Standards Development

Scope

This part of BS 7346 gives guidance on functional recommendations and calculation methods for smoke and heat control systems for covered parking areas for cars and light commercial vehicles.

NOTE 1 It is assumed that cars powered by fuels other than petrol or diesel will have a fire performance similar to vehicles powered by petrol or diesel. This assumption might be revised in a future edition of this standard if further information suggests it is necessary.

It is intended for system designers, installers of systems, regulatory authorities, for example building control officers and fire safety officers, and those who manage the fire safety of car parks. It gives recommendations for systems designed for open-sided car parks and for enclosed car parks.

It covers:

• systems intended to protect means of escape for occupants of the car park or the building housing the car park;

• systems intended to assist active fire-fighting operations; and

 • systems intended to provide smoke clearance following suppression of a fire.

It includes recommendations for natural open-sided ventilation and for ducted mechanical ventilation. It includes guidance on performance-based smoke control using impulse ventilation systems and smoke and heat exhaust ventilation systems (SHEVS). Time-dependent and steady-state design methods are included as appropriate for each smoke control approach. Control of vehicle pollutant emissions is included where it influences the optimization of smoke control. Following the BRE fire tests on car stacker systems, it also includes recommendations for fire sizes and fire suppression in these types of installations.

Smoke and heat control systems for loading bays and coach parks are not covered by this standard.

NOTE 2 Guidance on loading bays and coach parks can be found in the FETA publication, Design of smoke ventilation systems for loading bays and coach parks – a guide for system designers [5]

Purpose

1. There are several issues with referencing BS ISO 21927-9 that mean it is impossible to find equipment that meets the requirements outlined.

2. Reference is made to BS 8519 for power supplies. Power supplies to say fire-fighting shaft smoke control systems is relatively simple, but distributed power supplies to basement smoke control systems with 230V smoke control dampers is not clear since Annex F.5 of BS 8519:2010 was omitted in 2020 and not replaced.

3. Further recommendations are needed around the topology of local power supplies to dampers and fire-resistance of fused connection units.