Academic Building Fire Strategy - Coursework Example

A fire strategy for 5 storey building Name Institution Date A fire strategy for 5 storey building Introduction The following is a fire strategy for a five storey building. The purpose of the building is targeted to be institutional because it is an academic building. The building is expected to compromise of basement floor, ground floor, 1st floor, 2nd floor, and 3rd floor. The building is also expected to have a maximum occupancy level of approximately 3000 people. However, the number of the anticipated occupants is far much less and this increases chances of successful escape from the building in case of a fire breakout. Stairs connect within all floors and the building. Accordingly, this report will provide a fire strategy for the building. The focus will be to set out the fire safety principles for the building basing on the applicable legislation and codes. This report will also take into consideration the aspect of management in regard to fire safety for the building. Means of warning and escape Means of warning The building will have an arrangement to detect fire. The fire in the building will be detected by people as well as through installed systems. In this building, there will be a suitable electrically automatic fire warning system with manual call points located next to exit doors. In addition, the electric fire warning system should have adequate sounders that are clearly audible throughout the building (Approved Document B). Number of occupants and exits For this building, the following table provides the minimum number of escape routes and exits that should be provided for the building occupants in case of fire. Max number of persons Min number of escape exits 60 1 600 2 Above 600 3 (Approved Document B) Since this building is estimated to have more than 60 occupants and below 600 occupants in each floor, the building should have more than 2 escape routes in each floor. Therefore, it is recommended for the building to have approximately 2 escape routes in every floor which means that the building will have about 8 escape exits (Approved Document B). Occupancy level The designing and construction of the building will be done in a manner that will allow suitable provisions to warn the occupants of any fire or smoke as well as suitable means of escape if fire breaks out from the building. The means of escape should be effective enough to allow the occupants to flee to safety outside the building (Approved Document B). Any room having a single exit is not supposed to have beyond 60 occupants. Accordingly rooms in this building have single exits and hence each room is not supposed to have more than 60 occupants (Approved Document B). Calculating space factor Since this building has horizontal escape routes and the maximum number of individuals requiring using the escape stairs is unknown, it will be important to calculate the occupant capacity using the suitable floor space factors. The type of accommodation for this building is a standing area without seating and hence the M2 per person is 0.3 (Building Regulations, 2010). The following tables indicate travel distance, occupancy level and calculations for space factor for each room in every floor: Occupancy level and travel distance for basement floor Basement floor Room Number of people Area (m2) Travel distance(m) (0.04) 111 96.09 (14.86+12.89)/2=13.88 (0.08) 4.34 3.83 (0.12) 1 3.19 3.64 (0.02) 3 21.95 4.05 (0.05) 1 6.8 8.62 (0.01) 24.9 9.61 (0.10) 6.93 4.95 (0.11) 3.74 3.65 (0.03) 4.53 4.46 (0.06) 19.33 10.98 (0.07) 12.01 4.2 (0.09) 22.04 8.32 (0.13) 2.94 10.86 Calculations for space factor for each room in basement floor Room (0.04) Area is 96.09 and hence the space factor = 96.09 ÷ 0.3 = 320 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 320 people Room (0.08) Area for this room is 4.34 and hence the space factor = 4.34 ÷ 0.3 = 14.5 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 14 people Room (0.12) Area for this room is 3.19 and hence the space factor = 3.19 ÷ 0.3 = 10.6 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 10 people Room (0.02) Area is 21.95 and hence the space factor = 21.95 ÷ 0.3 = 73.1 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 73 people Room (0.05) Area is 6.8 and hence the space factor = 6.8 ÷ 0.3 = 22.6 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 22 people Room (0.01) Area is 24.9 and hence the space factor = 24.9 ÷ 0.3 = 83 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 83 people Room (0.10) Area is 6.93 and hence the space factor = 6.93 ÷ 0.3 = 23.1 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 23 people Room (0.11) Area is 3.74 and hence the space factor = 3.74 ÷ 0.3 = 12.4 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 12 people Room (0.03) Area is 4.53 and hence the space factor = 4.53 ÷ 0.3 = 15.1 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 15 people Room (0.06) Area is 19.33 and hence the space factor = 19.33 ÷ 0.3 = 64.4 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 64 people Room (0.07) Area is 12.01 and hence the space factor = 12.01 ÷ 0.3 = 40.3 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 40 people Room (0.09) Area is 22.04 and hence the space factor = 22.04 ÷ 0.3 = 73.4 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 73 people Room (0.13) Area is 2.94 and hence the space factor = 2.94 ÷ 0.3 = 9.98 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 10 people Occupancy level and travel distance for basement floor Ground floor Room Number of people Area (m2) Distance (meter) (1.28) 4 8.41 15.95 (1.29) 4 7.14 15.07 (1.90) 13.55 (1.03) 92.45 15.95 (1.02) 3 18.38 17.99 (1.05) 17.84 (1.04) 15 66.27 16.91 (1.06) 84 83.63 14.94 (1.07) 6 7.83 (1.08) 7.07 (1.16) 4.82 (1.91) 10.04 (1.17) 4.09 (1.23) 6.92 (1.24) 124 133.32 12.46 (1.26) 6 34.68 20.28 (1.31) 1 7.21 17.63 Calculations for space factor for each room in ground floor Room (1.28) Area is 8.41 and hence the space factor = 8.41 ÷ 0.3 = 20 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 20 people Room (1.29) Area is 7.14 and hence the space factor = 7.14 ÷ 0.3 = 24.7 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 24 people Room (1.90) Area is 13.55 and hence the space factor = 13.55 ÷ 0.3 = 45.2 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 42 people Room (1.03) Area is 92.45 and hence the space factor = 92.45 ÷ 0.3 = 308.2 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 308 people Room (1.02) Area is 18.38 and hence the space factor = 18.38 ÷ 0.3 = 61.2 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 61 people Room (1.05) Area is 17.84 and hence the space factor = 17.84 ÷ 0.3 = 59.4 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 59 people Room (1.04) Area is 66.27 and hence the space factor = 66.27 ÷ 0.3 = 220.1 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 220 people Room (1.06) Area is 83.63 and hence the space factor = 83.63 ÷ 0.3 = 278.7 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 278 people Room (1.07) Area is 7.83 and hence the space factor = 7.83 ÷ 0.3 = 26.1 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 26 people Room (1.08) Area is 7.07 and hence the space factor = 7.07 ÷ 0.3 = 23.5 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 23 people Room (1.16) Area is 4.82 and hence the space factor = 4.82 ÷ 0.3 = 16 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 16 people Room (1.91) Area is 10.04 and hence the space factor = 10.04 ÷ 0.3 = 33.4 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 33 people Room (1.17) Area is 4.09 and hence the space factor = 4.09 ÷ 0.3 = 13.6 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 13 people Room (1.23) Area is 6.92 and hence the space factor = 6.92 ÷ 0.3 = 23 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 23 people Room (1.24) Area is 133.32 and hence the space factor = 133.32 ÷ 0.3 = 444 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 444 people Room (1.26) Area is 34.68 and hence the space factor = 34.68 ÷ 0.3 = 115.6 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 115 people Room (1.31) Area is 7.21 and hence the space factor = 7.21 ÷ 0.3 = 24 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 24 people Occupancy level and travel distance for first floor First floor Room Number of people Area (meter sq) Travel distance (2.04) 21 42.61 10.16 (2.03) 21 54.47 14.74 (2.02) 21 45.81 16.68 (2.01) 30 65.56 17.48 (2.07) 19 39.85 11.12 (2.13) 17 39.18 26.21 (2.14) 33 58.17 27.01 (2.15) 17 36.38 14.74 (2.18) 16 57.98 17.34 (2.19) 5 12.70 13.93 (2.21) 4 10.45 7.52 Calculations for space factor for each room for first floor Room (2.04) Area is 42.61 and hence the space factor = 42.61 ÷ 0.3 = 142 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 142 people Room (2.03) Area is 54.47 and hence the space factor = 54.47 ÷ 0.3 = 181.5 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 181 people Room (2.02) Area is 45.81 and hence the space factor = 45.81 ÷ 0.3 = 152.7 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 152 people Room (2.01) Area is 65.56 and hence the space factor = 65.56 ÷ 0.3 = 218 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 218 people Room (2.07) Area is 39.85 and hence the space factor = 39.85 ÷ 0.3 = 132 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 132 people Room (2.13) Area is 39.18 and hence the space factor = 39.18 ÷ 0.3 = 130.6 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 130 people Room (2.14) Area is 58.17 and hence the space factor = 58.17 ÷ 0.3 = 193.9 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 194 people Room (2.15) Area is 36.38 and hence the space factor = 36.38 ÷ 0.3 = 121 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 121 people Room (2.18) Area is 57.98 and hence the space factor = 57.98 ÷ 0.3 = 193.2 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 193 people Room (2.19) Area is 12.70 and hence the space factor = 12.70 ÷ 0.3 = 42.3 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 42 people Room (2.21) Area is 10.45 and hence the space factor = 10.45 ÷ 0.3 = 34.8 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 34 people Occupancy level and travel distance for second floor Second floor Room Number of people Area (m2) Distance (m) (3.04) 17 32.69 17.28 (3.03) 25 48.35 13.71 (3.02) 21 38.36 17.33 (3.01) 16 53.84 24.6 (3.07) 19 36.88 17.58 (3.13) 17 39.4 26.1 (3.14) 33 58.35 32.35 (3.15) 17 35.18 16.94 (3.16) 4 7.85 9.11 (3.21) 5 9.07 6.5 (3.18) 12 51.03 10.4 Calculations for space factor for each room for first floor Room (3.04) Area is 32.69 and hence the space factor = 32.69 ÷ 0.3 = 108 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 108 people Room (3.03) Area is 48.35 and hence the space factor = 48.35 ÷ 0.3 = 161 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 161 people Room (3.02) Area is 38.36 and hence the space factor = 38.36 ÷ 0.3 = 127.8 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 127 people Room (3.01) Area is 53.84 and hence the space factor = 53.84 ÷ 0.3 = 179.4 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 179 people Room (3.07) Area is 36.88 and hence the space factor = 36.88 ÷ 0.3 = 122.9 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 123 people Room (3.13) Area is 39.4 and hence the space factor = 39.4 ÷ 0.3 = 131.3 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 131 people Room (3.14) Area is 58.35 and hence the space factor = 58.35 ÷ 0.3 = 194.5 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 194 people Room (3.15) Area is 35.18 and hence the space factor = 35.18 ÷ 0.3 = 117.2 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 117 people Room (3.16) Area is 7.85 and hence the space factor = 7.85 ÷ 0.3 = 26.1 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 26 people Room (3.21) Area is 9.07 and hence the space factor = 9.07 ÷ 0.3 = 30.2 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 30 people Room (3.18) Area is 51.03 and hence the space factor = 51.03 ÷ 0.3 = 170.1 Therefore, total room occupancy for this room is 170 people Using the floor space factors the number of people that the building can safely hold is very high. For instance, the ground floor can hold approximately 1000 people. Using the exit width calculations, exit capacity for the basement floor is 1450. However, even though the building can hold a high number of people even up to 3000 people, the exits only have the capacity to allow about 2000 people for safe escape and hence the occupancy for the building is 2000 people. However, the number of the existing occupants of the building is quite low when compared to the maximum number of occupancy and hence in case of fire the occupants are likely to have safe escape and leave the building safely without any overcrowding during escape. Evacuation strategy The suitable evacuation strategy for this building is projected to be simultaneous evacuation. Simultaneous evacuation is about the total evacuation for all occupants within all the building’s floor at the same time (Building Regulations, 2010). Travel Distance The following table demonstrates the maximum travel distance for the building: Function One direction only More than one direction Institutional 9 m 18 m Escape means for the disabled people The evacuation mobility of people with disabilities plays a very critical role during the overall evacuation of building occupants (Approved Document B). This is in case there are not people to offer assistance in case of an emergence. The disabled individuals will be provided with protected stairways at every storey. A two way communication is supposed to be availed for all protected stairways. In addition, there will be refuge areas which a comparatively safe waiting places for a short time. This means that the refuge areas should not be perceived as areas where disabled individuals are left alone for an indefinite period until the fire and rescue team rescues them or until the fire is put off. A refuge area is supposed to be availed for all protected stairways in order to facilitate egress from all stories (Approved Document B). Refuge areas will be reduced and where identified, it should be ensured that communication means is provided. At the ground floor where there is a direct escape means to the outsides, disabled refuges will not be necessary (Approved Document B). Detection and warning systems The type of fire alarm system will be selected in accordance with the chief fire officer and fire alarm systems will be selected only from the selected fire alarm systems. The fire alarm panel will be offered the “control enable” key switch. The fire alarm installation to the building will be connected to the security section as this will ensure that in case of an alarm, an automatic notification will be sent simultaneously (Approved Document B). Automatic fire alarm system with smoke detection The alarm system will have a smoke detection component that will include a local alarm. Activation of the local alarm system will be automatic and go on whenever there is smoke and there will be audible notification gadget for warning the building occupants as well as the building management. The local alarm component will be limited to single fire-cells. The local alarm system will not be extended to the other areas like exit-ways or common spaces. Type 4 smoke detection system shall be muted through silence switch sited at a place readily able to be accessed. The hush switch shall silence the alarm for a period not going beyond 3 minutes and will be allowed only when an automatic fire detection and alarm system stimulated by heat detectors is also fitted within fire-cells which lack a fire sprinkler system (Building Regulations, 2010). Regarding an automatic fire sprinkler system, it should have manual call points. For this building, it would be necessary to combine automatic fire sprinkler systems and type 2 alarms. In case the sprinklers are activated, the audible alerting appliances will be activated automatically in order to notify the building occupants. Installation of the sprinkler must comply with the set standards and acceptable solutions (Building Regulations, 2010). Fire fighting access and facilities for the fire service Fire fighting will be conducted through the perimeter of the building because of its height.An access way will be availed in order to ensure that fire fighting equipment and vehicles can access the building in case of fire breakout. To enable deployment of fire fighting equipments, the access way should have at least a width of 6m throughout its entire length. Provision of access openings will be done along the external walls of the walls of the building as this will front the access-way and offer access into the building in order to facilitate fire fighting as well as rescue operations (Approved Document B). It will be important to construct internal driveways with the required width and ensure that they are able to endure the operational loading of fire engine when carrying out external fire fighting. There should be access openings along the building’s external walls that face hard standing and also access-way is provided to ensure smooth operation of fire fighting and rescue activities. Since this building is under purpose group IV, V and VII and therefore exceeds heights of 10, it will be necessary to make sure that the location of the access-way is directly below the access openings in order to ensure there is provision of direct outreach to access the openings. Provision of access-way will be done basing on the gross floor areas (Approved Document B). Internal fire spread structure The designing and construction of the building will be done in a manner that will ensure that the stability of the building is maintained for reasonable time duration. Therefore, it will be important to construct a common wall to ensure that the walls it sufficiently resists the fire spread. In addition, there will e sub-division of the building using fire-resisting construction and also appropriate automatic fire suppression systems will be installed. More importantly, it will be ensured that the designing and construction is done in a manner ensuring that the unseen fire and smoke spread in concealed spaces within its structure and fabric is restrained (Approved Document B). Internal Fire Spread (Linings) Internal fire spread linings include the linings or materials used within lining any partition, wall, ceiling or internal structure. In order to inhibit spread of fire within the building, internal linings: Shall sufficiently resist the spread of flame over their surfaces Shall have the rate of heat release or fire rate growth and resistance to ignition that is level-headed Internal linings will provide sufficient resistance to fire spread over surfaces In case of fire, the rate of heat release of rate of fire growth should be reasonable (Approved Document B). External fire spread The external walls as well as the roofing of the building will be designed and built in a manner that will allow sufficient resistant to fire spread to and from adjacent buildings. The prerequisite of B4 will be fulfilled by ensuring that: Construction of the external walls is done in a manner to ensure that the risk of ignition from an external source and that the fire spread on the surfaces is limited by ensuring that they have low rates of flame and fire spread as well as low rates of heat release In case the level of unprotected region within the side of the building is limited in order to restrict the level of thermal radiation that can cross the wall, and ensure that the distance between the wall and the frontier is taken into consideration (Building Regulations, 2010). The construction of the roof should be done in a manner that ensures that the risk spread of fire and flame as well as fire penetration from external sources of fire are constrained in order to restrict the risk of the fire spreading from the building and to other neighbouring buildings as well. Generally, the level to which this is essential will depend on the usage of the building as well as its height since this is a tall building (Approved Document B). Fire safety management It is expected that the management of the building should be sustainable in order to ensure that the fire safety design is appropriate. The building will undergo regular fire safety assessments as well as risk assessment. Basically, it is anticipated that the standard of examining, maintenance will be regular and hence higher than domestic dwelling buildings. Generally this is a substantial improvement and development to the usual residential building whereby fire doors and self-closing equipments can be destroyed or be removed (Building Regulations, 2010). The fire safety of the building will be dependent on the reliability and performance of the fire safety systems’ elements. Therefore, a program routine system assessments, testing and maintenance will have a direct correlation to the reliability of fire protection system. Fire protection system reliability greatly reduces the general risk of satisfactory threshold. Assessments, testing and maintenance programs will discover problems within the fire protection system that can lead into a failure. Correction of such problems reduces rates of system failures and hence increases the overall reliability of the fire protection system. Additionally, it will be appropriate to ensure inspection and maintenance of other elements of fire safety design in order to attain the goals of the fire protection engineer. It will also be necessary to ensure that various professionals inspect the building often to ensure all the installed fire protection systems are functional (Building Regulations, 2010). Conclusion The report compiled a fire strategy for a five storey building. The building consists of the basement, ground floor, 1st floor, 2nd floor, and 3rd floor. The building has a highest occupied floor less than 20m in height and is served by a double protected core. Since the focus of fire safety is to prevent fire outbreaks as well as mitigate fire damages through early detection and reducing fire spread through structural control, availing escape routes, providing emergency evacuation strategies and providing means of fire fighting and accessibility of the building by fire fighting appliances, all these factors have been taken into consideration in this report. Accordingly, the report discussed aspects such as building access by fire fighters, how to limit fire spread by ensuring both external and internal wall characteristics limit fire spread, providing evacuation strategies and also integration of fire detection alarm system. Reference list Approved Document B Building Regulations, 2010 Read More