Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/177297
Photo: Edmonton Clinic South, courtesy Adler Firestopping Ltd. Heed the Warning! Fire protection systems are getting smarter, and therefore, more reliable by Robin Brunet C hris Williams, co-owner of Ambient Fire Protection Inc., describes the fire protection market in 2012 as "in a bit of a funk and all over the map. Sprinklers continue to evolve as they're always being sent to the lab and tweaked, but in terms of new technology things are very quiet." When asked what he attributes this to, Williams offers a familiar answer: "It's the economy. We're still not out of the doldrums. But to be fair, the fire protection systems used today in the commercial and industrial sectors – especially the ones we provide – are very effective." Also to be fair, Ambient is busier than ever thanks to a rebound in the warehouse sector (the company's specialty); currently, Williams' staff of 25 find themselves in demand. Ambient uses the Victaulic Vortex fire suppression product, a hybrid system incorporating water and nitrogen extinguishing agents discharged as a homogenous suspension from a single emitter. This provides full suppression with minimal wetting (it operates on less than 25 psi for nitrogen and five psi for water at the emitter). "In a room setting such as a data centre, less than a gallon of water can be used to suppress the blaze because the mixture produces a heavy fog," says Williams. "Vortex has limitations in that it was designed for 5,000-square-foot rooms or less – but it's ideal for data centres, generator rooms, marine, IT rooms and other applications." For warehouse jobs, Ambient relies on ESFR (Early Suppression, Fast Response) ceiling-mounted sprinklers systems in place of in-rack fire sprinklers. The high-output, high-volume heads provide protection to the degree that in many cases the need for in-rack sprinklers are eliminated. Houle Electric Limited is staying on top of the integration trend, and although systems are getting smarter and therefore easier to upgrade, Houle's system specialist Ken Peacock notes that even the best systems can be installed improperly. "Many things can be missed," he says. "For example, a single staple through a cable can cause a short over time, and the lack of proper relays can cause major problems within a year." Houle installs fire protection systems, works closely with key manufacturers and offers post-installation support (it counts its fire protection upgrading of the Victoria General Hospital – a job that required work to be performed while hospital operations continued – as a major achievement). "Clients are looking for professional installation, meaning reliable systems and no wiring issues," Peacock says. "A growing number are turning to addressable solutions in which, for example, a system in a highrise development setting needs four wires instead of up to 300 wires Fire Protection Systems p42-43Fire Protection.indd 43 demanded by standard electrical systems. In fact, almost every system we install today is addressable and more small projects are calling for it, though the price is still substantial. Addressability is desirable mainly because a fire can be pinpointed right down to an individual room instead of somewhere on a specific floor." Joe Chinyavong, business development manager for Adler Insulation & Firestopping, describes the firestopping and fireproofing services Adler provides as "an important niche within the construction scopes that is overlooked and not fully understood. We pride ourselves on providing the best quality service at the best price and have worked on quite a few high-profile projects. Our goal is to help clients achieve compliance and occupancy in a timely and cost-effective manner. Fortunately, a growing number of customers realize that this takes a lot more than just applying caulking to voids in walls and ceilings." Adler also prides itself in obtaining the highest safety standards and is recognized by organizations such as ISNetworld, COR and the CanQual Network. Adler's Structural Fire Protection specializes in providing firestopping and fireproofing solutions and services to commercial, industrial, institutional and government sectors. The Adler Firestopping division has obtained ULC certification in firestopping through the Qualified Firestop Contractor Program, making it one of the first companies in Canada to receive this type of certification. "Our credibility is important to our clients: they have peace of mind that their structural fire protection systems are evaluated and installed by professionals. We often provide solutions that are both cost effective and ensure life and property safety assurance," says Chinyavong. "We feel that the firestopping scope should be recognized as a separate entity. Firestopping scopes should not be performed by several subcontractors, as it has traditionally been in the past, due to the increasing complexity of building systems and the fact that not all subcontractors applying for firestopping are fully knowledgeable in the application and importance of this scope. It is encouraging to see, however, that we are moving towards an increased awareness and enforcement of providing fully certified and knowledgeable firestop contractors that will apply firestop solutions in a competent and professional manner." The temptation to use materials on hand (foam sealant, fibreglass insulation, etc.), combined with lack of knowledge can result in inadequate firestopping. Following specifications, applying proper material and providing single contractor accountability for all firestop applications will ensure that firestopping is completed correctly. Adler looks at the complete structure, provides solutions and uses ULC systems that meet safety codes, satisfy the needs of designers and protect the building and occupants in the event of a fire. Adler Fireproofing provides protection for structural steel that supports occupied space. The company sprays cementitious and intumescent coatings for both commercial and industrial applications. Due to its experienced applicators and diverse suppliers, Adler Fireproofing is able to provide numerous designs that give customers the assurance that the job is completed with the best possible protection at the best possible price. Adler has been invited to several projects that require innovative thinking and application from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, to potash and uranium mines in Saskatchewan. It has completed jobs from mod yards in Nisku to site applications in Wood Buffalo. Adler recently worked on the expansion of Edmonton International Airport, which involved dynamic installations with different applications. Adler was also involved in the International Vaccine Centre (InterVac) in Saskatchewan, one of the largest Containment Level 3 facilities in North America. At the University of Alberta, the company recently worked on the development of the new Edmonton Clinic South and the Innovation Centre for Engineering. Vipond Fire Protection, a division of Vipond Inc. is one of the leading international fire-protection, design, construction and servicing companies. Its technicians assess fire risks, evaluate owner's needs, conduct fire-hazard analyses and develop conceptual solutions. Thanks to having one of the largest dedicated fabrication production facilities in the industry, Vipond is known as a high-volume, low-unit-cost sprinkler-fabrication producer that incorporates the most advanced sprinkler fabrication technologies. Vipond also specializes in system design, supplying complete detection and suppression systems and providing installation, service and training. According to Zeljko Sucevic, a Mississauga-based professional engineer with Vipond, the company was recently involved in two noteworthy projects: the Goreway and Portlands power plants in Ontario. "These were very complex industrial projects where Vipond provided design, material procurement, fabrication, installation, testing and commissioning of various types of fire protection sprinkler and standpipe suppression systems, fire alarm and detection systems as well as security systems," he says. Goreway Power Station is an 875-megawatt natural gasfuelled facility in Brampton whose powerhouse, emission stacks and other components occupy about three hectares of space; Portlands Energy Centre is a natural gas-fired plant that provides up to 550 megawatts of power to the City of Toronto, or about 25 per cent of central Toronto's needs. ■ december 2012 /43 11/16/12 3:26 PM