How Fire Protection Engineers Can Optimize Sprinkler Plans
Ideally, a building interior should have full protection against fire with the smallest number of sprinklers possible. When a building uses more sprinkler heads than necessary, the piping layout becomes more complex and the overall installation becomes more expensive.
The number of fire sprinklers required in a building will greatly depend on its floor area. However, architectural features and interior design can also affect the layout of a sprinkler system.
- Many issues can be prevented if fire protection engineers meet with architects and interior designers early in the project.
- This way, each party will be aware of how design decisions affect others. This improves collaboration throughout the entire project.
For example, having a tall piece of furniture directly below a sprinkler head is not recommended. If there is a fire and that specific sprinkler activates, the furniture blocks a large portion of the water released.
Like with other MEP installations, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a powerful tool when designing fire protection systems:
- Once a three-dimensional model of all building systems has been created, sprinkler plans can be generated with ease.
- Key technical information can be attached to specific components in the sprinkler system model, making it accessible for everyone involved in the project.
- Automatic sprinkler systems must often share ceiling spaces with components such as lighting fixtures, electrical conduit and HVAC ducts. By using BIM, the layout of all theses systems can be optimized, preventing clashes and specification conflicts.