LifeSafety interviews Angie Wells, P.E., principal, and Rodwell King, senior project manager, of GPD Group in Akron, Ohio. GPD Group is a multi-disciplinary A/E firm that provides architectural, interior design, mechanical, electrical, structural, civil engineering and construction administration services to clients nationwide.

Q. How much responsibility does the architect assume for life-safety matters?

King: The architect leads the design, and the engineer follows up with the details. The engineer is responsible for the technical aspects of making sure there is adequate egress lighting and signage and that they are powered correctly. The location of these elements is up to the architect.

Q. Who is responsible for code compliance?

King: It depends on the components. For example, lighting has to be compliant with the National Electrical Code®. Therefore, the engineer would be in charge. In terms of suppression, you would have a licensed professional designing the sprinkler system. Both of these items are outside the scope of the architect’s work, but overall compliance with the building code is the architect’s job.

Q. Are clients more concerned with initial cost or operation/maintenance cost?

Wells: That varies. Clients with low operating budgets are typically willing to pay more upfront for lower operational costs, whereas others are less concerned with the long-term operating costs and are more concerned with the initial cost. We try to determine which approach is most desirable for the individual client. The duration of the lease, the life cycle of the equipment specified for the space, and the initial capital spending available are a few factors that need to be analyzed to determine the appropriate specifics for the design.

Q. Will owners who plan to keep the building spend more money initially for greater savings in operation and maintenance?

King: That’s true. And then there are some who plan some obsolescence into their development and they add more time for that cost over the life of the space. It really is not that significant to them.

Q. What if you could cut 40 percent current draw from the fire notification device circuit?

King: In terms of the overall building, it really is not a significant amount. But at the end of the day, savings add up. You need to take a holistic approach. Even if it is more expensive, sometimes the expense is minimal in terms of what the building could achieve in the long run with energy savings.

Q. Do larger retailers tend to build their own facilities or take over space?

King: It’s a mix. It can vary from location. You might have the same retailer in different locations go into a strip mall or stay in their own box. It’s really location, location, location.

Q. Do the larger retailers usually rent or own their facilities?

King: Both. It just depends on the location and the availability of property. If there is not much land available, they’ll go into an existing facility or have it built to suit their needs.

Q. What do you recommend when a client is looking to take over existing space?

Wells: The space should be appropriate for the proposed use in terms of construction classification and square footage. The function and proposed floor plan should be reviewed to ensure that the suppression system and fire alarm system are adequate and to determine whether redesign of the items will be necessary. The building codes have several requirements: providing lit exits, lights on battery packs that provide a path to the nearest exit and minimum travel distance to the nearest exit. The design should provide a clearly evident means of egress. Clear identification of egress paths is vital because patrons may be unfamiliar with the space. Some factors for egress design consideration include size, clarity, lighting and signage.

King: There are a lot of factors that could be involved based on the differing uses. Think of an Internet café, which would have a wide, open space, versus a craft store that could have a lot more shelves, material and flammable elements. You may need to have a suppression system engineered, depending on how the store is laid out. Or, you may need additional smoke detectors to trigger the alarms. You definitely need a design professional to evaluate the space.

Q. At what point should building space be evaluated? What are the code implications?

King: The time to review and evaluate a facility is when you are doing alterations to an existing facility. In Ohio, you do not have to bring the whole building up to current standards, depending on the scope of the work you’re doing. It really is an interpretation by the building official. Design professionals with experience have a feel for what will be permissible and what will not be.

Q. What do you do to prevent false alarms? How do false alarms affect your clients and your business?

Wells: The detection and notification systems should be maintained. Facility operations should budget funds for adequate testing and maintenance of these systems. Designers should locate these items appropriately and ensure installation is tamper proof. It is important that the designers provide systems that operations can maintain. Businesses are exposed to shrinkage due to false alarms.

Tags: A/V Notification, Q&A, Smoke detection

Posted in Audible/Visible Notification, Commercial, HVAC Monitoring, Q & A : Ask the Expert, Retail, Sprinkler Systems Monitoring, Winter 2006

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