Fire Engineering Strategy Case Study - Belle Vue Apartments

The Benefits. The installation of a residential fire sprinkler system throughout the residential accommodation provides a number of design freedoms from full compliance with Building Regulations Approved Document B. (Known as ADB).

The Requirement. The open plan layout of many of the flats and apartments, creates inner room situations whereby persons needing to escape have to exit through the access room (lounge/kitchen area)

Areas Most At Risk. The largest possible fire would occur in the kitchen/living area in the proposed building. The optimum period for a flashover to occur would be during periods when little or no ventilation is provided to the compartment, either when unoccupied or at night.              The Risk Details. Calculations based on established fire engineering principles would indicate a flashover in the region of 6 minutes with temperatures in excess of 500ºc.   The Trade Off. Where the guidance of ADB is not fully met it has been judged that the protection afforded by residential sprinklers is at least equivalent to that of ADB.