Conqueirng Your Fire & Life Safety Systems

Conquering the Code!

Assessing the Condition of Your

Fire & Life Safety Systems

Sarah [email protected]

Director, Marketing & CommunicationsBuilding Engines

2012 Real Estate Operations Masters Series!

Register for the complete series at www.buildingengines.com!

Real Estate Operations Masters Series

Peter HarrodSenior V.P., Rolf Jensen & Assoc.

About Peter: Mr. Harrod joined Rolf Jensen & Associates, Inc. (RJA) in 1998 and is a Senior Vice President. Throughout his career, he has acted as an advisor to design teams and building owners on compliance with local and international fire safety codes and standards. 

His experience includes development of fire protection design strategies using code and performance based approaches as well as other special studies related to specific code compliance issues. Mr Harrod's area of focus includes the identification, development, and oversight of maintenance for RJA's Fortune 500 and Higher Education clients.

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Instructions

Assessing the Condition of YourFire & Life Safety Systems

Today’s Webinar Topics

Avoiding Mistakes: The Top 10 Fire & Life Safety System Mistakes and how to avoid them  Keeping ahead of the Jones': Setting standards for fire and life safety across your portfolio that set you apart from the competition and mitigate risk Data-driven safety: Empowering your team with technology and real-time access to fire and life safety documentation The balance of responsibility: Between owner/managers and service providers for the fire and life safety systems

The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Fire & Life Safety Trends

Good: Increased focus on risk management

Bad: Many fire & life safety programs are still reactive vs. proactive

Ugly: When Owners/Managers defer the responsibility completely to fire and life safety contractors and service providers

Outdated Systems=

• High replacement costs• Hard to find parts• Out of compliance

Fire & Life Safety SystemsThe reactionary approach has negative ramifications

Have all the little improvements and tenant renovations across a building necessitated an update to the entire system?

Fire & Life Safety SystemsLooking at the Big Picture

Fire & Life Safety SystemsThe Importance of Standardization

Owners and Mangers are standardizing across entire portfolios:- Better than relying on dozens of different contractors- Best means to assuring occupant safety- Minimizing liability

Fire & Life Safety SystemsWhat Should You be Doing Now?

Revisit all historical renovations or tenant improvements- Compare the standards at the time to current standards, with an eye toward future industry standards.

ACTION!

Review Code Requirements-Have we properly maintained the minimum code requirements as it relates to fire, means of egress and life safety?

Fire & Life Safety SystemsStatement of Conditions

Statement of Conditions:

Assessing fire & life safety code compliance

What are the system’s:• Components• Deficiencies• Improvement Costs

Part recalls/

Outdated equipment

More Deep Dive Details:

“Is there enough water to feed the sprinkler system?”

“Is the active supression appropriate for the piece of equipment?”

Fire & Life Safety SystemsAwareness of Risks

Existing violations /

non-compliance

Fire & Life Safety SystemsStatement of Conditions- Components

Homework: Study all the building documents, floor plans, existing systems, etc.

Interview & Assess: Inspect existing systems, interview building management and engineers, current renovations

Report: Prioritized photographic report outlining specific recommendations and violations

Fire & Life Safety SystemsGetting Started

start w

ith a

BANG!

• Define the corporate drivers behind the need for an assessment

• Prioritize baseline requirements and goals

Fire & Life Safety SystemsStatement of Conditions- Components

1. Building Representative (usually Chief Engineer)- experienced with servicing and/or contracting the fire and life safety equipment in the property.

2. An Independent Professional: experienced with fire & life safety assessments and knowledgeable in the regional and national codes.

Blast that Report Wide Open!

• Building Manager • Chief Engineer• Any key decision makers in a

potential acquisition

Fire & Life Safety SystemsWho should have access to the report?

Start by getting it done. Once. And Well.

BAM! Then you can…

• Prioritize upgrades needed• Plan spending• Avoid glaring risks• Be prepared for future resale

Fire & Life Safety SystemsHow often should we perform a statement of conditions?

Business Process Re-engineering Technology Adoption in Real Estate

Access data in

real-time across your

entire portfolio

Store all fire and life safety documentation in a central

location

Automated and

documented work orders

Access data from a mobile device while

inspecting equipment

Fire & Life Safety SystemsEverything’s Better With Technology!

1. Continuing to Band-Aid an outdated system, rather than replace.

2. Missing the Big Picture: Have all the little one-off improvements and renovations

necessitated a change to the entire system?

3. Not implementing building and portfolio-wide fire and life safety standards.

4. Passing the buck to service providers.

5. Thinking you can catch up later when the market turns around.

6. Not doing an Assessment of Condition of your Fire and Life Safety Systems at each

building.

7. Diving into a fire and life safety overhaul without outlining and prioritizing baseline

requirements and goals.

The 10 Biggest Fire & Life Safety System Mistakes!

8. Choosing the wrong person/team to spearhead the project

9. Sharing is Caring: Making sure that the all of appropriate

building representatives get their hand on the final report

10. Neglecting to utilize technology in the process

Peter HarrodSenior V.P., Rolf Jensen & Assoc.

About Peter: Mr. Harrod joined Rolf Jensen & Associates, Inc. (RJA) in 1998 and is a Senior Vice President. Throughout his career, he has acted as an advisor to design teams and building owners on compliance with local and international fire safety codes and standards. 

His experience includes development of fire protection design strategies using code and performance based approaches as well as other special studies related to specific code compliance issues. Mr Harrod's area of focus includes the identification, development, and oversight of maintenance for RJA's Fortune 500 and Higher Education clients.

Conquering the Code!

Assessing the Condition of Your

Fire & Life Safety Systems