Fire Protection
The intelligent alternative to fire sprinklers
The Grenfell Tower inferno, which resulted in the loss of 72 lives, has focussed government thinking onto fire safety.
The ramifications from the tragedy in June 2017 will almost certainly mean that when the findings from the investigation into the tragedy are released, fire safety regulations will be tightened. Richard Taylor, a fire safety officer, who has 40 years’ experience in the field, said: “It is inevitable that more stringent fire safety regulations will be put in place”.
Fire suppression expert Dr Alan Hart agrees: “With the arrival of the Welsh sprinkler laws and in the light of the Grenfell disaster, I think we will see significant tightening around fire regulations” he said.
This means builders, architects and home designers will have to look for new solutions to create safe living and workplaces for the public. A lot has happened in the world of fire suppression systems in recent years, particularly the rise in popularity of smart, water misting systems, which have the capability of meeting the most stringent fire regulations.
Dr. Hart revealed why water misting is so efficient in suppressing fires. He said that fires occur when all three sides of the fire triangle are met, oxidants, fuel and ignition.
“The newest wave of suppression technology, water misting systems, addresses all three sides of the triangle: the fire is starved when steam displaces oxygen, fuels are dampened and temperatures plummet. The best technology in the field even boosts performance by actively scanning the room and directing a jet of mist into the seat of the fire. The water mist systems that use high-tech detection techniques have come down in price significantly.”
He went on: “Water mist suppression systems are more often than not the best solution to tackle the fire triangle. They are already suggested in the HTMO5-O2 best practice guidance and I suspect they will be the standard solution in the near future.”
Philiip Bueno, a director of Intelligent Mist, one of the country’s largest installers of smart, water mist systems, is currently offering CPDs to enlighten architects, building and design professionals about the latest developments in fire suppression technology.
He said: “Smart water mist systems make sense for so many reasons and construction and design professionals should be aware of the benefits and solutions the latest technology in the field offers. Smart misting systems are the future of fire suppression. Sprinkler systems are now an outdated technology.
“Water mist systems can set you free from building regulations. The Automist Hydra system, for example, has six heads fueled by one pump. The pump can fit neatly in a cupboard under the sink with space to spare and it is capable of covering one whole property. Sprinklers require a large tank, which may need structural support to be installed and there is the added problem of having to attack the ceiling by fitting sprinkler heads. Hydra requires just six litres per minute water flow.”
Phillip points out that another big advantage of misting systems is that it can save money because they allow open plan designs, with corridors eliminated, transformed into living and work space.
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The Automist Hydra System from Intelligent Mist
“This is especially relevant in London and the South East where property prices are high and creating valuable, saleable space is a big plus. Another bonus is that misting systems are simple to retro fit. The average retrofit and installation process can take just a single day with minimal impact to the building or disruption to daily lives. Also the annual maintenance is quick and simple, taking just a few hours.”
He went on: “Older or character buildings where sprinkler heads would look out of place often prove a perfect fit for smart water misting. Wall mounted misting systems blend in with other electrical face plates and look elegant and much more aesthetically pleasing than sprinkler heads,” he said.
The water mist industry is currently lobbying insurance companies to get insurance premiums reduced where this state of the art technology is installed.
Phillip explains: “The system uses ten times less water than sprinklers, hence much less costly water damage. Sprinkler systems can cause enormous damage to properties, a 15 minute activation could discharge over a ton of water. Smart misting systems by contrast would only ever discharge the equivalent of a bathtub of water as it shuts itself off after 30 minutes. They are also less prone to false activations due to a double knock system combining smoke and infrared sensors. I am confident due to the compelling cost saving evidence that insurance companies will reduce premiums in the near future of all properties using this technology.”
Phillip concluded by saying: “The tragedy of Grenfell Tower is that if any fire suppression system had been installed in the kitchen where the fire broke out, misting, sprinklers or otherwise, the disaster would have been averted. Safety always has to be the priority. Today, because the cost of this new technology has fallen, you can acquire peace of mind at an affordable price.”
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