Why Don’t All Apartment Blocks Have Sprinkler Systems?

 

We have had a lot of enquiries over the past week from both landlords and tenants, following the awful fire at Grenfell Tower on June 14^th, to find out if their particular apartment block has a sprinkler system.

 

Although there is clear evidence to show that these systems can dramatically reduce the potential for damage to the property and potential loss of life or injury, regulations in England mean that only buildings constructed since 2007 and which are taller than 30m are required to have sprinklers fitted. This requirement wasn't applied retroactively so it does not apply to buildings that were built or modified before this date.

 

Whether a building is required to have these systems can also be influenced by when planning permission was submitted. So, if planning permission was submitted before April 2007 when the new regulations were introduced, but the building was not completed until afterwards, the building would not be subject to the new regulations.

 

Buildings can also apply for planning permission using a “fire engineered approach”, which in certain circumstances, if approved, may also not be required to adhere to certain regulations.

 

According to the BAFSA, losses from fires in buildings protected with sprinklers are estimated to be 1/10 of those in unprotected buildings. In buildings fully protected by sprinklers, 99% of fires were controlled by sprinklers alone and 60% of fires were controlled by the spray from no more than 4 sprinklers.

 

Sprinklers Can Be Fitted Retrospectively …

 

but it can be expensive. After a fire at Shirley Towers, Southampton, in 2010, which killed two firefighters, the coroner said: "Social housing providers should be encouraged to consider the retrofitting of sprinklers in all existing high-rise buildings in excess of 30 metres in height."

 

After the Shirley Towers fire in 2010, it cost the council £1m to install sprinklers in three tower blocks.

 

The Good News

Despite everything above however, it currently looks like the main reason for the tragedy Grenfell Tower was largely down to the “chimney effect” caused by the newly fitted cladding to the building, and the material that the cladding itself was made from.

 

There are also many other requirements in the building regulations that have already been implemented in many existing apartment blocks. This includes, but is not limited to:

 

·         Early fire warning by an automatic detection and warning system (fire and smoke alarms)

·         Means of escape, sufficient for the size and occupancy of the building

·         Provision of a smoke control system

·         Facilities to assist the fire and rescue service

·         Building materials designed to control the rate of growth, and spread of a fire including fire doors

·         Fire separation between buildings or parts of buildings

·         Standard and active measures for extinguishment of control of fires.

 

You can find out more in the government’s “Building Regulations 2010 Part B”.

 

Most modern apartment blocks or converted buildings are extremely safe, but obviously in the wake of Grenfell Tower, nobody will be complacent.

 

I would expect to see a review of advice given on “what to do in the event of a fire” as a direct result, as well as a review of external building materials, and whether certain parts of the building regulations should be retrospectively applied. This last one has always been a difficult area due to the potential costs involved.

 

In light of recent events, this may be a small cost to pay in comparison to the potential loss of human life.