Sprinklers

When are sprinklers required?

Throughout class 1 – 9 buildings if any part of the building has an effective height of more
than 25 m.

Table E1.5 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPRINKLERS

Occupancy				When sprinklers are required
All classes—				Throughout the whole building if any part of the building has an effective height of more than 25 m.
(a)	including an open-deck carpark within a multi-classified building; but
(b)	excluding—
	(i) an open-deck carpark being a separate building; and
	(ii) a Class 8 electricity network substation, with a floor area not more than 200 m2, located within a multi-classified building.
Class 6				In fire compartments where either of the following apply:
				(a)	A floor area of more than 3 500 m2.
				(b)	A volume more than 21 000 m3.
Class 7a, other than open-deck carparks				In fire compartments where more than 40 vehicles are accommodated.
Class 9c aged care building				Throughout the building and any fire compartment containing a Class 9c part.
Class 9b theatres, stages & public halls				see Part H1
Atrium construction				see Part G3
Large isolated buildings				see Clause C2.3
Occupancies of excessive hazard (see Note 3)				In fire compartments where either of the following apply:
				(a)	A floor area of more than 2 000 m2.
				(b)	A volume of more than 12 000 m3.
Notes:
1.	See Specification C1.1 for use of sprinklers in Class 2 buildings and carparks generally.
2.	See Part E2 for use of sprinklers to satisfy Smoke Hazard Management provisions.
3.	For the purposes of this Table, occupancies of excessive fire hazard comprise buildings which contain—
	(a)	hazardous processes or storage including the following:
		(i)	Aircraft hangars.
		(ii)	Cane furnishing manufacture, processing and storage.
		(iii)	Fire-lighter and fireworks manufacture and warehousing.
		(iv)	Foam plastic and foam plastic goods manufacture, processing and warehousing (e.g. furniture factory).
		(v)	Hydrocarbon based sheet product, manufacture, processing and warehousing (e.g. vinyl floor coverings).
		(vi)	Woodwool and other flammable loose fibrous material manufacture.
	(b)	Combustible Goods with an aggregate volume exceeding 1000 m3 and stored to a height greater than 4 m including the following:
		(i)	Aerosol packs with flammable contents.
		(ii)	Carpets and clothing.
		(iii)	Electrical appliances.
		(iv)	Combustible compressed fibreboards (low and high density) and plywoods.
		(v)	Combustible cartons, irrespective of content
		(vi)	Esparto and other fibrous combustible material.
		(vii)	Furniture including timber, cane and composite, where foamed rubber or plastics are incorporated.
		(viii)	Paper storage (all forms of new or waste) (e.g. bales, sheet, horizontal or vertical rolls, waxed coated or processed).
		(ix)	Textiles raw and finished, eg, rolled cloth, clothing and manchester.
		(x)	Timber storage including sheets, planks, boards, joists and cut sizes.
		(xi)	Vinyl, plastic, foamed plastic, rubber and other combustible sheets, offcuts and random pieces and rolled material storage, eg, carpet, tar paper, linoleum, wood veneer and foam mattresses.
		(xii)	All materials having wrappings or preformed containers of foamed plastics.

The type of sprinkler system to be installed will depend on the hazard classification of the building according to the NCC.

 The 3 main hazzard classifications are : 

1.  Light Hazard
2. Ordinary (OH1 – OH3)
3. High Hazard

The main difference between the 3 categories is the volumes of water and storage required increases with the hazard classifications. i.e High Hazard required more water, in higher quantities in a shorter time.