Sprinklers, fire protection & firewater

Engineering services (Sprinklers & firewater)

A sprinkler or firewater installation cannot be assessed in isolation from the facility it protects. The occupancy, storage arrangement, hazard profile and available supply all influence the design. Establishing those inputs early helps the project team understand plant space, infrastructure and coordination requirements.

On existing sites, changes to use, racking, storage or processes may alter the assumptions behind the original system. A scoped review should identify the information available, the evidence still required and the implications for further design. A visual inspection alone does not establish hydraulic performance or full system adequacy.

Scope of expertise

The appointment is defined around the facility, available information and required project outcomes. Relevant services can include:

• Sprinkler system design and review within the agreed appointment
• Firewater demand, supply and distribution considerations
• Fire pumps, storage and associated mechanical interfaces
• Hydrant and hose reel system coordination
• Technical review of specialist design submissions and proposed equipment
• Review of occupancy, commodity, storage and protection design assumptions
• Integration of sprinkler, hydrant, hose reel and specialist protection demands
• Portable fire extinguisher selection and placement requirements within the overall fire strategy

Design and deliverables

We confirm the protection objective and design criteria, review available supply information and develop coordinated system requirements. Calculations, equipment duties and layout information are prepared or reviewed as the appointment requires. Design assumptions are kept visible so that later changes can be assessed consistently.

Hydraulic calculations and fire pump duties

The calculation basis brings together the protection demand, available water supply, pipe routes and equipment losses. Pump duties and water-storage requirements follow from that basis. For an extension, existing drawings, pump curves and recent flow-test records help establish what can be retained and what needs further verification.

A warehouse brief should identify the stored goods, packaging, rack arrangement and maximum storage height. These inputs are used with the selected design standard and insurer requirements to establish the protection criteria. See our warehousing and logistics services and fire pump and hydraulic design capability.

Project information

Useful inputs include the fire strategy, occupancy and storage details, building drawings, existing system records and available water supply information. The brief should identify future changes and any insurer requirements communicated to the client.

The scope, deliverables, site involvement and responsibilities are confirmed for each appointment.