Can you use Automist to meet UK Building Regulations?
Yes, Automist Smartscan can meet UK Building Regulations by complying with relevant standards and undergoing rigorous testing. Here’s how:
Standards and Testing
- Compliance with BS 8458:2015: Automist Smartscan meets the requirements of BS 8458 for water mist fire suppression systems.
- Third-Party Fire Testing: It has been independently tested by Warringtonfire (Exova report 396498), which is accredited under BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (UKAS 0249).
- Performance Verification: The system has been verified by the BSI Verification Service. The verification process included submitting technical documentation, such as the Design Installation and Operation Manual (DIOM), and issuing a Verification Certificate (VC 780009).
- ISO 9001 Certification: Plumis is certified for the design, manufacture, and supply of water mist fire suppression systems, demonstrating commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.
- Additional Testing: Bespoke component testing has been conducted to ensure reliability and performance.
Application in Open-Plan Homes
Automist is particularly popular in open-plan homes with more than two storeys. To confirm its suitability for such designs, Plumis commissioned an independent fire engineering assessment.
Key Findings:
- Automist’s performance in open-plan homes is equivalent to or better than a domestic sprinkler system conforming to BS 9251:2021.
- Advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling with 600 simulations showed that Automist provides fire safety comparable to accepted designs following guidance like Approved Document B (ADB) or BS 9991:2015.
- It is suitable for certain open-plan layouts that deviate from traditional guidance.
Regulatory Guidance
Approved Document B allows for innovative solutions, explaining:
"...the approved documents cannot cater for all circumstances, variations, and innovations. Where the guidance in the approved document has not been followed, the person carrying out the building work should demonstrate compliance with the regulations by other acceptable means."
Automist can also meet functional building regulation requirements through standards such as:
- BS 9991:2015: Focused on fire safety in residential buildings.
- BS 7974:2019: Provides a framework for performance-based fire engineering.
Key Standards for Water Mist Systems:
- BS 9991:2024 (Clause 17): Refers to BS 5306-0 for guidance on water mist systems.
- BS 5306-0:2020 (Table 1): Confirms water mist systems are suitable for all domestic applications if they fully comply with BS 8458.
This regulatory pathway ensures water mist systems are carefully evaluated for their intended use:
- BS 9991 → BS 5306-0 → BS 8458.
Manufacturer Declaration
Plumis declares Automist's conformity with BS 8458:2015. According to Regulation 7 and Approved Document 7:
"If the declared performance of a product is suitable for its intended use, the building control body should not prohibit or impede its use."
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to all of the aspects of the building regulations but rather a useful source of background information. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the contents of this post are correct at the time of publication, it should never be used as any form of substitution for the guidance documents. It should be noted that there may be specific additional requirements dependent upon local authority building regulations and/or fire authority.
Read more - Does Automist comply with the requirements of BS 8458?