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Custom Fire System Builds

Total Group develops and installs custom fire suppression systems for industrial, commercial and residential applications. We work with you from concept to installation to build a system around your facility’s fire protection needs.

Custom fire suppression build scope

A custom build starts with the hazard the system must address and the conditions in which it will operate. The discussion may need to account for the facility’s use, the materials or processes present, the protected rooms or equipment, the proposed suppression method, available utilities and how the work will fit the site.

Total Group’s published custom-build service covers system development and installation. The agreed project scope should identify who is responsible for design documents, equipment selection, procurement, permits, inspections, testing, commissioning and handover. Those responsibilities can vary by system, project contract and jurisdiction, so they should be confirmed before work begins.

What a custom system decision involves

A suppression system is selected for a particular hazard, not only for the building label. A commercial kitchen, process area, equipment enclosure and residential space can present different fire scenarios and installation constraints. A useful project review considers the protected hazard, room layout, equipment arrangement, access, environmental conditions, occupied areas and any existing fire protection system that will remain in service.

Design and installation are also different from inspection, testing and maintenance. A build establishes and installs a system for the intended hazard. Later inspection and maintenance check whether the installed system remains available and serviceable. A commissioning or verification activity may have its own scope and documentation. Tell Total Group whether you are planning a new build, changing an existing system or seeking a separate inspection or service visit.

Standards and local authority requirements

Canadian fire and building codes are model codes. The National Research Council of Canada explains that a model code must be adopted by a regulatory authority before it comes into effect. Provinces, territories and municipalities may amend or supplement the model codes. The code in force at the project location, the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), the permit process and the project’s adopted standards therefore need to be confirmed for each build.

NFPA 13 is an issuing-body standard for the design and installation of automatic sprinkler systems. It addresses design approaches, installation and component options. It is not, by itself, proof that a particular Canadian project must use a specific edition. The applicable code or AHJ may reference a standard, or an owner, insurer or contract may set an additional requirement.

Alberta provides a clear example of why the project location matters. An Alberta Municipal Affairs fire/building code interpretation for fixed suppression systems in commercial cooking places installation under the building-code jurisdiction and use, inspection, testing and maintenance under the fire-code jurisdiction. It also directs owners and project participants to consult the relevant AHJ. That interpretation is an Alberta example for the stated subject, not a universal rule for every Canadian location.

Alberta’s Safety Codes guidance states that the building or installation owner has primary responsibility for safety-code compliance and that required permits must be obtained before covered work or activities. The owner should confirm the permit path and AHJ early. A Total Group inquiry can then identify the proposed build and the site information needed to discuss the available scope.

When to discuss a custom build

Start the conversation when a new facility, change of use, process change, equipment change or significant renovation may alter the fire hazard or the protection required. It is also useful to discuss a project before an existing suppression system is altered, extended or taken out of service. The timing of permits, design review, procurement, installation and any required acceptance or verification should be coordinated with the owner, project team and AHJ.

Do not treat a custom build as a substitute for the ongoing inspection, testing and maintenance program required for the installed system. The owner or facility operator should maintain the system’s records and arrange the applicable follow-up work through qualified parties under the local framework.

What to prepare for an inquiry

Send the information available to you:

  • Site and hazard: Location, property type, protected rooms or equipment, facility use, materials or processes involved and the reason for the project.
  • Project status: New construction, an existing-system change, a renovation, a process change or another defined requirement. Include the target installation window.
  • System information: Proposed suppression concept, equipment preferences, manufacturer information, drawings, specifications, photographs and records for any existing system involved.
  • Site conditions: Available utilities, access and staging space, ceiling or enclosure conditions, occupied areas, shutdown limits and working-hour restrictions.
  • Project responsibilities: Owner or facility contact, designer or engineer if assigned, contractor contacts, AHJ or permit information and the documentation the project requires.

If the system type, protected hazard or responsibility split is still undecided, say so. A clear list of known conditions and open decisions gives the project discussion a more useful starting point.

Discuss your custom fire-system build

Contact Total Group with your site details, proposed system or fire-protection requirement, available project documents and preferred timing. The team can discuss the custom development and installation scope for your application. For other fire protection requirements, visit our Fire Services.

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Discuss your fire-system project