E-Books: Fire Protection Engineering in Building Design

Fire Protection Engineering in Building Design by Jane I. Lataille. A clear and concise reference guide on integrating fire protection design, Fire Protection Engineering in Building Design encompasses not only the basic information on the functions, design, and applications of fire protection systems; but also reveals how this information can and should be integrated with every other major engineering discipline. Protecting people, buildings and the environment from the impact of fire requires a comprehensive, systematic approach that includes the analysis of fire hazards as well as the design, installation, and maintenance of fire detection, suppression, and communications systems. Jane Lataille takes the reader beyond these basic issues and includes information on mitigating potential fire damage through proper design and construction of buildings, industrial processes, and utility systems. Through specific examples, the reader sees how fire protection engineering can be integrated with mechanical, electrical, structural, and chemical engineering. The book also includes a section on writing fire protection specifications as well as a comprehensive reference list. * Assure effective fire protection design through engineering * Avoid costly fire protection redesign * Effectively integrate fire protection features into project specifications.

Fire protection is an integral part of the built environment. As such, it should always be engineered in conjunction with the overall building design. Multi-discipline engineering firms sometimes have engineers of other disciplines design the fire protection systems; sometimes they outsource the fire protection design to engineering consultants. Either option can result in inefficiency, improper design, or excess cost if not properly coordinated.

Fire protection design was once almost exclusively prescriptive. In other words, projects incorporated specific fire protection measures prescribed by codes. Prescriptive fire protection design is still commonly used on many projects.

**Fire Protection Engineering in Building Design Book’s Cover**

Engineers in disciplines other than fire protection are often charged with designing the fire protection in accordance with prescriptive code requirements. Proper design of fire protection systems for a prescriptive-type project requires coordinating the fire protection design with the overall building design and integrating the fire protection design features with the other engineering disciplines. Fire protection features that are not designed while a building is being planned can sometimes be very difficult to incorporate later. Adding these features later increases the cost.

leaving them out compromises the level of protection provided in the building.

In contrast with prescriptive design, performance-based fire protection design considers how fire protection systems perform given the selected building design and its expected fire loading. Performance-based fire protection design is steadily becoming more common. This type of design requires very close coordination with the building design because every change specified to the building can affect fire protection system performance. Following prescriptive code requirements and coordinating them with the other engineering disciplines is not sufficient.

Table of Contents of Fire Protection Engineering in Building Design