How does HVAC fire/smoke detection differ for public versus private buildings?
With minimum requirements for a private entity, you have more flexibility in what gets installed. If it’s a public entity, there are generally more codes to follow. With hospitals, patients are not evacuated, so the bottom line is to shut everything down and stop airflow while closing off certain areas to control the environment. Notification has to be quiet to prevent panic yet enable emergency procedures to be followed in an orderly manner. In commercial buildings and schools, the goal is to evacuate and shutdown equipment. With industrial applications, you need to quickly evacuate personnel and shutdown equipment because they may have an explosive environment, in which case, time is of the essence. Why is accurate HVAC fire/smoke detection so vital? Because of the nature of HVAC, you have a few minutes before it’s a serious situation. In about 10 minutes, if you have not controlled the environment, you may have a critical situation. You have to stop air movement and encapsulate the
