“Green Tunnel Vision” Overlooks FLS Systems in the Sustainability Discussion

The environmental impact of building materials is significant, particularly in the first 20 years of a building’s life cycle. The buildings and construction sector is responsible for approximately 39% of global CO2 emissions, with a substantial portion stemming from the production and use of materials like cement, steel, and aluminum. Embodied carbon, which includes the emissions from the production, transportation, and installation of these materials, can account for up to 50% of a building’s total carbon footprint during this period.

In the building design and construction industry, there is often a tendency to develop “green tunnel vision” by limiting the evaluation of sustainable buildings to energy and water savings or material sourcing. The conversation on green buildings typically stops at high HVAC efficiency ratings, high envelope performance, LED lighting, low-flow water fixtures, initial construction embodied CO2, and energy models.

That field of vision overlooks the importance of life safety systems, such as smoke control systems, which can play a significant role in minimizing environmental and health impacts during and after building fires. Effective smoke control systems can significantly reduce the need for extensive restoration efforts and material usage, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive approach to sustainability. By containing or extracting smoke efficiently, these systems help preserve building components and reduce the environmental footprint of post-fire restoration, ultimately supporting a healthier and safer built environment.

The Role of Smoke Control Systems in Sustainability

As stated in the ASHRAE Handbook, “the extent to which smoke control systems are sustainable depends on the ingenuity, creativity, and knowledge of the design team.” Smoke control systems are essential in reducing the extent of smoke damage from fires. According to the ASHRAE Handbook of Smoke Control Engineering, “smoke control systems can be considered as sustainable systems in that they minimize the extent of smoke damage to building components during fires.”

Environmental and Health Impacts of Smoke from Building Fires

Even a relatively small fire can create a substantial amount of smoke in a building. After a fire is extinguished, toxins from the smoke and soot linger in walls, floors, HVAC systems, and furniture, posing risks if touched or inhaled. This necessitates professional post-fire restoration efforts, which are often energy and water-intensive, sometimes leading to complete demolition and material replacement of interior finishes, flooring, HVAC systems, and furniture.

Even further, this issue also relates to green buildings because many sustainability programs account for human health and well-being within buildings by focusing on indoor air quality, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and ventilating airborne irritants.

Unfortunately, even after professional restoration efforts, traces of these toxins can remain embedded in the building, silently harming the occupants for years to come. The article “Protection from Environmental Dangers During Fire Restoration” highlights significant health concerns related to post-fire smoke in indoor environments. It emphasizes that smoke and soot from building fires contain hazardous substances such as heavy metals, VOCs, and particulate matter. These contaminants can pose serious health risks, including respiratory issues, skin and eye irritation, and long-term effects like cancer and organ damage.

Benefits of Effective Smoke Control Systems

Effective smoke control systems can significantly reduce the required restoration efforts by either extracting or containing the smoke within the area of origin before it spreads to other areas of the building during a fire. This reduces the direct and indirect harm to the environment and occupants. By minimizing the spread of smoke, these systems help maintain better indoor air quality and reduce the need for extensive cleanup and material replacement, thereby conserving resources and reducing environmental impact.

Reducing Material Quantity for Smoke Control Systems

Building design professionals worldwide contribute to gradually improving fire and life safety building codes and system design decisions through research, historical data, and performance-based design strategies. In recent years, professionals are learning to “right-size” or even eliminate aspects of smoke control systems while maintaining an equal or higher level of safety for occupants.

The NFPA 92 Standard for Smoke Control Systems provides options for design compliance that significantly reduce the material quantity or even eliminate mechanical equipment for smoke control systems. For example, the natural smoke venting and smoke filling methods are simple forms of smoke control that eliminate the need for fans and ductwork. These methods use natural airflow to manage smoke, reducing the environmental footprint of the smoke control system.

Passive Smoke Control Systems and Suppression Reduce Smoke Control Material Usage

NFPA 101 and the International Building Code (IBC) outline requirements for robust passive smoke barrier/partition layouts and suppression systems that keep people and property safe in most building types without the need for mechanical smoke control systems. For example, NFPA 101 and IBC do not require mechanical corridor smoke ventilation systems because of the effectiveness of passive barriers and sprinkler systems. Passive systems, such as smoke barriers and partitions, are often a reliable first line of defense against smoke during building fires with little to no moving parts or additional materials.

Conclusion

Incorporating smoke control systems and other fire and life safety systems into the sustainability conversation is essential for a more well-rounded approach to green buildings. These systems not only protect the health and safety of building occupants but also reduce the environmental impact of fire restoration efforts. By designing and implementing effective smoke control systems, building professionals can aim for projects that are both safe and sustainable.

Citations

1. Klote, J. H., Milke, J. A., Turnbull, P. G., Kashef, A., & Ferreira, M. J. (2012). Handbook of Smoke Control Engineering. ASHRAE. 
2. Restoration Industry Association. (2020). Protection from environmental dangers during fire restoration. Retrieved from https://www.restorationindustry.org/sites
3. United Nations Environment Programme. (2023). Building materials and the climate: Constructing a new future. Retrieved from https://www.unep.org/resources/report/building-materials-and-climate-constructing-new-future
4. World Green Building Council. (2019). Bringing embodied carbon upfront: Coordinated action for the building and construction sector to tackle embodied carbon. Retrieved from https://www.worldgbc.org/news-media/bringing-embodied-carbon-upfront
5. United Nations Environment Programme, & Yale Center for Ecosystems in Architecture. (2023). Building materials and the climate: Constructing a new future. Retrieved from https://www.architecture.yale.edu/news/building-materials-climate-report