Early, Reliable Air Sampling Smoke Detection for Fire-safe Commercial and Industrial Buildings

Many countries around the world have adopted the Performance-Based Design (PBD). The general approach of a performance-based design involves quantitative and qualitative statements a design must comply.Two of the key elements of Performance-Based Design regulatory are (1) permitting innovative design solutions that meet the established performance requirements and (2) encouraging cost-effectiveness and flexibility in design.The ultimate success of a PBD relies on the ability to apply well-defined methodologies to prove the equivalent (or better) performance in code compliance.

When a fire detection system is designed to actuate a suppression system, initiate evacuation procedure or operate other building management systems such as smoke extraction systems, a reliable and accurate fire alarm time prediction is paramount. In the context of a PBD, building safety margin and egress routes calculations are heavily depending upon fire detection system. When considering a fire detection system, certain norms or industrial practices are applied.They are seen as deemed-to-satisfy (DtS) solutions. However, when different fire detection technologies, especially more advanced technologies are considered for the same purpose, the ability to prove equivalent or better performance becomes critical. When an equivalent performance is established, different, normally a new and better technology can be adopted with a higher level of reliability.

When a better performance is evident, a system design can be optimised to satisfy not just building and life safety regulations but business continuity needs. The latter is very much relevant to the current and future development of fire engineering industry since more and more Performance-Based design is also a riskinformed fire safety solution.

This paper focuses on applying advanced fire detection technology, Very Early Warning AirsamplingSmoke Detection (ASD) as part of a fire engineered solution for various building types, specifically in high-rise commercial buildings, large open and public spaces and high value warehouses. Three case studies covering these applications are used to describe the design and Benefits of using advanced fire detection technology in these built environments.

Performance-Based Design promotes innovative solution and new technology. Finding the optimal solutions to satisfy building and life safety regulations and at the same time, meet risk management and business continuity requirements remains a challenge for fire engineering community.