Keeping a national research center safe from fire

Jun 1, 2001 12:00 PM

When a fire alarm occurs, the local supervisory panel shuts down the air handling system to protect equipment and avoid spreading smoke.

Any campus where more than 1,000 scientists and support staff perform experiments in individual laboratories is certainly subject to the disruption of false alarms.

The new home of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Mountain Region in Boulder, Colo., is, however, remarkably free from the nuisance of unwanted alarms. The NOAA recently installed application-specific smoke detectors (ASDs) in the center's multiplexed fire-alarm system.

STATE OF THE ART FACILITY

The David Skaggs Research Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Mountain Region in Boulder, Colo., is operated by the General Services Administration (GSA) to support NOAA's science and research. Bringing together NOAA organizations previously scattered throughout the Denver/Boulder metro area, the state-of-the-art facility is expected to enhance the vital research conducted by NOAA. Tenant organizations include the Environmental Research Labs, the National Weather Service, the National Geophysical Data Center, and the Air Resources Lab, the Climate Monitoring and Diagnostic Lab.

The center is located on the 205-acre U.S. Department of Commerce campus at the base of the beautiful Flatirons mountain range. The building is comprised of a total of 405,000 square feet and consists of four blocks situated north to south along a small stream. Each block has four levels, one of them below ground, and service core areas, including elevators, join the blocks. The central core is a three-story open atrium housing the main entrance and lobby.

STATE OF THE ART FIRE PROTECTION

The MXLV multiplexed intelligent fire detection systems with voice evacuation, and FirePrint intelligent fire detectors, manufactured by Siemens Cerberus Division, Florham Park, NJ., cover the offices, labs, computer rooms and all equipment. The four MXLV fire alarm control panels are networked together using a Class A wiring architectural structure to ensure uninterrupted protection even in the event of point failures in the system infrastructure.

When a fire alarm occurs, the local supervisory panel shuts down the air handling system to protect equipment and avoid spreading smoke. Building elevators remain operable for use by the fire department. To update incoming firefighters on the emergency situation, a communications room located in the central core is equipped with a graphic panel, monitor panel and printer. Five portable handsets enable the firefighters to communicate with each other and the four control panels.

Each application-specific intelligent fire detector is individually programmed to match the background environment where it is located. Detectors installed in the labs are not hampered by ambient occurrences such as inert gas release, and continue to react quickly to real fire emergencies.

The center's life safety system has proved effective, reliable, and well-integrated with the building automation system.

FOR THE RECORD

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Siemens Cerberus Division

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