Image | Birmingham New Street © Arup

Adam Monaghan BSc (Hons) CEng MIFireE

Associate Director

Arup

\ Contents

Why am I here? Ove Arup and Total Architecture Total Fire Engineering Examples

Image |. Sir Ove Arup © Arup

Fire Engineers only help in design

\ The status-quo

Paucity of understanding responsibility and liability of fire safety designs

Legal case prevalence faulty fire safety design/construction

Perception of fire engineers as ‘cost cutters’

Accountability

\ Fire Engineering Project Management

Who is competent?

Responsibility- Legal & PI Approvals / Self-Certification

Codes vs ‘Engineering’ Perceptions and Practice

‘We need a fire engineer to get rid of

sprinklers’

Perceptions – a design is either prescriptive or fire engineered?

OR

Perceptions – a design is either prescriptive or fire engineered?

OR

Its all fire engineering – competence Code compliance is no safety guarantee

Required for ethical practice of fire engineering project management

\ Competency “What qualification/experience does a

fire engineer actually need?”

Conflicts of interest in assessing competency of solutions – Designer vs

Approver Design, specification, construction,

handover, operation

“It’s okay because it has been signed off

by Building Control”

\ Responsibility “We’ve done this previously and it was

okay”

“The product brochure says it’s got the

right performance” Legal responsibility for adequacy of

design rests with the designer, not the approver.

Either remain silent + perpetuate the status quo

Or

Either remain silent + perpetuate the status quo

Or

TIME TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP

\ My reasons

I am proud of my profession

I am not a cost-cutter

I enable design

I achieve goals for my clients

I take my job seriously

I will not compromise rigor when money is tight I take my responsibility seriously

Total Fire Engineering - Papers

#1 – Competency in Fire Engineering – January 14 #2 – Code vs Engineering – April 14 #3 – Shouldering Responsibility – July 14 #4 – Have you got time? – October 14

The domain Fire Engineers operate present serious challenges to competent and ethical practice that cannot

be ignored.

Image | The Shard © Arup

We have to identify, debate, and respond to challenges that face our fire engineering profession

Image | Castle Donnington © M&S Logistics

We need to change and challenge this status quo

Image | Ben Sutherland

“The magic numbers embodied in regulations are accepted without any question whilst any engineering solution is subjected to a

disproportionately high standard of proof”

“…. Any rules need to have an engineering basis and be goal related: the purpose of which needs to be understood by both

researchers and regulators….”

Image |. Margaret Law© Arup

“…. The fire engineer needs a certain toughness – and I am referring to intellectual toughness. The engineer must be able to be

tested, challenged and deal with matters in a rigorous, analytical and above all honest way. He must be aware of the rules but not

use them as a shield.”

What is a Fire Engineer Margaret Law MBE, 1990

2\ Ove Arup and Total Architecture

‘…all relevant design decisions have been considered together and have been integrated into a whole by a well organised team.’

The Key Speech Sir Ove Arup, 1970

3\ So what is ‘Total Fire Engineering’ that we in

Arup have been talking about?

Total Fire Engineering

Prepare

Design

Specify Construct

Use Fire Safety

Solution

‘…all relevant fire design, construction and operation decisions have been considered together and have been integrated into a whole by a well organised team.’

Total Fire Engineering - Definition

Simplicity, quality, rigor, knowledge, site implementation and COMPETENCE

Image | Sky Believe in Better Building © Arup

3\ Achieving change through Total Fire Engineering

Social

Goal Social

People Life safety

Quality of Asset Quality of space

Quality of Operation Functionality of space

Protection of Asset Continuity of asset

Protection of Operation Continuity of function

Goals beyond life safety

Economic Environmental

Total Cost = Cost of Prevention + Cost of Protection

Goal Social Economic

People Life safety

Quality of Asset Quality of space Cost and value of asset

Quality of Operation Functionality of space Operational costs

Protection of Asset Continuity of asset Property Protection

Protection of Operation Continuity of function

Business Continuity

Goals beyond life safety

Environmental Environmental

Goal Social Economic Environmental

People Life safety

Quality of Asset Quality of space Cost and value of asset Construction impact

Quality of Operation Functionality of space Operational costs Operational impact

Protection of Asset Environmental continuity of asset

Property Protection Prevention of fire damage to the environment

Protection of Operation Continuity of function

Business Continuity

Total Cost = Cost of Prevention + Cost of Protection + Cost of Occurrence

Goals beyond life safety

Leeds Arena – partial roof protection to improve the structural robustness of the arena & change of facade to omit combustible materials and reduce the overall risk

Brief & Framework

1. Stakeholder

Engagement

2. Performance Goals

3. Design Constraints

Design

1. Trial Solution

2. Design Review

3. Solution Testing / Assessment

Execution

1. Specification

2. Construction

3. Commission-ing

4. Handover

\ Implementing Total Fire Engineering

Image | © Herzog & de Meuron and Hayes Davidson

Total Fire Engineering = Good design, specification, construction & handover

The Shard – enabling signature architecture from conception through to operations

Arup involved from developing the concept, design, construction and handover of the building A perfect example of a building that cannot comply with the ‘code’ but one

where competency in construction and handover was critical to deliver the concept of Total Fire Engineering

A great example of Total Fire Engineering

Competency in Design & Specification

Evolution of Facades

Significant changes in the facade design driven by thermal performance, improved solar control and visual appearance

Key issue with facades is – Material specification. Competence required in understanding what the code is trying to achieve. Number of legal cases arising where this lack of understanding, interpretation and application is being directly challenged.

Competency in Design & Specification

Evolution of Facades

Evidence is needed for performance of the material in it’s end use. This evidence needs to be reviewed and accepted by those competent to do so. Responsibility and liability needs to be understood and communicated

Competency in Design & Specification

Evolution of Facades

Competency in understanding standardised tests on façade materials (especially combustible insulation) Competency reviewing test certification and product specification Competency in detailing façade interfaces Who in the design team is competent enough in this domain? Fire engineering needs to expand significantly within the domain of designing, specifying of facades.

Competency in construction

Construction – fire batt / barrier examples

Image |. Metropol Parasol © Arup

\ Timber

Why timber?

Sustainability

Aesthetics + Innovation

Technology & Prefabrication

Image | Sky Believe in Better Building © Arup Image | © Jeff Martin

Image | l-dsk.ru

Huge push for Timber: Sustainability, Aesthetics, demand for pre-fabrication

Key Issues requiring thought and understanding

Amount of exposed timber – fundamentally changes

effective fuel load within buildings

Increasing reliance on structural timber forms for preventing fire spread and

structural integrity

Image |. Metropol Parasol © Arup

Image |. © Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Image | cecobois.com

Changes in fire behaviour – Test evidence indicates

charring rate increases with increased fire severity

Impact on fire fighting - even if the fire has burnt out,

timber construction smouldering fires can

transition back to a flashover fire event.

Delamination of engineered timber during fires

Image |. Metropol Parasol © Arup

\ Timber – do we REALLY know?

Closing remarks

Design ‘knowingly’

Be competent in: Design, Specification, Construction and Handover

Understand codes and standards

Sell on value not cost

Lead the construction industry

Shoulder appropriate responsibility

Be proud

Grow

We should;

Simplicity Difference Innovation

Thank you for listening