COMMISSIONING FIRE-LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS Presenter: Mark Leafstedt, PE, CxA 2008 ACG Annual Meeting...

COMMISSIONINGCOMMISSIONING FIRE-LIFE SAFETY FIRE-LIFE SAFETY

SYSTEMSSYSTEMS

Presenter: Mark Leafstedt, PE, CxA

2008 ACG Annual Meeting

Best Practices for Total Building Commissioning!Best Practices for Total Building Commissioning!

AgendaAgenda

¡¡ Viva Las Vegas Viva Las Vegas !!

Fire Life Safety Building CodesFire Life Safety Building Codes

Means & Methods of Fire Life Means & Methods of Fire Life Safety CommissioningSafety Commissioning

ConclusionConclusion

StatisticsAccording to 2005 statistics published by Insider Viewpoint Las Vegas:

80+ major casinos 133,000 hotel rooms w/ 89.2% occupancy (20,000+

more open by 2010) 38.6 million tourists• >25 billion $ in current construction • 7 out of the top 10 world’s largest hotels reside within a

five-mile radius of each other in Las Vegas • The largest hotel has approximately 5500 guest rooms

Viva Las VegasViva Las Vegas

Relationship to Commissioning

100% growth each year since 1950 = More construction

Schedule = Liquidated damages of up to $7 million a day

Dependency on tourism = Occupant comfort is paramount

Reputation = Need for safety and strictest codes in the country

High occupancy = Little to no time for maintenance


Building Commissioning is an owner-driven requirements.

Smoke Control/ Life Safety Commissioning is a Code driven requirement.

Life Safety Cx vs Building Cx


The MGM Grand Fire

1980 fire swept through the 26-story hotel, killing 84 and injuring 679.

There were about 5,000 people in the hotel at the time.

This was the second largest hotel fire in history.

It started in the first floor restaurant and spread at a rate of 19 feet per second.

A massive fireball traveled through the casino and blew through the glass entrance doors, injuring people and destroying cars.

WHAT?


The MGM Grand Fire

The Hotel had refused to pay for the $192,000 sprinkler system.

WHY?

A wire was not properly grounded.

A compressor was not properly installed.

A supposedly smoke-free stairwell that was a crucial escape route filled with smoke.

A piece of copper was not insulated correctly.

…all of which “could have been found had the area been inspected.”

Source: Sunday, November 19, 2000, Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal “MGM GRAND FIRE: THE DEADLIEST DAY” by Glenn Puit

The laundry chutes failed to seal, and defects existed in the HVAC system -- all contributing to the spread of smoke.”

A fire alarm never sounded.


MGM GRAND FIRE OF 1980MGM GRAND FIRE OF 1980

Just one bad Building?

Just 3 months later, there was a fire in the Las Vegas Hilton that resulted in 8 dead and 198 injured.

Results of the MGM Fire

• $223 million in legal settlements

• Extensive Changes in NFPAIncluding fire protection for seismic joints, elevator standards, smoke-proof enclosures, active/passive fire protection systems

• Evolution of the following building codes for high-rise buildings1994 UBC, section 9051997 UBC, section 9052003 IBC, section 909

Globally


• History of the Building Codes

• Smoke Control Requirements

• Fundamentals of Smoke Control Systems

• Section 909 of 2003 IBC

Fire Life Safety Building Codes

AgendaAgenda

Building regulations date back to the beginning of recorded history. The Code of Hammurabi (2200B.C) included simple but effective building code provision. “If any architect built a house so negligently that it fell down and killed the owner’s son, then the architect’s son was put to death.”

In 1630, the City of Boston mandated that “no man shall build his chimney with wood nor cover his roof with thatch”.

The enforcement authority is derived from the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution which gives states the right to legislate for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare.

Code OverviewCode Overview

History Prior to the issuance of the IBC, there were three

organizations of building officials who were responsible for developing and enforcing building codes in the United States: Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA)

in the Northeast and Midwest International Conference of Building Officials

(ICBO) in the West Southern Building Code Congress International

(SBCCI) in the Southeast


Definition

“A combination of architectural, electrical & mechanical system design approach that utilized air flow and/or pressure to contain or remove smoke during a fire event”


Requirements High Rise Exit

Enclosures Atriums Covered Malls Underground

Building


Fundamentals

Active:An active smoke control system utilizes mechanical air handling equipment, i.e. supply fans, relief fans or smoke exhaust fans to contain or remove smoke in the zone of origin.

Passive:A passive smoke control system utilizes construction barriers to maintain the smoke in the zone of origin. (Typical passive smoke control systems would be found in equipment rooms, motel rooms.)

Types of Smoke Control:


Section 909 of 2003 IBCSection 909.18: This section discusses:

Acceptance Testing Individual Device Testing

Detection Devices Duct Traverses

Dampers Inlet/Outlet Air Quantities

Fans Smoke Barriers

Special Inspection Reports


• How Hard Can it Be? • Roles & Responsibilities• Commissioning Phases

Means & Methods of Fire Life Safety Systems Commissioning

AgendaAgenda

How Hard Can it Be? Introduction Detail Timing Intensity

Means & MethodsMeans & Methods

How Hard Can it Be? Introduction

Similar Process to Mechanical Cx Failures Critical Special Inspector


How Hard Can it Be? Detail

Simplistic in Concept Complexity in Detail & Quantity Requirements Code Prescribed 100% Testing


How Hard Can it Be? Timing

“DONE” Done prior to Certificate of Occupancy

Testing Concurrent w/ Construction No Post-Occupancy Deficiencies &

Issues


How Hard Can it Be? Intensity

Critical Construction Sequencing C3 Syndrome (Construction Completion Conjestion)

Panic


Roles & Responsibilities Prime Contractor Subcontractors Designer Owner Commissioning Provider


Roles & Responsibilities Prime Contractor

Construction of the Envelope Coordination Communication Scheduling Advocate!


Roles & Responsibilities Subcontractor(s)

Provide Input into the schedule Attend meetings Provide realistic completion information Avoid defensive posturing Assist in finding resolutions Proactively & quickly respond to

deficiencies


Roles & Responsibilities Designer

Provide detailed smoke control diagrams

Respond timely to to questions, issues, & changes


Roles & Responsibilities Owner

Hire the Commissioning Provider (req’d by code)

Remain calm amidst the chaos Provide Contractor direction (if

necessary) to respond to Cx issues & deficiencies


Roles & Responsibilities Commissioning Provider - General

Part coach, task-master, expert, judge & mediator

Build a Team!! Coordinate & Manage Cx Activities Obtain, assemble, create & submit Cx

documentation Meet & coordinate with the AHJ


Commissioning Phases Life Safety System Commissioning

Phases Design & Construction Document

Review Document Development Pre-Functional Testing Functional Testing Commissioning Completion


Commissioning Phases Life Safety System Design Review

Fire Protection Report provided? Equivalent to Design Intent (Referred to

as a “Rational Analysis”


FIRE PROTECTION REPORT AUGUST 6, 2004

SMOKE CONTROL

1. The overall concept includes a combination of mechanical systems and passive containment for the building. The building’s fire alarm system will be used to control, monitor and activate the mechanical smoke control systems.

2. Guestroom Levels (Levels 3-32).

a. Upon activation of a corridor smoke detector, the corridor air-handling units will shut down and elevator lobby doors will close. The smoke exhaust fans located on the roof will start. Dampers will be installed on a common shaft that will normally be used to supply outside air to the corridors and provide smoke exhaust functions during an event/alarm. All dampers will close throughout the floors served by the common shafts except the exhaust dampers will open on the fire floor. Exhaust will be sized based on Section 905 of the UBC to maintain a minimum negative pressure of 0.05 inches of water column relative to the adjacent units, elevator lobbies and stairwell vestibules on the floor of origin.

b. Each guestroom, elevator lobby, maid closet, and similar type room will be treated as passive areas. Units with interconnecting doors will be treated as one common passive area.

c. The bathroom exhaust vents are not considered a part of the smoke control system, and are not subject to pressure or leakage testing. Exhaust fans serving the toilet rooms will continue to operate and be provided with emergency power. 22-inch sub-ducts will be provided within the toilet exhaust shafts.

d. A minimum of 2 guestrooms per floor (one on each side of the corridor, with selection from both wings) will be tested as passive zones. The suites will be pressurized through the use of an approved door fan test assembly to a minimum 0.05 inches of water column to determine whether leakage is within the allowable range, as defined in Section 905 of the Building Code.

e. Verification of compliance for the corridor exhaust system will be as follows:

f. The pressure difference between the corridor and adjoining guestrooms, stairway vestibules, rooms and elevator lobbies will be confirmed to be a minimum 0.05 inches of water negative pressure.

g. Dampers will be confirmed to be in their correct position.

h. Since corridor supply is not part of the smoke control system, supply ducts will not be tested for pressure or leakage. This testing will only be conducted on ducts that are a portion of the smoke control system (exhaust/return ducts).

3. Service Level (between Levels 26 and 27).

a. The Service Level contains back-of-house areas, including storage rooms, mechanical rooms, and electrical rooms. The Service Level will be a passive zone. It will be provided with exhaust fans for Fire Department mop-up operations.

b. The exhaust fans will be manually operated by the Fire Department.

c. Verification of compliance for the Service Level system will be as follows:

i. Each area of the passive zone will be tested for leakage with a door fan test. The door fan test will be to confirm that the leakage is in compliance with UBC Section 905.2.3.

4. Tram Station Level (Level 2.5).


Commissioning Phases Life Safety System Design Review

Are the smoke control diagrams complete?

Are all fire/smoke dampers shown? Do the sprinkler zones & smoke

boundaries match?


DESIGN DOCUMENTATIONSmoke Control

Diagrams - Floor Plans


Commissioning Phases Design & Submittal Review

Are all smoke control devices included? Is the equipment compliant with the

code? Does the smoke control system

contractor’s design-build design meet the Engineer’s design, codes & AHJ criteria?


Smoke Control Diagrams - Functional Matrix


Passive Zone Leakage Calculations


Commissioning Phases Document Development

Develop the commissioning plan Detailed roadmap of expectations

Develop functional testing scenarios Must include an individual check-off for

EVERY piece of equipment Submit Cx plan to the AHJ


DOCUMENTATION DEVELOPMENT


Commissioning PhasesSection Life Safety System Outline HVAC System Outline

1 Acceptance Letter Executive Summary

2 Executive Summary Commissioning Team

3 Commissioning Team Mechanical System Overview

4 Overview of Acceptance Testing Procedures Overview of Commissioning Procedures

5 Fire Protection Report Record Document - Sequences of Operation

6 Smoke Management Sequences/Matrix Pre-Functional Testing Checklists

7 Component Testing Forms Functional Testing Procedures

8 Functional Testing Scenarios & Results Deficiencies & Issues Log

9 Test & Balance Report Daily Logs

10 Product Data Sheets Miscellaneous Data

11 Deficiencies & Issues Log

12 Daily Inspection Reports

13 Non-Compliance Reports

14 Miscellaneous Data


Commissioning Phases Pre-Functional

Assist in component pre-testing before functional

Individually confirm F/S Damper commands and status feedback.

Confirm fan command & status Review FAS software “rules”


COMPONENT INSPECTIONPressurization Fan


COMPONENT INSPECTION Fire Smoke Damper


COMPONENT INSPECTION Fire Command


COMPONENT INSPECTIONFire Fighter’s Smoke Control Panel


COMPONENT INSPECTIONFire Protection Flow Station


Commissioning Phases Pre-Functional

Provide site observations & barrier inspection


BOUNDARY INSPECTION

Conduit Penetrations


BOUNDARY INSPECTIONFloor Slab Penetrations


BOUNDARY INSPECTIONDuct Penetrations


BOUNDARY INSPECTIONElevator Shaft Enclosure


Commissioning Phases Functional Testing

When does FT begin? Does construction have to be complete? How can FT be phased? How can multiple tests be avoided?


Commissioning Phases Functional Testing

Assist in or define testing teams Witness functionality testing of the

system Include component interaction Track deficiencies


PASSIVE ZONE TESTING


DUCT DETECTOR TESTING


Commissioning Phases Commissioning Completion

Submit final report to AHJ Correct report deficiencies Assist in coordination & scheduling of

AHJ Assist during the AHJ inspection ALL SYSTEMS TESTING!


Summary Discussed Critical Nature of Life

Safety Systems Reviewed Code Requirements Discussed Life Safety System

Commissioning Means & Methods Encourage Life Safety System

Commissioning in other Cities

ConclusionConclusion

Questions Questions ?? Thanks for your

attention!

www.testmarc.com

COMMISSIONING FIRE-LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS Presenter: Mark Leafstedt, PE, CxA 2008 ACG Annual Meeting...

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Transcript of COMMISSIONING FIRE-LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS Presenter: Mark Leafstedt, PE, CxA 2008 ACG Annual Meeting...