Fire Research Lecture 1993: Performance based fire safety design—Recent developments in australia

Abstract

Fire safety and protection facilities to satisfy current regulatory requirements are a significant component in the cost of many buildings. With the development of systematic approaches to building fire safety and protection, designs based on a fire safety engineering methodology can offer substantial cost savings while achieving satisfactory levels of life safety. An outline is given of recent initiatives in Australia towards the development of a systematic approach for the design of cost-effective fire safety systems in buildings. This systematic approach is based upon a risk assessment framework. While substantial progress has been achieved, considerable research, development and technology transfer must be undertaken before this systematic approach can be used as a routine procedure for design. However, some important applications, based on such an approach, have recently been undertaken.