FIRE SAFETY & SECURITY
FIRE SAFETY BY DESIGN
ALIGNING STRATEGY, COMPLIANCE AND LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE
As building design becomes more complex and expectations around resilience continue to rise, fire detection can no longer be treated as a late-stage compliance exercise. It is a strategic element of building performance, influencing life safety, asset protection and long-term operational continuity. In this Q & A interview, we speak with Martin Green, Commercial Training & Support Manager at Hochiki Europe, whose three decades of experience in fire detection and life safety have shaped best practice across the UK and beyond. Drawing on deep technical expertise and real-world insight, Martin explores what architects and design teams need to consider early, where EN 54 compliance can unravel, and how to design systems that remain robust in an increasingly unpredictable environment.
For readers new to Hochiki, where do you add the most value during the design phase, and what are the key inputs you need early?
We add the most value right at the beginning, when the building is still an idea rather than a fixed layout. Too often, fire detection is treated as something that’ s overlaid late in the process, but the reality is that early decisions shape everything that follows.
What we really need to understand upfront is how the building will be used. Is there a sleeping risk? Are there vulnerable occupants? Is the priority purely life safety, or is property protection and business continuity equally important? The environmental conditions matter too, ceiling heights, airflow, temperature fluctuations, even dust levels can all influence detector choice. performance standards, but compliance alone doesn’ t guarantee long-term performance in real-world conditions.
Buildings today face more stress than ever: environmental extremes, ageing infrastructure, increased occupancy demands and sometimes changing use over time. Water damage, for example, is now one of the biggest drivers of insurance claims in the UK. That tells us something about how exposed buildings can be.
Architects should be thinking beyond minimum compliance. The key question is not just“ Will this system pass at handover?” but“ Will it still perform reliably in 10 or 15 years?” Designing for resilience means considering maintainability, access, adaptability and environmental protection right from the start.
When you say“ design for EN 54 compliance”, what are the top three design decisions that most affect commissioning success and sign-off?
Commissioning success is usually decided long before commissioning day.
Firstly, agreeing the correct category of protection early is crucial. If there’ s ambiguity around whether a system is L1, L2 or otherwise, it often leads to latestage redesign.
Secondly, zoning and cause-and-effect need to be logical and aligned with the evacuation strategy.
When we’ re brought in early, we can make sure the system supports the architectural vision rather than forcing compromises later. It’ s about aligning the fire strategy, the building use and the technology from the outset.
You’ re speaking on EN54 compliance, waterdamage risk and fire safety in a“ risky world” at the Fire Safety Event. Is there a common thread, and what should architects be doing differently?
The common thread is resilience. Compliance is essential, EN 54 ensures that products meet rigorous
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