Gulf Construction Online - Lifetime guarantee is a fiery issue

Security & Safety

Wahooo! Waterpark, Bahrain ... protected by Apollo’s XP95 fire detectors.

Lifetime guarantee is a fiery issue

KIM WILLIAMS, export sales manager at Apollo Fire Detectors, explains why lifecycle considerations are so important when specifying fire detection.

01 August 2011

THE Middle East has been the focus of pioneering construction projects for the last decade, at least. Many of the buildings that have resulted, such as the Kingdom Centre in Riyadh and the Emirates Towers in Dubai, are considered as icons of 21st century engineering and are major landmarks in the region.

There is no sign that the region’s thirst for modern building design is waning: the proposed Louvre museum for Abu Dhabi and The Pad, which is intended to resemble the iconic Apple MP3 player and will sit at an angle of six degrees, just like an iPod – are prime examples.

It is, therefore, extremely important to ensure that these cherished buildings and the people who occupy them are comprehensively protected from the risk of fire – not just when the buildings are new, but over their entire life span. It is also, therefore, crucial to know from the outset just how long the fire detection will last before it needs replacing and how easy or difficult it will be to extend or modify the fire system as the needs of the occupants and new fire protection technology evolves.

Understanding how long a fire detector will function reliably is critical.

Life expectancy
A building is typically designed to last around 30 years. A fire detector, if subject to reasonable operating conditions and regular maintenance, can be expected to last around 10 years. In other words, the fire detectors in a typical building will need replacing, at least, three times during the building’s lifetime. In buildings with frequent changes of use, such as retail units where tenants may vary from a clothing outlet to a restaurant, fire detectors may need changing more often to accommodate occupant behaviour and so reduce the likelihood of false alarms.

It, therefore, becomes clear that the initial cost of purchase is only a small proportion of the true cost of a fire detection system throughout its lifetime. There are a number of factors that should be taken into consideration at the purchasing stage in order to determine the total lifetime cost.

Best protocol
Analogue addressable fire detectors are most commonly used in complex buildings and these devices communicate with each other using a protocol. Some manufacturers don’t disclose the nature of their protocol to anyone else because they offer a complete system. The protocol is, therefore, said to be ‘closed’. Others, like Apollo Fire Detectors, publish and share their protocol to encourage selected partners to design and develop compatible products. This is referred to as an ‘open’ protocol.

Choosing a closed protocol ties the user to a single manufacturer for the lifetime of the system so it is worth checking whether this commitment comes with any advantages for the user, and if the manufacturer is a well-established company. Check how long the product range is going to be supported; otherwise maintenance or replacement may be costly in later years. It could even involve premature replacement of the entire system if it becomes obsolete before the end of its design life.

Fire detection will need a number of changes throughout a building’s lifetime.

An open protocol system avoids many of these potential pitfalls because it is supported by a number of manufacturers. If one manufacturer drops out, compatible products will still be available from others using the same protocol. An open protocol system is, therefore, also likely to offer greater choice, so upgrading or replacing products is easy.

Comparing systems
If one system solution is cheaper, consider why. It may be that one manufacturer includes a customer support programme within its system cost that makes it appear more expensive, whereas another does not. Also make sure that the systems are offering comparable features so you are not comparing the ‘executive model’ with a basic version.
As fire protection is safety-critical, it is important that all devices are certified to meet both national and international legislation, providing confidence in the system. Independent third-party certification costs money. Ask to see proof that products have passed the tests and be wary of anything described as ‘designed to’, or ‘tested to’ meet legislation standards. A fire detection system that is not properly certified could also leave the user open to prosecution.

Warranty
Another hidden aspect of system cost can be where responsibility lies if the fire detection fails. It is, therefore, worth checking the manufacturer’s warranty and finding out if any onerous conditions are attached to it.

Apollo has recently introduced a Product Lifetime Guarantee, providing a warranty on its products, which for detectors is 10 years (CO detectors, five years).

No other manufacturer currently offers this degree of certainty, but specifiers and installers are entitled to ask for clarity on the working life of the fire products they are considering. Any responsible manufacturer should be happy to supply this information.

Maintenance
Even the best-installed and best-in-class equipment deteriorates over time, so, like any other essential plant, the fire detection system needs to be regularly tested and reviewed.

A service and maintenance agreement that extends for the overall life expectancy of the equipment will minimise the risk and likelihood of fire detection failure and should be budgeted for to obtain best value.

Building owners and occupiers have a reasonable expectation that their fire detection system will continue to provide adequate protection for the lifetime of the building and at reasonable cost. Understanding the difference between capital costs and lifetime costs is still a big stumbling block for purchasers and specifiers who have difficult decisions to make about fire protection.

In addition to its Product Lifetime Guarantee, Apollo has also introduced a continuing professional development-approved training course on Lifecycle Costs in Fire Detection Systems. More details are available at www.apollo-fire.co.uk.