Copper to fight fires with new European standard for commercial fire sprinklers
A new European Standard for commercial fire sprinkler systems has been published giving copper a vital role to play in combating fires in buildings. The BSI standard EN 12845, which describes design and installation criteria for fire sprinkler systems, covers sprinkler systems for schools, museums, restaurants, hospitals, hotels, offices, dairies, bakeries and breweries.
The Chairman of the UK Copper Board, commented: "The new European standard is a major step forward for copper in the commercial fire sprinkler market. Its recent introduction in the UK will open the way for copper sprinkler installations in the majority of buildings, and extends to the fire protection industry the many advantages which copper systems have to offer, and which have already gained it an established position in the domestic and residential sector. We can be confident of an exciting future for copper in fire protection".
Designers and installers can make full use of the attributes of copper tubes and fittings in their sprinkler system designs. The smooth bore, corrosion resistance, light weight, and ease of fabrication, bending and jointing, make copper an excellent pipe material to work with. Copper fittings are also widely available to the appropriate standard, BS EN 1254 Part 1, offering the added benefits of straightforward capillary jointing as required by the new fire sprinkler standard.
Copper has played an effective role in recent years protecting both life and property in domestic and residential fire sprinkler systems designed in accordance with the BSI Standard BS 9251.
EN 12845 now sits alongside BS 9251 as standards that can make buildings safer places in which to live and work.