Trends in Addressable Fire Alarms

Keeping Buildings Safe With Addressable Fire Alarm Systems

In the world of commercial integration, speakers and screens often get the spotlight. A giant video wall can turn an ordinary conference room into a space that defines an organization’s brand and impresses visitors. Crystal-clear sound sets the stage for an immersive experience in a museum or flagship retail location. But, behind the scenes, addressable fire alarms work to keep a building’s occupants safe and ensure compliance with local building and fire codes.

Brian Creech, senior technical sales specialist with ADI, admits that, unlike many other elements of AV, security and building operations, the technology hasn’t advanced very quickly. However, it has evolved over the years, particularly in its capabilities and how it integrates with other building systems.

“When an addressable fire alarm system is doing its part, nobody pays attention to it,” he says.

Even so, integrators should pay attention to this revenue stream, as it is typically part of every new building project.

When you work with ADI and the organization’s Systems Design team, they may have experts in local regions who are familiar with local fire codes and can guide you.

This is key, Creech says. Architects often draw up design plans with no knowledge of local laws. “Code is not necessarily a nationally driven thing,” Creech says. “Even though a feature might be in the national fire code, it’s being rolled out differently by different jurisdictions. If you’re based in New York City, and then you go out and do a project on Long Island, for instance, it can be totally different than what they mandate in the city.”

He adds, “Integrators would want to research that side as much as possible and talk to their local fire marshal or AHJ, which is ‘authority having jurisdiction’ for that territory.”

Addressable versus conventional fire alarms

In most jurisdictions, addressable systems are becoming the standard over conventional fire alarms, A.J. Shaw, technical sales support supervisor with ADI, says.

“I would say 95% to 98% of what we do is addressable,” Shaw says. A conventional system uses the same devices, but they would not be on a loop that allows users to track specifically which device tripped an alarm.

“Conventional panels have really thinned out,” Shaw says. “Manufacturers have just started to key in on addressable systems. I’ve heard that some jurisdictions will now only accept addressable systems. That’s probably another nail in the coffin for conventional systems.”

Evolution of addressable fire alarm systems

Over the past several decades, addressable systems have evolved with expanded capabilities, often driven by code changes and mandates from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a non-profit organization devoted to fire prevention and fire safety.

“NFPA typically drives what the manufacturers do,” Creech says. “They are the ones who mandate how the products will be manufactured moving forward as far as requirements.”

Shaw advises that AV integrators encourage clients to future-proof their systems. Even if codes haven’t been adopted in a specific region yet, incorporating the latest advances ensures a safer building. Integrating state-of-the-art fire systems may not win any awards, but it’s an important aspect of a successful building project. “That’s just the way the fire industry is,” Creech says. “It’s just doing its job, and nobody thinks about it until you need it.”

With that in mind, experts recommend that you consider implementing the following features in the next fire safety system you spec.

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Intelligent systems with multiple notification zones

Today’s newer addressable fire alarm systems are intelligent, allowing programmers to create different zones with different capabilities and route notifications to where they are needed.

“With the newer technology, detectors in all spaces of an apartment building, for instance, can be part of the fire alarm control panel. If somebody burnt toast in their apartment, only that apartment is going to be notified instead of alerting and evacuating the entire building,” Shaw says. “But that detector can also be part of the building-wide system, as needed.”

Carbon monoxide detection

Since 2011, a requirement for carbon monoxide detection has been written into national fire codes, according to FirstAlert.com. But only recently has the technology being implemented on a wide scale, Creech points out. “That will give you an example of the glacial movement of the fire safety industry,” he says. “It was written into the fire code around 2012, but it’s really picked up recently. Ordinances at the local level have driven it.”

Superstorm Sandy drove more awareness around the issue of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can occur when gas appliances, propane space heaters, motor vehicles, fireplaces and other fuel-burning sources release CO2 into the air, which can build up. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, making detectors an important aspect of building safety.

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Carbon monoxide detection is now a common part of addressable fire alarms, but that wasn’t always the case. “When Superstorm Sandy hit, a lot of people were using grills in their homes for cooking and there were some deaths from CO2,” Creech says.

ADA compliance

Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also comes into play when you’re designing and installing fire alarm systems. These standards include having visual displays or flashing lights, as well as an audible alarm system.

Low-frequency notifications

Creech points out another relatively recent trend in fire alarm capabilities: Low-frequency tones to alert building occupants of a problem. “For years, the industry leaned toward that loud, screaming tone to get people out,” he says. “But studies have found that people who are hard to wake or inebriated respond more readily to low-frequency tones, around 520Hz.”

In the past, installers would have had to place low-frequency sounders on walls in bedrooms, individually. “Now, because of the intelligence that's there, we can now attach these bases to these intelligent detectors. They become intelligent to that detector specifically, so you can create zones of low-frequency notification where you may not need it in other areas,” Shaw explains.

Creech points out that these systems likely have unique power requirements, which may necessitate additional building upgrades. However, it’s typically worth the investment to future-proof a building, even if local codes don’t require certain features right now.

Integration with building management systems

Today’s intelligent systems not only allow the system to communicate with each of the individual components, but also with building automation and management systems that control HVAC, sprinklers and other systems, such as lights and digital locks.

These systems allow for two-way communication. Fire detection systems can send messages to addressable alarms, triggering them. The fire panel, at the same time, sends notifications to the building’s systems. For instance, lighting might turn on to allow for a smooth evacuation process; doors may automatically unlock, allowing firefighters to enter the building more easily; and emergency lighting may point the way toward building exits.

HVAC: An important capability that comes with connecting the addressable fire panel to building control is the option to route smoke by controlling the HVAC systems. The systems can adjust ventilation, closing vents to prevent smoke from spreadin

“These systems use addressable duct detectors that go into the HVAC duct,” Shaw says. “They mount to the side and monitor for smoke in the systems. If they detect smoke, they’ll shut down the air handlers to reduce the flow.” They can also open vents and turn on fans to blow the smoke in the desired direction, away from people. “The building control system would interpret the inputs and take the necessary action,” Creech says.

Elevator control: The Elevator Recall feature will shut down all the elevators in the event of a fire. These addressable systems can also work with elevators in a building to get riders to safety in the event of a fire emergency. Creech explains, “If a smoke detector goes off on the fourth floor near the elevator landing, the system will send the car down to the first floor. If there’s smoke on both, it can signal a relay in the elevator cars; that’s called a fireman’s hat. That hat will light up and tell the [firefighters] and building occupants to use the stairs.”

Sprinkler system integration: Addressable fire systems also integrate with a building’s sprinkler system. An elevator shunt trip, which detects a fire sprinkler turning on in an elevator shaft, takes the recall to the next level. “If a sprinkler goes off in the elevator shaft, it basically cuts off power,” Creech says. “You don’t want firefighters or anyone else trapped on that elevator if something short circuits from the water.”

Audiovisual systems: As with turning off elevators for safety, addressable fire panels can communicate with amplifiers that are part of a building’s audiovisual systems. By adding an addressable relay to the amplifiers, you can shut down audio video systems to prevent a short circuit.If the building typically has music playing through speakers, these can be shut off or can trigger a mass emergency notification system to route instructions or warnings through the speakers.

Benefits of addressable fire alarm systems

Addressable fire alarm systems allow detectors, through the addition of relays, to communicate with building management systems, which can then send orders to the various building systems, including AV, HVAC and elevators. This enables faster action to prevent the fire or smoke from spreading, creating a safer building environment.

Creech suggests that integrators encourage customers to look toward the future and create the safest possible system, regardless of what local fire codes may require. After all, landlords and building owners want their tenants, employees and customers to be as safe as possible, even though the addition of such systems won’t show a direct ROI. They can help minimize loss in an emergency situation, and that can be just as important.

“It truly is for the benefit and health of the individuals who are staying there,” Creech says. “I would encourage anybody to install, at least, low-frequency notifications and carbon monoxide detectors in the right locations. It’s definitely going to be a benefit for everybody.”