FIRE SAFETY DESIGN

When undertaking building work, constructing a new building, an extension or significant alteration to an existing building within the UK and Ireland, the Building Regulations apply.

REGULATORY APPROVAL

Approval from the Authority Having Jurisdiction (Regulator) will need to be obtained where planning requirements and the building regulations apply. We can help with your design throughout; from concept to handover and use of the building.

We can provide support throughout the project and help you design your building to a prescriptive (code-compliant) or a performance-based (fire engineered) design which will achieve compliance with the fire safety aspects of the Building Regulations and the requirements of fire safety legislation.

In Ireland, under the Building Control Act 1990/2007, a Fire Safety Certificate is required where the requirements of Part B of the Building Regulations will apply. This includes most new buildings (except a single dwelling house), where certain works to existing buildings is carried out and where a material alteration or change of use applies. We have the expertise to assist you in applying to the local authority for a Fire Safety Certificate.

PLAN REVIEW

The building regulations set 'functional requirements' which must be met. These requirements ensure that the building is designed and constructed to ensure reasonable standards of health and safety for people and to provide reasonable facilities to assist firefighters in the protection of life.

There are three approaches which the designer can take to demonstrate that the 'functional requirements' have been met. Depending on the complexity of the building and degree of flexibility required with the design, the three approaches are the 'general approach', 'advanced approach' and 'fire safety engineering'.

To ensure that your proposed plans meet the 'functional requirements' of the building regulations and fire safety legislation, we can carry out plan check and review offering advice, help and summarising the fire safety criteria for your project. As well as meeting life safety requirements, we can also advise on property protection, business continuity and environmental risks during the process if you wish. It can be extremely costly if you get it wrong, by engaging a competent fire safety consultant early on in the process this can ensure that the design and construction process is correct from the start.

CODE-COMPLIANT FIRE SAFETY DESIGN

The interpretation and application of building design codes can be challenging. Our team of fire safety engineers and consultants will document the level of code-compliance, producing reports to outline the results of the plan review against the criteria.

We can advise where there are issues with compliance and propose alternative approaches or solutions, communicating proposed design solutions and negotiating positive outcomes that will meet the expectations of the Authorities Having Jurisdiction.

This is an integral part of our service and is an area of particular strength built on decades of experience working within private fire engineering practices, building control and the Fire and Rescue Service.

PERFORMANCE BASED FIRE SAFETY DESIGN

For most buildings, traditional code-compliant design will achieve the required outcome. Designing buildings to traditional design codes is not always practical especially where buildings are large and complex and can limit flexibility of the design from an architectural intent or building use point of view.

Where this applies to your project, our engineers can apply fire safety engineering principles to justify deviations from the codes, demonstrating that your project meets or exceeds the prescriptive requirements and thus achieve a satisfactory level of safety.