Smoke venting in house converted to flats

[John Dragon]

Customer is converting a 3 floor house to 3 x 1 bedroom flats, all flats opening on to single staircase. Part 1 L2 system specified.
Building regs are asking for velux type windows in roof to be automatic smoke vents.
Seems rather OTT to me, usually only see this in res homes etc??
Is this a new thing, as I havn't seen it in a place this small before?
Will we be seeing more of this?
Cheers
John

[CivvyFSO]

Re: vents

If the flats do not have internal protected entrance halls (FD20 to all doors to hall apart from WC) then they are probably working to Diagram 9 of ADB, taking note 3 into account. If there are protected entrance halls then a vent that can be remotely operated at access level by FRS should suffice. (Para 2.21e)

See also para 2.26 if the building does not conform with para 9. "In single stair buildings the smoke vents on the fire floor and at the head of the stair should be actuated by means of smoke detectors in the common access space."

Re: L2

In either circumstance assuming the premises is to be built to ADB standard there is only a need for a pt 6 in the apartments. The detection in the first option and in para 2.26 is only for the AOV, not to sound an alarm.