Sustainable public buildings (without sprinklers?).

The recent seminar, Excellence in Design and Construction--Sustainable Public Buildings, hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Built Environment Group, provided something of an unpleasant surprise, even to the most jaded of parliamentary monitors. A seminar on sustainable buildings, with a special

The cause of umbrage to this correspondent came from the case study: Better School Buildings, a session in eluding Andy Thompson, Deputy Head, Schools Building and Design Unit, Department for Education and Skills; Adrian Clark, Director, Rockwool Ltd; and Simon Brown, UK Marketing Manager, Ruberoid Building Products Ltd.

The main presentation by Mr Thompson on A Strategy for Developing Sustainable and Well Designed 21st Century Schools was a 45 minute overview of the 22 [pounds sterling] billion programme to re generate schools in the community. He pointed out that schools were now regarded as much more than the institutions of the past, and were centres for community interaction involving a wide range of activities.

If he mentioned the use of sprinklers in helping protect such a huge investment, then I missed it. While it may not be conducive to winning friends in that construction-industry loaded environment, it was surely remiss not to give any worthwhile reference.

The other speakers did focus on this shortfall, but it is a cause of great concern that a leading proponent from a central government department did not address a critical failure in building protection in this country.

Simon Brown helpfully indicated that there are on average 20 fires a week, 60 per cent of which are caused by arson, amounting to a loss of 96 million recorded in 2002.

He did not, however, beat the singular sprinkler drum. "As part of the ODPM's pledge to reduce arson by l0 per cent by 2010, there must be an holistic method to fire safety--a range of factors including structural fire resistance, compartmentation, sprinklers etc.

"There must be design measures to keep external fires out until the emergency services arrive and keep internal fires under control and contained." These should include at least 90 minutes fire resistance in sub divided buildings to protect against arson.

"All measures are in the insurance industry's interest. It is not about a stand-alone measure, it is integral to continued efficiency."

Sustainable schools without a complete fire protection package? Surely a pre-requisite for excellence in design and construction.