Fire safety rules keeping pace with super-tall buildings

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http://www.straitstimes.com/archive/...dings-20140116

Fire safety rules keeping pace with super-tall buildings

2007 update to Fire Code requires features such as 'refuge floors' for residents

Published on Jan 16, 2014

By Janice Heng


AT 66 STOREYS, the Marina Bay Suites condominium, where a fire on Monday killed two security guards, is among Singapore's tallest residential buildings. But as private and public housing blocks grow taller, fire safety rules have also kept pace.

Singapore Institute of Architects honorary treasurer Chan Kok Way - who is also managing director of SD Architects and a registered inspector under the Fire Safety Act - pointed to a 2007 update to the Fire Code to help keep super-high housing developments safe. "I think complying with these requirements does the job," he said.

Since the revisions, residential buildings that are higher than 40 storeys must have fire-resistant "refuge floors" and at least two fire lifts compared to one for those with nine to 40 storeys.

Unlike older blocks, where residents would need to use the staircase to evacuate the building, fire lifts can help those with disabilities get out.

There must also be at least one refuge floor for every 20 storeys, giving residents a safe place to gather as they make their way down. These special floors, which must be naturally ventilated, cannot contain housing units, and half of the space must be a designated holding area.

No commercial activities must be allowed in this area although the space can be used as an exercise area or playground, as long as the equipment is also fire-resistant.

Marina Bay Suites has three refuge floors, on the sixth, 27th and 46th storeys. Monday's fire was on the 65th floor.

For now, only one Housing Board development - the 50-storey Pinnacle@Duxton - is required to meet these extra requirements.

Its 26th-storey sky garden doubles as a refuge floor. Said an HDB spokesman: "As it is linked to all the seven blocks, it is easily accessible to all residents and further serves as an escape route for those evacuating from an affected block to unaffected blocks."

Other tall HDB blocks - some as high as 40 storeys - may not have refuge floors. But they still have extra fire-safety features compared to most other public flats. These include an emergency power supply for fire lifts, and a system of pipes kept permanently full with water. Firefighters can connect their hoses to these wet-risers, which are compulsory for buildings above 60m, on higher floors.

Shorter buildings tend to have dry risers in which the pipes are empty and water is pumped up from the ground floor instead.

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There must also be at least one refuge floor for every 20 storeys, giving residents a safe place to gather as they make their way down. These special floors, which must be naturally ventilated, cannot contain housing units, and half of the space must be a designated holding area.

No commercial activities must be allowed in this area although the space can be used as an exercise area or playground, as long as the equipment is also fire-resistant.

Marina Bay Suites has three refuge floors, on the sixth, 27th and 46th storeys. Monday's fire was on the 65th floor....

now i know why tall projects have sky gardens, sky terraces.
not because it is in trend, but because it is requirement.

Marina Bay Suites sky terraces on 27th , 46th storey. Pool/clubhouse on 6th storey.