Building Services ll Assignment
- 1. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 1 of 33 BACHELOR OF QUANTITY SURVEYING BLD 60503 BUILDING SERVICES II GROUP ASSIGNMENT CASE STUDY OF FIRE PROTECTION IN TAYLOR’S LAKESIDE CAMPUS Lecturer : Mr. Tan Hee Chai Name : Tan Jia Yi (0319476) Yap Jia En (0319550) Yeo Dor Een (0316224) Lee Ren Jet (0319058) NgahYea Zhe (0323204) Elliot Pang Tiu Seng (0319438) JacksonTing Shii Hang (0324326)
- 2. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 2 of 33 TABLE OF CONTENT Content Page No. Introduction 3 Objectives 4 Fire Safety Measures 5~6 Causes Of Fire 7~10 Effects Of Fire 11~15 Active Fire Protection 16~21 Passive Fire Protection 22~30 Recommendations 31~32 Conclusion 33
- 3. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 3 of 33 Introduction Since our ancestors discovered the existence of fire, it had been widely used in many purposes. For instance, human use it to cook their food, making them more tasty and as well as being hygiene. The wide usage of fire had leaded us to a greater stage of development in human history, as it had given us comfort for life needs such as warmth, protection, health and more. However, anything is a double-edged sword. Even though with those benefits, it is also a disaster that human have been suffering since ancient. Without proper care for it, it will be putting our life in danger as well. For instance, leaving stove open unsupervised may cause a great explosion. Fire is catastrophic, as it had caused many people homeless. Out of your expectation, you may even lose your nice and cozy house in one night due to inferno. Nowadays, even with those modern technologies, fire proofing is still a concern to take care of. Nothing can be survived under the invasion of blaze. As a result, whole nation is trying to develop a fire protection measure to diminish the attack on inferno. Although the system developed currently is still not a 100 percent fireproof, it still results in a great reduction in fire occurrence. What is fire protection? It is a study that concentrates on lower the frequency of destructive fire. It is inclusive of the study about the behavior, compartmentalization, suppression and investigation of fire and its related emergencies. There are 3 basic essentials of fire protection: I. Study of fire: To learn why fire disaster occurs, fire extinguishing techniques, detection and extinguishing equipment usage, and the rules and regulation of the building. II. Active fire protection: Includes manual or automatic detection of fire, the use of fire and smoke alarms, firefighting and first aid. III. Passive Fire Protection: Design of building and infrastructures, use of fire resistance material in construction, provision of isolating fire, fire walls and doors, smoke doors, training of firefighting, signage, markings and evacuation of building in case of fire.
- 4. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 4 of 33 Objectives To understand the design of fire protection system for various type of high rise buildings. To identify the main causes and effects of fire breakout in high rise buildings. Engage in inquiry-based learning where students learn to acquire skills to research, analyze and evaluate material which is relevant to a particular project; Evaluate all relevant aspects of management and other specialism taking account of regulations, the needs of society and ethical correctness; Convey results of work effectively both orally and in writing; Encourage leadership, effective group dynamics and self-development; Understand the logical sequence of local construction practices on safety and health; Use of IT and communicate effectively; To distribute the roles given in assignment to group members appropriately. To be able to supervise the working process of group members. To promote concept of teamwork in the group. To enable students to enhance their knowledge about fire breakout and its protection measures.
- 5. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 5 of 33 Fire SafetyMeasures According to UBBL 1984, Section 255: 1. Every building shall be provided with means of detecting and extinguishing fire and with fire alarms together with illuminated exit sign in signs in accordance with the requirements as specified in the Tenth Schedule to these by laws. 2. Under UBBL 1984, Section 153: Smoke detectors for lift. All lift lobbies shall be provided with smoke detectors. Lift not opening into a smoke lobby shall not use door. Reopening devices controlled by light beam or photo detectors unless incorporated with a force close features which after thirty second of any unless incorporated with a force close feature which a thirty seconds of any interruption of the beam causes to door to close within a preset-time.
- 6. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 6 of 33 3. According to UBBL 1984, Section 237: Fire alarms shall be provided in accordance with the tenth schedule to these by laws. All premises and building with gross floor area excluding car park and storage area exceeding 9290 square meters or exceeding 30.5m in height shall be install fire alarms. Provided with a two-stage alarm system with evacuation (continuous signal) shall be given immediately in the effected section of the premises while an alert. (Intermittent signal) be given adjoining section Provison should be made for the general evacuation of the premises by action of a master control. 4. Under to UBBL 1984,Section 228: Sprinkler valves shall be located in a safe and enclosed position on the exterior wall and shall be readily accessible to the Fire Authority. All sprinkler systems shall be electricity connected to the nearest fire station to provide immediate and automatic relay of the alarm when activated.
- 7. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 7 of 33 Main Causes and Effects of Fire in High Rise Buildings Causes Of Fire a. Electrical & Lighting Electrical fires can have a number of different origins. They can be caused by an equipment malfunction, from an overloaded circuit or extension cord, or from an overheated light bulb, space heater, washer, dryer or other appliance. Overloaded extension cords, power strips and outlets are one of the leading causes of fires. b. Flammable Liquids Flammable liquids – those fuels, solvents, cleaning agents, thinners, adhesives, paints, and other raw materials which can be ignited or cause explosion if stored improperly. The vapours can easily ignite from even just high temperatures or weak ignition sources (one spark of static electricity). Don’t store flammable liquids near a heating source but, ideally, in a cool ventilated area with approved containers.
- 8. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 8 of 33 c. Smoking Fires caused by careless smoking result in more collegiate fatalities than any other ignition source. Most smoking-related fires begin when someone abandons or improperly disposes of smoking materials. Most fires caused by smoking materials start inside, so it’s better and safer to smoke outside.
- 9. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 9 of 33 d. Candles Causes of candle fires include leaving them unattended in a room or someone playing with the candles. Even something as simple as knocking a candle over when someone bumps a table they're sitting on is enough to spark a fire. Report shows that 20 percent of university housing fires in bedrooms are started by candles. More than half of all candle fires occur when a combustible material is too close to the candle, with the most common materials being bedding and curtains. e. Cooking Equipment When a pot or pan overheats or splatters greases, it can take seconds to cause a fire. Stay in the kitchen when cooking, especially when using oil or high temperatures; most kitchen fires occur because people get distracted and leave their cooking unattended. Keep combustibles (e.g. oven mitts, dish towels, paper towels) away from heat sources. One of the causes fire occurs in university is due to unattended cooking in university restaurants or student’s learning kitchen.
- 10. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 10 of 33 f. Inadequate Wiring Many places can be found to have inadequate wiring – a fire and an electrical hazard. There are some warning signs such as the moment you have to disconnect one appliance to plug in another, when you have to use extension cords or “octopus” outlets extensively, when fuses blow or circuit breakers trip frequently or when lights dim when you use another appliance.
- 11. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 11 of 33 Effects of Fire a. Smoke (airborne products of combustion) Fire will produce smoke which is a collection of tiny solid, liquid and gas particles. Although smoke can contain hundreds of different chemicals and fumes, visible smoke is mostly carbon (soot), tar, oils and ash. It occurs when there is incomplete combustion (not enough oxygen to burn the fuel completely). In complete combustion, everything is burned, producing just water and carbon dioxide. When incomplete combustion occurs, not everything is burned. Smoke is a collection of these tiny unburned particles. Each particle is too small to see with your eyes, but when they come together, you see them as smoke. It is very toxic (Primarily due to HCN- Hydrogen Cyanide and CO-Carbon Monoxide). A hydrogen cyanide concentration of 300 mg/m3 in air will kill a human within about 10 minutes whereas its concentration of 3500ppm (about 3200 mg/m3) will kill a human in about 1 minute ( gaseous hydrogen cyanide is approximately 5% lighter than air). Carbon monoxide poisoning is the most common type of fatal air poisoning in many countries. It is colourless, odorless, and tasteless, but highly toxic. It combines with hemoglobin to produce carboxyhemoglobin, which is ineffective for delivering oxygen to bodily tissues. Concentrations as low as 667ppm may cause up to 50% of the body's hemoglobin to convert to carboxyhemoglobin. A level of 50% carboxyhemoglobin may result in seizure, coma, and fatality (it is about 3% lighter than air).
- 12. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 12 of 33 b. Vertical Transportation System During fire, some elevator doors are unable to close properly because of air rushing into the shaft from the lobby entrances. The doors will have to be forcefully closed. Building guards and those manning lifts are often asked to switch off the power mains. This is to prevent the fire from spreading along the electrical circuit and to the rest of the building. People will get stuck indefinitely and die of suffocation in lifts because of the smoke inside the lifts. In modern systems, lifts are designed in such a way that they stop working automatically in case of fire alarms going off. There is every possibility of the lift breaking down or stopping to work even if power mains are not switched off deliberately. Therefore, it is very dangerous to use lifts during fire. If people trapped in lifts, it will increase worry and pressure and works for rescuers to rescue people and extinguish fire.
- 13. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 13 of 33 c. Explosion Fire also can cause explosion. An explosion is characterized by the sudden release of energy, producing a shock wave, or blast wave, that may be capable of causing remote damage. Normally, explosion is caused by the ignition of a flammable gas/air mixture which is confined within an item of a plant or indeed within any confining structure or enclosure. d. Building Construction Materials Wood is a common building material. It can be used to build commercial or residential buildings. Wood also burns and in doing so gives away its mass. The more mass a section of wood, the more material it must burn away before strength is lost. This is true of native wood-that is. Engineered wood can react differently when exposed to heat from fire. Engineered wood includes a host of products that take many pieces of native wood and glue them together to make a sheet, longer beam.
- 14. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 14 of 33 Steel is a mixture of carbon and iron ore heated and rolled into structural shapes to form elements for a building. It has excellent tensile, shear, and compressive strength. For this reason, steel is a popular choice for girders, lintels, cantilevered beams and columns. Besides, it is easily to change shape, increase its strength, and otherwise manipulate it during production in factory. As it relates to fires, steel loses strength as temperatures increase. The specific range of temperatures depends on how the steel was manufactured. Cold drawn steel, like cables, bolts, rebar and lightweight fasteners, loses 55 percent of its strength at 800F ̊. Extruded structural steel used for beams and columns loses 50 percent of its strength at 1,100F ̊. Structural steel will also elongate or expand as temperatures rise. At 1,000 F ̊, a 100-foot-long beam will elongate 10 inches. Imagine what that could do to a building. If a beam is fixed at two ends, it will try to expand-and likely deform, buckle and collapse. If the beam sits in a pocket of a masonry wall, it will stretch outward and place a shear force on the wall-which was designed only for a compressive force. This could knock down the whole wall! Because steel is an excellent conductor of heat, it will carry heat of a fire to other combustibles. This can cause additional fire spread, sometimes a considerable distance from the original fire.
- 15. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 15 of 33 Concrete is a mixture of cement, sand, gravel and water. It has excellent compressive strength when cured. The curing process creates a chemical reaction that bonds the mixture to achieve strength. The final strength of concrete depends on the ratio of these materials, especially the ratio of water to cement. Because concrete has poor tensile and shear strength, steel is added as reinforcement. All concrete contains some moisture and continues to absorb moisture as it ages. When heated, this moisture content will expand, causing the concrete to crack or spall. Spalling refers to a large pocket of concrete that has basically crumbled into fine particles, taking away the mass of the concrete. Reinforcing steel that has been exposed to a fire can transmit heat within the concrete, causing catastrophic spalling and failure of the structure. Unlike steel, concrete is a heat sink and tends to absorb and retain heat rather than conduct it. This heat is not easily reduced. Concrete can stay hot long after the fire is out, causing additional thermal stress to firefighters performing overhaul.
- 16. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 16 of 33 FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM The fire protection system plays a big role that particularly prevents the fire from spreading around the building. It also reduces the impact of uncontrolled fire and protects people and property from getting burned. Fire protection system consists of 2 methods, which are active fire protection method and passive fire protection method. 1. Active fire protection methods Active fire protection is the process of protecting a building or structure from fire with methods that use the action of moving parts. These systems can be automatic, or operated manual. These systems play an important role of protecting property and the lives of the people within. An important factor that active fire protection systems share is that they involve action of some kind. Active fire protection entails systems or items that require some degree of response and motion. The active fire protection will start to detect the fire first, which is done by locating heat, smoke or flames. In such instances the fire alarm will be activated and the emergency services will also alert the people to escape the building immediately.
- 17. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 17 of 33 a. Fire Extinguishers A fire extinguisher is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire. Fire extinguishers usually located around emergency areas. It also consists of a hand-held cylindrical pressure vessel containing an agent which can be discharged to extinguish a fire. In our case study, Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus, fire extinguishers that are used are mostly (ABC) dry powder extinguishers. The fire extinguishers are red in colour with small blue stripes and it is located most of the floor at each block of Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus. These extinguishers put out fires by coating the fuel with a thin layer of the retardant powder, separating the fuel of oxygen. It is also generally used for class A, B and C fires.
- 18. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 18 of 33 b. Sprinkler system A fire sprinkler system is an active fire protection method, consisting of a water supply system, providing adequate pressure and flowrate to a water distribution piping system, onto which fire sprinklers are connected. Fire sprinkler systems react so quickly, that they can dramatically reduce the heat, flames, and smoke produced in a fire. Fire sprinklers have been around for more than a century, protecting commercial and industrial properties, public buildings and reducing injuries from fire. Sprinkler system that Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus uses is wet pipe fire sprinkler system. There are many sprinkler heads around the campus. It is most commonly used and the water is also constantly maintained within the sprinkler piping. The bulb of the sprinkler will block the flow of the water. During the fire, a sprinkle bulb will expand and shatter which also activates the water onto the fire immediately.
- 19. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 19 of 33 c. Fire Alarm Bell Fire Alarm Bell is one of the most important components in fire protection system. It alerts the building's occupants and fire emergency organizations for evacuations. A fire alarm system is number of devices working together to detect and warn people through visual and audio appliances when smoke, fire, carbon monoxide or other emergencies are present. These alarms may be activated from smoke detectors, and heat detectors. Alarms can be either motorised bells or wall mountable sounders or horns. In Taylor’s Lakeside University Campus, fire alarm bells are installed throughout the building along with other active fire protections like sprinkler system and fire extinguishers.
- 20. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 20 of 33 d. Fire Break Glass Alarm Fire Break Glass Alarm is part of the active fire protection system. It allows occupants to activate the fire alarm and alert the fire brigade easily. The glass is easy to break with a fist and button inside the red panel can contact the fire brigade if it is pressed. In Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus, fire break alarms are installed throughout the building along with other active fire protections to allow occupants to evacuate safely.
- 21. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 21 of 33 e. Hose Reel Hose Reel is part of the wet riser systems which are installed in building for fire fighting purposes and it is permanently charged with water from the pump. It is an equipment for a first aid measure by the occupants. A hose reel is usually provided with up to 45m of reinforced rubber hose. The water are supplied directly from the mains so that occupants can start extinguish the fire without calling the brigade. Hose Reel tends to appear a lot in Taylor’s Lakeside Campus. It is usually fixed along the corridor on each floor. The hose reel is able to extend and used for fire extinguishing.
- 22. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 22 of 33 2. Passive Fire Protection As its name suggests, passive fire protection (PFP) is a form of fire safety provision that remains dormant, or inert, during normal conditions but becomes active in a fire situation. It is an integral component of structural fire protection in a building, which is designed to contain fires or slow their spread. The purpose of PFP is to contain the spread of fire for sufficient time to permit the safe evacuation of all occupants of the premises and the arrival of the fire brigade. The person responsible for fire safety also has a duty of care towards any members of the emergency services, e.g. fire fighters, who may have to enter the premises during the course of a fire; in slowing the spread of flames, smoke and hot gases, PFP also serves to ensure the building remains as safe as possible for entry in this situation. There are 2 types of passive fire protection systems which can be found in Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus: i) Compartmentation ii) Means of escape a. Compartmentation It is a concept that reduces the likelihood of smoke inhalation-deaths. These products of combustion must be contained in the area of origin. A large building is subdivided so that a fire starting anywhere is caged within its cell of origin. Compartmentation is referred to in many different ways: fire walls (and floors); fire separation; protected corridors / stairs etc. For example, fire door and fire damper. Fire compartmentation in a building can helps to Prevents the rapid spread of fire which could trap the occupants of a building. Reduces the chance of fires growing and creating a danger to occupants, fire and rescue services, and people in the vicinity of the building. Limits the damage caused to a building and its contents.
- 23. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 23 of 33 Fire door Fire door is used as part of a passive fire protection system in Taylor’s University, help to compartmentalize a building. It can reduce the spread of fire or smoke between compartments and to enable safe egress from a building or structure or ship. Doors of the classroom in Taylor’s University are fire door, which is a door with a fire-resistance rating.
- 24. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 24 of 33 b. Means of escape Means of escape is a continuous, unobstructed path for evacuees from any point in a building to a public way. The effectiveness of all the exits can be ensured by equipping with proper opening and locking hardware, clear exits discharge to a public way, use proper type of door and opens in the direction of travels, provides clear and unobstructed access to all exits. The principle on which means of escape provisions are based is that the time available for escape (an assessment of the length of time between the fire starting and it making the means of escape from the workplace unsafe) is greater than the time needed for escape (the length of time it will take everyone to evacuate once a fire has been discovered and warning given). There are a few types of exit, which are corridors, exit passageway, exit doors, interior stairs and exterior stairs. Fireman telephone It provides two-way communication in Fire Alarm System. Fireman Telephone Communicator panel operates and controls the fireman telephone system through inserting the Fireman Telephone Handset to the telephone jack to connect with the system lines. Indicators and controllers can be located inside the communication panel. When the handset is inserted to the fireman line telephone jack during an emergency it will automatically call or ring the Fireman Telephone Communicator Panel. Fireman telephone is mounted on wall near the fire exit staircase at every floor in Taylor’s University.
- 25. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 25 of 33 Fire Escape Plan ` A fire escape plan is for use by the public and occupants in case of a fire as well as for the fire fighters. A good fire escape plan should therefore be clearly visible, with legible lettering and the fire escape route made clear to the readers. It should clearly show the layout of the floor in the correct building orientation and highlight the escape routes (in relation to viewer’s location), escape corridors and exit staircases using appropriate colors, directional signs and words. Other information required on the plan is for firefighting purposes and these include the following: (1) Firemen’s lift (2) Hose reels (3) Extinguishers (4) Dry and wet risers (5) Manual alarm call points Fire Escape Plan can be found on wall beside elevator at every floor in Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus.
- 26. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 26 of 33 Fire exit doors A fire exit door is a special exit for emergencies such as a fire: the combined use of regular and special exits allows for faster evacuation, while it also provides an alternative if the route to the regular exit is blocked by fire, etc. All doors on escape routes leading towards a final exit should be quick and easy to open without the need for a key. It is always indicated with an exit (“keluar”) sign above the door and also the corridor along the routes of escape. This is to make sure people may evacuate the place using the right path during fire. Fire exit doors are located at corridors of every floor in Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus. Exit, “keluar” sign can be found at corridor along the routes of escape to.
- 27. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 27 of 33 Fireman’s elevator Fireman’s elevator is a type of elevator which enables firefighters to use in order to rescue people who may be trapped on upper floors during an event of fire in the building. Fireman’s elevators are typically a normal passenger or service elevators, and they have the fireman’s service mode activated by a switch. Fire Emergency Return Operation (FER) In the event of a fire, car is automatically moved to Evacuation Floor. Fire Emergency Return Switch shown in flowchart below is provided either around the Hall Call Buttons or on the Supervisory Panel. Please note that details of the Fire Emergency Return Operation and the type of labeling of the Fire Emergency Return Switch may vary depending on the applicable codes and regulations. *1 Evacuation Floor is defined as a predetermined floor in the building where passengers can evacuate safely. Fireman’s elevator can be found at every floor in Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus.
- 28. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 28 of 33 Most common operation flow is shown below.
- 29. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 29 of 33 Fireman’s Emergency Operation (FE) Elevator operated by a firefighter for firefighting purposes. Location and function of Fireman’s Emergency Operation Switch may vary depending on applicable codes and regulations. Common operation flow is shown below. Operation may vary depending on applicable codes and regulations.
- 30. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 30 of 33 Fire Exit Staircase Fire exit staircase usually mounted to the outside of a building or occasionally inside but separate from the main areas of the building. It provides a method of escape in the event of a fire or other emergency that makes the stairwells inside a building inaccessible. Fire Exit staircase can be found behind fire exit door at every floor in Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus.
- 31. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 31 of 33 Recommendations offire protectionsystems in a high-rise building (i) Extra Water Supply: This can be done by obtaining from underground tank of the capacity of one lakh liters and two lakh liters for the buildings situated inside and outside the local authority respectively be invariably provided in all the high rise buildings. Water in the normal use tank should come only through the overflow of fire tank so provided. (ii) Within a high rise building, the internal fire hydrants can be installed as provided in the building. The owner of the building should prepare a detailed plan showing the arrangement of pipe lines, booster pumps and water-tanks at various levels shall be submitted for approval of the concerned authority along with the plans and sections of the buildings. (iii) In case of high rise buildings, an external fire hydrant shall be provided within the confines of the site of the building and shall be connected with Municipal Water mains not less than 4″ in diameter. In addition, fire hydrant shall be connected with Booster Pump from the static supply maintained on site. (iv) In case of high rise buildings separation of electric circuits for lift installation, lighting of passages, corridors and stairs and for internal fire hydrant system shall be provided. (v) Every building having a height of more than 25 meters shall be provided with diesel generators which can be utilized in case of failure of the electricity. (vi) There should be Provision of dry-powder fire extinguisher to the extent of two on each floor with a capacity of 5 kg, in all the high rise buildings.
- 32. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 32 of 33 (vii) In high rise buildings, the internal fire hydrants shall be installed as provided in the National Building Code or as prescribed in the Indian Standard Code of practice for installation of internal fire hydrants in high rise buildings. The detailed plan showing the arrangement of pipe lines, booster pumps and water-tanks at various levels shall be submitted for approval of the concerned authority along with the plans and sections of the buildings. (viii) In case of high rise buildings, an external fire hydrant shall be provided within the confines of the site of the building and shall be connected with Municipal Water mains not less than 4″ in diameter. In addition, fire hydrant shall be connected with Booster Pump from the static supply maintained on site. (ix) Every building having a height of more than 25 meters shall be provided with diesel generators or any backup electric generator which can be utilized in case of failure of the electricity
- 33. BUILDING SERVICES II Page 33 of 33 Conclusion Through this assignment, we have learned that fire protection in a building is essential for the sake of safety. Even though fire protection system really helps us in reducing the frequency of fire disasters in our country, we should not be too relying on the system and ignore the education that should be implanted in our mind. Together with those protecting systems, we should also enhance ourselves with the knowledge of self-protection when the fire occurs. However, people in this country seem like they are lack of the concept about the power of fire protection system. They are unaware of their situation and laid themselves in a cozy environment. Under this situation, they will for sure be completely terrified and unable to perform any reaction. In a nutshell, although fire protection provides a great warranty, we are still having the responsibilities to improve our ability as well. Training or exercise should be done so that we will know how to resist against the inferno.