Electrical Passive Fire Protection Infrastructures

"Australia’s building industry is gearing up for change as new regulations mean that passive fire safety systems are no longer able to rely on tests which were performed using outdated standards"John Rakic (aka Hound)

Hi and Welcome back to the Theory and Practice of Estimating Electro - Technology Projects.

In this LinkedIn Feature I want to share with you my thoughts and experiences regarding Electrical Passive Fire Protection??

No different to the Telecommunications Cabling Industry I see a lot of passive fire related issues on LinkedIn these days, photos, finger pointing and unhelpful sledging??

Just like the Telecommunications Cabling Industry it's obvious to me these problems come from one thing???

LACK OF TRAINING!!??

How many of us in the Electrical and Telecommunications Contracting world have penetrated a fire rated membrane without proper planning, co-ordination and approvals by suitably qualified people???

I know over my career I've been guilty of this and I'm willing to walk down the street buck naked if any Sparkie or Tech hasn’t witnessed or been involved with the practice?? ?

Can you imagine how many fire rated membranes have been breached in Multi Story residential apartments for NBN service access not to mention other service breaches and what Passive Fire Protection Systems (IF ANY) have been installed and certified as a result????

According to John Rakic (aka Hound), owner of Australian passive fire protection systems manufacturer Trafalgar Fire, Passive Fire Protection Systems exist to contain or slow down the spread of fire by compartmentalising a building into fire zones using fire-rated walls, shafts, floors, ceilings, doors and service penetrations. Service penetrations include duct work, electrical and data cabling, plumbing and air conditioning pipes???

Rakic says the aim of passive fire systems involves containing the spread of fire to one compartment and thereby allowing people to escape safety from other compartments???

Passive fire protection also enables fire fighters to access a building and hopefully contain the fire to one fire affected compartment???

Around Australia, fire safety within buildings has gained public attention following the Grenfell and Lacrosse Tower (Melbourne) apartment fires??

Under changes set to come into force in September, all passive fire protection systems on Class 2 buildings (apartment buildings) which are being constructed under NCC 2019 or later will need to incorporate systems with a fire resistance level which has been tested according to tests conducted under the most recent version of the Australian standard which specifies methods for fire tests on building materials, components or structures (AS1530 Part 4 – 2014)???

?Systems with tests conducted under older versions of the standard, such as those issued in 1997 or 2005, will no longer be acceptable???

Whilst the changes were introduced in 2019, a previous grandfathering clause which has been in place for the past three years allowed older fire test reports to be used for new buildings said John Rakic (aka Hound)

Another concern is the growing demand for electric vehicles – and charging facilities – is a risk for apartment values in older buildings that cannot easily install the necessary infrastructure, particularly as new rules come into place this year???

New National Construction Code (NCC) standards to make charging infrastructure available for 100 per cent of apartment building parking spaces will drive a value gap between new builds and older developments that fail to keep up, according to consultant and EV enthusiast David Hamilton???https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/the-hidden-threat-of-evs-to-older-apartments-20221215-p5c6hk

While Australia has been a laggard in the adoption of EVs,?demand got a boost?late last year after?low- and zero-emission cars won exemption from fringe benefits tax.???

Construction policy is also moving in favour of EVs, as the building code coming into effect October 1 also will require 10 per cent of parking spaces in office and retail buildings and 20 per cent of spaces in other buildings to be able to accommodate charging facilities???

But the strictest requirement for every new space in an apartment building to be served by switchboard and charging facilities posed a threat to owners of the units and apartments that already house an estimated 2.2 million people, Mr Hamilton said???https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/the-hidden-threat-of-evs-to-older-apartments-20221215-p5c6hk

"In the case of Mr Hamilton’s building, a 30-level, 157-unit tower with five underground levels of parking, installing the basic infrastructure – which included dedicated circuits, a distribution board, cable tray and load management system – cost the building between $24,000 and $25,000????

"It cost individual owners $1200 to $1500 to run a cable from the distribution board to their car park and a further $2400 for the charger itself"???https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/the-hidden-threat-of-evs-to-older-apartments-20221215-p5c6hk

BUT I WONDER IF THAT INCLUDED A CERTIFIED PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM ??♀???♂???♀???♂???

NSW and Victoria want 50 per cent of new cars sold to be EVs by 2030, Queensland plans for 50 per cent of new passenger vehicle sales to be zero-emission by 2030, and 100 per cent by 2036 and SA says all new passenger vehicles sold by 2035 should be fully electric, BUT WHAT ABOUT PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS??♀???♂???♀???♂???https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/the-hidden-threat-of-evs-to-older-apartments-20221215-p5c6hk

The Australian Institute of Building Surveyors (AIBS) met on 15 December 2022 and determined to establish a?AIBS Policy Position DRAFT to support AIBS advocacy activities related to the installation of charging equipment within buildings for the purpose of charging electric vehicles. The decision was taken in response to growing concerns about the risks associated with this activity?? ?

The Board noted that in addition to charging points forming part of proposed buildings, there are large numbers of charging points being installed in existing buildings, and that this work is largely occurring without an approval from a building surveyor or other authority and is only controlled by the electrical contractor’s observance of the wiring rules???

SO HOW WILL YOU MEET PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION COMPLIANCE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES??♀???♂???♀???♂???

John Rakic (aka Hound), owner of Australian passive fire protection systems manufacturer Trafalgar Fire, has recognised the need and developed compliant Passive Fire Protection Systems for the Electrical and Telecommunications Industry and offers installation and training in every facet of Passive Fire Protection Systems???

The innovative team at SynergyPro have also recognised the need for "Passive Fire Protection" application and pricing???

As a result "Passive Fire Protection" has been added to "My Quote Mate"(MQM) Fire Scope of Works??

Whilst some reference to fire penetration protection is available in "My Quote Mate"(MQM) - No specific details regarding penetration protection exist - UNTIL NOW??

The "Passive Fire Protection" referred to in "My Quote Mate"(MQM) is based on the Trafalgar product with pricing of product and install labour???

In due course and following extensive market research in collaboration with Trafalgar Fire this will be reviewed???

A "Passive Fire Protection" selection table and the various construction services and applications where protection is necessary has been added to "My Quote Mate"(MQM)???

The "Passive Fire Protection" selection table offers varying building environment criteria for each service and the required "Fire Stopping System" for each service???

By selecting the Service - Building criterion and Fire Stopping System from the "Passive Fire Protection" selection table -recommended Trafalgar Fire menu options are generated once all arguments have been satisfied???

From this menu recommendation you can select the right Trafalgar Fire product for your application??

"My Quote Mate"(MQM) "Fire Works" and "Bill of Materials" then produces a full breakdown of Trafalgar Fire estimated product - price and estimated expenses to install the product???

To my knowledge I'm not aware of any other Electro-Technology Estimating Software that offers this feature???

With this added feature to "My Quote Mate"(MQM) another external influence and "Scope of Work" - "Passive Fire Protection" is available offering an accurate, realistic and achievable budget Estimate???

About SynergyPro & the Author?

About how SynergyPro can help you?

How to review your RFQs and what criteria determines your choice?

Want to order UEECO0001 (Supersedes and is equivalent to?UEENEEC005B) Estimate Electrotechnology Projects Training?

Want to order a brief virtual demonstration of “My Quote Mate”??

Want to order “My Quote Mate” Estimating Licence & Software, Training or Software Amendments?