Sustainable Design
Today's architectural and engineering community is changing to provide more environmentally-friendly "green" building designs. This shift in design philosophy often results in unique and specialized building designs that are not always addressed in the prescriptive building code provisions. It also requires careful coordination of all design disciplines, including fire protection engineering. While fire protection is not always associated with green building design, there are many building features that affect the fire protection design, and must be carefully evaluated to ensure code-compliance:
- Atria design and smoke exhaust requirements
- Impact of natural ventilation on fire protection systems
- Protection of skylights, light wells, curtain walls, and exterior shading systems
- Protection of underfloor air distribution systems (UFAD)
- Maintaining fire department building access
- Use of reclaimed water for fire protection
- Use of non-water, or limited-water, extinguishing systems
Addressing the fire protection and code implications of sustainable design features early in the design process is critical to identifying potential problems or issues. HAI works closely with the design team to coordinate the fire protection requirements with other disciplines, and to ensure that all aspects of the design comply with applicable fire safety and building code provisions.
Where unique or specialized building designs are not addressed by the prescriptive building codes, HAI offers a range of services to obtain design approval, including development of alternative design approaches, code equivalencies and variances, performance-based design, and AHJ negotiations.
For more information contact:
Brian Rhodes
brhodes@haifire.com
410-737-8677
