A European Residential Sprinkler
System Design, Installation and
Maintenance Standard
London, 21 May 2014
Alan Brinson
Agenda
Agenda
The Need for a European Standard
Agenda
The Need for a European Standard
Input Sources and Activity to Date
Agenda
The Need for a European Standard
Input Sources and Activity to Date
Structure of the Draft Standard
Agenda
The Need for a European Standard
Input Sources and Activity to Date
Structure of the Draft Standard
Some Open Issues and Next Steps
The Need for a European
Standard
We need a standard to support this
Sprinkler
And this!
Why do we need a standard?
 We are campaigning for sprinklers to be required in
high-risk residential buildings, such as care homes
 Fire safety regulators want a national standard as a
reference – they will not accept NFPA 13R or 13D
 Many officials believe that sprinklers are too expensive
for housing and are unaware of residential systems
 A national residential system standard would advance
the national debate and national campaigns
 It would complement prEN 12259-14, the residential
sprinkler component standard
Some countries have a standard!
2000: UK – DD 251
2004: France – CNPP Code of Practice (not a standard)
2005: UK – BS 9251 (replaced DD 251)
2005: Netherlands – Memorandum 59
2009: Nordic – INSTA 900-1
2013: Germany – VdS 2896 Code of Practice
2014: Netherlands – NEN 2077 (replaced Memo 59)
But…
 Most countries do not have a national standard
 Some of these national standards have good ideas that
others could use
 Some have clauses that significantly increase costs
 Working together, we can produce a European standard
that brings together our best ideas
 CEN standards automatically become national standards
Input Sources and
Activity to Date
Input Sources
• BS 9251
• INSTA 900-1
• CEA residential annex (never published)
• NFPA 13R and 13D
• And suggestions from committee members!
Activity to Date
• Working off INSTA 900-1 since in CEN format
• Held five meetings with 10-18 participants and
5-10 countries represented
• Addressed differences between INSTA 900-1,
BS 9251 and CEA draft
• Included committee learning from field,
research on anti-freeze, proposed changes to
INSTA 900-1, BS 9251, NFPA 13R and 13D
Not in the standard!
Structure of the Draft
Standard
Structure of the Draft Standard
 Foreword with background to residential sprinklers
 Introduction with P&IDs to show the concept
 Scope (as agreed with CEN for EN 12845)
Scope
Building type 1 (the least hazardous)
One or 2 family dwelling / house
Single apartment in an unsprinklered building
Manufactured home
Building type 2
Apartments / block of flats
House with multiple households using shared facilities
Care home / nursing home (excluding hospitals) / kindergarten
Student accommodation
Building type 2 is limited to buildings with up to 4 storeys above ground
Building type 3
Building type 2 higher than 4 storeys and hotels up to 4 storeys
Structure of the Draft Standard







Foreword with background to residential sprinklers
Introduction with P&IDs to show the concept
Scope (as agreed with CEN for EN 12845)
Normative references
Terms & definitions
Contract planning & documentation
Extent of sprinkler protection
Extent of sprinkler protection
Areas not requiring sprinklers:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
bathrooms < 5 m2 (no combustibles, washing machines)
normally unoccupied attics
shadow areas
normally unoccupied rooms
open balconies/corridors/stairs/porches;
crawl spaces
enclosed vertical shafts
Structure of the Draft Standard










Foreword with background to residential sprinklers
Introduction with P&IDs to show the concept
Scope (as agreed with CEN for EN 12845)
Normative references
Terms & definitions
Contract planning & documentation
Extent of sprinkler protection
Hydraulic design and pipe layout
Water supplies
Type of Water Supply






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Structure of the Draft Standard,
contd.
Pumps
Installation type and size
Spacing and location of sprinklers
Sprinkler design characteristics and uses
Valves
Alarms and alarm devices
Pipe work
Signs, notices and information
Commissioning and acceptance tests
Inspection, testing and maintenance
Structure of the Draft Standard,
contd.




Annex A (informative) Zoning
Annex B (normative) Sprinkler systems monitoring
Annex C (normative) Transmission of alarms
Annex D (informative) Precautions and procedures
when a system is not fully operational
 Annex E (informative) Inspection of pipes and
sprinklers
 Annex F (informative) New technology
Some open issues and next steps
Some open issues – General
European standard, technical specification or
technical report (EN, TS or TR)?
 Only a standard will be accepted in the market
and by officials as a reference
 Several countries have experience with
national standards, the technology is mature so
we are ready to prepare a European standard
Some open issues – Scope
Area limit for Type 2 (care homes to 4 storeys)?
 No area limit in BS 9251, INSTA 900-1, NFPA 13R
Height limit for Type 3 (apartments > 4 storeys)?
 BS 9251 – 20m; NFPA 13R – 4 storeys but INSTA
900-1 no limit
 Limit in BS 9251 overruled by British regulator:
“Fire does not know it is on the 15th storey”
Some open issues – Design
Type of
residential
sprinkler
system
Minimum design
discharge density
(mm/min)
Number of
design
sprinklers
Minimum
duration of
water supply
(minutes)
1
2,04
1-2
10
2
2,04
1-4
30
3
2,04
4
30
Should density be greater for Type 2 and Type 3?
Number of design sprinklers for Type 2 and Type 3?
Some more open issues
Are the pump requirements too onerous?
 Mainly from EN 12845 – chapter needs work
Do we allow dry systems and anti-freeze?
 They are in the draft but dry systems are vulnerable
to corrosion and anti-freeze is combustible
 Yet there are ways round both problems
Next steps
 Send the draft for enquiry (comments) late
2014
 We may work on it a little more first
 Work through comments in 2015 and send for
vote late 2015
 Publication autumn 2016 (I hope!)
Thank you for your attention
Alan Brinson
brinson@eurosprinkler.org
www.eurosprinkler.org
+44 20 8877 2600