How does NFPA 2001 define 'occupancy'?

• A. The presence or potential presence of people in the protected space, affecting risk and design criteria.
• B. The number of devices installed.
• C. The size of the space.
• D. The type of agent used.

Answer: (A)

Occupancy in NFPA 2001 refers to the presence or potential presence of people in the protected space, and that reality drives the risk assessment and the design criteria for the system. If occupants could be in the space, even at varying times or in different uses of the area, the design must account for protecting them, which influences factors like the required design concentration, release characteristics, and safety considerations for human exposure. The other options miss this human-rights aspect: the number of devices installed relates to system components, the size of the space is a physical attribute not specifically about people, and the type of agent used affects performance but not the basic definition of occupancy.