Americans like everything bigger: Bigger hotels, bigger stadiums, bigger convention centers. Bigger is not always better in terms of protecting large indoor properties, however. Rather, better technology and smarter planning can offer greater protection.

Integrated multi-detection devices, such as those sensing heat, smoke and carbon monoxide, are emerging to take a more inclusive approach to protecting indoor spaces. Voice evacuation systems for sharing important instructions are gaining traction and are borrowing intelligibility principles from similar public address system devices.

These technologies, as well as aspiration systems and other newer devices, have great potential for detecting danger and improving egress in some applications within large indoor properties.

The sophistication of protection in large indoor venues varies widely. According to the NFPA Fire Analysis and Research Division, 15 of the 17 large-loss fires in 2010 occurred in these structures. Many of these did not have automatic suppression systems; some didn’t even have functioning detection equipment or “human error” overrode the protective systems. These 15 structures, which included several public assembly buildings and large facilities, resulted in a total property loss of about $369.8 million.

• A deliberately set fire at the 1.4 million-sq.-ft. Roseville Galleria shopping center in California caused $110 million in damage.

• Two fires were reported in churches, including the historic, 8,000-sq.-ft. Provo Tabernacle in Utah, which reported a $15 million loss.

• A 300,000-sq.-ft. Louisiana restaurant and a 37,000-sq.-ft. South Carolina golf course country club each had damages of $10 million.

Large-loss fires capture attention from a design perspective due to the sheer magnitude of the fire and life safety challenge: How do you choose the right technologies to detect fires and protect people and property within facilities that could be the length of a football field or more? What is the proper tradeoff between system types, cost and coverage? How far do our responsibilities in systems design extend?

As cited in Home Insurance Co. of Illinois v. National Tea Co., a deli oven in one shopping mall store started a fire that destroyed the store and caused water and smoke damage to other mall stores. The trial judge concluded that the store in which the fire originated was solely responsible for the damage. The mall owners complied with all applicable building codes, and therefore, were not negligent.

In “Premises Liability for Shopping Mall Fire Safety,” John O. Hayward states that although tenants are liable in these cases, mall owners, who essentially act as landlords, should protect tenants from harm resulting from foreseeable activities taking place within these areas.

As the uses and designs of large public facilities continue to evolve, fire and life safety system planners would be well advised to go beyond meeting code and protecting each party’s legal obligations. By incorporating longer-term thinking for diverse uses and occupancies, engineers can help drive more thorough and responsible fire and life safety system designs.

Who’s the Client?

Admittedly, making the case for a more technologically advanced system can be challenging, depending on a number of factors, not the least of which is the client. When the client is a contractor in a design/build situation, cost is king, and the contractor may not appreciate any design that exceeds minimum code requirements. In that case, it may take some careful negotiation to convince the contractor to discuss with the building owners what levels of risk they may be exposed to with a minimum-code approach versus a more reliable or advanced fire and life safety system.

It’s ideal, then, to promote more technologically advanced systems while appealing to the goals and objectives of others involved in the decision-making process.

Kevin Kimmel, a senior fire protection engineer with architectural/engineering firm, Clark Nexsen in Norfolk, Virginia, has designed safety systems for numerous occupancies and large, indoor structures. He says tuning into building intent during the planning phase is key: If the architect and the client have spent hours in planning meetings talking about their design concepts and the beautiful interior for a new casino, then a design engineer needs to respect how important visuals are for the project.

“That’s when you pull the architect off to the side and explain, ‘We can do beam detection or discreet air sampling, and it will increase costs just slightly. Otherwise, you’ll have this,’” he says, while showing a photo of the 20 highly visible white spot detectors that will clash with the interior finishes and overall design aesthetic. “You want to make sure when you’re in those meetings that you’re listening to their mission so your system doesn’t interfere with that environment.”

It’s ideal, then, to promote more technologically advanced systems while appealing to the goals and objectives of others involved in the decision-making process – even when it’s a less critical safety design priority such as aesthetics.

A fire and life safety system is just one component of a commercial property, however. “The owner is not just sweating detectors and fire alarm systems; he’s looking at carpeting, furniture, lights, LEED points, all these other things that go into design,” says Kimmel. “We’re 30 seconds in a four-hour meeting. We have to understand our place as part of a huge system, and it has to all flow together.”

For example, a fire suppression system can limit the amount of damage a fire causes, but if it activates in error, the suppression system itself can cause costly damage or interfere with mission critical activities. In this case, fire sprinkler monitoring devices are used to ensure fire sprinklers work properly.

What’s the Occupancy?

Type of occupancy – whether it’s transient with a changing mix of people who are unfamiliar with the environment or non-transient with a fairly steady set of people who regularly frequent the space – also matters in designing for large facilities. Even within the institutional and commercial residential building segment, these occupancies can differ. It’s possible to prepare dormitory residents for building evacuations or run test drills for more non-fire emergencies, such as a shooting or severe weather conditions. In a hotel with new guests arriving every day, however, the focus shifts to informing occupants during the crisis.

This makes for a disturbing paradox: The occupants who best know their environments have more warning of and preparation for potential emergencies than those in transient environments who most need this information.

It’s understandable, however – hoteliers, retailers and theater owners do not care to worry their customers with troubling details that would detract from their enjoyment. Plus, it would be unimaginable from a business standpoint to require a convention center to evacuate show attendees for a disaster drill – the value of such an exercise would be extremely questionable in any case.

Fire protection engineers and system designers should balance the sometimes conflicting needs of protecting occupants and building assets with protecting a facility’s main mission, be it entertainment, financial interests, education, or other possibilities.

One such approach would be to include directional sound technology within the fire or emergency communications system to guide occupants to the nearest safe exit.

Triggered by the fire alarm control panel, directional sound technology, such as ExitPoint™ from System Sensor, emits a broadband sound frequency that occupants intuitively follow, decreasing evacuation times by up to 75 percent. This helps to ensure that occupants who are unfamiliar with the building’s egress routes or emergency plans can quickly escape the building safely – even in smoke-filled or darkened buildings with little or no visibility.

What’s Normal?

Although a fire and life safety designer usually commands a good understanding of the occupancy and structural type, it’s wise to evaluate all possible uses – current and future – as well as the conditions under which the fire and life safety systems will operate.

While reaching an idea of what constitutes normal, everyday use for a large building is fairly simple, it’s also easy to overlook unusual circumstances or application changes that can affect the environment. These out-of-the-ordinary instances could be seasonal in nature, related to special occasions such as concerts and other performances within the mall that impact noise and foot traffic, or physical additions such as a waterfall in a hotel lobby that could muffle notification devices or create problems due to high humidity. When designing for intelligibility, it is important to consider worst case scenarios for ambient noise, and to design a voice evacuation system that would meet those requirements.

Planning for the ordinary and the extraordinary within the framework of what’s normal in fire and life safety system design is just part of the picture. Engineers and systems designers also have to balance cost efficiencies, environmental applicability and suitability, and the business interests of all involved parties, among many other factors.

When it comes to life safety, large venues require big thinking.

Jim Mickowski, an engineer with PSJ Engineering, has more than 25 years of experience in the design and installation of fire suppression systems. His experience ranges from working on stadiums, museums and office buildings to high-security, high-risk areas in correctional facilities and nuclear facilities where there is “no access allowed.”

Can you tell us about your company?

PSJ Engineering is a mechanical engineering company specializing in the design of fire protection building systems as well as heating, ventilating, air conditioning and plumbing. We have been designing fire protection systems for 25 years. PSJ is headquartered in Milwaukee with an office in Madison, Wisconsin. We’ve been fortunate to have a wide gamut of projects from stadiums to office buildings. The company has completed work for Miller Park (home of the Milwaukee Brewers) and the Milwaukee Museum.

How do you define a no-access-allowed area?

We have designed fire protection systems for penal and nuclear reactor control rooms and would consider these areas high-security, no-access-allowed areas. You can also classify control rooms and areas that house computer infrastructure, where computers need to be protected from water and vandalism, as no-access-allowed areas.

What types of fire safety systems and products do you recommend for these types of projects?

We recommend single and double interlock pre-action systems, because they have many benefits. They provide early warning. They are relatively low cost, simple to install, easy to operate and maintain, and you don’t have to consider room construction or HVAC, as is the case when using a clean agent system. We’ve had a lot of problems activating clean agent systems and getting them to work correctly. The envelope that those systems require depends on the HVAC and building construction. It’s very difficult to keep the building construction tight enough. The air has to go somewhere, so the HVAC system has to complement a clean agent system. It gets a little complicated.

A single or double pre-action with trouble alarms before the water actually enters the piping gives maintenance or supervisory personnel an opportunity to investigate and then take appropriate action. The best way to minimize impact is to provide early warning so people can investigate and take action.

How do you design for an area that is to remain off-limits to most?

Typically, no-access areas are small areas in relationship to the whole project. Those areas should not affect the overall impact of construction cost. We design each area as a pod. In that pod, we design the system so there has to be a smoke or heat detector activated before the water even enters the piping. And then you still have the final safeguard: the sprinkler head. The water doesn’t discharge until the sprinkler heads open up. We are trying to prevent accidental discharge.

For instance, a penal control room is a very small area with numerous cells. The cells obviously are vandal resistant but are not really high security. A lot of times, a prisoner will knock off a sprinkler head and get a discharge of water. Sure, it’s a pain to fix, but it’s not causing any catastrophic damage. The penal control room, however, is the no-access area. If the computers or the security hardware are damaged, you are talking about infrastructure issues that could cost large amounts of money.

I think money and cost to repair go hand in hand when designing a project with no-access-allowed areas. That is what you are trying to eliminate. You are trying to take the maximum safeguards to protect that equipment. Can you imagine if chaos erupted due to fire, and someone got into a penal control room? They could release the cells and doors. You need to protect the electronics and control mechanisms. Treating each of those areas as pods helps secure that area and minimize cost in the event of a fire.

“Can you imagine if chaos erupted due to fire, and someone got into a penal control room? They could release the cells and doors. You need to protect the electronics and control mechanisms.”
— Jim Mickowski, Engineer, PSJ Engineering

So why wouldn’t you use an aspiration system in these areas instead?

It’s not that we wouldn’t use it. We just prefer wet suppression. Aspiration is also a simple system; but it is smoke detection, not fire suppression. It certainly has its place. Incipient fire detection, if a project can afford it, is one of the nicest luxuries any owner can afford. The false alarms caused by dust are a thing of the past.

What types of challenges do you have with no-access-allowed areas?

There is always the challenge to protect the computers. Computers should not be subject to water exposure. We opt to design water suppression systems in a computer room all the time – and we put sprinkler systems in computer rooms all the time. The key in the computer room is to turn the power off before water is discharged. Computers can withstand getting wet provided the power is not on. It’s when the computer power is on and the water shorts them out that you have a problem. We use a combination of water flow switches that are in the piping; when the water comes into the piping, it turns off all power to the computers. And don’t forget the battery backup.

What specifics must you consider when designing fire suppression systems for no-access-areas?

In today’s economy, you want to open it up for every qualified individual to be able to maintain the system you are designing. It only benefits the owner’s maintenance budget. If you have a highly specialized system that only the factory can maintain, it can drive up costs. We are firm believers in keeping it simple; wet suppression is a simple system. It’s important for the maintenance people to understand the system and the operation of it. Typically, the maintenance staff has not been trained on high-tech fire protection systems, so we try to make sure we design the simplest system that will perform in accordance with the user’s requirements.

“Incipient fire detection, if a project can afford it, is one of the nicest luxuries any owner can afford. The false alarms caused by dust are a thing of the past.”
— Jim Mickowski, Engineer, PSJ Engineering

What advice do you have for others in your field when designing a fire safety system for high-security/no-access-allowed projects?

The fire protection engineer must look at it from the perspective of the person who has to maintain it. A sophisticated system is not good if there is no one who knows how to maintain it. Meet the user to verify that he understands the system and see if he has any comments. It has been our experience that if the user supports the design, you have a happy client. Have a colleague look at the design with a fresh set of eyes and get his comments. The building manager should be able to contract any fire protection contractor to maintain the system if they cannot do the maintenance themselves. Keep these questions in mind:

• Will maintenance personnel understand the way it works?
• Is it simple enough?
• Is there something that I can do to help the maintenance person understand?
• Does your client want to subcontract the maintenance?
• Will all fire protection contractors have the ability to maintain the system?

Inmates will abuse any building component within reach. So how do you design a system to detect and protect while keeping it safe, too?

Any building environment prone to vandalism requires special fire and life safety systems design considerations. In the case of prisons and correctional facilities, fire and life safety response planning differs from other high-abuse environments because the majority of the occupants are behind locked doors. This poses unique challenges in terms of fire safety and may be the most difficult to protect from fire, in part because the cardinal rule of immediate evacuation does not apply.

There are many different functional buildings, or sections of buildings, in a prison, including workshops, laundries, stores, classrooms, athletic facilities, religious facilities, administrative offices, medical units and the house-blocks. Special consideration is needed in the cell blocks, and potentially the medical unit, where prisoners are locked into their accommodations.

Similar to public hospitals, prisons and mental institutions adhere to a “protect-in-place” strategy, opting to relocate occupants from the area of fire origin to a secure area within the facility. Yet, to be effective, fire and life safety systems in these sites must incorporate highly intuitive, cutting-edge technology in compliance with local regulations and applicable standards.

Designing for High Security

Fire protection designs for a prison follow strict guidelines that are spelled out in NFPA and local building codes. NFPA 101^®: Life Safety Code^®, requires new jails to be constructed of limited- or non-combustible materials. Automatic fire sprinkler and detection systems are mandated to be present throughout. When dealing with potentially hostile facility types, NFPA 101 also requires a manual, automatic or combination manual/automatic fire-alarm system to be installed.

In addition, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has a set of fire protection guidelines for federally controlled correctional facilities. The guidelines are focused on providing life safety for the inmates while emphasizing the need to minimize fire hazards as well as to remove the opportunity for vandalism in the form of arson. Smoke control often plays a key part of the design and fire engineering approach.

Fire and life safety within controlled-access institutions can be achieved through the use of early warning smoke detection, automatic sprinklers, compartmentalization, established fire zones and a relocation plan. Considering the small space and restricted means of egress, early detection and response are critical.

Prisons have the reputation for being the worst abusers of fire protection systems. Finding a balance between effective smoke detection – while avoiding nuisance alarms – and tamper resistance often leads to installation of detectors behind ventilation grilles, outside cells or in cross-listed cages. This makes maintenance, testing and inspections cumbersome. Early warning is imperative for controlled response and evacuation before reaching dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and temperature.

Viability of Spot Detection

Typically, photoelectric and ionization detectors are used to passively detect smoke. These addressable, early warning smoke detectors, as well as heat detectors, can be an option for protecting a prison if they are tamper resistant and are strategically placed to avoid vandalism.

Not only do the devices need to be out of the physical reach of inmates who could damage or disable them; they must also be out of the range of other destructive sources, such as water that inmates could throw on the devices. Therfore, placement and installation can be just as important as the type of detection chosen.

Another viable solution is intelligent Very Early Warning Fire Detection spot detectors, which are similar to traditional detectors except that they employ a more advanced detection method. For example, laser-based smoke detectors are up to 100 times more sensitive to smoke than standard addressable or conventional smoke detectors. They are designed to respond to incipient fire conditions as low as 0.02% obscuration per foot to provide valuable time for personnel to investigate the affected area and to take appropriate action.

[The Federal Bureau of Prisons] guidelines are focused on providing life safety for the inmates while emphasizing the need to minimize fire hazards as well as to remove the opportunity for vandalism in the form of arson.

Because intelligent laser smoke detectors are individually addressable, they are able to send information to the central control station, thereby pinpointing the exact location of the smoke. This can be key to providing the protect-in-place strategy in that officials can immediately identify the problem area and take action, including sending someone to investigate the problem and moving occupants to a different section of the facility.

Aspiration: High Sensitivity and Security

Aspiration detection systems, which are capable of detecting byproducts of combustion in concentrations as low as 0.00046% obscuration per foot, offer advanced and Very Early Warning Fire Detection for specialized applications, as well as for sites requiring more careful consideration.

Because aspiration systems use a series of pipes with pinpoint holes to continuously sample the air for trace amounts of smoke, these detectors are well suited for prisons and other vandal-prone environments. The pipes can be run through the ceilings or other building components, well out of the reach of prying hands. Plus, any portion of the piping projecting through to the protected rooms is so minimal that it can even be difficult to see. Most importantly, aspiration detection provides enough time for personnel to plan or conduct a controlled response, whether it’s to suppress the smoke source or to evacuate a portion of the facility, which is important for protecting lives while maintaining security.

Aspiration detection can be installed in various areas of a facility and can be programmed at different sensitivity ranges. In a prison, range adjustment enables aspiration systems to work just as well in machine shops or boiler rooms within the prison as they do in individual cells or common areas, while allowing for differences in air quality, humidity, temperature and other factors.

Sprinkler Considerations

Fire sprinkler systems are yet another component of the fire and life safety system in prisons. Many designs are adjusted to minimize vandalism to the sprinkler heads. Because the sprinkler heads are an easy target, especially for bored inmates or institutionalized patients, pre-action fire sprinkler systems with pop-out designs are widely used.

An electronic valve controlled by the heat or smoke detection unit in pre-action fire sprinkler systems holds back water. Individual sprinkler heads open to release water onto the areas where it is most needed and concentrate the flow of water directly onto the fire.

Pre-action systems normally have only pressurized air in the pipe; merely releasing the air pressure will not allow water into the pipe. The pre-action valve is controlled by a releasing panel, which can be configured to release water after receiving one or multiple signals.

The fire and life safety system design for prison and correctional facilities takes on elements that challenge current detection technology. The high potential for vandalism and suicide attempts adds equipment considerations that can be easily overlooked by those unfamiliar with this environment. Understanding the features, listings and approvals for the devices is always a primary element of a system design.

Systems for prisons have unique considerations and elements outside of the typical standards and building codes. Care must be taken to ensure all aspects of the design have been properly evaluated to ensure the safest fire and life safety system possible.

OSHA Fire Response Regulations for Prisons

Locked Doors: According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), correctional, mental and penal facilities have slightly different fire response regulations than other types of workplaces and public places. OSHA requires that all buildings have exit routes unblocked by any locked doors or other obstructions to a fast and efficient exit. In the case of mental, penal or correctional facilities, locked doors may block exit routes as long as supervisory personnel are continuously posted along the exit routes, as necessary, to allow a fast exit response in case of emergency. Guard personnel must be trained in emergency evacuation procedures and be prepared to unlock any doors at a moment’s notice. In these cases, according to OSHA regulation 1910.36(d)(3), exit route doors may be locked from the inside, given that the facility has an escape plan in place.

Means of Egress: OSHA requires that all public places and workplaces have a clearly marked, easily navigable means of egress, or exit route, in case of an emergency such as a fire. This means of egress must meet all of the criteria for regular workplaces. Locked, guarded doors are permissible in correctional facilities, however. Otherwise, the facility must have at least two exit routes and as many additional routes as necessary to allow full evacuation in a timely manner. The main exit door of the exit route must remain unlocked and must swing outward, hinging on the side.

Alarms and Detectors: Any fire extinguishers, alarms and detectors all undergo regular inspection and testing to ensure their proper functioning as required by OSHA. The precise number of fire extinguishers, alarms and detectors required in a correctional facility varies by state and even locally, according to which version of the National Fire Protection Association code an area uses as its standard. As part of emergency readiness training, all guard personnel must be trained and capable of using fire extinguishers as needed.

Environments with high airflow or excessive temperatures, such as freezer or cold-storage warehouses, require robust and flexible fire protection solutions. These extreme environments present unique fire detection and suppression challenges that do not follow standard fire and life safety design. For example, while extremely cold, these warehouses can have such dry atmospheres that fire can spread faster than normal. As a result, each scenario needs to be evaluated to provide the necessary protection. Because there is no one-size-fits-all fire and life safety solution, familiarity with all technologies associated with fire detection, notification and suppression are important for designing a dependable and suitable system.

Cold-storage warehouses typically handle a variety of materials, including wooden pallets, boxes of food, fiberboard containers, egg cartons, waxed paper, cloth wrapping, and grease impregnated paper or cloth. Some of these items are highly combustible.

These warehouses also may have freezers that operate at temperatures of –31°F (–35°C) with high airflows; storage areas often operate at a more moderate 39°F to –4°F (4°C to –20°C) with reduced air movement. These low temperatures have an adverse affect on the smoke plume, which is cooled more rapidly than in normal environments. Hence, only fires with great intensity generate sufficient heat to raise the smoke to ceiling level where standard, ceiling-mounted devices would be installed.

Under steady-state conditions, humidity does not pose a problem. Moisture levels can increase, however, due to external air entering the area via normal movements (ingress/egress) and because of routine frost/thaw. Any moisture condenses and quickly freezes on thermal transfer points such as walls and ceilings, including spot-type smoke detectors.

Spot-Type Photoelectric and Ionization Detectors

Ceiling-mounted chiller-fan-coil units or ventilation systems commonly maintain freezers at temperatures well below the operating range of traditional spot-type smoke detectors. As a result, spot-type ion or photoelectric detectors are typically not an option for protecting these spaces. The normal UL listings for these devices would not allow them to be used in environments below 32°F (0°C).

Ion detectors offer limited or slower capabilities in areas with high airflow, which is typical in cold environments. They are not recommended for use with airflows above 300 feet per minute (fpm) (3.8 mph) per NFPA 72.

Traditional and high-sensitivity photoelectric smoke detectors, however, are a potential option in areas maintained above 32°F (0°C) as they can be more responsive in high-airflow environments.

Photoelectric smoke detectors typically use a pulsing infrared light emitting diode (LED) located in a sensing chamber designed to exclude light from any external source. A photodiode is placed at an angle to the LED so it normally does not register the column of light emitted by the LED. When  smoke enters the chamber, the LED  pulse is scattered by the smoke particles and registered by the photodiode. If the photodiode “sees” smoke at a sufficient level, the detector goes into an alarm state. Higher sensitivity can be achieved by replacing the standard infrared LED with a laser light source.

Beam Smoke Detectors

Beam smoke detectors may be necessary in cold storage areas with high, open spaces to cover the peaks that typical spot-type detectors might not be able to effectively protect or when smoke might not reach the ceiling due to stratification. These detectors have a wider operating temperature range than typical spot detectors and work well in colder environments. Beam smoke detectors also include a full line of accessories, such as heater kits that counter the effects of condensation on the reflector and the optics, heavy-duty mounting kits, and long-range kits to help installers meet a variety of application requirements.

A beam smoke detector is made up of three main parts: the transmitter, which projects a beam of infrared light; the receiver, which registers the light and produces an electrical signal; and the interface, which processes the signal and generates alarm or fault signals. When smoke particles obstruct the beam of light and a pre-set threshold has been exceeded, the detector goes into alarm. A reflected beam smoke detector is a single unit that includes the transmitter, the receiver and the control electronics. The transmitter projects a cone-shaped beam of modulated infrared light to a reflector (prism). The reflector returns the beam to the receiver, which measures the amount of light received and converts it to a signal for processing in the control electronics. Reflected beam smoke detectors provide a very wide coverage area – up to 19,800 sq. ft. (330 ft. x 60 ft.) – and include a reflector mounted opposite the transmitter/receiver. Only one device needs to be wired.

Aspirating Smoke

Aspirating smoke detection provides detection in high-airflow environments by actively sampling air from a protected zone via multiple sampling holes in a pipe network. They are also well-suited to hot, cold, or other extreme conditions because the sampling ports can be run into the difficult space while the device can be mounted in a more easily accessible, remote location to protect it from extreme conditions. In addition, one device can typically protect a large area, reducing the time and effort it takes to monitor, maintain and service the fire system. For cold applications, the air may need to be warmed and pass through condensation traps before it reaches the device.

Fire systems for cold environments must often contend with both the extreme temperatures and high air flow to be effective.

An aspiration system uses a fan to actively draw in air through a network of piping. The sample then passes through a filter and into the sensing chamber of the detector. Using advanced sensing technology, the detector analyzes the air sample and sends a signal of airborne smoke intensity to a remote or integrated display module – as well as a fire detection panel, when necessary – to raise an alarm.

These detectors communicate information to a fire alarm control panel or a software-based building management system through relays or a communication interface. Personnel can receive e-mail status updates, communicating alarm levels, urgent or minor faults.

The multiple warning levels of this system can trigger different responses at different stages of a fire, from controlling air conditioning systems to initiating suppression release. To accommodate specific codes or environments, alarm relays can be set from 0 to 60 seconds.

Suppression

Sprinkler protection in cold storage requires careful design of dry-pipe sprinkler or antifreeze systems. Maintenance retesting of such systems requires even more care. There are three common options: dry, pre-action or clean agent systems and less commonly used anti-freeze treated fire sprinkler systems.

Dry-Pipe Fire Sprinkler System

Dry-pipe fire sprinkler systems offer immediate protection in areas prone to freezing temperatures. These systems use pressurized air or nitrogen to hold pipe valves closed and prevent water from entering the pipes. When a fire triggers operation via the fire sprinkler head(s) activating and exhausting the compressed air or nitrogen, the valves open and water flows through the pipes to the open head(s). Dry systems are used where the area protected by the sprinkler system is subject to freezing. Because dry systems take longer to respond to a fire than a wet system, different design criteria account for the delayed response.

Pre-Action Fire Sprinkler System

When a delayed response is unacceptable, such as a refrigerated or freezer warehouse with contents that would develop high-challenge fires, a pre-action fire sprinkler may be appropriate. Pre-action fire sprinkler systems operate on basically the same premise as dry-pipe fire sprinkler systems. An electric solenoid controlled valve activated by the heat or smoke detection unit via a releasing panel holds back the water. Individual sprinkler heads open to release water onto the areas where it is needed and concentrate the flow of water directly onto the fire after the valve has tripped, flooding the piping system with water. Just as in a wet pipe system, only the fire sprinkler heads exposed to the extreme temperatures from the fire open, spraying water only where it is needed to extinguish the fire.

Like dry systems, pre-action systems normally have only pressurized air in the pipe. But unlike a dry system, merely releasing the air pressure in a pre-action system will not allow water into the pipe. The pre-action valve is controlled by a panel, which can be configured to release water after receiving one or multiple signals.

Clean Agent Fire Suppression Systems

Clean agent systems are waterless,  gas-based flame suppression systems that, when activated, discharge as a gas, reaching all areas of the facility. FE-13 fire suppression systems protect large areas, storage areas for flammable liquids, high ceiling structures, low temperature environments, and turbine enclosures. These systems, which have the lowest toxicity of any clean agent, do not leave a residue behind after usage, which could damage sensitive equipment, or require costly cleanup. FE-13 will not conduct electricity, is non-corrosive and is an environmentally preferred alternative to Halon 1301.

Antifreeze Treated Wet Pipe Fire Sprinkler System

Antifreeze solutions can be added to wet pipe fire sprinkler systems that have a potential to be exposed to freezing temperatures on an occasional or temporary basis. Regardless of which detectors and systems are used in the fire and life safety design in an extreme building environment, all must be networked into one central location. All extreme environments pull from a vast variety of fire protection technologies to protect occupants, stabilize building conditions, and contain and extinguish the fire, if possible.

Mission-critical facilities, such as data and telecommunications centers, must maintain operations without interruption. Mission continuity is assured for facilities through the use of redundant power supplies and mechanical systems, and cutting-edge fire protection systems.

Fire in these facilities can threaten the business and human life. Key to defending against a catastrophe is a sophisticated fire protection system that integrates seamlessly with the entire environment.

Fire protection for mission-critical facilities can be complex and daunting. System designs should be based on a total fire protection approach through which three conditions are met: Identify the presence of a fire, communicate the existence of that fire to the occupants and proper authorities, and contain and extinguish the fire, if possible. Being familiar with all technologies associated with fire detection, alarming, and suppression is important to developing a sound fire protection solution.

Fire Detection Strategies

There are many ways of detecting and suppressing fires, but only a few should be used for mission-critical applications. For example, the main goal of the fire protection system in a data center is to get the fire under control without disrupting the flow of business or threatening occupants.

There are many ways of detecting and suppressing fires, but only a few should be used for mission-critical applications.

Spot Detection

For the purposes of protecting a mission-critical facility, addressable early warning smoke detectors and heat detectors can be an option. Because the airflows are rapid in an area such as a data center, it is important to realize the differences between types of detectors.

Ionization smoke detectors are quicker at detecting flaming fires, such as those commonly found in chemical storage areas, rather than slow, smoldering fires that most typically occur in data centers and telecom equipment spaces. Ionization sensors almost immediately recognize fires characterized by combustion particles from 0.01 to 0.3 microns. However, ionization sensors offer limited or slower capabilities when installed in areas with high airflow – which is often the case in these mission-critical environments.

Photoelectric smoke detectors, however, quickly respond to smoldering fires characterized by combustion particles from 0.3 to 10.0 microns, making these detectors more appropriate for most mission-critical settings.

One solution to detect a broad range of fires quickly would be a multi-criteria detector that uses photoelectric particulate detection in tandem with sensors that detect other products of combustion, such as carbon monoxide (CO) and light (infrared). Together, these signals are cross-referenced by an onboard microprocessor that uses algorithms to “process out” false alarms while enhancing the response time to real fires.

Another solution is to use intelligent high-sensitivity detectors, which are very similar to standard detectors except that they employ a more highly advanced detection method.

High-sensitivity spot detection typically employs a focused laser-based source to achieve sensitivities that are 100 times more sensitive than standard addressable or conventional infrared-based photoelectric smoke detectors. They are designed to respond to incipient fire conditions as low as 0.02% per-foot obscuration to provide valuable time for personnel to investigate the affected area and take appropriate action to mitigate risk.

These detectors are addressable and are able to send information to the central control station, thereby pinpointing the exact location of the smoke. Some can automatically compensate for changes in the environment, such as humidity and dirt buildup. They can also be programmed to be more sensitive during certain times of the day. For instance, when workers leave the area, sensitivity will increase.

High-sensitivity detectors are commonly placed below raised floors, on ceilings, and above drop-down ceilings, as well as in air handling ducts to detect possible fires within the HVAC system.

Aspirating Smoke Detection

Many air sampling smoke detectors can also provide high-sensitivity detection. Some systems can be up to 1,000 times more sensitive than a standard photoelectric or ionization smoke detector and are capable of detecting byproducts of combustion in concentrations as low as 0.00046% per-foot obscuration. This type of detection provides advanced notification so facility managers or other appropriate personnel can intervene and take action before a combustion event becomes disastrous.

An aspiration system works by drawing in smoke through a network of piping via the aspirator (fan). The air sample is then passed through a filter and into the sensing chamber of the detector. Using advanced sensing technology, the detector analyzes the air sample and sends a signal of airborne smoke intensity to a remote or integrated display module and a fire detection panel, when necessary, to raise an alarm.

These detectors communicate information to a fire alarm control panel, a software management system or a building management system through relays or another interface. With some systems, e-mail updates can be sent to appropriate personnel to communicate alarm levels, urgent or minor faults, or other status conditions via relays.

The multiple warning levels of this system can trigger different responses at different stages of a fire, from controlling air conditioning to suppression release. To accommodate specific codes or environments, alarm relays can be set with 0 to 60 second delays.

Fire Suppression Systems

Although smoke detectors primarily alert of a fire condition, in a mission-critical facility, they may also be used to control the release of fire suppression systems. Should a fire occur, suppression systems are the next line of protection and can quickly extinguish the fire with minimal or no effect on the operation. It is important to consider the suppression system to be utilized.

Sprinkler Systems

Sprinkler systems, which are designed specifically for protecting the structure of the building, can be installed in four different configurations: wet-pipe, dry-pipe, deluge, and pre-action. The wet-pipe system consists of a piping system connected to a water source and filled with water so that water discharges immediately from sprinklers activated by a fire. In general, wet-pipe sprinklers are not recommended for mission-critical facilities; however, depending on local fire codes, they may be required.

A dry-pipe system is typically used in areas subject to freezing and consists of piping connected to a water source and filled with air pressure supplied by a compressor. When a sprinkler is activated, the air is expelled first, allowing a special check valve, called a dry pipe valve, to operate. This allows water to flow into the piping and out any open sprinklers. This, too, is not ideal for mission-critical facilities.

A pre-action system is more common in a mission-critical facility. “A pre-action sprinkler system is one effective alternative because of its dual action criteria,” says Ramzi Namek, Director of Engineering for Total Site Solutions, Columbia, Md. “The pipe remains dry until the fire detection system activates a control valve (located outside the data center to avoid damage from leaks), filling it with water.”

It consists of closed-type sprinkler heads connected to a series of piping arrangements. The system has a pre-action valve that prevents the pipes from filling with water during normal times. This valve is held closed electrically, only being released by activation of the detection system (fire detectors) when an electrical signal is sent to the releasing solenoid valve. Upon receipt of the signal, which could be from any of the sensors attached to the system, an electrical mechanism opens the pre-action valve, and the pipelines fill with water under pressure. The system will now function as a standard wet-pipe system. The water tanks are located away from the area, but are readily accessible.

“Another important design consideration to plan for is space for suppression agent tanks. Some suppression agents are stored in gas form; others are stored as a liquid, which can impact the number and size of tanks required,” explains Namek.

Clean Agent Suppression

In addition to sprinkler systems, clean agent suppression systems can extinguish fires in their incipient stage, well before enough heat builds in a room to activate a sprinkler system. When activated, these waterless flame suppression systems discharge as a gas. The gas reaches all areas of the protected facility and leaves no residue to damage sensitive equipment or require costly cleanup. Clean agents suppress fires by many methods, including depleting the area of oxygen, interrupting the chemical reactions occurring during combustion, and absorbing heat.

“Clean agent systems typically use (3M) Novec 1230™, (DuPont) FM-200™, or (Ansul) Inergen. They combine the benefits of clean agent systems and active fire protection with people-safe, clean, environmentally friendly performance,” explains Eric Fournier, Project Manager, Total Site Solutions.

Clean agent suppression systems, protecting both the areas underneath and above the raised floor, are the most common method of fire protection for Class C electrical hazards. “Raised floors bring up some important issues with regard to fire protection in mission-critical facilities,” says Fournier. Spaces beneath raised floors often experience many air changes per hour, which presents a difficult detection design.

“Because raised floors create a completely separate plenum and pose as much of a fire hazard as the numerous pieces of computer equipment situated on the raised floors,” Fournier continues, “they must be protected with the same level of fire protection as the space above.”

These clean agent suppression systems, when controlled by an interface with a high sensitivity smoke detection system, suppress fires without damaging IT equipment, and allow staff to get the facility up and running faster.

Regardless of which detectors or systems are used in the fire and life safety design in a mission-critical facility, all must be networked into one central location. Whether that is a series of panels or a control center, there will be a vast amount of equipment used – hundreds and maybe thousands of devices, depending upon the size of the facility. Programming is the key to how well all the pieces come together. The outcome for a fire and life safety system within a mission-critical system remains: to minimize or prevent a fire event in order to maintain constant operation and protect occupants.

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.

A. Yes. We cover the NFPA requirements and how they relate to real-life situations, and we discuss how to interpret or understand what the NFPA says.

Q. What is new and what has changed over the past 5, 10 and 20 years?

A. Going back a little bit further, I would say 30 years ago, sprinkler protection was installed primarily to protect the property with no expectations or thoughts about life safety. In the ’80s with the adoption of ADA, the industry began to focus more on life safety in more applications. Ten years ago, sprinklers became important for protection of life and property. Smoke detection and fire alarms became more of a design criteria, specifically for evacuation.

Within the past five years, I think most of the building standards have been written with the assumption that fire sprinklers are in place. With fire sprinklers, you reduce the requirements for wider corridors and the number and size of exits. A fully sprinkled building is much different than one that is not, which is good and bad alike, in my opinion.

Q. How do you manage fire safety in more than 270 facilities?

A. The size of the district does create challenges. South Florida is continually growing. We’ve added 20 new schools in the past eight years and expanded another 40.We also use more than 2,000 modular buildings for classrooms. Our facilities department oversees the majority of this new and renovated construction, and all aspects of life safety are managed through a coordinated effort among the physical plant operations, facilities, and internal building and safety departments.

Needless to say, it’s a large task and communication is the key. Maintaining multiple technologies is another constant challenge due to the diversity and age of the fire-alarm systems in our facilities. Fortunately, several of our department technicians are NICET certified, and all are factory trained on a variety of manufacturers’ technologies: Simplex, NOTIFIER, FCI and Fire-Lite. We have, therefore, become an all-inclusive service organization and can address the majority of service issues internally. Coordinating with all these departments, we formulate strategies that allow us not only to address current service issues, but also to move our fire- and life-safety systems into the 21st century.

Q. What are some of your team’s technical challenges?

A. One of the biggest technical obstacles is integrating multiple systems from various manufacturers so all systems function as a single unit. Staying current with ever-changing fire alarm technologies is also a challenge, so we work diligently with our equipment suppliers to identify trends to keep us current. We attempt to identify equipment that is nearing the end of its lifecycle so that we can upgrade to newer, more modern equipment.

An equally important issue is maintaining system integrity, which is paramount when you have multiple people working on the same system. In addition to our large staff, we have numerous vendors that work on our systems. Any time someone accesses our systems, we are responsible for ensuring the systems remain fully operational and that building occupants are safe at all times.

Q. What system features do you look for to meet those challenges?

A. It is important that the system is user-friendly; both school-based staff and maintenance personnel need to understand the life-safety systems. When we construct a new building at an existing campus, we might have to combine intelligent technology with hardwire technology, and it must appear seamless to the end user. We also have about eight to 10 networked fire-alarm systems and expect to install more of them. This technology seems to be the trend in the industry.

Q. Have Broward County Schools had any major fires?

A. We haven’t run into anything that we weren’t able to resolve with early detection. For example, there are certain areas of a building our systems cannot supervise through manpower or CCTV, such as restrooms. Actually, the highest fire incidents occur in restrooms because they are unsupervised by our systems. Based on this fire incident data, our safety department requires us to install detectors in all group restrooms with tamper-proof covers. We’ve had our group restroom incidents and end-of-year pranks, but we haven’t had any permanent damage to buildings, and nothing has gone undetected. We’ve been able to put out all small fires with minimal damage.

In fact, we’ve lost more time to hurricanes than any fire incident. When Hurricane Wilma hit (in 2005), Broward County looked like a war zone, but the schools were opened and occupied in less than two weeks. That’s a major accomplishment. Every fire-alarm system was checked and operable before students were permitted to return. We had to respond with, literally, truckloads of new batteries for the systems because the power had been out for several days.

Q. That must have taken a lot of time and energy to get back up to code, given the size of the district.

A. Due to the devastation that occurred countywide, there were many factors that needed to be addressed before the facilities could be reopened. The entire staff of physical plant operations came together and worked non-stop for 15 days until all buildings were deemed safe. I cannot say enough about all of the people who worked tirelessly until our district was re-opened and serving the community again.

Q. What are some of the ways your district exceeds code?

A. Being familiar with the tendencies of our students, we have installed pull station covers with sounders to deter any false alarms. In regard to notification appliances, System Sensor was instrumental in making the equipment vandal-resistant when we communicated our needs to them. We also put a smoke detector within 10 feet of all stoves that are in classrooms. It’s important for us to find new ways to become proactive. Exceeding minimum code is only one of those ways.

In addition to meeting NFPA guidelines, we developed a construction specification that includes other device requirements, and it is included in all new construction. One other way we exceed minimum code is by discontinuing the use of heat detectors and installing smoke detectors everywhere, except where environmentally prohibitive, which provides us with earlier detection.

Q. Are your fire systems integrated with other building systems, such as HVAC or security?

A. In regard to HVAC, we use general alarm control functions throughout all our buildings. We shut down all gas, air handlers, et cetera, on every alarm. We are, however, discussing more selective control. We have one high school with more than 5,000 students and four different buildings. We want to avoid releasing 5,000 students simultaneously due to security reasons and are looking into selective evacuation control with this particular facility. This has been approved by the local authority having jurisdiction in conjunction with our safety department.

Initially, there hasn’t been much integration of other building systems technologies, but as technology changes and bandwidth increases, we probably will include other systems, specifically security and CCTV. If Homeland Security puts a school in lock-down mode, and the fire-alarm system goes off, we are developing a process to follow. We need to refine and address this.

Q. Do schools in general receive the necessary resources to implement high-quality fire- and life-safety systems?

A. I know for a fact that Broward schools do. Our PPO management team and safety department are committed to ensuring the effectiveness of our systems – new and old. We are highly respected by neighboring school systems and have provided them direction on ways to improve their systems. As for Broward County schools, we are compliant in every way possible. We make repairs immediately and try to identify equipment that might become obsolete so that it can be upgraded before a critical failure occurs. There is no sense of avoidance on our part. We take whatever means necessary to exceed minimum code when possible. We have to protect a huge amount of property and people, and we all take it very seriously. Not repairing something related to fire safety is not an option.

Q. If you could offer one piece of advice to other districts, what would it be?

A. Establish and maintain strong relationships with manufacturers and their distributors. The equipment manufacturers are on the forefront of fire-alarm technology, and forging partnerships with them makes us better prepared to implement these new technologies. For example, we have been very well received by System Sensor and value that relationship. They help provide the resources we need to get the job done.

California

The enforcement process for school life-safety projects differs from the process required for private sector projects. Schools must still adhere to California Building Code Requirements; the difference is that several agencies, primarily the local school board, enforce code. The local fire department, for example, enforces fire flows, fire lanes and building fire-safety inspections. The Department of General Services, Division of the State Architect, reviews projects, in cooperation with the State Fire Marshal, for structural, ADA and general fire-and life-safety requirements of the codes.
(Source: www.cde.ca.gov)

Minnesota

The Minnesota State Fire Code does not require that all fire-alarm systems be monitored by a central station or that automatic fire department response be initiated. Buildings or situations that require monitoring and automatic fire department response include automatic sprinkler systems exceeding 100 sprinklers (20 sprinklers in new buildings) and certain schools that use an automatic fire-alarm system in lieu of fire-rated egress corridors. In addition, school districts are required to submit a fire-protection plan for any addition to, or major renovation of, an existing building, including the installation of buildings to be relocated. As a minimum, the fire-protection plan must cover the following issues:

• Maintenance of exits from occupied portions of the existing building;

• Fire department access to both existing and new buildings;

• Maintenance of existing fire-protection systems (fire alarm, standpipes, etc.);

• Fire department water supply;

• Whether any fire separations will be provided between the new construction/remodeling and the existing building.
(Source: www.dps.state.mn.us)

New York

All buildings that are owned, operated or leased by private schools, public school districts or Boards of Cooperative Educational Services must be inspected annually for compliance with applicable sections of 8NYCRR155 Regulations of the Commissioner of Education and for compliance with the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. A Public School Fire Safety Report must be completed as part of this process. This includes inspections of fire sprinklers and connected fire alarms, fire-hydrant systems, fire drills and evacuation procedures. A fire- and life-safety history of the school must be provided by a school official to determine whether fire drills were held in accordance with section 807 of the Education Law and F405 of the Fire Code of New York State, as well as state the average evacuation time. The history also details whether employee fire prevention, evacuation and fire safety training was provided, and records were maintained in accordance with Section F406 of the New York State Fire Code. Section 808 of the Education Law requires every school in the state to provide a minimum of 45 minutes of instruction in arson and fire prevention for each month school is in session.
(Source: www.emsc.nysed.gov)

Note: For complete information, consult specific fire codes and board of education guidelines for each state.

Q. What are the current life-safety requirements for educational facilities in Illinois?

A. It is mandated in Illinois that every 10 years schools are required to have life-safety surveys performed on their buildings. It often takes several years to get all the various school districts through the 10-year cycle. I’m sure there are a wide variety of programs designed to achieve the same goals in different states (see “Fire- and Life-Safety Requirements for K-12 Schools by State”).

Q. Is there a standard life-safety survey that you must follow?

A. Yes, Illinois has a standard protocol developed by the state board of education that we follow and submit (downloadable at www.isbe.state.il.us/construction/health_safety). Sometimes the district will ask us to go above and beyond what we’re doing in the life-safety survey. In other words, while we’re in looking for life-safety issues in the school building, we would also look for other issues that would not be funded by life-safety money, but require some attention and maintenance — for example, tuck-pointing on a building. Some districts want us to look at everything that they might be facing with their building in terms of future capital maintenance problems because there are a lot of other things that need attention in a building every year.

Q. How long do life-safety surveys usually take?

A. There is some field work involved because the architect is required to prepare a base plan for the school, which shows the location of all the exits and fire-safety devices. We have to research all that, and then we generally put the information in an AutoCAD (computer-aided design) electronic file. That’s the way most districts want it. If the district already has good drawings in hand, then it’s not that big of a time issue. Otherwise, it can create a lot of work measuring up the school and making a drawing of it.

It usually takes about 30 days to do the actual survey. Then it has to be presented to the owner for review and to the board of education for final approval. The whole process generally takes 90 days.

Q. At what point in the process do you make recommendations to the school?

A. After the board of education accepts the survey report, the next step is for the architect to specifically state what the recommended projects are. These recommendations are then submitted to the state to obtain approval for use of life-safety funds to proceed with the projects.

Q. How does a school typically address any life-safety problems discovered by your survey?

A. When items are discovered that need to be addressed, they are what we call amendments to the life-safety survey. In other words, the survey itself describes the condition of the school building. Then the architect writes amendments to identify items that need to be corrected. The life-safety survey is like a benchmark for the health of the facility — similar to your annual physical. It is part of a continuous process that includes interaction between the architect and the school district every year in between the years we survey.

Q. How are amendments prioritized for each school building?

A. An amendment is listed on the survey as either an A-, B- or C-level item. An A-level item requires immediate attention; B is a must-do item, but one that could be done within three years; and C is an item that is discretionary, funded by life-safety dollars, but not a threat to health or safety. An example of a C-level item is a roof-replacement project. A roof replacement might have other implications, however, because, what does a leaky roof mean in a school building? It means mold. And then that’s a health problem. So the roof project might move up in priority to a B-level item.

Q. Once life-safety funding is approved for a project, what is the next step?

A. At that point, we create the drawings, put the project out for bid and the lowest qualified bidder proceeds with the work. After the work is completed, we do the inspection and sign off on it. We don’t actually get involved in the project work; we’re involved in securing the contracting groups to do that work.

Q. What is the general condition of smoke detection and alarm systems in the schools you have surveyed within the past few years?

A. The facilities of our clients have been in compliance with rare minor exceptions. Most school districts recognize the importance of these systems and have made a good effort over the past five years to update these systems to current technology. We have seen a marked increase in the number of total system replacements in the past three years. Smoke detection and fire-alarm systems are annually tested and certified. Many are older systems that still function well. Coverage and location of the devices is prescribed per Health/Life Safety Code for Public Schools.

Q. What types of fire-safety issues have you encountered that are unique to school life-safety projects?

A. School facilities are generally similar and abide by the same requirements. One issue we have seen is the question of how many detectors are required in a library. This seems to be the topic of some debate among local code officials and engineers.

In a related issue, Illinois state legislation recently has required sprinkler systems to be installed in all new school buildings and major additions. For a long time, school buildings were not required to have sprinklers. That’s a major step forward and that happened within the past five years.

Q. How does your work with schools differ from that of an architect in the private sector?

A. As a school architect, you really have to be a specialist in school life-safety issues in order to keep up with the changes, understand the processes and advise the owners. It is distinctly different from what the private sector architect would be involved with. It truly is a specialty.