What Is Fire Protection Engineering?
Fire protection engineering, as defined by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), is the application of science and engineering principles to protect people and their environment from destructive fire. It includes analysis of fire hazards, mitigation of fire damage through proper design, construction, arrangement, and use of buildings, materials, structures, industrial processes, and transportation systems. Fire protection engineering also includes the design, installation, and maintenance of fire detection and suppression systems and communication systems, as well as post-fire investigation and analysis.
Why Fire Protection Engineering Matters
Fire protection engineering is a design necessity – it is relevant to almost any building design, since it helps to prevent fire and keep buildings safe in the event that a fire does occur. All building codes provide the basic requirements for fire protection, but not all building codes address every possible situation. Encorus Group recognizes that there is more than the basic approach to a design project. Our team uses risk analysis and other tools to help clients find economic and effective solutions.
From fire and smoke detection systems to master fire alarm control stations, Encorus is dedicated to protecting your employees, clients, and facilities. Our comprehensive fire protection and life safety services include:
- Fire detection and suppression system design
- Fire and smoke detection systems
- Master fire alarm control stations
- Fire hazard analyses
- Life safety code evaluations
- Emergency planning and hazard assessments
- Code interpretation and compliance evaluations
If your facility has experienced a fire, our team can also assist with post-incident evaluations, including:
- Determining the origin and cause of the fire
- Assessing the extent of damage and reparability
- Identifying required repairs and safety upgrades to help prevent future incidents
An Integrated, Multidisciplinary Design Approach
Fire protection design at Encorus is a fully integrated, company-wide effort. While we maintain dedicated fire protection and life safety staff, our team works closely with all engineering disciplines to ensure designs are complete, coordinated, and compliant. Fire protection systems often interface with HVAC and electronic security systems, and addressing these connections early in the design process helps ensure full code compliance while avoiding costly retrofits later.
Encorus’s experience and capabilities include:
- Private Service Fire Water Distribution Systems
- Fire Pump House Design and Installation
- Large Water Tank Design for Fire Protection
- Fire Sprinkler Design (all types)
- Special Hazard Suppression and Detection Systems
- Fire Alarm Design (new and retrofit)
- Fire Alarm and Voice Mass Notification Systems
- Clean Agent Fire Suppression System Design
- Fire Hazard Analysis and Assessments (Risk Analysis)
- Forensic Fire Investigation
- Code Compliance Reviews
- Fire Safety Program Development
- NQA-1 Compliant Design
With decades of fire protection and life safety design experience, Encorus can bring you better solutions to ensure the safety of your facility and staff. We have designed fire protection systems ranging in size from a single room to a 30-building campus. We have specialized fire protection experience in the nuclear, medical, and industrial arenas. One of the key factors that separate our designs from others is that we design for the serviceability of the system. We look beyond the minimal design requirements to envision how the system will serve the client, how it can be expandable for future needs, and how it can be maintained and tested economically without being a burden to the client.
Contact Our Fire Protection Team
If you require fire protection engineering services, please contact Encorus’s Fire Protection Engineer, Andy Wiedemann, PE, at 716-592-3980, ext. 153 or awiedemann@encorus.com.
