Fire strategies for every RIBA stage, retrospective strategies for existing buildings, fire statements, performance-based design and independent peer review. UK-wide. Whatever stage you are at, talk to us and we will help you find a workable route.
A fire strategy sets out how a building is designed to protect the people in it, covering means of escape, compartmentation, structural fire protection, detection and suppression, smoke control and firefighting provision, with the reasoning behind each choice.
It is how you demonstrate Building Regulations compliance for new buildings, changes of use and refurbishments, and for higher-risk buildings it is central to the Gateway 2 application.
Our strategies draw on operational fire and rescue experience and are prepared against the relevant guidance and standards for the building, with the reasoning behind each decision set out clearly. We will work with your team to find an approach that is safe and buildable, rather than handing over a document and leaving you to it.
Many existing buildings have no documented strategy at all, which is common and nothing to be alarmed about. Our retrospective strategies, described below, put that right.
Related reading: for buildings in occupation, the strategy underpins the fire risk assessment. For higher-risk buildings, see Building Safety Regulator support.
A fire strategy sets out how a building is designed to protect people from fire, covering means of escape, compartmentation, structural protection, fire systems and firefighting provision, with the reasoning behind it. You need one to demonstrate Building Regulations compliance for new buildings, changes of use and significant refurbishments, and for higher-risk buildings it forms a core part of the Gateway 2 application.
Many existing buildings have no documented fire strategy. A retrospective strategy records how the building as it stands is designed to perform in a fire and how it should be managed day to day. It underpins the fire risk assessment, informs remediation decisions, and for higher-risk buildings supports the building safety case.
For planning applications involving high-rise residential buildings in England, a fire statement must accompany the application, setting out fire safety considerations at the planning stage. In London, Policy D12(A) of the London Plan applies similar requirements to most major developments. We prepare both.
Where prescriptive guidance such as Approved Document B, BS 9999 or BS 9991 is too restrictive or does not fit the building, a performance-based approach demonstrates through engineering analysis that the design achieves the required level of safety. It is how complex or unusual buildings gain approval without compromising safety.
A fire strategy only protects people if it is built as intended. Stage 5 inspection verifies the works against the strategy as they progress, catching problems while they are inexpensive to fix rather than at handover or later.
Whether you are starting a new design or trying to make sense of an existing building, talk to us early. Scope varies considerably between projects, and we will take the time to understand yours before proposing a scope and fee. The sooner we are involved, the more we can help.
The descriptions on these pages outline our standard approach to each service. The scope, methodology and fee for any instruction are determined for the individual building or project and confirmed in a written proposal before work begins.