ANDREW B. BOWMAN, P.E., Senior Fire-Protection Engineer, Gage-Babcock Associates Inc., Fairfax, Va., and JOHN A. BARRETT, Senior CB Protection Engineer, Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio

Mass Protection

Performance-based fire-safety design, still in its infancy in the United States, has created an environment in which more architects, engineers and building owners are asking, "Is it safe?" rather than, "Does it comply with code?" This was the original intent of performance-based design and it appears to be successful in its initial stages.