CFAA NCA Technical Seminar 2014

1. Fire Alarm EngineeringBest Practices CFAA NCA Technical Seminar2014

2. 2 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Overview • CodeCompliance • Equipment Selection andLayout • Drawings,Specifications • Commissioning andAcceptance • Miscellaneous • Goals • To give attendees a wider view of issues affecting fire alarm engineering • To share bestpractices • To engage in conversation that allows us to share ourexperience • Format • Openformat. Questions and comments are welcome duringthe presentation.

3. 3 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • CodeCompliance • 2012 Ontario Building Codeand/or • 2010 National Building Code ofCanada • StandardsReferenced • CAN/ULC S524 “Standard for the Installation of Fire AlarmSystems” • Latest issue is2014 • CAN/ULC S537 “Standard for the Verification of Fire AlarmSystems” • Latest issue is2013 • Sections will be covered as we discuss specificcomponents • Use the latestversion • Notwithstanding which version is referenced by the BuildingCode • Don’t mix and match. Pick either the referenced version or thelatest version in itsentirety.

4. 4 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • ULC S524 – “Standard for the Installation of Fire AlarmSystems” • The 2014 version has a number of new topicsincluding: • Wirelessdevices • Expanded information on faultisolation • Suppression releasingequipment • A large portion of the material intended to be presented here as‘best practice’ is in the new version of thestandard. • Details of the updated standard is the subject of the nextseminar. • Providing features required where large scale systems areinstalled should be considered even for smallersystems. • The benefits usually outweigh thecosts.

5. 5 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection and Layout – TopicsCovered • Display and ControlEquipment • ControlPanels • Annunciators • PowerSupplies • Communications • InitiatingDevices • Signalling Devices • ControlDevices

6. 6 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection andLayout • Display andControlEquipment -Annunciators • Multi event display vs. zoneindicators • Let the complexity of the systemdecide • More than 8 zones, use multi eventdisplay • Multipleannunciators • Provide enough display equipment to allow for effective maintenance and eventmanagement • Don’t over doit. • Where more than one display and control centre is installed, they shall have the ability to request, grant and deny system control with provision for fail- safe auto-transfer from one display and control centre toanother. • Annunciatorlocation • Visible from the fire departmententrance • Specify display height for installation for the intendeduser • » (suggest 1.6 m to centre ofdisplay)

7. 7 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection andLayout • Display andControlEquipment -Annunciators • Zoning • Fire alarm zone and fire alarm circuit not necessarily thesame thing. • » Zoning defined by OBC article3.2.4.9. • » Circuit may serve multiplezones • Determine the system zoning, then determine circuitrouting • Isolator modules required to provide zoning requirementsfor • addressable circuits serving more than onezone.

8. 8 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection andLayout • Display and Control Equipment - ControlPanels • Singlepanel • Locate at main entrance to reduce cost forannunciator. • Multiplepanels • Locate in stacked electrical rooms for improved fire protectionof • communicationstrunk. • If two stacked sets of service rooms are available, consider class A wiring with panels located alternately in each riserroom. • 5.8 LARGE SCALE NETWORKSYSTEMS • 5.8.7 Each control unit and transponder shall be located in a suitable service room and/or central alarm and control facility, separated from the remainder of the building by a minimum 1 h fireseparation.

9. 9 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection andLayout • Display and Control Equipment – NetworkCommunications • DCLB, DCLA,DCLC • Why choose anything but the most fault tolerant required forlarge scale systems despite the size of thesystem? • Redundant communicationmethod • Addressable loop from the DCC/CACF to each transponderwith monitor and relay modules to provide near full operation even in degrademode.

10. 10 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection andLayout • Display and Control Equipment – PowerSupplies • Systems are being provided with larger power suppliesto • accommodate more visual devices, voice communication systemsetc. • Remote power supplies are still the go-to solution for some equipment suppliers. • Increase system complexity but alsoflexibility • » Treat remote power supplies like transponders in terms of integrating them with the system (protection, supervision, testingetc.) • » Make power and battery calculations part of the normal submittal and reviewrequirements. • » Make power supply and battery test data part of the acceptance criteria to ensure the remaining installed capacityis known when projects arecompleted. • 5.5.6 A remote power supply serving a large scale network system shall be located in an electrical service room or a dedicated room separated from the remainder of the building by a 1 h fireseparation.

11. 11 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection andLayout • Initiating Equipment: • OBC and ULC S524 provide clear guidance to meet minimumrequirements • Manufacturers do a good job of providing the latest technologyavailable • Take a measured approach to detection deviceapplication • Not taking advantage of current technology doesn’t make sense as the benefits far outweigh the incrementalcost • Adding technology for the sake of it creates an overly complicatedor • sensitive system where it is not warranted or appreciated by theowner. • Consider multi-criteria detectors for everyday applications like electrical rooms, server rooms, public corridorsetc... • Consider air aspirating detectors for difficult to access locations like atriumsor • elevator shafts • Consider lower sensitivity smoke detectors for dirty locations where early detection is beneficial to property or lifesafety • Consider beam array devices for large open spaces with high ceilings, obstructions and the like such as power plants, chiller rooms, etc. • Consider visual smoke detection for targeted detection in large open spaces to compliment other detectionequipment.

12. 12 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection andLayout • InitiatingEquipment • Smoke detectors in high ceilingapplications • For ceilings up to 6 m in height, smoke detectors can be used with a reduced spacing of r ≤0.2H. • Spot type smoke detector spacing is not required to be reduced for ceiling height, but may be affected by beam construction. On ceilings above 3600 mm in room height, spot type smoke detector spacing shall be based on firetype, • growth rate, engineering judgement and manufacturer’s published installation instructions. • Smoke detectors in stairshafts • Install at every 3rd level in any stair shaft serving 6 or morestories • At worse the cost is one extradetector • 8.3.11.2 In exit stair shafts exceeding 18 m in height, measured from the lowest point to the highest point of the shaft, additional spot type smoke detectors shall be installed at every thirdfloor.

13. 13 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection andLayout • InitiatingEquipment • ManualStations • Mounting heights used to be a problem to meet accessibility and ULC requirements but that has been resolved in the 2014 version of ULC524. • Install such that only one manual station is encountered along any egress pathway at the exitdoor. • 8.1.1 Manual stations shall be installed 1050 mm to 1150 mm above thefinished • floor level measured from the centre of the manualstation. • Q. Is it a manual station, a pull station or a manual pullstation?

14. 14 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection andLayout • Signalling Equipment • Strobes and Horns/Bells/Speaker spacing isdifferent • Select low output devices for smallrooms • Don’t count on sound transmission through walls tomeet • requirements • Low output devices to not produce sound levels abovemaximum permitted values (100dBA) • Software for design to meet voice communicationintelligibility. Algebraic equations can be used aswell. • Develop a library of layout patterns with acceptableresults. • http://evac.afmg.eu/ T 0.16V Sα *Last year’spresentation

15. 15 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Equipment Selection andLayout • ControlEquipment • Relays • Use remote relays whenpossible • » Reduces fire protection requirements for certaincables • » Improves supervision of controlledequipment • SmokeManagement • Often done by BAS system but should be byFAS • » Very few BAS systems are listed for smokecontrol • functions • Have the BAS relinquish control of equipment on fire alarmbut allow the BAS control the return to normal operation after afire event • Where complicated control sequences are requiredinvolving • system feedback, connect the FAS directly to the fancontroller

16. 16 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Drawings andSpecifications • Separate fire alarm from other electrical drawings wheneverpossible • Combine reflected ceiling (lighting) and floor plan (power) intoone • Show interference elements from othersystems • Diffusers, Bulkheads, CeilingHeaters • Coordinate notes with specificationitems • Eliminates duplication or worse contradictoryinformation • Drawing specifications or bookspecifications • Let the project complexity decide but don’t mix andmatch • Show zone boundaries and provide a zoneschedule • Provide a riser schematic for networkcommunications • Provide a sequence of operations chart for complicated signallingor automated smokemanagement. • Don’t ask for anything you don’t want or need and check to ensureyou • get all of the items that you have askedfor.

17. 17 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Commissioning andAcceptance • Annunicators • Check communication between annunciator and controlequipment (especially when the annunciator is not a networknode) • Integratedcommissioning • Plan early, develop checklists with specific test scenariosand expectedresults. • Don’t start until verification procedures arecomplete • Verification reports and acceptancetesting • Insist on and become familiar with proper verificationreports • Don’t rely on a certificate as proof ofcompliance • Conduct your own acceptancetesting • Commissioning of Life Safety and Fire ProtectionSystems • Where life safety and fire protection systems are installed to comply with the provisions of this Code or the Fire Code made under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997, the commissioning of these integrated systems must be performed as a whole to ensure the proper operation and inter-relationship between thesystems.

18. 18 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Commissioning andAcceptance • Network communicationtesting • Do this first and pay it enoughattention • Can usually be done as an interim step inacceptance

19. 19 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Miscellaneous • Elevators • TSSA requirements of fire alarm systems are differentthan OBC/NBCrequirements. • Seek clarification of requirements from elevator designer early onin project to avoid problems during acceptance of the elevator installation lateron. • Generators • Permitted to provide emergency power to fire alarm systemwith reduced requirement for batteries (2 hrs of supervisiononly) • Must be connected to FAS to report fault whereused • Separate reporting requirements from CSA 282 can easilybe covered by the FAS at the sametime. • FirePumps • Reporting requirements now include all NFPA 20 supervisionitems OBC3.2.4.10.(4)

20. 20 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices • Miscellaneous • ElectromagneticLocks • Ensure that enough attention is paid to the installation, modification or extension of asystem • Ensure the existing system operates as required beforemodification • Don’t forget the emergency lighting and signagerequirements • Try to avoid electromagnetic locks unless control of the doorway in the direction of egress travel isrequired • Monitoring • Compliance with both ULC 559 and ULC 561 is required for this aspect of the systeminstallation • Be a betterdesigner • Develop and use design tools to help speed up design tasks and ensure proper spacing in allcircumstances • Pay attention to industry updates and publications to keepyour • knowledge and skills up todate

21. 21 Fire Alarm Engineering BestPractices William Kuffner, M.A.Sc, P.Eng, PMP Director – Fire Protection Engineering william.kuffner@wspgroup.com (613-)729-2800 ext19247