ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
SUSTAINABLE FIRE ENGINEERING DESIGN IN THE REAL WORLD
PRESENTED BY GEORGE FALLER
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
PROMOTING THE BENEFITS OF FE APPROACH
DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF SUSTAINABILITY NEEDS
REFLECTIVE LOOK AT APPARENT DICHOTOMIES
BROADLY AGREEABLE PRINCIPLES
• LOCAL DRIVERS OR TRENDS RESULT IN DIFFERENT
APPROACHES AND SOLUTIONS
GREEN BUILDINGS
SUSTAINABLE FIRE ENGINEERING IS SIMPLE …
MINIMISATION OF RESOURCES ...
• LOW EMBODIED ENERGY/RESOURCES
• LOW OPERATIONAL ENERGY
• LOW COSTS TO DEVELOPER/OCCUPIER/SOCIETY
FIRE ENGINEERING SUPPORTS THIS THROUGH...
• REDUCED PASSIVE PROTECTION
• REDUCED COMPARTMENTATION
• OPEN PLANNING ENABLING NATURAL VENTILATION
WE HAVE A PBD METHODOLOGY
• ALLOWS US TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS, AND MAINTAIN AN
ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF SAFETY
IS THERE MORE TO IT THAN THAT ?
SUSTAINABLE FIRE ENGINEERING
AGREEABLE PRINCIPLES?
SUSTAINABILITY DEFINED
• CONDUCTING BUSINESS AND COMMERCE IN A MANNER
SUCH THAT OPERATIONS DO NOT COMPROMISE THE
ABILITY OF FUTURE GENERATIONS TO MEET THEIR OWN
NEEDS
DRIVERS FOR CHANGE
• WATER
• ENERGY
• WASTE
• DEMOGRAPHICS
• CLIMATE CHANGE
• URBANISATION
HOW SHOULD THE FIRE ENGINEER RESPOND TO THESE
CHANGES
• ISSUES TO CONSIDER FOR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY
WHAT IS ‘SUSTAINABILITY’?
‘Chinese cities already face a water shortage of
6bnm3. Mexico City is sinking due to depletion of the
aquifer supplying 80% of their water.’WATER
DRIVERS FOR CHANGE
WATER BASED SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS
• SMALL FIRE
• REDUCED WASTE
• MORE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION
REUSE / RE-CIRCULATE FIRE TEST WATER
• TEMPORARY STORAGE TANKS FOR MAINTENANCE
• RE-CIRCULATE
• NO DUMPING
MORE RELIABLE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
• REDUCE MAINTENANCE TEST PERIOD FROM WEEKLY TO
MONTHLY
REDUCED WATER PRESSURES IN TOWN MAINS
• OFTEN TO AVOID WASTE BY LEAKAGE
• WHAT IS THE EFFECT ON OUR SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS
‘Surveys indicate that people can be comfortable in
the workplace at up to 32 degrees, if they have
control. Air conditioned buildings are designed to
22-24 degrees.’
ENERGY
DRIVERS FOR CHANGE
NEED TO MINIMISE ENERGY USE
• OPERATIONAL NORMALLY THE FOCUS
• EMBODIED ALSO AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT
MOVE TOWARDS ZERO CARBON
• ZERO ENERGY FOR OPERATIONAL LIFE
• EMBODIED ENERGY MORE SIGNIFICANT
• RE-USE OF EXISTING BUILDINGS, CONVERT TO EFFICIENT
PERFORMERS
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
• NATURAL VENTILATION
• LESS COMPARTMENTATION,
• USE OF CEILING AND UNDER FLOOR PLENUMS
NATURAL LIGHT
• MORE USE OF GLAZING AND LOTS OF FLOOR VOIDS
DOUBLE SKIN FACADES
• FIRE AND SMOKE SPREAD CHALLENGE
WASTE
DRIVERS FOR CHANGE
BUILDING STRUCTURES AND FABRIC
• CENTURIES LONG LIFE-SPAN
FIT-OUT FOR ENVISAGED USE
• MUCH SHORTER TIME SPAN
• CAN WE DESIGN FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY?
RECYCLING/REUSING BUILDINGS OR COMPONENTS
• ADAPTABILITY IN DESIGN EG MODULAR DESIGN
• LOOSE FIT INTEGRATION OF ARCH, SERVICES
CODES AND CHANGE OF USE
• REQUIRE PLEASANT, ENERGY EFFICIENT SPACES
• ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
• DON’T FOLLOW BLANKET PRESCRIPTIVE DESIGN
• MORE PERFORMANCE BASED DESIGN
USE OF MORE RENEWABLE MATERIALS
• TIMBER FOR HIGH RISE STRUCTURES
• HOW HIGH IS IT PRACTICAL TO GO?
‘1/3rd of UK waste is generated by construction,
demolition, excavation and refurbishment.’
‘The WHO estimates that the number of
obese people globally has risen from 200M
in 1995 to over 300M in 2005 ’
DEMOGRAPHICS
DRIVERS FOR CHANGE
AGING POPULATION, AGING WORKFORCE
• LOWER FITNESS AND MOBILITY – EGRESS
IMPLICATIONS?
INCREASING EXPECTATIONS FOR ACCESSIBILITY
• CODES FOCUS MORE ON ACCESSIBILITY - EGRESS
IMPLICATIONS?
• DOES ‘DEFEND IN PLACE’ NEED TO BE STRENGTHENED
TO COMPENSATE
HOW CAN TECHNOLOGY HELP TO OVERCOME
CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS
• TECHNOLOGY DEMAND
• INCREASINGLY DEPENDENCE ON TECHNOLOGY
• BMS MONITORING OF TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, CO?
• HEAT SIGNATURE DETECTION (OCCUPANT LOCATION)
• INCREASE DETECTOR SENSITIVITY OUT OF HOURS
• MONITORING FOR PRESENCE OF OCCUPANTS
INCREASING DEPENDENCY ON TECHNOLOGY
• HOW GOOD IS OUR DATA?
CLIMATE CHANGE
DESIGN FOR OTHER EMERGENCIES
• FLOODING, CYCLONE, TERRORISM ETC
• RISK BASED APPROACH TO DESIGN
INCREASING INSURANCE PREMIUMS
• MORE FOCUS ON RISK MINIMISATION
DAMAGE DUE TO FOAM AND GAS SUPPRESSANTS
• LIFETIME OF OZONE DEPLETING SUBSTITUTE
MATERIALS
FIRES ARE A FORM OF POLLUTION
• IMPROVE DETECTION
• IMPROVE SUPPRESSION
DRIVERS FOR CHANGE
‘Hurricane losses in the US in 2005 were $170bn.
Only 1/3rd were insured.’
‘Between 2001 and 2012 almost as many
skyscrapers will be constructed as were built in
the whole of the 20th Century’
URBANISATION
DRIVERS FOR CHANGE
TALLER BUILDINGS
• EFFECTIVE MEANS FOR EVACUATION AND FOR FIRE
FIGHTING
INCREASED DENSITY
• LIKELY DUE TO WORK PATTERN CHANGES
• HIGHER DEMAND FOR SPACE
• CHALLENGE FOR USE OF EXISTING BUILDINGS – IF
‘EFFICIENTLY’ DESIGNED THEN PBD WILL BE NEEDED
TO FIND MORE FLEXIBILITY
TECHNO-RELIANCE
• WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SYSTEMS NOT PROPERLY
SYNCHRONISED
• WHAT HAPPENS WHEN POWER FAILS
• DO WE HAVE ENOUGH REDUNDANCY?
3 WAYS TO LOOK AT SUSTAINABILITY
HOW DO WE ADDRESS THESE ISSUES IN OUR DESIGN
• ENVIRONMENTAL (INCLUDING NATURAL RESOURCES)
• WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY THINK ‘GREEN
BUILDINGS’
• SOCIAL
• RELATES TO THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE
DEVELOPMENT IS LOCATED
• DOES IT MEET PRESENT AND FUTURE NEEDS ?
• ECONOMIC
• SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL TARGETS CANNOT BE THE
ONLY CONSIDERATIONS
• DESIGN FEATURES NEED TO BE RATIONALISED TO MEET
ENVIRONMENT TARGET AND BE FEASIBLE ECONOMICALLY
• ARUP APPROACH
• CONSIDER SUSTAINABLE ISSUES UNDER THESE THREE
BROAD HEADINGS IN DESIGN
3 WAYS TO CONSIDER SUSTAINABILITY
ARUP’S APPROACH
ARUP APPROACH
• PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE
• SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN PLAN
• QUESTIONS POSED TO CLIENT BY DESIGN TEAM
• DOES THE PROJECT HAVE A SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR?
• ANY SPECIFIC ASPIRATIONS WITH RESPECT TO CARBON
NEUTRALITY?
• BUILDING TO BE SELF SUFFICIENT THROUGH THE COLLECTION
AND THE DEVELOPMENT BE CONSTRUCTED USING
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS?
• WILL THE DEVELOPMENT SEEK TO MAKE A POSITIVE
CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE BUILT
ENVIRONMENT?
• IS IT AN ASPIRATION THAT THE BUILDING BE SUSTAINABLE IN
OPERATION?
• TWO CASE STUDIES WITH SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN PLANS
• HORIZON HOUSE & UNIV SYDNEY LAW FACULTY
NEW MIXED USE COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
• BREEAM 2006 OF 85.06%
• 2009 AWARD WINNER – OFFICE CATEGORY
LARGELY CODE COMPLIANT SOLUTION(!)
• NO SPRINKLERS
• SEPARATE OCCUPANT COMPARTMENTS
• FE ~ ESCAPE BASED ON REDUCED EXIT WIDTHS
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
• HAPPENED TO BE ADDRESSED FOLLOWING BREEAM
ENERGY EFFICIENCY WITH ADJOINING OCCUPANCIES?
• REMOVE COMPARTMENTATION
• POTENTIALLY ADD SPRINKLERS
GAIN SHARED BENEFIT OF
• SHARED ALARM SYSTEM, ESCAPE STAIRS
• EASIER FF ACCESS
• REDUCED MAINTENANCE OF SYSTEMS, ESCAPE STAIRS
• LESS INFRASTRUCTURE, OPERATING COSTS
HORIZON HOUSE – BREEAM EXCELLENT
CASE STUDIES
The result is an inner city office that achieved the
highest BREEAM rating in the country (85.06%) and
won the 2009 BREEAM award for offices
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY LAW FACULTY
NEW STAFF AND TEACHING FACILITY, SYDNEY
• OPENNESS AND INTERCONNECTION: STAIRS AND VOIDS
• NATURALLY VENTILATED – FLOOR TO FLOOR
• EXCEEDED COMPARTMENTATION REQUIREMENTS
PERFORMANCE BASED APPROACH ADOPTED
• VERTICAL COMPARTMENTATION
• OPTIMISED SPRINKLER COVERAGE
• ENGINEERED USE OF NON-FR GLAZING
REDUCED, REDUCED, REDUCED
WHAT IF SEPARATE OCCUPANCIES WERE DESIRABLE?
• REMOVE SPRINKLERS, ADD COMPARTMENTATION
STRATEGY BECOMES
• LOSS OF BENEFIT OF;
• ALARM SYSTEM CO-ORDINATION
• SHARED ESCAPE STAIRS/ROUTES
• SEPARATE FF ACCESS
• INCREASED
• MAINTENANCE OF SYSTEMS
• ESCAPE STAIRS
CASE STUDIES
TWO PROJECTS
• HORIZON HOUSE LEEDS
• UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY LAW FACULTY
PROJECTS WITH CONTRASTING APPROACH
• BOTH PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
• LIFE SAFETY IS MAINTAINED FOR BOTH
TO DELIVER SOCIAL BENEFIT MORE MAY BE NEEDED
• SOCIAL LEVEL
• DAY TO DAY INTERACTION IN BUILDINGS
• SOCIETAL LEVEL
• PROVISION OF ADAPTABLE/FUTURE-PROOF BUILDINGS
• MAINTENANCE OF LIFE SAFETY
• PARAMOUNT IN BOTH ABOVE EXAMPLES
HEREIN LIES THE DICHOTOMY WE FACE, BALANCING
• ECONOMIC/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
• BOTH LONG AND SHORT TERM SOCIAL BENEFIT
CASE STUDY COMPARISON
CASE STUDIES
BUT ALL ASPECTS CAN BE BALANCED….
NEW 8 LEVEL TENANCY IN EXISTING BUILDING
• PERFORMANCE BASED APPROACH ADOPTED
• EXCEEDED COMPARTMENTATION LIMITATIONS
STRATEGY
• ACTIVE COMPARTMENTATION
• VERTICAL & HORIZONTAL FIRE CURTAINS
• 2-STOREY COMPARTMENTS UPON DETECTION
MULTIPLE SUSTAINABLE OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED
• SOCIETAL (KEY TO CLIENT)
• ENVIRONMENTAL (THROUGH VENTILATION/LIGHT)
• ECONOMIC
• MINOR INCREASE (ACTIVE COMPARTMENTATION)
• ADDED VALUE, RETURN ON INVESTMENT
INCREASED COST OUTWEIGHED BY MEETING ALL
CRITERIA
• BALANCING EXERCISE NEEDS TO BE QUANTIFIED
STOCKLAND HEADQUARTERS
CASE STUDIES
ARUP VIEW
ARUP VIEW
• SUSTAINABILITY IS THE CORNERSTONE
• BECOMING OBVIOUS THAT MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO
DESIGN IS NECESSARY
• A NEW CRITERION FOR ALL DESIGN DECISIONS
• STRUCTURAL ENGINEER CAN’T JUST CONSIDER STRENGTH
• FIRE ENGINEER ALSO NEEDS TO TAKE BROAD VIEW
• MULTI-FACETED, SOMETIMES COMPETING CRITERIA
• ARUP APPROACH TO INTEGRATED DESIGN BECOMES
ESSENTIAL - THE ENGINEER AS DESIGNER
• CODES AND OPTIMAL SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
• PRESCRIPTIVE CODES CAN´T PROVIDE ANSWERS
• ESSENTIAL TO EXPLORE ALL ALTERNATIVES – PBD
• RESEARCH NEEDED TO COMPLEMENT PBD SOLUTIONS
THE CHALLENGES AHEAD
• FE DESIGN WILL BE AFFECTED BY A CHANGING
WORLD
• DRIVERS OF CHANGE – NEW DESIGN CRITERIA
• INFLUENCING POLICY MAKERS
• PROPERLY FUNCTIONING PBD APPROVALS PROCESS IN
PLACE
• SUSTAINABLE FIRE SAFETY OPTIONS RECOGNISED IN
LEED, BREEAM, ETC SCORING SYSTEMS
• RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SHORTFALL
• FE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO ADVANCE OUR TECHNICAL
UNDERSTANDING OF SUSTAINABILITY
• NEED TO BE ABLE TO QUANTIFY WHETHER OPTION A IS
MORE SUSTAINABLE THAN OPTION B
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD
THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS ?