Less Rigid Fire Code By Year 2003
By Chong Chee Kin
Singapore, 15 March 2001 -- A new set of fire regulations which will come into effect in two years' time will give architects and building owners more power and flexibility in building design.
But first, they have to convince the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) that the designs have enough safety measures.
Under the present regulations, architects and owners of buildings have to follow strictly the fire-safety requirements as dictated to them under the fire code, the SCDF said.
For example, if the regulations state there should be three fire exits and five water sprinklers, the design of the building must incorporate exactly that.
The numbers cannot be adjusted even if the owner has installed smoke detectors and advanced sprinkler- and fire-detection systems in the premises.
But that will change when the new performance-based fire code is in place.
Instead of strictly following the old fire code, architects and engineers can come up with their own designs with fire-safety features.
But the current code will not be phased out. Architects and engineers can still follow these regulations if they choose to do so.
If they want to come up with their own designs, the onus will be on them to prove to the SCDF that they meet fire-safety standards.
For instance, they can choose to cut down on the number of fire exits, staircases or sprinklers, if they include advanced firefighting technology in their designs.
With the help of computer software which simulates fires, they can estimate the extent that their equipment will help reduce the spread of smoke and fire.
This is good news for building owners, especially those running entertainment outlets.
The new code will not only allow construction costs to be reduced, but it will also give architects more room for creativity.
Explaining the change, SCDF Commissioner James Tan said: 'We must make appropriate changes to the fire code to suit our local context... The present code is like a dictator, which may inhibit the creativity of the architects.'
He was speaking to The Straits Times yesterday after addressing 500 professionals in the construction industry at the Fire Safety Bureau Seminar, organised by the SCDF and the Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
He stressed that fire safety would not be compromised when the new performance-based fire code comes into effect.
The new code will bring Singapore in line with countries like the United States, Canada and Britain, which have adopted similar standards.
Source: The Straitstimes Interactive, Singapore
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