We at HFSC Canada spend a great deal of time and effort educating members of the fire-service, municipal officials, builders, developers and consumers about the benefits of fire sprinklers in new home builds. But we must not forget that there is a large portion of new occupancies in multi-storey residential buildings. Let’s spend a little time looking at how sprinklers work in these properties and how they have performed.
Statistics Canada data shows that in April 2024 there were 4,300 applications for new building permits for single family homes for a value of $2.6 billion and 22,600 multi-unit applications at a value of $5.4 billion. Applications for multi-unit permits are rising to address housing affordability. Multi-unit residential buildings contain multiple dwelling units – apartments, apartment condominiums, row houses, or semi-detached houses. The good news is that a large portion of these multi-unit buildings – those over four storeys in height – must be protected with fire sprinklers in accordance with building codes.
That said, the standard for the installation of sprinklers in multi-unit buildings is different than it is for single-family homes. Sprinklers in buildings other than a one- or two-family dwelling must be installed in accordance with the NFPA 13R standard rather than NFPA 13D. The fundamental difference is that sprinklers in individual dwelling are designed for life safety – to give occupants the needed time to escape. Sprinklers are needed in living areas as per the NFPA 13D standard. But are these systems effective? Yes. I have seen too many residential fires in buildings that were not sprinklered where occupants have had to find alternative accommodations for months or even permanently. This was not the case with sprinklered buildings.
A 2012 report from the University of the Fraser Valley entitled Sprinkler Systems and Fire Outcomes in Multi-story Residential Buildings is worth diving into. The report analyses fire incidents in British Columbia from 2006 to 2011. Some of the highlights from the report include:
The B.C. experience has proven the benefits of these life-saving systems. In sprinkler protected properties the size and extension of fires was markedly less than unprotected. Families can return to their homes following a fire, often the same day. The need to seek scarce long-term alternative housing while the building is restored is eliminated. The statistics reflect what the fire service sees daily. Sprinklers save lives. We are seeing a greater percentage of our population living with these systems. Why should we not be protecting single family homes too?
As more Canadians are being protected each year with home fire sprinklers, it is worth understanding the benefits of these life-saving systems. Read more on this website about how these systems function, and resources for consumers living with sprinklers. As well learn how, through incentives, we can make sprinklers part of the housing affordability solution. Check out these links to learn more:
HFSC’s Living with Sprinklers Information: https://homefiresprinklercanada.ca/living-with-fire-sprinklers-education/
Fire Sprinkler Myths: https://homefiresprinklercanada.ca/fire-sprinkler-myths/