The environmental cost of fires explained

Understanding the true extent of fires in residential and commercial buildings

Deciding whether to install a fire sprinkler system in a property you own has a significant effect on more people than you think. 

If you’re considering investing in fire sprinkler protection in your building, your initial queries probably sound like this:

• What’s the upfront expenditure going to look like for this installation?
• How quickly will fire sprinkler systems get to work on suppressing fire?
• How long will it take to complete installation?

However, have you thought about what questions might be raised if you decide not to sprinkler protect your building?

In this blog, we will look at the knock-on effect of fires on our wider community and environment, and discuss BlazeMaster® CPVC’s role in alleviating risk to you and those around you. 

The environmental cost of building fires

The effect of building fires on the surrounding environment cannot be overstated. With a multitude of potentially hazardous materials stored in the home, all at risk of exposure to flames, the risk of toxic byproducts entering the atmosphere is always present when fire breaks out. 

The impact on the health and safety of local residents including vulnerable people, workers, commuters and animals including livestock can be devastating. 

BlazeMaster CPVC sprinkler systems target fires precisely where they need to, targeting the outbreak of fire at its source, minimising the risk of spread and protecting the wider environment from the effects of fire and smoke. 

Financial cost to you

As a residential property owner, the financial strain on your property and your family can take many months to recover from. In the worst cases, fire can result in having to vacate the property for months, years or even permanently, as repairs and rebuilding takes place. 

As a business owner, the financial impact transfers to staff and stakeholders who rely on your business premises to make living.

BlazeMaster CPVC is the most specified non-metallic fire sprinkler system in the world, largely due to its substantial financial savings when compared to other materials like steel. It has saved architects, contractors and property owners thousands in material and labor costs whilst providing reliable fire protection.

Impact on the local economy

The financial security and wellbeing of surrounding buildings and their occupants must also be taken into account. The wider community may include business required to temporarily close, leading to more staffing problems and a failure to support their families. 

The disruption of installing new safety systems measures up very little compared to the total economic disruption of fire, particularly in built up areas. 

BlazeMaster CPVC can be installed quickly, quietly and safely, offering minimal disruption to the surrounding community, allowing business to continue. 

Water damage to property

A frequently overlooked financial burden is that of water damage, caused by the efforts of the local emergency services to suppress building fires. Firefighters must discharge vast quantities of water to effectively suppress fire, resulting in reduced fire damage, but significant short and long term structural issues caused by flooding. 

BlazeMaster CPVC fire sprinklers discharge water in a single, targeted area, at the specific site of the outbreak of fire, leaving all other rooms and floors of the building unscathed.

Impact on local services

Even if local emergency services are located just around the corner from an outbreak, alert times, travel times (affected by local traffic) and deployment of fire and rescue personnel and equipment all apply to the safe elimination of building fires. 

BlazeMaster CPVC fire sprinklers activate immediately upon sensing temperatures of 68℃ (154℉) or above, immediately getting to work on targeting fire. 

Are sprinklers environmentally friendly?

The environmental impact of fire sprinkler material itself varies widely from one material to another. For example, BlazeMaster CPVC requires significantly less pressure on resources and energy to manufacture, compared to steel. 

Download the Orange Book to learn more about our commitment to sustainability and get all the information you need on designing the right fire sprinkler system for reliable fire protection in your building.