The sprinkler industry has long promoted the wider use of sprinklers in heritage buildings – one of the first BAFSA Information Files issued covered this topic.1 The latest revision (2017} lists some significant installations.
Official attitudes
The present situation is that use of Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS) is wholly accepted in Scotland where the local building codes accept and encourage the use of sprinklers in premises being refurbished or reconstructed for a change of use. Part 2 of Historic Scotland’s Guide for Practitioners No 7 contains extensive information on how AFSS can be used in such premises and makes it clear that their installation may be actually less intrusive than the alternative methods of achieving code compliance, for example by upgrading structural fire safety measures. Sadly, there is no equivalent document in England so there is no ‘official’ encouragement.
In Wales, all conversions of buildings into residential accommodation or residential care premises are required to be protected by AFSS.
Fatal fires as a trigger
The fatal fire in the Category B-listed (=GII*) Cameron House Hotel in 2017 resulted in a fatal accident enquiry2 which recommended that:
The Scottish Government should consider introducing for future conversions of historic buildings to be used as hotel accommodation a requirement to have active fire suppression systems installed.
A working group set up by the Scottish Government with representation from the fire industry is expected to support wider use of AFSS.
A more recent fatal fire3 in January 2023 in a listed Perth hotel, which killed three people, has led to wider calls for retrofitting fire suppression into such buildings.
Similar calls followed the two disastrous fires to the iconic Glasgow School of Art building.
Heritage fire risks
Essentially, virtually all historic buildings in use are at risk of and from fire. The threats are well known:
- Fires spread more easily where there is insufficient compartmentation and where there are unstopped shafts, ducts, voids and flues.
- The age of the building will usually determine its type of construction and the inherent fire risk.
- Many heritage buildings are unoccupied for long periods and are often located where the F&RS will have water supply problems. This has historically been a problem in many fires in country houses and mansions.
- Risk assessments matter – as for any building – but here must include consideration of the impact of fire service intervention and property/contents protection considerations as well as life (including firefighter) safety.
Some structures are at greater risk including:
- Seaside piers
- Residential care properties
- Converted university accommodation
- Hotels
Responsible property owners should also see substantial business continuity benefits from wider use of AFSS.
References
1. BIF 3 Heritage Buildings and Sprinklers: http://www.bafsa.org.uk/pdfs/publications/0/00000060.pdf
2. Determination by Sheriff Thomas McCartney under the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc (Scotland) Act 2016 into the deaths of Simon Midgely and Richard John Dyson. Cited as: [2023] FAI 1 B38/21
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-64144080
About the Author
Stewart Kidd MA, MSc, FIFireE, FIFSM, FSyI, FSA (Scot), CPP is a Chartered Security Professional. He has worked in security and fire protection since 1974 and now combines consultancy with expert witness assignments. He has a particular interest in the protection of national patrimony and built heritage, and he lectures and writes extensively on this subject. He is the author of eight books on fire and security topics including the Historic Environment Scotland’s Guide for Practitioners No 7, the Scottish Building Standards ACOP.
