Smoke extraction system requirement for basements and performance-based fire engineering approach

Performance-based fire safety codes would offer flexibility and cost-effectiveness to many building developments, especially large ones. The traditional prescriptive fire safety codes, however, have the advantages of simplicity and ease of understanding. Many prescriptive codes have already incorporated performance requirements such that they can also have the advantages of flexibility and cost-effectiveness while keeping the merits of simplicity and ease of understanding. This paper examines the Hong Kong fire service installation code requirement for smoke extraction systems on both smoke extraction rate and activation devices in basements. From engineering principles, it is noted that the values for smoke extraction rate are rather fixed and might not be applicable for bigger compartments. Appropriate values should be worked out and recommended for design purposes. Code requirement of the activation devices for smoke extraction systems may be onerous for some cases; more flexibility is suggested.