Engineers developing fire protection schemes and enforcers charged with approving plans can use NFPA 204, Standard for Smoke and Heat Venting, to learn the critical requirements and find additional information addressing the design of venting systems for emergency venting of products of combustion.

The requirements in NFPA 204 include the following:

• Fundamentals, including design objectives, design basis, and determination of contents
• Vents
• Air inlets
• Draft curtains
• Fire design, including steady (limited-growth) fires and growing (continuous-growth) fires
• Sizing vents
• Mechanical smoke exhaust systems
• Venting in sprinklered buildings
• Inspection and maintenance
• Design documentation

The standard's manual calculation and computer-modeled solution methods can aid in design. In addition, the equations and models can help a designer determine the tools necessary to develop vent designs based on selected performance objectives related to a specific building or a specific set of circumstances.

Revisions keep NFPA 204 consistent with other NFPA^® codes and standards.

In the 2021 edition of NFPA 204, the requirements for sprinkler waterflow activating automatic smoke vents have been removed. Further, SI unit (metric) conversations have been added to Annex C, and the informational references have been updated.

Engineers and architects use NFPA 204 to improve fire protection in buildings where smoke and heat venting is used. Facility managers and inspectors also rely on NFPA 204 to help ensure systems are maintained so they can function as designed.