Frank Bieber was involved in the development of the new European standard for storage sprinklers as an expert in the German working group of the Fire Protection Standards Committee at DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung e. V.) and as a representative at the responsible Technical Committee for Standardization CEN and CENELEC. In this interview, he explains the background to his work and answers the most important questions about the new standard.
What exactly does this new standard cover?
The name and the abbreviations refer to a set of standards and guidelines for the design and installation of ESFR and CMSA sprinklers. In other words, it deals with sprinklers with large K-factors for use in storage areas.
Why has it been decided to publish this second part of the standard now, even though the basic Part 1 will not be ready for a few years?
The answer is simple: because it combines the best solutions from international standards and guidelines, such as FM data sheets and NFPA, in an EN standard, users can now – even without Part 1 – access a highly topical and practical standard that also meets the high risk transfer requirements of insurers.
What specific advantages does this offer planners, installers and other users?
Thanks to its broad basis, DIN EN 12845-2 offers a particularly wide range of solutions. In combination with Annex T of VdS CEA 4001, which describes an interface between systems in accordance with VdS and other standards, the very latest design parameters in accordance with DIN EN 12845-2 can be used together with the proven VdS quality – for example with regard to redundancies in the water supply, approved installers and certified components.
In addition, the Inspection Services of VdS are already able to have sprinkler systems tested or evaluated by their experts not only on the basis of FM or NFPA guidelines, but also on the basis of DIN EN 12845-2, both as a basis for building law inspections and as a basis for insurance inspections.
The new standard can be obtained here.