COMMISSIONING FIRE-LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS Presenter: Mark Leafstedt, PE, CxA 2008 ACG Annual Meeting Best Practices for Total Building Commissioning!

Agenda  ¡ Viva Las Vegas !  Fire Life Safety Building Codes  Means & Methods of Fire Life Safety Commissioning  Conclusion

Statistics According 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 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 Viva Las Vegas

Building Commissioning is an owner-driven requirements. Smoke Control/ Life Safety Commissioning is a Code driven requirement. Life Safety Cx vs Building Cx Viva Las Vegas

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? Viva Las Vegas

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 Puity 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. Viva Las Vegas

MGM 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 NFPA Including fire protection for seismic joints, elevator standards, smoke-proof enclosures, active/passive fire protection systems Evolution of the following building codes for high-rise buildings 1994 UBC, section UBC, section IBC, section 909 Globally Viva Las Vegas

History of the Building Codes Smoke Control Requirements Fundamentals of Smoke Control Systems Section 909 of 2003 IBC Fire Life Safety Building Codes Agenda

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 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 Code Overview

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” Code Overview

Requirements High Rise Exit Enclosures Atriums Covered Malls Underground Building Code Overview

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: Code Overview

Section 909 of 2003 IBC Section : This section discusses: Acceptance Testing Individual Device Testing Detection DevicesDuct Traverses DampersInlet/Outlet Air Quantities Fans Smoke Barriers Special Inspection Reports Code Overview

How Hard Can it Be? Roles & Responsibilities Commissioning Phases Means & Methods of Fire Life Safety Systems Commissioning Agenda

How Hard Can it Be? Introduction Detail Timing Intensity Means & Methods

How Hard Can it Be? Introduction Similar Process to Mechanical Cx Failures Critical Special Inspector Means & Methods

How Hard Can it Be? Detail Simplistic in Concept Complexity in Detail & Quantity Requirements Code Prescribed 100% Testing Means & Methods

How Hard Can it Be? Timing “DONE” Done prior to Certificate of Occupancy Testing Concurrent w/ Construction No Post-Occupancy Deficiencies & Issues Means & Methods

How Hard Can it Be? Intensity Critical Construction Sequencing C 3 Syndrome (Construction Completion Conjestion) Panic Means & Methods

Roles & Responsibilities Prime Contractor Subcontractors Designer Owner Commissioning Provider Means & Methods

Roles & Responsibilities Prime Contractor Construction of the Envelope Coordination Communication Scheduling Advocate! Means & Methods

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 Means & Methods

Roles & Responsibilities Designer Provide detailed smoke control diagrams Respond timely to to questions, issues, & changes Means & Methods

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 Means & Methods

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 Means & Methods

Commissioning Phases Life Safety System Commissioning Phases Design & Construction Document Review Document Development Pre-Functional Testing Functional Testing Commissioning Completion Means & Methods

Commissioning Phases Life Safety System Design Review Fire Protection Report provided? Equivalent to Design Intent (Referred to as a “Rational Analysis” Means & Methods

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? Means & Methods

DESIGN DOCUMENTATION Smoke Control Diagrams - Floor Plans Means & Methods

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? Means & Methods

Smoke Control Diagrams - Functional Matrix Means & Methods

Passive Zone Leakage Calculations Means & Methods

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 Means & Methods

DOCUMENTATION DEVELOPMENT Means & Methods

DOCUMENTATION DEVELOPMENT Means & Methods

Commissioning Phases SectionLife Safety System OutlineHVAC System Outline 1Acceptance LetterExecutive Summary 2 Commissioning Team 3 Mechanical System Overview 4Overview of Acceptance Testing ProceduresOverview of Commissioning Procedures 5Fire Protection ReportRecord Document - Sequences of Operation 6Smoke Management Sequences/MatrixPre-Functional Testing Checklists 7Component Testing FormsFunctional Testing Procedures 8Functional Testing Scenarios & ResultsDeficiencies & Issues Log 9Test & Balance ReportDaily Logs 10Product Data SheetsMiscellaneous Data 11Deficiencies & Issues Log 12Daily Inspection Reports 13Non-Compliance Reports 14Miscellaneous Data Means & Methods

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” Means & Methods

COMPONENT INSPECTION Pressurization Fan Means & Methods

COMPONENT INSPECTION Fire Smoke Damper Means & Methods

COMPONENT INSPECTION Fire Command Means & Methods

COMPONENT INSPECTION Fire Fighter’s Smoke Control Panel Means & Methods

COMPONENT INSPECTION Fire Protection Flow Station Means & Methods

Commissioning Phases Pre-Functional Provide site observations & barrier inspection Means & Methods

BOUNDARY INSPECTION Conduit Penetrations Means & Methods

BOUNDARY INSPECTION Floor Slab Penetrations Means & Methods

BOUNDARY INSPECTION Duct Penetrations Means & Methods

BOUNDARY INSPECTION Elevator Shaft Enclosure Means & Methods

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? Means & Methods

Commissioning Phases Functional Testing Assist in or define testing teams Witness functionality testing of the system Include component interaction Track deficiencies Means & Methods

PASSIVE ZONE TESTING Means & Methods

DUCT DETECTOR TESTING Means & Methods

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! Means & Methods

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 Conclusion

Questions ? Thanks for your attention!