When engineering the firefighting mains and providing adequate water storage in a high-rise building, how much water is adequate? The Building Regulations part B in the UK suggest that the same quantity of firefighting water should be provided for a residential tower as in an open-plan office tower, even though the compartment sizes and fire loads are widely different. In both occupancy types there is no compensations allowed where sprinklers are provided. Should we allow enough water for multiple floors of fire involvement or do we simply design for one floor and one fire resisting compartment?
EuroFirefighter 2 looks at these issues and offers some solutions to the Fire Engineer!
Open-plan office space in high-rise buildings demands sprinkler protection and additional major water storage provisions for the fire mains. A new risk-based approach in ensuring adequate firefighting water is available is detailed in the recently released 'EuroFirefighter 2'- a fire engineering and fire commander's manual. Based on the performance based approach detailed in PD 7974-5-2014, further compensations may be available for the additional protection that well managed sprinkler systems provide. The author of 7974-5 (fire service intervention water provisions) brings you the source data and methodology provided in the published document.
Author's Royalties donated in aid of
Katie Piper Burns Foundation