Why Fire Protection Should Be Considered at the Design Stage of a Commercial Development

Fire protection is often viewed as something that gets installed towards the end of a construction project. In reality, many of the decisions that determine whether a fire protection system can be installed efficiently are made much earlier. Wall layouts, ceiling voids, service routes, shafts, penetrations and plant areas can all influence both Active and Passive Fire Protection. When those decisions are made without fire protection being considered, the contractor is later left trying to fit the required systems around a building that has already been designed.

That is where unnecessary cost and complexity can begin.

Fire Protection is part of the building design.

Commercial Fire Protection consists of more than sprinklers, alarms or extinguishers.

It includes both Active Fire Protection and Passive Fire Protection.

Active systems can include:

• Fire detection and alarm systems

• Fire sprinkler systems

• Fire suppression systems

• Fire pumps

• Hydrants and hose reels

• Portable fire equipment

Passive protection can include:

• Fire-rated walls and compartmentation

• Fire doors

• Fire stopping

• Penetration sealing

• Fire dampers

Many of these systems depend directly on decisions made during the architectural and services design stages.

For example, sprinkler pipework needs suitable routes through the building. Fire dampers need to be coordinated with ventilation systems. Service penetrations through fire-rated walls need to be identified and protected correctly.

Those requirements are much easier to accommodate before construction reaches an advanced stage.

Fire Protection is part of the building design.

A common scenario is for the fire contractor to be appointed after much of the building work has already progressed. Walls may already be built. Ceiling layouts may be fixed. Mechanical and electrical services may already occupy the available space. Penetrations may have been created or even closed. The fire protection system now has to work around decisions that were made without it.

This can result in:

• Design changes

• Rework

• Delays

• Additional material and labour costs

• Coordination problems between contractors

• Greater pressure during compliance sign-off

In some cases, completed work has to be opened or altered simply to accommodate fire protection measures that could have been planned for earlier.

Active and Passive Fire Protection Need to Be Coordinated

Another reason for early involvement is that Active and Passive Fire Protection cannot be treated entirely independently. A sprinkler system may help control a fire once it starts. Passive Fire Protection helps restrict the movement of fire and smoke through the building. The two form part of the same overall protection strategy. A service penetration through a fire-rated wall, for example, can compromise compartmentation if it is not correctly sealed.

Similarly, ductwork passing through a compartment wall may require appropriate fire dampers. These issues involve different building trades, which makes coordination during the design and construction stages particularly important.

HVAC Also Forms Part of the Conversation

Commercial HVAC systems often share the same ceiling voids, risers and service routes as fire protection systems. Smoke extraction, ventilation and stairwell pressurisation can also form part of a building’s overall fire and life-safety strategy.

When Fire Protection and HVAC are designed separately, clashes are often only discovered on site.

Bringing the disciplines together earlier makes it easier to identify potential conflicts while there is still time to change the design rather than the completed installation.

ANDEC’s project approach is built around coordinating Fire Protection and HVAC from the scope stage rather than treating them as separate late-stage installations.

Better Scoping Creates Better Cost Control

Early involvement also allows the contractor to understand the project properly before pricing it.

ANDEC’s scoping approach considers the building layout, usage, occupancy, construction materials, Active Fire Protection requirements, Passive Fire Protection requirements and applicable compliance requirements before the final scope is developed.

That produces a more realistic understanding of what the project actually requires. It also helps reduce one of the biggest frustrations for developers: receiving a competitive quotation at tender stage only to discover additional requirements once installation starts.

The Right Time for the Fire Protection Conversation

The most effective time to involve the Fire Protection contractor is while there is still flexibility in the project.

That does not mean every detail needs to be finalised immediately. It means bringing the relevant expertise into the conversation early enough to identify requirements, flag potential conflicts and make appropriate allowances in the design and programme.

Projects where this happens tend to require less retrofitting and fewer late-stage compromises.

Planning a Commercial Development in the Western Cape?

ANDEC provides integrated Active Fire Protection, Passive Fire Protection and Commercial HVAC solutions for commercial developments in the Western Cape.

Involving the right team early can help identify potential issues before they become expensive site problems.

Speak to ANDEC about your project at www.andec.co.za.