The LWF Blog
Fire Safety Engineering for Design – Residential Sprinkler Systems – Part 263
December 1, 2025 11:14 amLWF’s Fire Safety Engineering blog series is written for Architects, building designers and others in the construction industry to highlight and promote discussion on all topics around fire engineering. In part 262, LWF considered the additional measures considered necessary in the UK for life safety sprinkler systems. In part 263, we will talk about domestic and residential sprinkler systems, which have become increasingly popular in recent years.
The majority of deaths and serious injuries due to fires in the UK occur in residential buildings. Sprinkler systems are one of the most effective active fire protection methods available to protect life. The combination of these two factors has, unsurprisingly, meant an increased uptake of domestic sprinkler system installations in recent years.
Automatic fire suppression and sprinkler systems are well-established in the fire protection arena and have been able to demonstrate excellent results in industrial and commercial settings for some considerable time. While often included in an effort to mitigate shortfalls in passive fire protection, extended evacuation routes or high-risk elements, they are extremely effective at suppressing fire for life safety and property protection purposes.
Materials suitable for sprinkler installations, such as CVPC pipework and fittings, are becoming more readily available and the greater sense of ‘normalcy’ in sprinkler installations means that their use in high-rise residential buildings, in particular, is on the up.
The main principles of sprinkler installation for residential purposes are the same as for commercial and industrial risks, with the exception that the expected flow rates for residential installations is fairly low in comparison.
Sprinklers are regularly installed into a wide range of domestic properties – often new, often high-rise – but equally, retro-fitting a sprinkler system into a refurbished, historic or other building is entirely possible and increasingly popular. The reasons for sprinkler installation may vary, but are likely to be one of the following:
- Life safety purposes
- Property protection
- Building Regulations requirements
- Fire Service recommendation
- Owner/developer decision
- Following a fire
- The protection of vulnerable or high risk people
- As a compensatory feature where other fire protection measures may be lacking
A sprinkler system installation should be part of a building’s overall fire protection measures and planned by an appropriate professional.
In part 264 of LWF’s series on fire engineering we will continue discussing domestic/residential sprinkler systems. In the meantime, if you have any questions about this blog, or wish to discuss your own project with one of our fire engineers, please contact us.
Lawrence Webster Forrest has been working with their clients since 1986 to produce innovative and exciting building projects. If you would like further information on how LWF and fire strategies could assist you, please contact the LWF office on 0800 410 1130.
While care has been taken to ensure that information contained in LWF’s publications is true and correct at the time of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of this information.