What structural feature is required in buildings with significant height and occupancy loads to ensure egress?

Stairwell compartmentalization is essential in buildings that have significant height and occupancy loads to ensure safe egress during an emergency. This structural feature involves designing stairwells to be enclosed and protected from smoke and heat, effectively creating a safe passage for occupants to exit the building. By compartmentalizing the stairwells, the design minimizes the potential for smoke infiltration, which can occur during a fire, and provides a clear and safe route for individuals trying to escape.

This feature is particularly vital in high-rise buildings where the potential for fire spread and smoke movement can be much greater due to vertical travel distances and occupancy density. Without adequate compartmentalization, occupants may be exposed to hazardous conditions while attempting to evacuate, thus compromising their safety.

The other options listed, while important aspects of fire safety, do not serve the specific purpose of protecting egress routes in the same manner. Fire-rated doors help to contain fires and limit the spread of smoke, but they do not specifically ensure safe passage down stairwells. Smoke control systems are invaluable for managing smoke movement, but they function more broadly and do not provide physical protection for escape routes as stairwell compartmentalization does. Emergency lighting is critical for visibility during an evacuation, but it does