In a fire, every second counts. Fire smoke can be fatal after just a few breaths. Smoke barriers can be used to channel fire smoke and direct it away from the building to aid evacuation and firefighting.
The requirements for smoke barriers have been defined for over 20 years as Part 1 of the EN 12101 series of standards. This is a European harmonised product standard that defines legally binding requirements for smoke barriers. Part of this standard is the requirement that all smoke barriers must have been successfully tested by a notified testing body and carry a CE mark. Smoke barrier manufacturers are also required to describe the essential characteristics and classes of smoke barriers in a declaration of performance.
Rather unusual for a European standard are the defined "applications" of smoke barriers. It was obviously important to the authors to show the possible applications of smoke barriers. They are described in part as follows:
- formation of a smoke reservoir
- channelling of fire smoke
- barriers sealing openings
- enclosure of a store unit
- enclosure of a stairwell
- enclosure of a lift shaft
- and others
The different applications result in two types of smoke barriers: static and active smoke barriers.
Static smoke barriers
Static smoke barriers are installed in industrial halls, shopping centres or similar large hall like buildings. They are usually made of textile fabric, but can also be made of other materials. Static smoke barriers are fixed to the ceiling and form a smoke compartment in the event of a fire. The smoke from the fire is confined in this smoke compartment and can be removed from the building via existing smoke extraction systems. The height of these static smoke barriers varies depending on the expected amount of smoke gases and the required low smoke layer.
The advantage of static smoke barriers is that they are relatively inexpensive, as they do not require any complex technology. Of course, these smoke barriers must be tested and approved as a building product, carry a CE mark and the manufacturer must issue a declaration of performance.
Active smoke barriers
The vast majority of smoke barriers are so-called 'active' smoke barriers. These smoke barriers can be installed in such a way that they are hardly noticeable in everyday life. These active smoke barriers are made entirely of textile fabric. In standby mode, the fabric is rolled up and hidden in a roller box. Only in the event of an alarm is it unrolled to the desired position. The EN 12101 standard divides mobile smoke barriers into two systems: Fail-safe systems and non-fail-safe systems.
Fail-safe systems require no power to unroll the fabric. This ensures that fire protection is maintained even in the event of a power failure. These fail-safe systems are well established in the market and represent the majority of systems available.
Smoke barriers are controlled by a system to keep the building smoke free. This system is usually connected to the smoke extraction system or triggered by the fire alarm system. The requirement for the control of smoke barriers is specified in parts 9 and 10 of EN 12101.
The Jakob-Kaiser-Haus of the German Bundestag illustrates how active smoke barriers can be integrated into the architecture of a building. The building, which houses parliamentary offices, extends over seven floors. In order to provide sufficient natural light for the corridors on the lower floors, the architects designed an inner courtyard with a glass roof. This atrium-like design connects corridors on all floors. From a building and fire safety point of view, this is not permissible without additional protective measures.
Smoke barriers have been installed in all corridors leading to the courtyard to prevent smoke from spreading to all floors in the event of a fire. When unrolled, the smoke barriers separate the corridors from the courtyard, providing a room-sealing effect in accordance with EN 12101. This prevents smoke from spreading through the corridors and directs it to the glass roof, where it is extracted from the building through the smoke vents. A total of 29 individual smoke barriers were installed in the 21- and 16-metre-long corridors over seven floors.
A particular challenge in the installation of smoke barriers is maintaining the gap dimensions to the building. EN 12101 already specifies dimensions that must not be exceeded. But there are often challenging conditions on the building side, as was the case with the Jakob-Kaiser-Haus. The emphasis had to be on an aesthetically pleasing design. The roller boxes were integrated into the building and covered with drywall, making the smoke barriers virtually invisible when in standby mode.
Planning and execution
Well-integrated smoke barriers are almost invisible to the observer because they can be discreetly integrated into the architectural design. However, this requires a professional company with sufficient experience.
Occasionally we find smoke barriers that have not been approved. They are often custom-made. Of course, only approved systems may be installed for fire prevention purposes.
Rely on the expertise of manufacturers and installers who are members of the German Electrical and Digital Manufacturers' Association (ZVEI) and the German Window Automation and Smoke Evacuation Association (VFE). They are certified according to DIN ISO 9001 and have decades of experience in system-based fire protection - especially when it comes to smoke extraction from buildings.