The last decade has seen a shift to a more dynamic regulatory framework with regular adjustments and revisions. This, combined with an increasing rate of innovation and production, as well as clearer and more transitory trends in the design and layout of multi-family buildings, has led to the emergence of a number of new challenges in the design of fire protection. With the appropriate skills and up-to-date knowledge of the current rules and their purpose, as well as in-depth knowledge of the technical design process, many of these challenges can be addressed in the right way at the right stage. This ensures a high level of fire protection, while preventing unnecessary costs in the design and production process. Based on our experience since the publication of the new Planning and Construction Act (PBL) in 2010 and the nine editions of the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning’s Building Regulations (BBR) that have been issued since then, we have identified many challenges that recur with great regularity in multi-family buildings. The aim and purpose of this article is to highlight these challenges and show how the right solutions at the right stages of a project can address them in such a way that, instead of growing into major problems, they become a distinct and natural part of the design and construction process.
EXAMPLES OF ISSUES THAT HAVE A HIGH RISK OF ESCALATING IF MISSED AT THE RIGHT STAGE?
There are almost as many different fire safety issues as there are projects, so it is obviously impossible to summarise them all in one article in a limited number of pages. Our ambition has been to cover the issues that we regard as recurring, and where there are very significant benefits from addressing them at the right stage of the project. Although many major issues are still missing, such as how best to effect evacuation on more than four floors, or what the load-bearing requirement is for external roofs, we hope that the cases we raise can prevent unnecessary headaches in at least some projects. The checklist presented can be seen as a first check for the client and project manager when it is appropriate to make an additional check with the fire consultant. The questions are then presented in a little more detail, together with suggestions under each paragraph and figure for solving them in the best possible way.
Author:
Mattias Arnqvist, FSD Göteborg AB
Petter Karlsson, FSD Malmö AB
