sustainable fire engineering design - george faller
DESCRIPTION
Sustainable Fire Engineering DesignTRANSCRIPT
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ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
SUSTAINABLE FIRE ENGINEERING DESIGN IN THE REAL WORLD
PRESENTED BY GEORGE FALLER
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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
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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
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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’?
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‘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
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‘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
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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.’
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‘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?
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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.’
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‘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?
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS ?