IMPROVE SPACIOUS SAFETY
The most important part of fire protection is to ensure the possibility of adequate evacuation in case of fire. This can be ensured either by complying with all the conditions set out in the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning’s (Boverket) building regulations, with regard to walking distances, clear door widths, the number of persons, etc., or by designing the evacuation routes of the premises using performance based solutions.
A useful tool for designing he evacuation routes of premises is the use of various simulation models. Evacuation simulations can be used to analyse all or part of an evacuation process, identify potential bottlenecks and take effective measures to improve evacuation safety.
There are various reasons why evacuation processes from premises are analysed using this method. The most common reason is the desire for greater flexibility in the design of the building, when the developer or client wishes to deviate from one or more of the conditions set out in Boverket’s building regulations (for example, large open assembly rooms where the walking distance to the escape route exceeds what is normally acceptable). In these cases, the developer must demonstrate that satisfactory evacuation safety is still achieved, which we can help with in the context of evacuation design.
The earlier we become involved, the easier it is to find a solution that matches your needs and meets official requirements. This type of design also often results in financial savings, as the design of escape routes according to Boverket’s building regulations for certain types of premises risks being both complicated and expensive.
Evacuation simulations may also be required in complex buildings where manual solutions do not work, such as buildings with more than 16 storeys, buildings with certain types of assembly rooms, healthcare facilities, complex underground buildings, etc.
For larger complex premises, evacuation analyses are usually combined with fire and smoke calculations/simulations. This allows comparison of the time it takes to evacuate a premises with the time until critical conditions arise. For smaller premises, simplified calculation methods can be used, reducing the time required.
Do you need help with evacuation design? Don’t hesitate to contact us!
