SUPPLEMENT 3 Integrating Building Systems for Greater Operational Efficiency Dean K. Wilson, P.E., FSFPE, CFPS Editor’s Note: Fire alarm systems not only detect and signal the presence of fire or other products of combustion, but may also manage non-fire building systems. This supplement discusses the emerging field of integrated systems. Just moments before Ted Jorgenson’s alarm clock went off The IBSS security cameras digitally recorded on a at 5:40 a.m. in his suburban home, a high speed broadband hard disk drive the tenant’s entrance through the door and data link, serving the integrated building services system also tracked his movement as he entered the service eleva- (IBSS) at a 54-story office building where Ted worked in tor and selected the 19th floor. the downtown section of a major Midwestern city, down- When the tenant emerged from the elevator, a camera loaded the latest weather information from a private in the 19th floor elevator recorded a digital image of the weather forecasting service in central Pennsylvania. By tenant as he approached the entrance alcove to his place the time Ted struggled out of bed, the IBSS had already of business, a jewelry mart. taken into account that the day ahead would have a relative As the tenant placed the full palm of his right hand on a palm reader, the IBSS verified that his palm print humidity approaching 96%, a high temperature of 81ЊF, matched the data on his keycard and unlocked the door to and an overcast sky. These data would adjust the cooling his suite of offices. load throughout the building. Meanwhile, a sensor on the roof caught the first rays For those portions of the building that normally faced of the cloud-covered morning sun and notified the IBSS the rising sun, the IBSS set the cooling system to provide that it could begin a timed sequence that over the next 40 somewhat less cooling than normal due to the anticipated minutes would turn off the night security lighting through- overcast sky. It also raised the dehumidification level to out the building. account for the significantly high relative humidity antici- On the 35th floor, the cleaning crew finally finished pated by midday. their last room in a large suite of offices for a major law Only minutes later, the IBSS recorded one of the firm. As the last of the crew left the large conference guards on overnight fire/security patrol keying the guard room, a motion sensor signaled the IBSS that the room patrol station on the 45th floor mechanical room. It also had become vacant. Two minutes later, the IBSS shut off accepted the keycard of an early arriving tenant who en- the lighting in the room as part of the building power tered the building by one of the rear service doors. management system. Dean K. Wilson, P.E., FSFPE, CFPS, now retired on disability, formerly worked as a senior engineer with the Erie, Pennsylvania, office of Hughes Associates, Inc. He is former chairman and a member emeritus of the Technical Correlating Committee on Signaling Systems for the Protection of Life and Property. 731 732 Supplement 3 • Integrating Building Systems for Greater Operational Efficiency As Ted Jorgenson toweled off after his shower across Premises Fire Alarm Systems has made changes to Chapter town, the IBSS signaled the ionized air-filtration system 6 that actually make integration much easier. that served Ted’s office and those of his colleagues to begin In Section 6.8, the Committee has continued to refine a cleaning sequence to ready itself for the day ahead. the content to make protected premises fire alarm systems All day long, the IBSS would constantly make adjust- more easily adaptable to integration. For example, 6.8.2.4 ments to the air-handling system and power distribution reads as follows: system in the building to provide maximum comfort for the occupants and also economize the use of electricity. 6.8.2.4 Where the signaling line circuit is shared by other premises operating systems, operation shall be in It would monitor over 1,000 security points. Also, most accordance with 6.8.4. importantly, it would monitor signals from the 1180 spot- type smoke detectors, 211 manual fire alarm boxes, 97 6.8.2.4.1 All signal control and transport equipment heat detectors, 58 sprinkler waterflow alarm switches, 73 (such as routers, servers) located in a critical fire alarm sprinkler system control valves, 11 dry pipe valve air pres- or fire safety function signaling path shall be listed for sure supervisory switches, and 37 special hazard fire extin- fire alarm service unless the following conditions are guishing or suppression systems throughout the building. met: The IBSS in the building where Ted works actually (1) The equipment meets the performance require- consists of several major subsystems. These subsystems ments of 4.4.4.1. interconnect by means of a peer-to-peer data network that (2) The equipment is provided with primary and sec- allows each subsystem to communicate with all of the ondary power and monitored for integrity as re- quired in Section 4.4. other subsystems. (3) All programming and configuration ensure a fire For example, when a smoke detector senses the pres- alarm system actuation time as required in 6.8.1.1. ence of a hostile fire, the IBSS causes the emergency voice/ (4) System bandwidth is monitored to confirm that all alarm communication fire alarm subsystem to notify the communications between equipment that is critical occupants of the fire floor, floor above, and floor below to the operation of the fire alarm system or fire to move to designated areas of refuge within the building. safety functions take place within 10 seconds; fail- Simultaneously, the IBSS fire alarm subsystem communi- ure shall be indicated within 200 seconds. cates with the IBSS elevator control subsystem to recall (5) Failure of any equipment that is critical to the opera- the elevators. The IBSS fire alarm subsystem also commu- tion of the fire alarm system or fire safety functions nicates with the air-handling control subsystem to actuate is indicated at the master fire alarm control unit the smoke control system that pressurizes the stair towers within 200 seconds. of the building and places the air-handling system on the 6.8.2.4.2 A listed barrier gateway, integral with or fire floor into full exhaust mode. At the same time, the attached to each control unit or group of control units, system transmits the alarm to the supervising station moni- as appropriate, shall be provided to prevent the other toring the system. systems from interfering with or controlling the fire The concept of integrating building systems into a alarm system. comprehensive interactive set of compatible subsystems The significance of this text lies in the fact that it has long topped many building managers’ wish lists. Yet gives permission for signal control and transport equipment integrated building systems have existed in some form for that has not received a listing for fire alarm use to connect over 30 years. Only recently, however, has digital technol- to shared signaling line circuits as long as the non-listed ogy made it reasonable for virtually all building systems equipment meets certain features: to communicate with each other seamlessly. This emerging application has fostered the concept that complete building 1. The equipment must meet the voltage, temperature, and integration can now become a reality. humidity requirements of 4.4.4.1. 2. The equipment must have primary and secondary power and be monitored for integrity in accordance with the CODE CHANGES FACILITATE INTEGRATION requirements of Section 4.4. 3. Fire alarm actuation will occur within 10 seconds as NFPA 72௡, National Fire Alarm Code௡, 2007 edition, has required by 6.8.1.1. continued to improve the significant steps forward that the 4. The equipment monitors system bandwidth in order to 2002 edition made to help promote the idea that building maintain a maximum 10-second communication time integration may offer fire safety professionals some distinct for all fire signals with a notification of failure within advantages. The NFPA Technical Committee on Protected 200 seconds. 2007 National Fire Alarm Code Handbook Supplement 3 • Integrating Building Systems for Greater Operational Efficiency 733 5. Equipment failure notifies the master fire alarm control tion of mass notification inputs, take precedence over unit within 200 seconds. any other signal even when a non–fire alarm signal is initiated first and shall be indicated as follows in This requirement allows IBSS to work in the context descending order of priority unless otherwise permitted of the requirements in 6.8.4, Combination Systems. This by this Code: subsection offers a variety of permissive requirements that (1) Signals associated with life safety enable fire alarm systems to become part of an IBSS. These (2) Signals associated with property protection requirements include the following: (3) Trouble signals associated with life and/or property 6.8.4 Combination Systems. protection (4) All other signals 6.8.4.1* Fire alarm systems shall be permitted to share 6.8.4.8 If the authority having jurisdiction determines components, equipment, circuitry, and installation wir- that the information being displayed or annunciated ing with non–fire alarm systems. on a combination system is excessive and is causing 6.8.4.2 Operation of non–fire system function(s) origi- confusion and delayed response to a fire emergency, nating within a connected non–fire system shall not the authority having jurisdiction shall be permitted to interfere with the required operation of the fire alarm require that the display or annunciation of information system unless otherwise permitted by this Code.