NOTE This Standard covers factory-fabricated demountable (relocatable) partition systems and their framing, floor runners, head tracks, integrated door frames, utility pathways, glazing, and accessories. (1.1)

NOTE The defining attribute of a demountable partition is that it is engineered to be taken down and reassembled — in whole or in part — without the demolition, disposal, and reconstruction that a conventional stud-and-gypsum wall demands. The system arrives as a kit of standardized, interchangeable components on a common track, so a room can be widened, narrowed, or relocated by a trained crew in hours rather than days. The design intent is repeated reconfiguration over the life of the tenancy, not a one-time installation. (1.2)

NOTE Panel construction within the scope of this Standard includes solid opaque panels, full-height single- or double-glazed panels, partial-height glazed panels with a solid lower section, and combination runs that mix opaque and glazed panels on a common floor track. (1.4)

NOTE A single continuous partition run frequently combines these panel types — for example a glazed conference enclosure with solid panels flanking a doorway. The convention throughout this Standard is that any continuous run sharing one floor track and one head track is one assembly, evaluated as a whole. (1.5)

NOTE Operable folding and sliding partitions that open to merge two spaces are outside this Standard; specify them under Operable Partitions. (1.6)

NOTE Wire mesh security partitions and cage enclosures are outside this Standard; specify them under Wire Mesh Partitions. (1.7)

NOTE Conventional gypsum-board stud-framed partitions that are not engineered for relocation are outside this Standard; specify them under Gypsum Board Assemblies, and shaft wall and area separation assemblies under Gypsum Shaft Wall Assemblies. (1.8)

NOTE Raised access flooring is outside this Standard even where demountable partition base plates bear on or anchor to it; specify the floor under Raised Access Flooring and coordinate the interface per the Installation section. (1.9)

NOTE Automatic sliding or swinging entrance door units, and all-glass frameless storefront and entrance assemblies, are outside this Standard; specify them under Automatic Entrance Doors and All Glass Entrances respectively. (1.10)

NOTE Hinged, sliding, and pivot doors that are factory-assembled modules of the demountable partition product family ARE within this Standard. The boundary is the entrance assembly type, not the leaf: a manual swing leaf carried in the partition frame is in scope; a powered operator or a frameless all-glass entrance is not. (1.11)

NOTE Each partition system shall hold a current ICC-ES evaluation report issued under AC522 covering its structural, seismic, and fire/smoke performance. (4.1)

NOTE AC522 is the primary third-party evaluation pathway for code-compliant demountable partitions, and the major manufacturers carry evaluation reports under it. The evaluation report is the document the building official relies on to accept the system in lieu of prescriptive code provisions. Specifying a rating the listed product cannot satisfy — most commonly a fire-resistance rating — is a recurring error: demountable partitions can serve as smoke-resistant barriers but almost never qualify as fire-resistance-rated assemblies under ASTM E119. (4.2)

NOTE Mixing panels from one source with framing from another is not permitted: the structural evaluation report covers the system as a tested assembly, and substituting a component voids the ESR and the warranty. This single-source rule is also why the door hardware must come from the partition manufacturer rather than the project's hollow-metal door hardware section — the frame prep is proprietary and standard hardware will not fit. (4.6)

NOTE The partition assembly shall achieve the specified Sound Transmission Class (STC) when tested per ASTM E90 and rated per ASTM E413. (5.1)

NOTE STC is the single-number rating that owners and designers use to set acoustic privacy expectations. Different panel constructions land in very different ranges: a single-glazed framed panel typically reaches STC 35 to 40, a solid opaque panel STC 40 to 52, and a double-glazed (dual-pane) panel STC 42 to 50. The 80%-case target for a private office or conference room is STC 45. (5.2)

NOTE Flanking paths through the ceiling plenum and floor shall be addressed in the design and the installation so that field acoustic performance approaches the panel's laboratory rating. (5.4)

NOTE This is the single most common acoustic failure on demountable partition projects. Specifying STC 45 panels without treating the ceiling plenum and sealing floor penetrations routinely yields real-world performance 8 to 12 points below the laboratory rating, because sound travels over the partition through a continuous plenum and under it through unsealed runner gaps. The partition design must coordinate with the ceiling tile NRC/CAC ratings and any required plenum barriers; see ASTM E557 for flanking-path detailing. (5.5)

NOTE Exposed panel face materials and infills shall meet ASTM E84 Class A — flame-spread index ≤ 25 and smoke-developed index ≤ 450 — for the occupancies governed by IBC Section 803. (6.1)

NOTE Class A is the default surface-burning requirement for the corridors and rooms of most commercial occupancies. The test report must be for the actual face material specified, since laminate, fabric, veneer, and glass behave differently. (6.2)

NOTE Where the partition is designated a smoke-resistant barrier, it shall extend to a smoke-resistant ceiling or bulkhead and be sealed at the head, floor, and all penetrations per NFPA 101 Section 8.4. (6.3)

NOTE A demountable partition can legitimately serve as a smoke barrier when carried to a rated ceiling or a smoke-resistant bulkhead. It cannot, in nearly all cases, serve as a fire-resistance-rated assembly. The Engineer of Record must confirm which role the partition plays before the rating is specified. (6.4)

NOTE The partition and its connections to floor and head track shall be designed for a transverse uniform load of not less than 5 psf for any partition exceeding 6 ft in height, per IBC Section 1607.16. (7.1)

NOTE This is the minimum lateral load any code-compliant partition over 6 ft must resist; the engineer of record verifies that the runner-to-floor and head-track connections develop it. (7.2)

NOTE In Seismic Design Category C and above, the partition shall use the manufacturer's floating head-track detail providing a clearance gap of not less than 1/2 in. (13 mm) on each side at all head-track connections and penetrations. (7.4)

NOTE The floating head track lets the building structure deflect and sway without loading the partition, and the clearance gap is mandatory in SDC C and above under ASCE 7 Section 13.5.7. Specifying a fixed head track in a seismic project voids the ICC-ES compliance and creates real liability — confirm the detail with the structural engineer of record. (7.5)

NOTE Solid opaque panels shall consist of a rigid core faced on both sides with the specified finish material and edged by the system's framing on all four sides. (8.1.1)

NOTE The core may be steel-skinned, aluminum-skinned, or wood-core depending on the product line and the acoustic class; the cavity carries the acoustic infill and any utility raceway. (8.1.2)

NOTE Glazed panels shall be framed lites of the glass type selected below, set in the system's gaskets and retained by the panel framing. (8.2.1)

NOTE Single-glazed panels carry one lite in the frame; double-glazed (dual-pane) panels carry two lites separated by an air gap, which is what lifts their STC into the mid-40s. The glazing choice drives both acoustic class and cost. (8.2.2)

NOTE Partial-height panels shall combine a solid lower section with a glazed upper section, with the sill height of the solid base as selected below. (8.3.1)

NOTE A common configuration is a 36 in. solid base with glazing above to roughly 9 ft AFF; the acoustic rating of a partial-height run is lower than a full solid run because of the glazed area and any open transom. (8.3.2)

NOTE Panel module widths shall be selected from the manufacturer's standard list before the layout is finalized, so that rooms course out without filler panels or corner gaps. (9.1)

NOTE Standard module widths run 12 in., 18 in., 24 in., 30 in., and 36 in., with 24 in. the common planning module. Laying out rooms to architectural dimensions without first obtaining the manufacturer's module list is a frequent pitfall: it forces filler panels or frame gaps at corners and doorways. Obtain the module list at design development and dimension the rooms to it. (9.2)

NOTE Panel thickness shall be coordinated with the acoustic class and with the door hardware backset before fabrication. (9.3)

NOTE The 86 mm (3-3/8 in.) standard cavity is the 80%-case default; a 102 mm (4 in.) enhanced cavity is used for higher acoustic class or thicker glass and deeper utility chases. The thicker cavity changes the door hardware backset, so confirm coordination. (9.4)

NOTE Panels taller than the standard product range shall use the manufacturer's extended-height stud and framing kit, verified against the structural and seismic requirements for the increased height. (9.8)

NOTE Standard product lines span roughly 8 ft to 10 ft AFF, with 9 ft the 80%-case for commercial spaces. Extended-height kits reach 12 ft to 14 ft for high-bay spaces; confirm the specific product's extended-height ceiling before committing the layout. (9.9)

NOTE Doors integrated into the partition shall be factory-assembled modules of the same product family, with the leaf, frame, hardware prep, threshold, and seals furnished by the partition manufacturer. (10.1)

NOTE Demountable partition door frames use proprietary hardware prep. Specifying standard hollow-metal hardware in the project's door hardware section produces an RFI when that hardware will not fit the proprietary frame — the door module must be procured complete from the partition manufacturer. (10.2)

NOTE Electrical and low-voltage raceways within the panel cavity shall be coordinated with the building rough-in so that conduit stubs and junction boxes align with the partition raceway entry locations. (11.1)

NOTE When the building electrical rough-in does not match the partition raceway entries, the result is field modification after the partition is installed — wires fished in the wrong place, boxes cut where the panel has no chase. The raceway entry locations must be set on the shop drawings and matched by the electrical rough-in. (11.2)

NOTE Where the partition sits on a raised access floor, the floor runner anchors shall not interrupt the under-floor electrical raceway routing, and the runner load shall be within the raised floor panel rating. (11.3)

NOTE The floor runner bears on the raised floor panel surface, and the power distribution typically runs in the plenum below. The raised access floor specified under Raised Access Flooring must be coordinated for both the runner point load and a clear path for the under-floor raceways so anchors do not pierce a cable tray or block a feed. (11.4)

NOTE Full-height partitions cutting across an open-plan HVAC zone shall be flagged for mechanical re-zoning, since an uncoordinated partition creates pressure imbalance and thermal complaints. (11.5)

NOTE This is a mechanical coordination issue the partition layout should surface early: a new full-height enclosure dropped into an open zone with shared diffusers and returns will starve one side and over-supply the other unless the HVAC is re-zoned or balanced. (11.6)

NOTE The system shall be warranted for the specified number of reconfiguration (reuse) cycles, with panels and components rated for reuse after reconfiguration. (12.1)

NOTE Relocatability is the whole point of a demountable system, so the contract should pin down how many reuse cycles the manufacturer warrants. Leading manufacturers warrant panel components for three to five reconfigurations; where lifecycle performance is a contract requirement, specify the minimum cycle count rather than relying on the catalog default. (12.2)

NOTE Where LEED Materials and Resources credits or ANSI/BIFMA e3 conformance is a project requirement, the system shall meet the specified minimum recycled content by weight. (12.3)

NOTE Many demountable systems achieve 30% to 50% recycled content by weight, and some are procured as furnishings under ANSI/BIFMA e3 rather than as a construction specification. The procurement category — construction versus furnishings — is driven by the project delivery method and owner preference and should be settled before bidding. (12.4)

NOTE All floor penetrations, runner gaps, and head-track joints shall be sealed acoustically where the partition carries an STC requirement. (13.4)

NOTE The acoustic rating specified is meaningless if the perimeter leaks. Sealing the runner-to-floor gap and the head-track joint is what closes the under-partition and over-partition flanking paths that otherwise erode the lab STC in the field. (13.5)

NOTE The partition-to-ceiling interface shall be coordinated with the ceiling installation, including grid interruption, light fixture relocation, and sprinkler offset where full-height panels meet a suspended ceiling. (13.6)

NOTE Full-height panels running to the underside of a suspended T-bar ceiling force the ceiling and the partition to coordinate where the grid is cut, where fixtures move, and where sprinkler heads offset. This interface is routinely missed in early design and surfaces as field conflict. (13.7)

NOTE Field acoustic verification shall be performed where the contract specifies a field STC, comparing the installed assembly against the specified rating. (14.1)

NOTE Where acoustic privacy is contractually critical, a field test confirms that the flanking paths were actually controlled and the installation matches the lab assumptions; it is the only way to catch a plenum or perimeter leak before occupancy. (14.2)