not floor-based: first refuge above 24m, then subsequent refuges at vertical intervals not exceeding 15m. (Clause 4.12.3.1) | |
| Prohibited Use → The refuge area shall be exclusively for the use of occupants as a temporary shelter and shall not be used for any other purpose. (Clause 4.12.3.3) | |
| Measured as | Refuge floors at every 7 floors or part thereof above 24 m. Each refuge sized for cumulative occupant load above. |
| Source | NBC 2016 — Part 4, Clause 4.12.3 ✓ Verified |
In densely occupied Indian high-rises, phased or total evacuation via stairs can be slow and challenging. Refuge areas provide a crucial, smoke-free safe space for occupants to await rescue or for the fire to be controlled. They are a key component of a 'defend-in-place' strategy, especially where external rescue access by fire services is limited.
Refuge areas are typically provided as open-sided terraces or balconies. To encourage their provision, most municipal corporations (like in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru) exempt them from Floor Area Ratio (FAR) calculations, making them a common feature in modern high-rise design.