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