Engineering and Design of Fire Alarm Systems

Transcription

1 Engineering and Design of Fire Alarm Systems Presented by: John P. Stoppi Jr., PE, FPE, CBO, CFI Stoppi Engineering

2 About the Presenter: John P. Stoppi Jr., PE, FPE, CBO, CFI Dual Registered as a Fire Protection Engineer and Mechanical Engineer in NJ, NY, PA & NC. Certified Code Enforcement Official Over 10 years of progressive experience in FP engineering, code consulting, and code enforcement in the public, private, military, and int l sectors Page 2

3 Course Outline 1. Public vs. Private Clients 2. Client Needs 3. Proposal Phase 4. Building and Occupancy Assessment 5. SD, DD, CD Phases 6. Bidding 7. Construction Administration 8. Inspections, Punch Lists, Final Inspections 9. Commissioning 10. Case Study Page 3

4 Public vs. Private Clients Public Client Associated with a governmental body at the municipal, state, or federal level. (i.e. normally, gov t agencies). Funding for engineering and construction from public funds (tax revenue or allocation from federal gov t). Project benefits or serves the public. Design-bid-build projects on the rise. Projects subject to compliance requirements (quals based selection, lowest bid awards, DBE participation, etc.) Page 4

5 Public vs. Private Clients Private Client: Not associated with a governmental body. Include corporations, joint ventures, other A/E/C firms, and even individuals. Funding comes from private sources. Project benefits a specific, private entity. Delivery method varies as design-bid-build, design-build, and CM-at-Risk or some hybrid. Arbitrary secondary goals (e.g., LEED Certification) Page 5

6 Public vs. Private Clients Billing/Contract Methods Public Clients normally require Cost Plus Fixed Fee Consultant paid for direct time, overhead, plus a fixed fee. Compensated for time worked, not to exceed a certain, contractual amount. Overruns are normally at consultant s expense, unless scope is exceeded. Timesheet back-up (evidence of time worked) is normally required, along with proof of actual hourly rates paid. Page 6

7 Public vs. Private Clients Private Clients Billing/Contract Methods Billing methods vary with job, owner, service. Time and Material Generalized billing rates, based on position level/title. Simpler than cost plus. Allows variety of personnel at differing position levels to work on a project without specifying details upfront. Good for multiple departments working on project. Lump Sum Simplest, most preferable, one figure for entire job. Simplest accounting. Chance for greater profit. Page 7

8 Public vs. Private Clients Public Clients, Larger Jobs Phased, defined submittals at various traditional milestones. Monthly billing to match submittals; accounting requirements specified. Private Clients Consultant often specifies submittal schedule and milestones. Submittals Consultant often chooses billing frequency and accounting requirements. Page 8

9 Public vs. Private Clients Summary Client Feature Public Client Private Client Client Example Target End User of Project Typical Delivery/Billing Method Secondary Goals Municipal, State, or Federal Governmental Agency Public (e.g., prison, school, museum, etc.) Design-bid-build (to obtain lowest construction price), Cost Plus Mandatory, by Statute, normally dictates how funding is distributed/spent, how jobs are posted and bid Architecture Firm, Corporate Owner Specific Group (e.g., employees of a company in an office building) Varies depending on project needs Arbitrary, by owner, depending on specific project (e.g., environmental) Page 9

10 Client Needs Code-Based Client is legally required to install or upgrade a fire alarm system as mandated by code or new/renovation projects. Client-Driven Client wants a fire alarm system, or a modification to an existing one, to satisfy their own needs: Reduce costs Provide fire/life safety above and beyond code Insurance requirement Page 10

11 Client Needs: Code-Based (New) IBC, Section Scoping for new fire alarm installations Based on occupancy, occupant load, sprinkler coverage, number of stories, relationship to lowest level of exit discharge, and special occupancy types. Despite its name, NFPA 72 is not a scoping document! Page 11

12 Client Needs: Code Based (Existing) Occupancy change, removal/change of some fire/life safety system, renovation/alteration will require some type of fire alarm system. Example: An existing building without a fire alarm system has an elevator installed. Because of code changes, a fire alarm system dedicated to elevator recall control and supervisory service is required. Page 12

13 Client Needs (Client driven) Save money on: Maintenance Not dealing with nuisance alarms Want MNS system as part of campus type plan Insurance offers lower premium for enhanced FA system Page 13

14 Proposal Phase Formality and requirements of Proposal Phase are heavily dependent on client type. Public clients are more formal and have more requirements. The job may be solely fire alarm or fire alarm may be part of a larger engineering project. New/existing facility/building. Page 14

15 Proposal Phase Public Clients 1. Request for Information (RFI)/Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Proposal containing information about the designer/team, capabilities, staff/firm qualifications. Phase is normally required if the job is over a certain size. The public clients are required, by statute, to solicit bids from the general public. Page 15

16 Proposal Phase Public Clients 2. Shortlisted A selection of finalist teams are asked to submit a detailed proposal. Smaller jobs may have their starting point here. Firms with existing on-call agreements may be contacted. Detailed technical proposal contain a narrative on how the project is going to be designed. Detailed cost proposal outlines how much the project is going to cost to design by project phase and total cost. Key roles and responsibilities of staff are depicted. Page 16

17 Proposal Phase Public Clients, Key Staff For fire alarm design, include such resumes as: Fire Protection Engineer Lead Fire Alarm System Designer (NICET IV) Fire Alarm System Designer (NICET I-III) Job responsibilities outlined for the project. Page 17

18 Proposal Phase Public Clients 3. Site Walkthrough Can occur during RFI/RFQ stage or at Shortlist stage. Purpose is to become familiar enough with site to propose on job. Scope depends on whether it s a new or existing project. New project may just have a bare land survey or just preliminary design docs. Page 18

19 Proposal Phase Public Clients 4. Interview/Presentations Finalists will be invited to interviews, where they will present their project approach. Fire alarm design is either a standalone presentation or a section of a larger one. Page 19

20 Proposal Phase Public Clients 5. Award Notification Client selects winning firm. Contract is negotiated. Pricing and other details may change. Small chance the next ranking firm will be selected. Contracts finalized and signed. 6. Notice to Proceed (NTP) Job/work begins (finally!). Page 20

21 Proposal Phase Public Clients Entire phase can be lengthy with public clients. Can last 6 months between RFI to NTP. RFP will normally specify how firms are selected: Cost-based (price only) Qualifications-based (technical approach/firm capabilities) Value-based (weighted combination) Page 21

22 Proposal Phase Private Clients Initial contact different than public process. Specific, urgent need may arise. May only have contact with one firm. Less formal. Requirements/procedures vary. Small job, smaller client may require a simple letter proposal. Larger jobs, larger clients - may mirror public proposal phase procedures. Page 22

23 Proposal Phase Private Clients Fire Alarm Contractor may be engaged for certain private work by competitive bidding or through existing relationship. FA Contractor may later engage an engineering firm for certain services (sealing, code consulting, drawings). FA Contractor may perform work itself (happens frequently when FA is only discipline in an existing installation). FA Contractor s design capabilities vary widely. Page 23

24 Building and Occupancy Assessment Fire Alarm Design depends on: Occupancy Occupant loading Special uses Number of stories Height (high rise) Architectural details (e.g., location of exit discharge) Presence of certain fire protection systems Page 24

25 Building and Occupancy Assessment Occupancy Classification: Provided by the architect or code consultant Assembly (Groups A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, & A-5), Business (Group B), Mercantile (Group M), and others. Building may be mixed occupancy, separated or nonseparated. Page 25

26 Building and Occupancy Assessment Occupant Loading Based on use of space, not occupancy. Determined per Section 1004 of the IBC. For example, an assembly use within a Group B occupancy: a conference room in an office building would be loaded at 15 persons/net SF. Spaces added up to obtain occupant loading. Performed by architect, code consultant, or fire protection engineer. Page 26

27 Building and Occupancy Assessment Special Uses Code requirements from Chapter 4 of IBC applied in addition to, or in lieu of general building code requirements. Examples include high rise, hazardous use, and special amusement buildings. May or may not contain FA requirements, but designer should always check. Page 27

28 Building and Occupancy Assessment Where Required Section and Chapter 4 of IBC for scoping. Section 907 Provides other high level fire alarm design requirements. NFPA 72 Standard used for detailed design; calculations; designer qualifications; supervising station requirements; inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements. Page 28

29 Codes/Standards/Listings Code: when and where it is needed (IBC) Properly scoped, designed, installed, and specified system. Compliant System Standard: how you design and install it (NFPA 72) Listing: How the equipment and components must be (UL 268) Page 29

30 SD, DD Phases As in new installations in large, public, multidisciplinary projects. Schematic Design (15%) Fire Alarm code requirements are included in building program and design criteria. Design Development (65%) Equipment sized and located within building. Major conduit (fire-rated, panel to panel) runs shown. Draft list of required specs. Design coordinated with other disciplines. Preliminary cost estimate completed. Page 30

31 CD Phases Construction Documents (85%) Equipment layouts finalized. Initiating devices/notification devices layout performed. Riser diagram. Fire alarm matrix. Specifications. Cost estimate with material list. General notes and specific notes. Page 31

32 CD Phases Construction Documents (100%) All information necessary for bidding, permitting. Finalized specifications. Sealed by Fire Protection Engineer and/or NICET IV Fire Alarm Designer. Site specific work-related info, phasing, or scheduling. Contract Documents. Finalized cost estimate: engineer s estimate and material list. Page 32

33 Bidding Bidding Engineer compiles bidding documents for owner to obtain completive bids from a fire alarm contractor. 100% Approved Contract Documents. Plans, specifications, cost estimate, schedule, forms. Owner engages contractors in competitive bid process. Page 33

34 Bidding Engineer assists owner in making a selection, depending on owner s selection criteria. Cost Qualification Value Engineer s estimate compared to contractor s estimate. Engineer evaluates bids to ensure they meet all requirements. Owner makes final contractor selection. Page 34

35 Construction Administration - Overview Owner Owner maintains separate contracts with engineer and contractor. Engineer Engineer acts as owner s rep, ensuring owner s needs and technical requirements are met. Contractor Contractor extends contract documents into shop drawings and installation, adhering to direction and guidance from the engineer. Page 35

36 CA Shop Drawings Shop Drawings possess greater detail than contract drawings and generally show enough information for field construction. Conceptual point to point wiring runs. Junction boxes. Voltage drop and battery sizing calculations. Specific equipment model numbers shown. Cut sheets for equipment provided as part of shop drawing package. Page 36

37 CA Shop Drawings Page 37

38 CA Shop Drawings Engineer reviews shop drawings for conformance to contract drawings, technical requirements, and design/owner intent. After engineer review, contractor submits shop drawings to AHJ for approval. Shop drawings should be approved before fieldwork begins. Page 38

39 CA Requests for Information Contractor will submit to engineer RFIs during construction should any unusual field conditions be found or any defects in contract drawings (original design). Engineer responds to RFIs based on code requirements, specifications, and any special owner needs. Any serious deviation from original plans, scope will result in change order, which is also evaluated by the engineer. Page 39

40 CA - Inspections Engineer may periodically inspect contractor work during installation. Punch lists are developed and checked for completion. Final inspection and punch list. AHJ inspection(s). Electrical Inspector Fire (alarm) Inspector Both Page 40

41 Commissioning NFPA 72 details commissioning, acceptance test requirements. Detailed, per fire alarm subsystems. Reporting and documentation requirements. Witnessing requirements. Fire alarm commissioning may be part of a larger effort. NFPA 3 outlines guidance for such efforts Fire Commissioning Agent (FCxA) In addition to NFPA 72 requirements! Page 41

42 Case Study 6 Story Office FA Upgrade Real Estate Company owns a six story office building in downtown Newark. The FA system was installed 18 years ago. The building was provided with area smoke detection throughout, 2000 area smoke detectors, and also has automatic sprinkler protection. Page 42

43 Case Study 6 Story Office FA Upgrade The Owner was advised to replace the fire alarm control units in an attempt at FA modernization. Owner is also aware that all the smoke detectors need to be replaced in two years. Owner is unsure about how to proceed with the upgrade so it hires a Consultant, a fire protection engineering firm, to perform a feasibility study for upgrading the system and to recommend preliminary design options. Page 43

44 Case Study 6 Story Office FA Upgrade Consultant writes a letter proposal to perform the work. Feasibility study survey yields the fact that no HVAC return duct detectors were present. The exception in the Code for area detectors (in lieu of duct detectors) explains their absence. Consultant confirms FACP is obsolete; a system compatible replacement FACP is recommended. Consultant recommends area smoke detection be removed and HVAC return duct smoke detectors be added. Page 44

45 Case Study 6 Story Office FA Upgrade Code Analysis Check: 2009 IBC Smoke detection not required for Group B NFPA 72, 2010 Ed says duct detectors not substituted for area detectors Applies only for required area smoke detectors Page 45

46 Case Study 6 Story Office FA Upgrade Remove area smoke detectors. Install HVAC duct detectors where return ductwork intersects vertical return shaft. Replace FACP and balance of remaining smoke detectors. Cost of replacing and maintaining 2000 detectors saved and system is still code compliant. Code (existing) / client-driven combination. Page 46

47 Case Study 6 Story Office FA Upgrade But why was there area smoke detectors installed to begin with when they are not required in current Code? Legacy (BOCA, Standard Building Code, etc.) requirement, HVAC duct detector exception? Past local building code amendment? Substitute for another code variance? At the time, client (potentially different than current client) installed them for another need? All that matters is current requirements. Page 47

48 Case Study 6 Story Office FA Upgrade After consultant recommendation, two options: Consultant prepares contract drawings, gets them approved and then helps Owner hire contractor for shop drawings and installation Contractor prepares shop drawings and installs system based on Consultant study, without any design work by the Consultant What s best for this example and why? Page 48