| The introduction of conventional fire doors and | | | | the protection of property. |
| partitions can have a disastrous affect on a | | | | Fire safety design standards advocated by the |
| building's character and historic interest. Risk | | | | current Building Regulations primarily apply to |
| assessment and the development of a strategic | | | | building work only. However they can affect |
| approach to fire safety measures can lead to | | | | existing buildings where 'material alterations' are |
| more sympathetic solutions. | | | | proposed that will effectively downgrade existing |
| While modern buildings are designed from the | | | | provisions covered by the regulations, such as |
| outset to allow the occupants to leave quickly and | | | | means of escape, fire spread and access by the |
| easily in the event of a fire, adapting an historic | | | | fire services. They also apply where there is a |
| building is more difficult. Two primary factors | | | | 'material change of use' including conversions to |
| must be considered: the protection of persons | | | | form an hotel, a public building or a dwelling, and |
| either living, working or visiting the premises; and | | | | the subdivision of a building to form a flat. The |
| the protection of the building fabric and its | | | | Regulations are a relatively recent development |
| contents. If the building concerned is also open to | | | | responding to modern building techniques and |
| the visiting public, the requirement for life safety | | | | materials. Older buildings may have been |
| measures is even greater. | | | | constructed with provision for very different |
| The relative priorities for life safety and property | | | | methods of transferring air, heat and light around |
| protection will be viewed differently by those | | | | a structure, often in the form of ducts and |
| involved in the specification or definition of | | | | shafts. With the introduction of more modern |
| requirements. The fire authorities or the local fire | | | | building services, the original structure may well |
| brigade will be primarily concerned with ensuring | | | | have been built over or adapted, creating voids. |
| that optimum standards are achieved for the | | | | Recent history has shown, as with the fires at |
| provision of means of escape and for the inclusion | | | | Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Palace, that |
| of means for fighting fire. Conservationists on the | | | | such voids can contribute to the propagation and |
| other hand are primarily concerned with | | | | rapid spread of fire. |
| preserving the building fabric without the intrusive | | | | Recent years have seen rapid developments in |
| effects and loss of fabric that are the inevitable | | | | our understanding of the nature and science of |
| consequences of most standard fire precaution | | | | fire. As with any other facet of building |
| measures. | | | | development, the specifier no longer needs to rely |
| The building owner or occupier is therefore left in | | | | solely on the prescribed standards for design: a |
| somewhat of a dilemma. What are the legal | | | | specific tailored solution can be derived to take full |
| requirements? What life safety standards should | | | | advantage of existing features. |
| be considered for the current and future usage | | | | Fire precaution issues can be broadly broken |
| and occupancy? What provisions should be made | | | | down into two very specific categories: 'passive' |
| to protect the building and its contents against the | | | | protection measures which rely on physical |
| ravages of fire? What are the risks? | | | | barriers to restrict the development or spread of |
| These questions cannot be easily answered. The | | | | fire; and 'active' fire protection measures including, |
| only requirement in law concerns the provision for | | | | for example, fire detector and extinguisher |
| life safety and adequate means for escape, not | | | | systems. |