Fire and Life Safety: Integration: Building Automation Systems and Fire/Life Safety

Fire and Life SafetyIntegration: Building Automation Systems and Fire/Life Safety

Erik Anderson, PE, Manager, Koffel Associates,Columbia, Md.

Wayne D. Moore, PE, CFPS, SET, FSFPE, F.NSPE, Principal and Vice President, Hughes Associates | RJA Group, Warwick, R.I.

Moderator: Jack Smith, Consulting-Specifying Engineer, CFE Media, LLC

Presenters:

Erik Anderson, PE, Manager, Koffel Associates,

Columbia, Md.

Wayne D. Moore, PE, CFPS, SET, FSFPE, F.NSPE, Principal and Vice President,

Hughes Associates | RJA Group, Warwick, R.I.

Integration: Building Automation Systems and Fire /Life Safety

Fire and Life Safety

What is a building automation system?

• BAS: network of integrated electronic devices designed to monitor and control building systems

• Other names:– Building management system– Smart building– Distributed control system

• Used for HVAC, lighting, security…fire?

BAS

Communication protocols

BACnet, short for building automation control network, is a data communication protocol for building automation and control networks. BACnet is both an international (ISO) and ANSI standard for interoperability between cooperating building automation devices.

Communication protocols

• LonWorks: local operating network. Proprietary protocol developed in 1988. Networking platform created to automate controls.

• Many others types exist:– Modbus– Profibus– X10

BACnet changes

• More object types added in 2001– Life safety points and zones– Latching alarm state, manual reset

• Incorporates more system types• More open protocols and interoperability among

vendors• Living document

BACnet Standard

• The BACnet Standardaddresses integrationacross a broad rangeof building systems

• BACnet provides a collection of objects that manufacturers can combine to build devices tailored to specific applications.

FireLife

Safety

Security

Vertical Transport

CCTV

AccessControl

HVAC

Lighting

Laboratory

Integration of BAS and safety systems

• Opportunities to integrate:– Smoke control systems and HVAC– Fire alarm systems– Elevator occupant evacuation operation (OEO)

integration.

BAS and smoke control

• Smoke control = mechanical equipment

• Historically controlled by fire alarm system

• Obvious choice for integration– Fans starting/stopping– Dampers open/close– Doors closed and elevators recalled

• Eliminate overrides and duplicate controls

• More control.

• Combination system per NFPA 72-2013:“A fire alarm system in which components are used, in whole or in part, in common with a nonfire signaling system.”

BAS and fire alarm systems

BAS and fire alarm systems

• Fire alarm products now have a BACnet gateway– Allows monitoring but little/no

control– Manufacturers of both fire alarm

and BAS can have bidirectional communication if listed to UUKL

• Research underway at NIST– Sensor data to estimate fire

conditions.

BAS and fire alarm systemsMost fire alarm systems on the market today have the capability to output fire alarm signals over BACnet protocols. This is accomplished via a BACnet gateway that allows the fire alarm system to output signals to third-party equipment as BACnet objects. The third-party equipment can be configured to read and react to data received from the gateway.

NFPA 72 and BAS

• In order to ensure life safety is not impacted by any integrated non-fire system, a listed barrier gateway, integral with or attached to each control unit or group of control units, as appropriate, must be provided to prevent the other systems from interfering with or controlling the fire alarm system. (NFPA 72-2013 - 23.8.2.6.2 & 24.4.3.22.1.2)

NFPA 72 and BAS

The BACnet interface is a standalone piece of fire alarm equipment, so it is constantly online and goes offline only if it loses both primary and backup power, or if it is being serviced. Therefore, there is no downtime or signal restoration necessary when the fire alarm system is reset. If any of the fire alarm points that are being supervised by the gateway change state at any time, the BACnet gateway will automatically change the status of the BACnet objects associated with those points.

NFPA 72 and OEO

For elevator OEO, the interface requirements are more complex than those of Phase I elevator recall. In the elevator OEO scenario, there are two categories of interfaces:• First: manual initiation of OEO by emergency

personnel via fire alarm system controls located in the building’s emergency command center

• Second: automatic initiation of OEO by the fire alarm system via the automatic detection of fire on any floor of the building.

Note that any automatic fire alarm initiating device associated with Phase I elevator recall is not permitted to initiate elevator OEO, as Phase I elevator recall takes priority over elevator OEO (NFPA 72 Section 21.6.2.1.1(1)).

Also important to note is the intentional omission of manual fire alarm boxes throughout the building from initiating elevator OEO. These are not required to initiate elevator OEO because these devices are typically activated away from the fire and could lead to confusion on the location of the fire and initiate an incorrect sequence of operation (NFPA 72 Section A.26.6.2.1.1(2)).

NFPA 72 and OEO

OEO and the codesSpecific OEO requirements are contained in the IBC, NFPA 101, NFPA 72, and ASME A17.1. It should be noted that these codes do not always require elevator OEO to be provided in buildings. However, where required and/or when a building owner or designer decides to provide elevators for OEO, they must comply with the provisions of these codes. Currently, the only requirement for OEO within any of the above codes and standards is an exception to the requirement of IBC Section 403.5.2, which allows OEO to be used instead of providing an additional exit stairway in buildings more than 420 ft. high with occupancy classifications of other than Group R-2.

NFPA 72 and OEOChapter 21: emergency control function interfaces• Section 6: occupant evacuation elevators of

the 2013 edition contains the OEO requirements that apply to the control function interfaces between building fire alarm systems and OEO elevator controllers

• Section 21.6.1 requires that all elevators designated and marked for use by occupants for evacuation during fires must also comply with NFPA 72 Section 21.5, which contains requirements for fire service access elevators.

NFPA 72 and BASSection 21.5 requires that elevators designated as fire service access elevators comply with specific supervision and annunciation requirements. The section requires the following functions be supervised and annunciated at the fire command center:• The availability of main and emergency power to operate the

elevators, elevator controllers, and machine room ventilation (if provided)

• Status of the elevators including location within the hoist way, direction of travel, and whether they are occupied

• Temperature and presence of smoke in associated lobbies and machine room (if provided)

• The supervision of the temperature and presence of smoke within elevator lobbies and machine rooms can be accomplished by the fire alarm system.

NFPA 72 and OEOOccupant notification requirements for elevator OEO:• NFPA 72, Section 21.6.2.1.4 contains

requirements for occupant notification during times of elevator OEO.

• These requirements specify variations of voice messages that must be automatically transmitted to the specified floors throughout the building during elevator OEO.

NFPA 72 and OEO

Occupant notification requirements for elevator OEO:Automatic voice messages are required to be transmitted as follows (NFPA 72 Sections 21.6.2.1.4 and 21.6.2.2.3):• Throughout all floors of the building when total building

evacuation has been initiated: automatic voice message indicating the need to evacuate the building and that elevator service is available

• Throughout all floors identified for elevator OEO when the elevators are under Phase I recall: automatic voice message indicating the need to evacuate and that elevator service is not available for evacuation.

NFPA 72 and OEOOccupant notification requirements for elevator OEO:Automatic voice messages are required to be transmitted as follows (NFPA 72 Sections 21.6.2.1.4 & 21.6.2.2.3):• NFPA 72 Section 21.6.2.1.4(D) further requires all automatic

voice messages to be coordinated with the text displays provided separately by the elevator management system.

• Also important is to coordinate elevator car voice messages and elevator lobby variable message signs that originate from the elevator management system. This will ensure that all building occupants are given uniform instructions and information over both the fire alarm and elevator management systems.

IBC and BAS

• IBC Section 907: fire alarm – UL 864 compliance– NFPA 72 compliance

• IBC Section 909: smoke control– Control system compliance with NFPA 72

and UL 864/UUKL – Marking and labeling– Raceway required– Control diagrams– Response time – Status indicators (fans, dampers).

IBC and BAS

IBC Section 3008:• Occupant evacuation elevators• Referenced by Section 403.5.2• Many additional requirements• Controls/communications

– Two-way communications– Elevator status monitoring– Lobby status indicator.

“In Case of Fire –

Use the Exit

Stairs???”

…or elevator?

EXIT

Benefits to integration

• Reduces the amount of equipment • Reduces installation costs• Expedites system acceptance • Consolidates building information at a central

location; simplifies workstations• Increases reliability• Simplifies troubleshooting.

Design considerations

• Challenges– Unauthorized changes to BAS programming

• What is possible today? – BACnet gateways built into fire alarm panels– BACnet smoke control system (UUKL)

• Future?– More integration, less interface equipment, such as

relays– Wireless technology may replace traditional wired BAS

infrastructure– Power over Ethernet (POE).

Design considerations• UL listing implications

– UL 864 (fire alarm) listing if BACnet is performing fire alarm functions

– UUKL category if BACnet is used for smoke control

• BACnet fire alarm system limitations– Fire alarm addressable circuits are not

directly compatible with BACnet– Bridging or open gateway processing is

necessary– One-way communications only unless

manufacturer supplies both fire alarm and BAS.

Commissioning, installation, testing, and maintenance• BAS may allow for changes during testing

– VFD fans– Programing changes rather than relays

• If used for fire, BAS testing may be more robust – NFPA 3: Recommended Practice for

Commissioning and Integrated Testing of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems

– BAS technician involvement– Test interoperability, automatic, and manual– Special inspections required for smoke control.

Commissioning, installation, testing, and maintenance

• Documentation– Testing documents– Tracking of system

modifications.

Summary

We discussed:• Building automation systems in general• Integration of fire/life safety systems into BAS• NFPA 72 and IBC criteria• UL listing implications• Design considerations when integrating safety

systems• Commissioning and testing considerations.

BAS References• American Society of Mechanical Engineers: www.asme.org• ASHRAE: www.ashrae.org• BACnet: www.bacnet.org and

www.bacnet.org/Contact/NIST-ITC/Consortium.htm• International Building Code (IBC): www.iccsafe.org• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)• LonWorks: www.lonmark.org• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST):

www.nist.gov/building-and-fire-research-portal.cfm and www.nist.gov/el/building_environment/mechsys/

• NFPA: www.nfpa.org

Erik Anderson, PE, Manager, Koffel Associates,Columbia, Md.

Wayne D. Moore, PE, CFPS, SET, FSFPE, F.NSPE, Principal and Vice President, Hughes Associates | RJA Group, Warwick, R.I.

Moderator: Jack Smith, Consulting-Specifying Engineer, CFE Media, LLC

Presenters:

Fire and Life SafetyIntegration: Building Automation Systems and Fire/Life Safety