Final answer:
Building codes specify the need for smoke compartments in ambulatory care facilities to ensure safety. While exact figures can vary, the 2018 IBC requires facilities over 10,000 square feet to have at least two smoke compartments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to the building code requirements for the construction of ambulatory care facilities. Specifically, it is addressing the safety regulations that pertain to the subdivision of spaces into smoke compartments to help contain the spread of smoke in case of a fire, thereby ensuring the safety of occupants until they can be evacuated. These requirements are by nature very specific and detailed, relying on the building code that's applicable to the location in question.
In the absence of the specific code or number, a general answer can't be provided because building codes, such as the International Building Code (IBC) in the United States, may have varying requirements. However, as a typical example, the 2018 edition of the IBC specifies that where the aggregate area of one or more ambulatory care facilities on a story is greater than 10,000 square feet, that story shall be subdivided into not fewer than two smoke compartments. Each smoke compartment should not be larger than 22,500 square feet and the travel distance from any point to reach an adjacent smoke compartment should not exceed 200 feet.