Transformation

Fireproof living in a transformed church

When it comes to our cultural and industrial heritage, we are an industrious and creative people. Or rather let's say that we are by now. A few decades ago, the demolition hammer was the inexorable fate of many disused buildings. The beauty and value of a striking old factory or an abandoned church now evoke more than a nostalgic feeling. The sustainability argument also plays an important role.

Old property with a new purpose
Governments, citizens and also more and more investors are recognizing this. Transformation is big business, but it comes with some serious challenges for everyone involved. One of the greatest challenges is the fire safety. After all, how do you transform a monumental theatre building from the 1930s into sixteen fireproof dwellings? And how does an 18th-century church become a gathering place for cultural initiatives? In this article, you will find some starting points that will help you to work more creatively and efficiently in all phases of the architectural process. The result is a transformed building in which the users are safe long after completion.

One for all
Advice, products and services form the trinity of Hoefnagels Fire Safety. These are three aspects of fire safety that are sometimes offered separately, but which only provide maximum safety as a total concept.

  • Recommendation : structural fire and escape safety of the entire project.
  • Products fire-resistant roller screens, shutters and wicket doors
  • Services : inspection, maintenance and repair.
    Under the same concept, Hoefnagels Fire Safety also provides other fire-related services, such as fireproof sealing of pipes and apertures or the installation of fireproof structures.

In transformation processes, we guarantee the best results by following the steps below:

  1. Technical feasibility
    Inspection and advisory report on fire resistance. This shows whether the desired transformation is feasible and what the consequences are.
  2. Financial impact
    Estimate of the costs involved.
  3. Advice on application
    Products that provide the desired fire safety.
  4. Supply and installation
    If required, including handover with an inspection report.
  5. Service contract
    Fire and escape safety assurance, possibly in the form of a long-term maintenance plan (LTMP).

Old buildings, new requirements
Repurposing a building starts with a careful inventory. Any building more than a few years old is by definition lagging behind the constantly tightening requirements set bythe Building Decree, fire brigade, authorities and Europe. In addition, the older the buildings, the harder it becomes to find accurate documentation and drawings.

A fire resistance advisory report states which fire resistant facilities a building has or lacks in order to make it suitable for the intended new function. The report answers questions about escape safety and whether the plans are financially and technically feasible.
If no major problems come to light and the green light is given, the next question is the How. Those who blindly follow the provisions of the Building Decree are short-changing themselves, the clients and the future users of the building. There is plenty of room for creativity. Our Fire Engineers help discover less obvious solutions, often with a more attractive and cost-effective outcome.

Change of function
Everyone understands that the fire protection requirements in an office building are different from those in a nursing home. Therefore, a new permit is required when there is a change of function. Especially if the repurposed building does not have one function, but combines several functions. Municipalities will then reassess the modifications to the original fire separations.

Director
Unfortunately, the requirements for fire resistance and escape safety are not compiled in a conveniently arranged checklist. They are part of an overall package that varies in standards and designs. Changes in the expected number of visitors or expansion of the included uses can have major consequences for the composition of the package of necessary measures and facilities. In these frequently occurring circumstances, control of the entire fire safety concept by an experienced specialist is indispensable. This gives the client the reassuring guarantee that the plans and their implementation meet all its requirements and those of the law.

From plan to practice
Within each phase of the project, coordination is decisive for results and efficiency. This is even more important when moving to the next project phase. Everything that ends up in a specification, with or without the help of fire prevention experts or other specialists, must also be feasible in practice. This argues for a party that is not only active in the field of advice, but that guarantees that the prescribed solution is also implemented in letter and spirit. Maximum protection against the effects of fire can only be achieved with a sequence of good advice, good products and good service.

Liability
Next year, theQuality Assurance (Building Sector) Act(Wkb) comes into force. This law will have far-reaching consequences for the construction and licensing process. An important change is that during the development and construction process and afterwards, it can be demonstrated that the project meets all quality requirements. These requirements also include fire and escape safety. Initially, the law applies to buildings in Consequence Class 1, mainly houses. It is expected that the rules will later also apply to buildings in other consequence classes, such as historic buildings. As a result, contractors and other stakeholders will place higher demands on architects regarding the care with which designs are created and the accuracy of reporting. All the more reason to work with a fire safety specialist in that process.

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