Steve,
It is an existing building and the Engineer wants to remove the existing fire pump because he says the standpipes do not require it. I am not designing anything on this one.. Greg McGahan Genesis Fire Services, LLC o-850-637-8535 From: Sprinklerforum <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Steve Leyton Sent: Thursday, March 7, 2019 7:18 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: GSA P100 Standpipes Who is enforcing/interpreting the terms of your contract? Assuming you are conscribed to design and install per the referenced standards, then this creates a conflict in the terms and conditions of your contract that should be clarified by RFI. As great as the pool of knowledge about all things water-based may be in the Forum, this is a contractual issue, not a code-based one. If the responding fire department can furnish adequate flow and pressure (and that's a performance standard they and only they can speak to) and a high maintenance link in the chain like a fire pump can be omitted, is that a bad thing? There are two aspects to a water supply that are critical: adequacy and reliability. The reliability of a manual standpipe system goes to the source of water from which the FD takes suction. If the building has pump, would it be arranged as a booster and take suction from that same source? If so, then you face the same metrics for reliability either way. But if the building would otherwise have a pump that takes suction from a tank that's sized for both demand and duration, then reliability is enhanced and you have to weigh cost + maintenance + reliability to come up with the cost/benefit scenario, but you can argue that it's a more reliable configuration, assuming that both pump and tank are meticulously maintained. So I don't have an answer because you didn't really pose a question, but if I was in your shoes and was being directed to undertake a design that didn't conform to the code(s) and/or standard(s) that are referenced in my contract, I'd RFI whoever has jurisdiction over my contract and ask them (presumably the owner or their agent) for direction on how to proceed. And please note well that EVERYTHING in this post is my personal opinion only. Steve Leyton From: Sprinklerforum [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2019 5:05 PM To: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> Subject: GSA P100 Standpipes For those of you design professional that have been tasked with designing a standpipe for a GSA building, the Engineer for the govt is saying things that appear to be true but hard to accept. It appears that there is not a requirement for an AUTOMATIC standpipe in a GSA building...just the statement that "The building's fire pump must be sized for the sprinkler system requirements only if the local responding fire department can provide the necessary flow and pressure for manual firefighting operations (i.e., standpipes), through fire department connections." Therefore, regardless of height or floors, a manual standpipe can be used if the Fire Dept can provide enough water..no auto standpipe? Thanks in advance, Greg McGahan Genesis Fire Services, LLC 4187 Farrington Road Milton, FL 32583 o-850-637-8535 c- 850-712-9555
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