For most office workers, the first thing that comes to mind when you think about air conditioning systems is about comfort and hygiene. But it might surprise you to learn that your HVAC system does more than just keep people comfortable. An important aspect of all large-scale commercial and industrial systems relates to how these systems function in a fire and a great deal of time and effort is spent ensuring compliance of these systems with the relevant Australian Standards.
In commercial situations, installed HVAC systems consist of a multitude of componentry that when designed, pieced together, and put into action, provide a full system that should deliver conditions that will not compromise the building occupants adversely. The most critical aspect of the commercial building HVAC are the essential services, that are there for the protection of human life.
There is no doubt that regular compliance testing of HVAC systems can save lives. These tests involve simulating real life situations where smoke or fire is present in buildings and the protocols in place to protect building inhabitants. In a fire situation, an HVAC system should be controlled and configured to extract smoke from affected areas to create safe pathways for occupants to safely exit the building.
Many forward-thinking building managers and owners see value in more frequent regularity in testing their fire safety systems, whereby systems aren’t just tested once on the annual regulatory test day but are periodically tested more often for functionality. When the rate of testing is increased it helps identify where potential risks lie in emergency settings, can reduce risk and ultimately result in saving lives.
For example, many of us know not to use lifts in a fire, and hence stairwell safety becomes critical in these situations. Ensuring stairwells are clear of smoke rests on the functioning of fan systems that are built into the HVAC systems of large commercial buildings. Many buildings only test these fans once per year – however, at Tempest Solutions, we believe more frequent testing is beneficial.
In addition, certain aspects of simulation and testing can and should also occur during routine maintenance inspections, as an add on to a regular service.
At Tempest Solutions we work with our clients to build regular service and fire safety testing regimes and recommend our clients go beyond basic 12 month compliance requirements.
For obvious reasons, safety and the well-being of human life is of paramount importance. Rightly so, there is always strong emphasis on safety, relative to tradespeople and on-site staff, as companies want to protect their workers. Notwithstanding this, focus should also be on the safety and well-being of end users and building occupants when it comes to operating HVAC systems.
If you would like to learn more about how to protect your building occupants, feel free to reach out and speak with us.