How To: Cx Fire Life Safety Systems

David J. LeBlanc, PE, FSFPE

AIA Quality Assurance

The Building Commissioning Association is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of the Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.

This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

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Learning Objectives

1. Understand the unique challenges with Cx Fire Protection and Life

Safety Systems on Gigantic International Projects.

2. NFPA 3 Cx process for Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems.

3. Understand the role of the Fire Commissioning Agent (FCxA) and

how they integrate with the full building commissioning team and

Commissioning Authority (CxA).

4. Understand the difference between Commissioning (NFPA3) and

Integrated Testing (NFPA 4) for Fire Protection and Life Safety

Systems.

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• Commissioning - NFPA 3

• Terminology

• Why different?

• Importance of Cx F&LS

• Maintenance

• Large International Project

• Case Studies Lessons learned

• Updates

• Wrap-Up/Questions

Overview

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Commissioning – “A systematic process that provides

documented confirmation that building systems function

according to the intended design criteria set forth in the

project documents and satisfy the owner’s operational

needs, including compliance with applicable laws,

regulations, codes, and standards.”

NFPA 3 – Commissioning of Fire Protection

Systems

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• Fire Protection Industry-term Commissioning utilized incorrectly.

• Acceptance Testing with Engineer or local Building/Fire Department is often incorrectly termed “Commissioning”.

• Commissioning is a systematic process not just a test.

• NFPA3 should help with Terminology.

ACCEPTANCE TESTING ≠ COMMISSIONING

• Integrated Testing Agent (ITA) – NFPA 4 new term

Terminology

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• Owner

• Architect / Engineer

• Commissioning Agent (CxA) – if overall

building commissioning

• Fire Commissioning Agent (FCxA) –

reports to CxA

• Integrated Testing Agent (ITa)

• Contractor

• Subcontractors

• Registered Design Professionals

(RDP)

• Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)

Key Stakeholders

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• Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR)

• Basis of Design (BOD)

• Commissioning Plan

• Integrated Testing Plan

• Commissioning Record Document

Key Documents

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• Qualified FCxA and ITa required

• Advanced knowledge & experience in installation and operation of systems

• Advanced knowledge & experience in installation, operation, and interfaces between the various systems

NFPA 3 & 4 Qualifications

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NFPA 3 New and Existing Buildings

• Commissioning (Cx) is done on new buildings or

new systems.

• Re-commissioning (Re-Cx) is commissioning of

existing systems that were previously

commissioned.

• Retro-commissioning (RCx) is commissioning of

existing systems that were not previously

commissioned

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• Occupants don’t know they’re there

• They need to spring into action during emergency

• Need them to work properly to occupy building

• Each system type has separate NFPA standard to meet

• Integrate these systems to work together for common goal

What is Different about Cx Fire Life Safety Systems

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Fire and Life Safety

Standards

Products –Materials &

Systems

Compartments & Separations

Active Systems

Egress Systems

Structural Fire Protection

Emergency Operations

Prevention and

Maintenance

Fire Protection is a Holistic Approach

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• Fire Life Safety Systems do

not provide comfort, improve

occupant productivity, nor

enhance occupants overall

experience with the building

environment.

• Performance is only

measured through proper

commissioning or during a

fire / life safety emergency.

• Do really want to wait until an

actual real world event to see

how the performance of the

Fire Life Safety System is?

Main Difference about Cx Fire Life Safety Systems

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• Documentation critical

• Access for future ITM

• Configuration and equipment location for availability

• What needs to be tested and how often

• Maintenance Code required – not optional

Cx Helps Future Maintenance of Fire Life Safety Systems

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• Many fire protection systems sit dormant until

emergency conditions

• Life safety systems are essential in protecting

occupants, contents of, and the building itself

and notifying occupants during emergency

conditions

• Owners are legally obligated to have properly

functioning fire protection systems and to

maintain and test these systems.

• The complex integration of fire protection

systems is at an all time high

• Non-commissioned or improperly

commissioned fire protection systems are a

liability for owners and commissioning firms.

Importance of Commissioning Fire Protection and

Life Safety Systems

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Performance Tests

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What Is Reliability & Survivability?

• Continuous and

uninterrupted performance

during a fire emergency

• Reliable components and

power supply

• Electrical safety and

equipment protection is a

secondary concern

The pump is sacrificial

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• Requirements focus on the continuous uninterrupted operation of the fire pump.

• Electrical safety is considered a secondaryobjective.

• Fire pump equipment is considered sacrificial.

• As such, Equipment and Conductors may constitute a fire hazard.

• Protection of the premise and occupants of paramount importance.

Survivable

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Large F& LS Commissioning Projects

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• ESL

• US Based vs local practices

• Quality of subcontractors

• Shear size of the overall project

• Volume of Documentation

• Organization of Info

• Lacking local experienced personnel

• Manpower consistency

• Inspector writes up nonconformance not person clearing item

• Break down of collected info to designate to various companies for different purposes

Challenges with Cx Gigantic International Projects

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• Involvement during the Design and Construction

• Local experienced personnel PM, Team leaders, and QC with

domestic travelers providing bulk of manpower.

• Rotating team of inspectors

• Standardized templates for inspectors

• Project Assistants manage info, documents, and distribution

• Items broken out by System Type, Floor, and Area

• NCR Master list capable of sorting and distribution to expedite

owner and GC distribution to clear items

• Documentation of items not being completed after contractor told

work items completed (Owner back charges)

Approaches and Solutions

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Process Flow Chart

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And Questionable Practices

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And Questionable Practices

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Final, Finished, Complete?

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• Require synchronization to

avoid photosensitive epilepsy

• High flash rate (strobing effect)

can induce seizures in some

people

Fire Alarm Visual Notification

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• Building occupied for years and was undergoing renovation.

• Lack of documentation and no evidence it was commissioned resulted in a thorough test of the system to verify installation, operation, and performance.

• One test scenario was to simulate a transfer to emergency power for entire building during heavy load, including smoke control systems, fire pumps, and fire alarm systems all running under normal power to verify it continued to perform and that the transfer to emergency generator worked.

Case StudyExisting High Rise Building with an Atrium Smoke Control System and Stair

Pressurization System.

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Result

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• Under normal power systems

activated properly, but on

emergency power transfer all of

the dampers closed, even

though some were suppose to

be open.

• Smoke control fans were on

emergency power, but all the

dampers were on normal power

and failed safe close upon loss

of power.

5. Existing fire protection and life safety

systems are many times not properly

configured, coordinated, integrated, or

commissioned.

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Lessons Learned

1. Emergency/Standby power critical for fire protection and life safety

systems.

2. Showcased importance of proper Commissioning and Retro-

Commissioning

3. Highlighted importance of integrated test plans

4. Systems need to properly function in various conditions, not only

ideal normal conditions.

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• Relatively new Low-rise large

building with Atrium smoke control

system.

• Actual fire outside of Atrium

activated non-atrium sprinkler water

flow in a remote area of building

• Atrium smoke control system

activated in real life (not suppose to

per basis of design and

project/owner objective).

Case Study

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• Smoke from remote area of building was

dragged through the building causing

extensive damage and clean-up.

• Improperly configured smoke control

sequence did much more harm

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Result

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1. Improperly configured systems not only not helpful, can

cause more problems.

2. Need comprehensive test scenarios and when systems

should activate, but also when they should not activate.

3. Proper Commissioning of fire protection and life safety

systems critical for proper orientation.

4. Non-Commissioned systems have significantly

increased rate of not properly functioning and possibly

doing more harm putting occupants, property, and the

building at risk from fire and life safety.

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Lessons Learned

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• Emergency generator was tested prior to all the systems

were completed and connected to the emergency generator

and signed off.

• Generator was properly sized to accommodate load

• As part of life safety systems test a full load on

emergency generator was done with the smoke control

system, fire pump, fire alarm system, emergency lighting,

and other systems running.

Case Study

New High-Rise Hotel with Pressurized Stairs, Fire Pump, Fire Alarm

System, Emergency Lighting, and other Systems on the Emergency

Generator

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• During life safety test transfer to emergency

generator the generator tripped out.

• All systems in the building went down with no

power and dark – no lighting (night test)

• Generator had capacity but not properly

balanced and configured as other systems were

added to the emergency generator load.

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Result

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1. Need to commission systems when they

are first brought online, but also after

other systems are finished.

2. Importance of Commissioning to identify

and resolve problems.

Lessons Learned

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• Fire Protection Life Safety

Commissioning Team brought in late to

the project after much of the system

were installed.

• Systems and smoke control shafts

were constructed, sealed, and painted.

• Required duct leakage test was

never conducted prior to sealing shafts.

Importance of Commissioning Team Brought

In EarlyNew Construction Mixed-Use High Rise Project with A Smoke Control

System

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• Smoke control system could not meet performance of .10 inch water gauge pressure differential.

• Leaky duct was the culprit, which would have been identified if the duct test was conducted.

• Had to take down the drywall shaft for entire building to fix the duct work, conduct duct test, and replace shaft and paint.

• Additional cost and schedule impact.

Results

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1. Best to bring in Commissioning Team during

the design phase.

2. Need to conduct commissioning testing and

component verification at the proper

installation point during construction.

3. Skipping Commissioning or improperly

delaying steps most likely will cost you

significantly more financially and impact

schedule.

Lessons Learned

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NFPA 3 & 4 Updates

• Standard vs Recommended

Practice

• 2015 Edition of NFPA 3

Commissioning – Recommended

Practice

• New NFPA 4 (2015 Edition) is a

Standard and only deals with

Integrated Testing

• Integrated Testing Agent (ITa)

• Future - next edition NFPA 3

Standard

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• ICC publishes the set of International Codes – IBC & IMC

• ICC Draft ANSI Commissioning Standard – ICC 1000

• Current form ICC 1000 is vague, but covers all systems

• Public Comment April 2015

• Currently Categorizing Public Comment

• Board suspending committee activity until committee status report is received and reviewed.

ICC Update

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David LeBlanc, PE, FSFPE

Vice President

JENSEN HUGHES

dleblanc@jensenhughes.com

www.jensenhughes.com

508-620-8900Thank You!