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Fundamental Concepts forDesign of Special Hazard andFire Alarm Systems
Chapter 1
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Objectives
•List the items that comprise a set ofcontract documents for the design of aspecial hazard or fire alarm system
•List the categories of drawings thatcomprise a contract drawing package
•Explain the differences among thecategories of contract drawings
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Objectives
•Evaluate a set of contract drawings todetermine the value of each drawingrelative to the accurate development of aspecial hazard or fire alarm system design
•Explain the problems associated with thedesigner of a special hazard or fire alarmsystem failing to reference drawingsrelevant to fire protection systems in acontract drawing package
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Objectives
•List the divisions of the contractspecifications
•Explain the relationship between a set ofcontract drawings and the contractspecifications
•Determine the divisions of thespecifications that are of most value to thedevelopment of a fire protection systemdesign
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Objectives
•Identify the problems that could develop ifthe contract specifications conflict with thecontract drawings
•List the items that should be found in everydesigner’s survey kit
•Perform a survey of a building to be usedfor the design of a fire protection system
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Objectives
•Survey and accurately determinedimensions of a reflected ceiling plan
•Survey a building using the structuralelements as the primary points of reference
•Field-check a drawing of a fire protectionsystem
•Perform metric conversions whereappropriate
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Objectives
•Evaluate design objectives for specialhazard suppression systems
•Know the characteristics that define aspecial hazard
•Evaluate branches of the Fire SafetyConcepts Tree
•Know the difference between prescriptiveand performance-based design
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Fire Protection as a Profession
•Fire professionals are dedicated to savinglives
•Serious errors or less than minimal fireprotection can lead to death
•Application of technical knowledge isfundamental
•Ethical behavior on the same level astechnical knowledge
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Fire Protection Engineers andTechnicians
•Fire protection engineer:
–Licensed professional engineer
–Can apply science and engineering to protectthe public from the impacts of fire
•Fire protection technician:
–Achieved NICET Level III of IV certification inthe appropriate subfield
–Knowledge, experience and skills necessaryto lay out fire protection systems
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Fire Protection Engineers andTechnicians
•Functions of a fire protection engineer
–Fire protection analysis
–Fire protection management
–Fire science and human behavior
–Fire protection systems
–Passive building systems
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Fire Protection Engineers andTechnicians
•Functions of a fire protection engineer
–Evaluation of the hazards and protectionschemes required to develop a workable,integrated solution to a fire safety problem
–Preparation of design documents
–Layout of fire protection systems
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Fire Protection Engineers andTechnicians
• Functions of a fire protection engineer (co
–Affixing a professional seal to documents
–Review fire protection installation shopdrawings for compliance with engineer’s design
–Monitor installation of fire protection systems
–Responsibility for designing and maintainingcompetency through continued education
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Fire Protection Engineers andTechnicians
•Functions of a fire protection technician
–The system layout in accordance with theengineer’s design
–Shop drawings in accordance with theengineer’s design or as otherwise permittedby state regulations
–Supplemental calculations based on theengineer’s design
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Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)
•Authority having jurisdiction (AHJ): individual or agency whoreviews and approves drawings and completed installations
•Examples of AHJs
–Municipal permitting organization
–Fire prevention officer of the municipality
–Insurance company
–Governmental organization
–Code official
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Metric Conversions, SignificantFigures, and Rounding
•Metric Conversion Act of 1975: requiresconversion to the metric system for allfederal projects by 1992
•Buildings not designed using the metricsystem can cause problems
•Most fire protection calculations performedwith two significant figures to the right ofthe decimal point
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Metric Conversions, SignificantFigures, and Rounding
•Metric units
Quantity
Unit
Symbol
Length
Meter
m
Mass
Gram
g
Time
Second
s
Temperature
Kelvin
K
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The National Fire ProtectionAssociation
•Publishes more than 290 codes, standards,recommended practices, and guides for firesafety and design of fire protection systems
•Codes: mandatory requirement suitable foradoption into law
•Standards: mandatory NFPA requirements thatmay be used to approve a fire protection system
•Recommended practices: NFPA documents thatprovide non mandatory advice
•Guides: informative NFPA documents
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Oral, Written, and GraphicCommunication
•Fire protection professionals depend onthe ability to clearly communicate complexideas to a wide audience
•Communications skills include writtencommunication, oral communication, andgraphic communication
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Graphic Communication:Drawing Fire Protection Systems
•Graphic communication - conveyed throughdrawings
•Drawing: graphic representation of adesigner’s ideas
•Computer-aided design (CAD):computerized method of preparing drawings
•Fire protection system drawings are drawnto scale
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Graphic Communication: DrawingFire Protection Systems
Figure 1-1 Computer aided design process for firedrawings
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Figure 1-4. An architect’s scale is needed for design of fire protection systems
Graphic Communication: DrawingFire Protection Systems (con’t.)
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Graphic Communication:Drawing Fire ProtectionSystems
•Drawing medium - the reproduciblesurface on which a drawing exists
•Size of the print medium must be largerthan the drawing you are printing, to allowroom for notes and a title block
•Cover sheet of a contract drawing containsa wealth of information for the fireprotection designer
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Site (Underground) Drawings
•Civil drawings: coordinate undergroundutilities entering and leaving a building orgroup of buildings
•Profile plan: shows reference elevationswith respect to finished grade
•Invert elevation: references the bottom of apipe with respect to the referenceelevation
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Architectural Plans
•Architectural drawings: drawings that showdimensions of walls, floors, ceilings, andother building features
•Plan job: design performed using newarchitectural plans as the basis for design
•Survey job: a project involving an existingbuilding for which plans cannot be obtained
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Structural Drawings
•Structural drawings: provide details relatedto the floors, roof, and structural elementsof a building
•Foundation plans: show floor and wallstructural details and sectional views
•Framing plans: show beam and joist sizeand elevation
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HVAC Drawings
•HVAC drawings: heating, ventilating, andair conditioning drawings
•Supply diffuser: ceiling element used todistribute fresh air to a room
•Return diffuser: ceiling element used todraw stale air from a room
•Plenum space: space above a suspendedceiling that is kept under negative pressurefor return air
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Plumbing Drawings
•Designated in the contract set with a “P”prefix
•May show fire protection system pipinglayout or schematic
•Water supply and other fire protection-related information may be in the plumbinggeneral notes
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Fire Protection Contract Drawings
•Strong preference in the profession todisplay all fire protection and detectionrequirements on a separate set of contractdrawings
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Electrical Drawings
•Contract drawing set has an “E” prefix
•Useful to special hazard and fire alarmsystem designers
•Provide the location and powerrequirements of lighting and otherelectrical devices
•Locations of other electrical devices mayalso be shown on electrical drawings
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Specifications
•Developed by architects and engineers from
–Standardized computer specification database
–Revisions to specifications for a project thatmay conflict with the contract drawings
•Performance specification: a generalspecification that provides the minimuminformation necessary to estimate, design,and install a fire protection system
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Specifications
•Detailed specification: requirements for thedesign of a fire protection system
–Little latitude for interpretation or alternatives
•Specification divisions: categories ofbuilding component groupings standardizedby the Construction Specifications Institute
•Specification sections: detailedrequirements for each CSI division
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Specification Division Numbersand Titles
•Procurement and ContractingRequirements Group
•General Requirements Subgroup
•Facility Construction Subgroup
•Facility Services Subgroup
•Site and Infrastructure Subgroup
•Process Equipment Subgroup
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Specification Division Numbersand Titles
•Fire protection systems and fire alarmsystems are within Division 21
•Formerly part of Division 15
•Change resulted in better coordination andreduced conflict between two differentcontractors or subcontractors
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Fire Protection Surveys
•Survey: investigation of a building and itscomponents to take detailed measurementsof the building as a reference for a fireprotection drawing
•Get your bearings
•Determine the general building layout
•Bring proper survey equipment
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Fire Protection Surveys (con’t.)
Figure 1-11. Survey equipment
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Fire Protection Surveys
•Survey building details
•Develop a system design strategy
•Building elevations and ceilingmeasurements
•Water supply information
•Draw the building, layout the system, field-check the drawing and inspect the systemafter installation
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Special Hazard SuppressionSystems
•Protects hazards not amenable forprotection by an automatic sprinkler system
•Special hazard categories
–Large quantities of flammable liquids
–Facilities containing valuable or irreplaceablecommodities
–Facilities where water may pose a danger
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Special Hazard SuppressionSystems
•Special hazard categories
–Automatic sprinkler systems are not alwaysfast enough for effective suppression
–Mobile facilities where the transport of water isunfeasible
–Facilities where service loss is intrinsicallylinked to facility loss or water damage
–Facilities where high-tech research lost by fireor water damage could be significantly morethan the dollar loss
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Design Approaches for SpecialHazard Design
•Requires evaluation of design objectivesand design concepts, and implementationof design methodology
•Design objectives
–Property protection and preservation
–Life safety and preservation
–Business continuity
–Protection of the environment
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Design Approaches for SpecialHazard Design
•Design concepts: Fire Concepts SafetyTree (see Figure 1-13, Page 40)
•Design methodologies
–Prescriptive design: direct use of national,local, or manufacturer standards to design asuppression or detection system
–Performance-based design: an engineeringapproach to fire protection design (seeFigure 1-14, Page 43)
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Figure 1-14. Steps in the Performance-Based Analysis and theConceptual Design Procedure for Fire Protection Design
Design Approaches for SpecialHazard Design
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Summary
•Must understand differences between afire protection engineer and a fireprotection technician
•Knowledge of oral and writtencommunication and media is essential,particularly computer-aided design
•Contract documents consist of contractdrawings and specifications
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Summary
•Contract drawings consist of the coversheet and civil, architectural, structuralHVAC, plumbing, fire protection andelectrical drawings
•All documents used to minimize conflictsor omissions that could affect performanceof a fire protection system
•Specifications generally take precedenceover contract drawings
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Summary
•Specifications divided into specificationdivisions
•Specifications for fire suppression systemsare located in Division 21
•Fire alarm systems are in Division 28
•An organized and well-planned strategy forconducting a survey assures a successfulresult
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Summary
•Fundamental approaches, objectives,concepts, and methodologies related tospecial hazard and fire alarm design mustbe understood and evaluated beforecommencing design