Fire Sprinkler Requirements, Mandatory Fire Protection

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Some of the Advantages of having a Sprinkler Installed

	Street width Reduction – Traffic lanes sometimes can be narrower which can increase your development flexibility.
	Dead-end streets may be increased in length. This can allow additional Building plots to be accessed.
	Tee Turnarounds Permitted – The permitted use of tee turnarounds in sprinklered developments can create at least one additional Cul- De- Sac.
	Increases Street Grades and building setbacks – Steeper street grades and buildings located further away from the road given more potential for development.
	You often find that building control will stipulate that a protected fire exit is required from the loft to the exit of the building. In April 2007 sprinklers were introduced into Building Regulations Part B as an alternative solution to the above, therefore, you now find if you are planning a loft conversion the downstairs area would be protected by sprinkler systems along with the escape route.
	By having a sprinkler installed you may eliminate the need to have fire doors within each flat.
	When having a loft conversion a sprinkler system can take away the need of having a separate escape route installed in the building.
	Having sprinkler systems installed allows the developer to be more flexible with the layout of the premises i.e. open plan, therefore reducing the cost of materials.
	You can eliminate the need for fire doors (you can offset the cost for a sprinkler system against the fire doors and any other materials)
	On some occasions you may find that a sprinkler system enables you to increase the amount of floors you can have on a building.
	Reduce Planning Delays.
	Sprinkler systems can save you money on your insurance premiums.
	Increase the potential selling value of the property.

Case Studies

1.	We recently completed a sprinkler installation in a 5 storey old terrace house which had been converted into 9 studio, 1 and 2 bed flats. Due to the flats being open plan kitchen/living room building control felt there was a high risk of fire, therefore to eliminate this problem a sprinkler system was required. The building also only had one main stairwell, this was another reason for a sprinkler system to be installed.
2.	In Mayfair a 6 storey building was refurbished into a domestic dwelling. As the kitchen was located in the basement with no ventilation or windows a sprinkler system was required to protect this kitchen along with a fire alarm system for the rest of the premises.
3.	Many developers involved in listed buildings have planning permission rejected because they don’t meet fire safety requirements. To comply with these safety standards often requires expensive compartmentation, fire doors and obtrusive ladders and fire walls. Any alternative way forward for many people is to use a fire sprinkler system. This can leave the owners safe in the knowledge that they are fully protected and still take advantage of their ideal design specifications.
4.	In April 2008 we completed a sprinkler installation in York for a loft conversion. The customer required a sprinkler system due to having an open plan ground floor where there was no separate escape route from the loft. We installed sprinkler heads in the lounge/dining room and kitchen, this provided adequate cover required by Building Control.
5.	A customer in Godmanchester who was having a renovation carried out in their premises which also included a loft conversion was instructed by building control that a sprinkler installation would be required due to the ground floor being open plan. The sprinkler system was required throughout the whole building.
6.	A recent development in Bedford involved the design of three blocks of timber framed luxury apartments. Access was restricted due to a river on one side and weight restrictions on the other. Initial planning permission was refused because of safety concerns. After evaluating the option of an expensive dry riser system and residential automatic sprinklers, the developers opted for the less expensive but more effective sprinkler systems.
7.	A client in Wickham, Hampshire, purchased a bungalow at an end of a cul-de-sac which had enough land to build four new buildings, however, due to access restriction, the first planning of the site was rejected, Building Control informed the client that they would only be able to receive planning permission for two new buildings with the current designs. Building Control did however mention that should they include a sprinkler system into their design they would receive planning permission for all four buildings, so the client decided to submit building plans complete with a sprinkler system with which they received approval.
8.	A housing association development in Peterborough ran into planning difficulties due to concerns regarding the narrow access route to the houses. After evaluating the implications of widening the access road, redeveloping the cycle path on the other side of the road with all the above in mind we chose to install sprinkler systems to avoid all the above.

Fire Sprinkler Systems

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Design & Installation Facts
Written By UK Independent Experts British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association & FIRAS Members

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“Essential Reading For Home Owners, Developers And Architects"

We all have a tendency to be dismissive of the risks of fire. Somehow we think fires only happen to other people. This false sense of security is lulling us as a society to make poor decisions regarding the people and property we are responsible for.

Every day an average of 2 people die of fire related accidents and another 44 will be injured. 72% of these injuries and deaths happen in the home. the place we feel safest in. We can prevent the majority of these deaths and injuries. We need to be better informed about fire and fire protection systems and that's why this report is important.

It is essential reading for anyone involved in the construction industry. You will see that the commercial and moral benefits are compelling. If you are a home owner and you want to protect the lives of the people you love most in the world… this free report will tell you how to do it.