Requiring smoke control and management systems has big safety benefits, especially because smoke—not flames—is the main killer in many fires.

Pros: they can keep exit paths clearer, reduce smoke spread into stairwells, improve visibility for evacuation, support firefighter operations, and buy time before conditions become deadly. They’re especially helpful in high-rise buildings, hospitals, large assembly spaces, underground areas (parking garages/subways), atriums, and large malls, where long travel distances and complex layouts make evacuation harder.

Cons: these systems are expensive to design and install, require regular testing/maintenance, and can fail if not properly commissioned. They also add complexity—if poorly designed, they can unintentionally move smoke into other areas.

Buildings that benefit least are small, simple, low-rise occupancies (like one- and two-family homes or small single-story offices) where fast egress and smoke alarms are usually enough.