1. Fire Sprinklers A Presentation to the Canadian Home Builders Association Technical Research Committee Sean Pearce National Marketing Manager Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association

2. Who is C.A.S.A. C.A.S.A. Is a trade association incorporated under a Dominion Charter in 1961, its staff represent its member corporations through technical research, government relations and industry promotion. Its head office is in Markham, Ontario and has regional offices in Alberta and Nova Scotia. Our Goal is to "To enhance the level of life safety and property conservation from the effects of fire through the use of fire sprinklers."

3. About the Trade The Fire Sprinkler trade in Canada is governed provincially, it is also a designated trade. Currently Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Quebec require all fire system be installed by a certified sprinkler fitter. Sprinkler Fitters are qualified by their provincial governments, these qualifications are transferable across Canada when a fitter achieves the Red Seal Level.

4. Fire Sprinkler Codes NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems as referenced in the National Building Code. NFPA 13 D-This standard shall cover the design and installation of automatic sprinkler systems for protection against the fire hazards in one- and two- family dwellings and manufactured homes NFPA 13 R-This standard shall cover the design and installation of automatic sprinkler systems for protection against fire hazards in residential occupancies up to and including four stories in height.

5. Types of Sprinkler Systems Fire Sprinkler systems fall into two basic categories, Residential and Commercial. On the commercial side there are Wet and dry systems with various functionalities to improve sprinkler response time. The residential side is made up of predominantly wet systems with three possible installation methods.

6. Residential Sprinkler Systems Stand Alone-This type of system is completely separate from your domestic supply. This system also requires a yearly inspection of the check valve and flow alarm operation. An advantage to this system is that a separate set of pipes is dedicated solely to the sprinklers. This system can be easier to engineer and install trained sprinkler fitters can install these system quickly with little disruption to the construction timelines.

7. Residential Sprinkler Systems Combination-This type of system is commonly called a “multi-purpose” system. The major difference with this type, is its integration into your domestic plumbing system. The water actually flows through the plumbing pipes and the sprinkler system. This system requires detailed designs and correct installation to ensure adequate water supply in the event of a head activation.

8. Residential Sprinkler Systems Passive Purge- Designed as a standalone system but ending at a single domestic water device, like a toilet. This system has many benefits of both of the previous system but again design and correct installation is imperative to ensure correct operation.

9. Who Should Install Trained certified sprinkler fitters provide you with the peace of mind that the system are installed correctly and will function according to the design specifications. This peace of mind will help to prevent liability and ensure the system will work when it is called upon. While in some Provinces this is not required, it is a best practice that you should investigate, certified sprinkler fitters spend a considerable amount of time repairing incorrectly installed systems. This does generate hours for the industry but it is also very disturbing that there are systems out there that may fail due incorrect parts or installation.

10. Accurate Parts Lists The importance of using the correct parts when installing a fire sprinkler system is paramount. Residential heads are designed for light hazards use, and they have quick response requirements as well as extended reach requirements, they are not always the least expensive individually but can reduce the overall installation cost. Be carful when selecting the lowest price installation.

11. Sprinkler Head Designs Pendant Style Head Upright Style Head Concealed Style Head Sidewall Style Head

12. Sidewall Installations The least expensive style of installation as you can have multiple heads on a single riser and all of the pipes can remain on interior walls. No freeze thaw concerns and less pipe.

13. Sprinkler Head Operation Fire sprinklers are activated by heat, not smoke, or steam, but heat. The activation point varies depending on the thermo bulb or thermo link installed. Residential heads are quick response type heads. They traditionally activate at a temperature of 57celsius to 260 Celsius depending on the need in the area. Generally heads with an activation temperature of 68 to 74 Celsius are used. The colour of the thermo bulb indicates the temperature rating.

14. What is K Factor The term K-Factor refers to a set of dimensionless numbers used as coefficients of discharge for fire sprinklers. They are usually listed along with other fire sprinkler specifications found in manufacturer brochures. But exactly how is a K-Factor determined? The Bernoulli Equation is a good starting point. Most nozzles and standard deflection type sprinklers yield predictible flows relative to pressure(P) because the 4 Lagrangian assumptions regarding the flow stream are easily met. However, specially engineered sprinklers have complex internal and external geometries that may confound the Lagrangian assumptions. The internal vanes in such sprinklers impart a radial velocity component that creates their characteristically unique spray patterns. As pressure increases, the flow rate may drop because energy losses from turbulence could yield a lower K-Factor. Turbulent flow makes it virtually impossible to predict friction losses related to changes in pressure. Note that Q = kÖP = kP 0.5 for standard deflection type sprinklers. For specially engineered sprinklers this could be Q = kP 0.44 or Q = kP 0.47. In such cases the fire sprinkler must be field tested to obtain Q = kP n for n<0.5.

15. K- Factor A hydraulic calculation may well be the single most important activity associated with designing a fire sprinkler system. The success of a design hinges almost entirely on the extent to which discharging sprinklers can meet the density and flow requirements specified in the design criteria. If the calculations fail, or are in error, the design must be rejected. Hydraulic calculations are usually performed at the bid or preliminary stage of a fire sprinkler project. The results could determine both the physical and economic viability of the sprinkler project. Hydraulic calculations must be done "in house" to ensure flexibility and control over the design process.

16. Why is K Factor Important Who is designing your systems, who is supplying the components, who is testing water flows, two identical homes may have different heads so as to allow correct operation. Qualified installers protect the lives of the occupants and your liability.

17. Why Fire Sprinklers In 2001, there were 21,494 residential fires reported, 39% of the Canadian total. A significant number also go unreported. This includes 273 deaths or 73% of fire fatalities. The primary victims are children under 10 years old and adults over 70 years old!

18. Quicker flashover More toxic vapours More gas is burnt outside of the room. This leads to greater radiation of heat to surrounding structures. Contents have Changed We have more dense fuel loads and they are more petroleum based products in our structures.

19. Cost of Installation Water supply, water pressure, head location & style, head design(k factor) all contribute to system pricing actual pricing is something derived during a bid when all of the relevant information is available. To estimate a factor of one to one and a half percent of the price of a home, in a competitive market is a safe consideration. This is not considering stand alone installations which can be more.

20. No fire fatalities have occurred in a residential property protected by a sprinkler system installed to NFPA 13D standards. Fire losses have reduced from over $30.8M per year in 1990 to $15.4M – a 50% reduction despite a 25% population growth. Over the 10 year average, the damage in a sprinklered residential unit was 13 times less than for an equivalent non-sprinklered unit. A Canadian Municipal Experience with Sprinklers

21. 10 year Experience with Sprinklers SprinkleredUnsprinklered Fire Deaths04.5 No. of Fires121.51062 Fire Loss$1,612,000$14,023,000 Total Value at risk $911,281,000$329,690,000 Average Fire loss (residential) $1065$13,937

22. Fire Growth If we look at the Power Laws related to fire growth and development we become aware that even average fires, of medium fire loads ( offices and residential occupancies for example) existing between normal ventilation parameters within the confines of a compartmented space, are expected to double in size every 60 seconds where there is adequate amounts of fuel and air. With increased fire loads and ventilation this growth can double in size as fast as every 16 seconds.

23. Note: The NRC Report of Fire Performance of Canadian Housing December 2008 found conditions to be untenable in under 5 minutes in most test scenarios.

26. Fire Sprinklers Are Green!

27. FM Global -Scientifically focused -Don’t manufacture or sell fire sprinklers -Believe losses are preventable not inevitable -One of the worlds largest insurers -175 years in business -Employ 1700 engineers, no actuaries

28. Environmental Analysis Outside Pollution (air-water) Water Usage Fire Damage (land fill waste reconstruction) Inside Temperature Gases Smoke

29. Findings 99% reduction in greenhouse gases 97% reduction in fire damage 50% reduction in fire suppression water

30. Possible Trade Ups Options include: Street Width Reduction: Traffic lanes may be narrowed, substantially reducing the amount of pavement in every linear foot of street in the development. Longer Dead-end Streets: Dead-end streets may be increased in length allowing additional building lots to be accessed. Tee Turnarounds Permitted: The permitted use of tee turnarounds in sprinklered developments can create at least one additional lot per cul-de-sac. Increased Street Grades and Building Setbacks: Steeper street grades and building locations further from paved fire vehicles access may be permitted. Additional Units Permitted: Although the actual percentage may vary, increases up to 20 percent are not uncommon. Expansion of Existing Water Supply May Not Be Needed: Required fire flows for fully sprinklered developments can be greatly reduced compared to non-sprinklered developments. Increased Hydrant Spacing: Supply mains may be reduced and hydrant spacing can be increased. Decreased Death Rates and Property Loss: Over time, communities with fully sprinklered developments should see a decrease in fire death rates and property loss.

31. Ontario Meetings Currently the Ontario Home Builders Association, the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs and C.A.S.A. are meeting to examine partnership and promotion opportunities for the sale of residential fire sprinkler systems Ontario.

32. Questions?