Handbook of Green Building Design and Construction, 2nd Edition

9.8. Fire Suppression Systems

According to the Fire Suppression Systems Association (FSSA) 43% of businesses closed by fire never reopen and another 29% fail within 3 years. These are stark statistics. Fire suppression systems are used in conjunction with smoke detectors and fire alarm systems to improve and increase public safety. Suppression systems are governed by the codes under the NFPA 13 handbook and include Fire sprinkler systems (wet, dry, preaction, and deluge), gaseous agents, and wet/dry chemical agents. When planning for fire protection, an integrated approach is needed in which system designers analyze the building’s components as a total package. To achieve an optimum symbiosis between these components, an experienced system designer, ...