Fire Strategies in the Design of Buildings - Report Example

In the design of buildings, it is prudent for the constructor, the engineer and all stakeholders involved to fully understanding the likely causes of fire, the materials used in the construction or those found in the building. The designers have to fully understand the systems to be involved in case of a fire outbreak as well as, understand the spread of the fire. In the case of the JB Firth building, the building has four levels and has horizontal links to the existing Maudland building. The British standards have gone a mile further and given recommendations about fire safety.

Under these standards, it is assumed that in a building, while at normal circumstances except at the extreme cases of arson, and then fire at a building is likely to start at two points of the building.Apparently, the principles in fire fighting are more general, but the procedures to be followed in case of the building is on fire, or the fire safety measures need to put considerations at a particular type of buildings. This makes the procedures and measures in flats and other buildings other than flats being different as noted in the approved document B.

The lives of individuals cannot be quantified, the loss to be suffered in case of fire are so immense to the health of the affected, their families and all friends in particular. Fire causes great damage to buildings and causes both material loss and financial loss. When a fire engulfs a building, it usually leads to the destruction of property therein; loss of goodwill and loss of business hours since even after the fire risk analysis and investigations have to be done. This calls for the total application of human knowledge and carefulness to avert any danger which might arise.

Apart from consideration of the JB Firth building, it is greatly important for everyone in the construction sector to fully understand the structure which is already in consideration and the fire safety provisions which are incorporated in the building.

In the design of the fire safety strategy for the JB Firth building, it is important to put into considerations the following principles. Any possible alteration in the building which could affect the risk profile. These are things like increased fire load, introduction of public into the building or any other possible seasonal changes. JB firth houses the staff offices and research laboratories. This means that there will be people around the building throughout hence there is a greater risk to fire since a fire may start from the laboratories or arson.

It is also prudent to fully understand both the historical and environmental aspects in the building and the length to which they should be disturbed. It also calls for the full understanding of how the fire safety ranks can be achieved ideally in the premises already in existence and also check whether these are in any way appropriate. It is also of great importance to fully understand the link between life safety and the methods to be used to protect physical property and the contents in it.

It is also of great need to put into consideration the continuity of business. 1.2 Brief summary of JB Firth Building JB Firth building would be located on a slopping ground adjacent to the Maudland Building; this building will be used essentially to house the school of forensics and investigative sciences. It will house staff offices as well as research and teaching laboratories for use by the university students as well as the staff members. It comprises of four levels that is level zero, first level, second level and third level.

These four levels are linked by a series of voids to each other. The main entrance to this building will be positioned at level three. This building has horizontal links at levels one, two, three and four to the Maudland Building housing the Maudland bank. The building has two entrances to the ground floor. On entrance to the ground floor, one will pass through the lobby then proceeds directly to the passenger and goods lifts and the staircase. On entrance through the second ground floor entrance, this is through the Maudland building.

One passes directly through the lobby, then directly to the passenger or goods lifts, the fire fighting store near the staircase and directly through to the fire escape route. 1.3Management of fire safety The management of fire safety is a process which extends throughout the life of JB Firth building. This starts from the initial design of the building, whereby the whole intention will be to minimize the possible incidence of fire and to ensure that they are measures to avert the damages of fire in case it does occur, also to ensure that there are appropriate fire safety systems including the passive, the procedural methods and the active methods to control fire in the building.

Therefore, the management of fire safety in the JB Firth building is therefore a critical thing in helping avert any possible damage likely to occur in the building in case a fire does occur. Often in case of a fire outbreak, the occupants of the building mostly the staff members and students will react in different ways from those stipulated by different designers or those assumed to occur in an ideal situation. For instance, the people will at first try to get the authenticity of the raised alarm, possibly by enquiring from their friends.

After this, they normally gather their belongings and their close friends or their family members. Only after this series of actions do they try to travel to another location where their safety is guaranteed. Therefore, the management of fire safety in the JB Firth building is intended to create more awareness increases the likelihood of experiencing the most appropriate human behavior as well as annihilates the threat of fire. The management of fire safety will immensely contribute to the safeguarding of the occupants of the building in a number of ways.

These ways can be summarized as Greatly help in working out methods to prevent the outbreaks of fire in JB Firth building.