High-Rise Building Fire Environment (Fire Protection & Safety Engineering Essential)

Figure 01, Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris on fire last 15^th April 2019 (credit image, NDTV News)

“This article is an excerpt topic and edited from "Fire System Design and Analysis" approved AIU's Master Subject Curriculum Course of a research thesis submitted to the Atlantic International University School of Science and Engineering (AIU SCE USA) with a grade of 4.00 ("A+") earned the Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2010-2012 with a 3.78 GPA. However, this thesis write-up is one of the sources in the Thesis Dissertation from PUP (Polytechnic University of the Philippines) Master of Science in Construction Management (MSCM). Also, a theoretical background of Ph.D. in Building and Construction Engineering Subject Course Thesis, “Building Fire Protection and Safety Engineering,” from the AIU SCE USA with an excellent marked “A+” (4.00) grade for this doctorate degree, 2016-18.”

“This article paper is a glimpse concerning high-rise building fire environment as discussed hereof for more information. And this article paper is one of the "Most Read" in the LinkedIn Publishing, ResearchGate and Academia platforms that have been provided a course background based on the researches, observation, conducted an interview and hands-on experiences in Fire Safety Engineering on Design and Analysis as part of the building built design and construction involving any facilities.”

Abstract

The requirement of Fire System Design and Analysis as part of the building built design and construction involving any facilities, which is an environmental design process and management from start to finish methodology. An introduction that will give a glimpse concerning the Fire System design within the building construction based on the client requirement and purpose of the development that explains and discuss the critical phases, elements, usage, and functions of every detail of the project. Moreover, this article talked about fire scenarios that were happened in the Europe region within the two high rise building aspects due to the negligence of concerned parties and developers that caused residents fatalities and accidents drastically.

Fire Scenario, Analogy, and Methodological Study

The only question came across in the author’s mind when he heard the news about one of the known residential buildings of London, which was the 24 Storey (67.3M) Grenfell Tower was on FIRE last 14th June 2017.  Although that was a long time ago, and until now is still an issue and being discussed everywhere, the fact that was a big WHY and HOW does the building be fired since the United Kingdom (UK) is known for their technological advancement skills and critical thinking mindset with respect in the formulation of Building Codes and Standards. It is right if the author’s not mistaken? Do they?

All prestigious Institutions held like IFE (Institution of Fire Engineers), CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers), and the British Standards (BS) located in the same location. Similarly, they are all the white guys who are known for their quality project management towards project implementation, their government law and policy; which most of the nations around the world are following their legacy as well as the most tourist's destinations in Europe because of their historic places.

Moreover, another historic old building was on fire last 15^th April 2019 as shown in the cover page (image credit from the NDTV News), and that is the “Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris.” A 69M building height established on the year of 1163 and the building was considered one of the most excellent examples of French Gothic architecture at that time and even in today’s generation is being followed and studied.

However, throughout the years in the practice of Fire Protection and Safety Engineering with the author’s design projects of various building project scales, but the fact is, the author is using the American Codes and Standards like NFPAs (National Fire Protection Association), SFPE (Society of Fire Protection Engineers), IBC (International Building Code), IFC (International Fire Code), ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers) and ASPE (American Society of Plumbing Engineers) whereas the same Codes and Standards he is using in the Philippines.

It is the author apology to the European guys and concerning about those, however, the author didn’t use merely in any from the IFE and the British Standards (BS) Codes and Standards in the design projects, unless his boss is from the UK or anywhere from Europe who always mandates to apply them. But the author is very straightforward and believes the integrity of American Standards compared to other states like the UK in terms of researches and innovations in Fire Safety Engineering.

In the Philippines (like in the USA), prior to practicing in the field of engineering they chose, they have to secure a professional license upon graduation in the University, which was legally bound by the government through the Professional Regulation Commission, who regulates the professionals in the country, otherwise, will be enjailed. Everyone who is an engineering graduate has no choice but to take it so that the integrity of being Professional is in their heart and value it in their entire career. The author is saying this, however, to be responsible for the value of engineering and science in the design and construction industry wherever they are employed as well as practicing their engineering profession.

Fire Protection and Safety Engineering profession are one of the exciting careers of the author that has ever experienced in his life. An intriguing job whereas we have to save lives and properties using the precise technology especially we have now in this generation, which is being tested and innovated for years done by UL and FM USA with their innovative research and development (R & D) concerning fire protection equipment and controls for every project scales and applications.

A building with more than 25-meters in height is considered a high-rise building being defined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) in every state and country around the world. And the High-Rise Building Structure has a special case in architectural and engineering design to be considered with respect to building fire safety engineering that needs to be addressed carefully in conformance with the local building code and the authority having jurisdiction unlike with the horizontal development projects, which are not stringent and complicated. However, critical thinking and innovative research, engineering, and architectural design principles have to be applied as an essential part of building science.

Moreover, in today’s generation, the application of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamic) modeling has to be provided in the hydraulic design simulation process with precise calculation input as well as using the BIM (Building Information Modelling) technological application, which can bear applied since the Grenfell Tower of London was refurbished in 2016, and the UK government is known for this technology, right?

However, the author has a glimpse of understanding that the Grenfell Tower of London on how does the building was designed whereas all innovative technological present has not been applied and incorporated during the refurbishment period since they already upgraded the system.

According to the published CIBSE Journal (June 2017 Edition), the building was designed and constructed in 1967 and completed in 1974 (7-years construction) respectively. However, with the author’s opinion based on the dates of construction, which can be understood by ether a layman or the no read / no write person who doesn’t know and has no engineering background or even experience what happened to Grenfell Tower, can be assessed accordingly, perhaps, because that was an old building.

The ridiculous thing about those set-ups, accordingly, the building was refurbished in 2016 by the lead contractor Rydon Maintenance amounting to an £8.6m scheme for the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organization. Though 2016 is just 4-years ago and we are now in the present generation where all technology is available in the competitive landscape and which can apply in the Fit-Out Project like the Grenfell Tower of London. And it is another failure in today’s technological age in terms of Fire Engineering assessment as shown in the below photo on how the fire fired the entire building.

The author understands how difficult the job for the remediation of a Fit-Out Project, and that’s too unsafe tasks whereas all the building services were already employed and functioned as well. However, and since the scope of work is for the refurbishment of the building, the lead contractor has to understand Risk Management and must learn from the CIML UK (Chartered Institute of Management and Leadership) which they are offering the course subject. And to let you know, the CIML UK is one of the prominent institutions in the UK in terms of business, construction and project management and leadership principles. So, the question behind is, why do these happening in the first world country?

Figure 02, 24 Storey Grenfell Tower of London on Fire, 14 June 2017 (crafted; rvgomeseria)

Building Fire System Analysis and Findings

The author had a chat and discussion with Engr. Martin Kealy of MKA Fire Consultants London when he has visited Doha last October 2017 at ARCADIS Qatar Office (the author’s previous company) about the building fire scenario on why and what happened in the Grenfell Tower of London of having such a big fire. Mr. Kealy told me about the repercussions as he discussed in the published CIBSE Journal that the causes of building fire can be of the following two-cases as such; 1) The building Claddings have played and caused a significant role in the rapid of fire as clearly defined in Figure 02, and 2) The theory analogy whereas the speed of flames have raced up in the building façade is similar to many fires we can experience in the ordinary norm.

However, according to the Telegraph News, the use of cladding in the Grenfell Tower of London was fitted with zinc rain-screen cladding and glazed curtain walling whereas the materials sit behind and where the combustibles materials can take only for 15-minutes to engulf the building with fire.

And these have been proven in the statement of the Fire Safety Expert Graham Fieldhouse when he was interviewed by the BBC mainstream media. Whatever happened in the building was shocking to hear at that time and so many people around asked why. Additionally, and the worst thing could ever be imagined whereas the investigative team has found out that the Grenfell Tower of London classified as HIGH-RISE BUILDING BUT HAVE NO FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM INSTALLED and the building had been designed with NO ENTRIES AND EXITS as well. And those findings that had been documented are a very horrible and fascinating case to know the implications for the building without fire protection, and the author was unfortunate though, to learn about the 80 fatalities in the fire incident is a big crime at all.

The author knows that the IFE and the British Standards don’t allow that kind of practice as per their guidelines, but the question behind there, why they are allowing to proceed for construction. However, NFPA 101 2015 Edition Section 7.2.1.5.8.2 stating that the existing installation in a high-rise building shall be protected throughout by an approved supervised automatic sprinkler system as described in Section 9.7 as well as Section 11.2.2 Means of Egress application to be applied supposed to be and mandated for the Grenfell Tower of London case scenario.

Fire protection is mandatory in a high-rise building skyscrapers not only to protect all the equipment and properties but for the people's lives who is residing at the Grenfell Tower of London at that time?

Even the ASHRAE with their Codes and Standards has provided HVAC Design Guide for Tall Commercial Buildings Handbook, 2004 edition as a reference for skyscrapers design notes; and the Principles of Smoke Management, 2002 Edition, which clearly identifies the importance of Smoke and Heat Exhaust Ventilation System (SHEVS), Smoke Evacuation, Smoke Purging and Staircase Pressurization applications in the high-rise building classification. In these are clearly stated too in the NFPA 101 Chapter 10 Life Safety Systems for the high-rise building requirements relevance to the NFPA 92 Standard for Smoke Control Systems, NFPA 80 and NFPA 80A for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protective’s Devices, and as Recommended Practice for Protecting Buildings from Exterior Fire Exposures respectively as well as most likely with the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) within the London vicinity which is more prevalent jurisdiction in the building fire protection authority for the supervision and design approvals.

The questions came again to the author’s mind in where the building has been refurbished in 2016 by the lead contractor Rydon Maintenance; Do they have Fire Engineer to evaluate the existing building structure through CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) Modeling? And do they refer to any Building Fire Codes and Standards requirements for the High-Rise Building application since the minimum references being mentioned above are not outdated and applicable as design guidelines for any building facilities?

Once again, the author has referred Wikipedia to revisit if it was mistaken to have a view and re-define that “Fire Engineering is the application of science and engineering principles.” Therefore, these must be applied in the whole building built environment to protect people’s lives living in the building compartment, securing people’s property, and building environments that have to design in the prevention from the harmful and destructive effects of fire and smoke in the building skyscraper.

To do it, however, the FIRE ENGINEER has to consider and evaluate the minimum requirement to be deemed to be based on the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), which is the principal author in every state or the country whereas the law encompasses the BUILDING FIRE PROTECTION.

Thus, fire protection engineering focuses on fire detection, suppression and mitigation, and fire safety engineering which focuses on human behavior and maintaining a sustainable environment for building evacuation from a massive fire, which can be prevented in following the rule of law at all costs.

Conclusion and Recommendation

As a conclusion, the author does agree with the explanation of Professor Roger Plank of the University of Sheffield, and the Fire Protection Association that they have to need to revisit and review the existing law, and the Building Regulation in Europe that according to them must have to update in aligning with the present generation of the technological age. Whereas technology advancement in the Fire Science and Engineering are in existence to achieve reliable and building sustainability required for the building fire environment and safety requirements.

The composition of this article paper has been provided as a reflection to the Grenfell Tower of London and the Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris incidents where all fatalities came on a glimpse and surprise. A discussion relative to the importance of Fire Protection and Safety Engineering within the High Rise Building environment and with the lessons provided in a practical way as a worldview, and ideology that challenges the environmental problems within the competitive landscape of ecological possibilism.

And this is how exciting the Fire Protection Engineering profession in today’s technological generation, challenging and widen individuals' understanding and thought in aligning with the building fire behavior and the importance of building monitoring within the scope of building science.

In the building services management side, however, addresses the activities planned for the operation and maintenance of the high-rise building facility. And this is to ensure the appropriate actions within the organization in aligning with the building services; HVAC System, Fire Protection and Fire Alarm/Detection/Addresses System, Water Supply Distribution, Building Drainage, Electrical includes lighting and power, Building Transportation such elevator, walkalator and escalator, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and Communication as a Building System Operation with the principle of remote sensing and monitoring.

Write-Up References can be Read from this Links;

Gomeseria, R. V. (2019, April). "High-Rise Building Fire Environment (Fire Protection & Safety Engineering Essential)." Retrieved from; https://www.academia.edu/35625426/_High-Rise_Building_Fire_Environment_Fire_Protection_and_Safety_Engineering_Essential_

Gomeseria, R. V. (2019, April). "High-Rise Building Fire Environment (Fire Protection & Safety Engineering Essential)." Retrieved from;  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332447077_High-Rise_Building_Fire_Environment_Fire_Protection_Safety_Engineering_Essential