Proper hydraulic demand calculations are critical in the early stages of a water-based fire protection project.

While many natural disasters — hurricanes, floods and forest fires — do not directly harm a building’s fire protection systems unless the building falls, earthquakes are different. 

Computer-aided design for building systems is transitioning from AutoCAD to building information modeling software. 

The occupancy hazard fire control approach to designing today’s fire sprinkler systems includes single-point densities since the NFPA 13 revision in 2002. 

During the installation of underground piping, open-ended piping is installed in trenches that invariably collect dirt, rocks and miscellaneous equipment from the installing contractors. 

Many plumbing and fire protection professionals are familiar with the basic fire pump design standards and requirements stated in NFPA 20, Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection. 

The increased plastic content in packaging used to transport and store products creates new, higher-risk challenges. Companies must adapt to meet customer expectations — and electronically activated sprinkler systems are ready to meet that demand.

Understanding the strategies allows fire protection engineers and system designers to help influence the ceiling design that may, in turn, result in a more efficient sprinkler design and layout. 

There is a happy medium between no delegation and full delegation of the fire protection system.