Fire Engineering Frequently Asked Questions

What is Fire Engineering?

Fire Engineering is the practice of designing buildings for safety from fire.

Fire Engineering involves fire protection engineering and fire safety engineering.

Buildings are constructed per legislation and regulations and are subject to regular inspection and audit by a Fire Safety Engineer. Fire Safety Engineers ensure that buildings or facilities comply with the fire safety codes.

What is Fire Protection Engineering?

In building construction, fire protection engineering is a specialisation of fire safety engineering. It is the application of the principles and practices of engineering analysis and the related science of fire to the design of buildings and other structures intended to resist and contain fires.

The ultimate goal of fire protection engineering is to ensure, in the event of a fire, that the building occupants are secure, safe, and able to exit safely, with minimal damage to the building and its contents.

A Fire Protection Engineer designs the fire protection services and systems, for example, sprinklers, manual suppression systems, and alarm and detection systems.

What is Fire Safety Engineering?

Fire Safety Engineering deals with fire detection and suppression systems for fire safety.

Most buildings will benefit from Fire Safety Design using Performance Solutions. The Fire Safety Engineering process develops a Fire Safety Strategy. The strategy consists of meeting the required Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions and Performance Requirements.

The Fire Safety Engineer creates an alternative building design for the BCA's fire safety requirements, contributing to developing the building's alternative strategy.

Fire Safety Design is developed through the engineering analysis application and accepted by the relevant authority having jurisdiction. Most commonly, the Building Surveyor will sometimes ask for Third Party certification.

What is Fire Safety Design?

A fire safety design is the built environment (buildings, structures, and installations) and materials used to protect people and property from fire.

Most buildings will benefit from Fire Safety Design using Performance Solutions.

The Fire Safety Design process develops a Fire Safety Strategy. The Fire Safety Strategy meets the required Deemed-to-Satisfy (DtS) provisions and Performance Requirements.

This is achieved through the process of the Fire Engineering Brief (FEB) and the Fire Engineering Report (FER). In addition, a registered Fire Safety Engineer justifies the Performance Solutions and is approved by stakeholders.

What are Fire Engineering Performance Solutions?

Most buildings will benefit from Fire Safety Design using Performance Solutions.

Fire Engineering Performance Solutions are designed to meet the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and the Australian Standards and reduce the cost of designing, building and maintaining buildings.

What is a Fire Safety Strategy?

A fire safety strategy is a well-thought-out plan to reduce fire hazards, reduce fire loss, and increase first responder safety. Fire safety strategies must be developed and implemented according to the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and the Australian Standards.

How do we achieve Compliance with the Building Code of Australia (BCA)?

There are two ways to achieve Compliance with the BCA.

1. The first option is Deemed-to-Satisfy (DtS), following the 'recipes' in the Building Code required for your building type and class.

2. The second option develops an optimal alternative strategy through a combination of DtS with Performance Solutions, which meets the Building Code's Performance Criteria.

What is effective Fire Safety Design?

A performance-based design allows you to achieve your desired function, aesthetics, and other goals for your building alternative to the Deemed-to-Satisfied.

This approach enables the building designer to create a more exciting and beautiful building design that enhances occupancy and reduces costs.

What is the Fire Safety Design Process?

The Fire Safety Design process meets the Building Code of Australia (BCA).

The Fire Engineering Brief (FEB) outlines the building's Fire Safety Strategy. Stakeholder approval of the Fire Engineering Brief is required to ensure the strategy meets all the objectives and goals.

The agreed Fire Safety Strategy is analysed in Fire Engineering Report for Authority acceptance and approval.

The Fire Engineering Brief (FEB) and the Fire Engineering Report documents become part of the Approved Building Design.

What is a Fire Safety Audit?

A Fire Safety Audit checks that the building matches the approved building design.

It's an annual inspection and review of Fire Safety Measures and is part of the building's Essential Safety Measures (ESM) requirement performed by a registered Fire Safety Engineer.

A Fire Safety Audit includes a review of the building and related documentation such as equipment test reports, training procedures, block plans etc. The registered Fire Safety Engineer conducts the Fire Safety Audit in accordance with the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and the Australian Standards.

What Is A Third Party Peer Review of a Fire Safety Engineering Design?

Third-Party Peer Review aims to assist the Relevant Building Surveyor in determining if the fire-engineered building design demonstrates that the building and building work will comply with the Building Act and Regulations and are in line with the Building Code of Australia.

What fire engineering and fire risk-related services are not offered by your company in Victoria?

While we don't offer a specific list of fire engineering and fire risk-related services in Victoria, it's important to note that there are specialized services we do not provide. These services require the expertise and skills of other professionals in the field who are equipped to handle them. These services are provided by other experts in the field who have the necessary skills and expertise to handle them.

Below is a list of fire engineering in Victoria and fire risk-related services that we can not or do not provide. These services are provided by other types of specialists.

Fire Engineering Glossary

The Fire Engineering Glossary is an essential tool for building managers who require a reliable resource to help them understand the terms used in this important field. Check out the Fire Engineering Glossary.