The LWF Blog

Fire Safety Engineering for Design – Sprinkler Installation Planning – Part 244

July 21, 2025 10:32 am

LWF’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 243, LWF began to discuss installation planning for sprinkler protection. In part 244, we continue talking about sprinkler installation planning.

When it comes to planning the installation of a sprinkler, the sprinkler and interested parties are not the only aspects to be considered. The building itself must be taken into account at the earliest possible stage of the design process. The type of considerations relevant to sprinkler installation are:

• The intended occupancy of the building and what hazard classification any process-related risks might engender. It could be the case that there is more than one classification applying to different parts of the premises.
• The type of goods to be stored/utilised in processes on the premises. How will the goods be stored? What type of storage methods will be used? Each type of goods should be categorised and the combination of type of goods, method of storage and height of storage should determine the classification of protection.
• Water sources should be detailed, including town or local mains sources. Flow-testing of the mains should be carried out to establish suitability to supply water for the sprinkler installation, either directly on demand or via a water storage tank.
• If there are any alternative sources of water, such as existing water tanks, or natural sources such as reservoirs, lakes, rivers etc., which could be utilised as a source for the sprinkler system.
• Consideration should be given to the planned location of the installation control valves. This should have regard to Fire Service access in a fire situation and the disposal of test and system drain water.
• Placement of mains risers through the building and subsidiary control valve locations where planned.
• Positioning of storage tanks and pump house, where these are required.
• The planned electricity supply to the project, where an electric pump is required, to establish if this will have sufficient capacity and reliability.
• A plan of the main routes of distribution pipes, to avoid clashes with any structural or architectural plans for the building.

In part 245 of LWF’s series on fire engineering we will continue to discuss the potential impact of early consideration of the premises on sprinkler installation design. 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.