The panel discussion on the New Mumbai Fire Brigade Regulations on Glass Façades focused on the following aspects: Architectural considerations while designing fire-safe façades; Perimeter protection – preventing the spread of smoke from floor to floor; and Cladding – the problematic zone. The panel comprised of Atul Bhandari, Director – Design & Projects, RSP India; Praveen Chaubey, Project Manager, Priedemann; Mukesh Jaitley, Director – Projects, The Wadhwa Group; Shrikrishna Ginde, VP – Operations, Belgium Aluminium & Glass; Sunil H Nesarikar, Chief Fire Officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade; SS Warick, Chief Fire Officer & Fire Advisor, MIDC; and Shashikant Jadhav, Chairman, PEATA Committee – Fire Safety Practices with KR Suresh, Regional Director, Axis Façades as the moderator. The panel discussed the new Mumbai Fire Brigade regulation on glass façades. Here is the excerpt from the discussion:
During a fire, at times building façade becomes a major barrier to evacuating people. Façade consultants, in close association with architects, work towards the safety of buildings through learning the latest technology and materials. Atul Bhandari, Director – Design & Projects, RSP India, said that safety is of utmost priority in any building. “We need to comply with all the safety regulations and sometimes have to go beyond the norms and give a design brief with fire safety as a special topic, which is an inevitable part of safety measures for any building,” said Bhandari.
Shashikant Jadhav, Chairman, PEATA Committee – Fire Safety Practices, pointed out that prior to 2012, there were no regulations specified for fire safety. In August 2013, a draft was made, but no progress has been made on the same to date, althougha few amendments and changes are suggested. It still remains a draft. He added that already existing buildings also have to follow certain fire safety codes.
SS Warick, Chief Fire Officer & Fire Advisor, MIDC, also opined that the draft prepared by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) is still in draft format and is restricted to the city of Mumbai. But the need of the hour is a body like the National Building Code taking up this issue, so that it becomes a national code for Pan India level to put these standards in place.
The National Building Code is under revision, and some portion of it should provide standards for glass façades, too, while making the new building code. This will help build safer buildings. The national building code part -4 does not address fire standards; neither has it specified any standard for glass facades.
In Mumbai, buildings of almost 400 m tall are being planned. The fire, if it occurs, should be restricted within the building. There is a need for the creation of compartments to prevent the spread of fire. In facades, there are mainly three factors to be considered – Stability, integrity & Penetration. To prevent damage to the adjacent compartment, efficient steps need to be followed. The guidelines for all these need to be incorporated into the building code.
Sunil H Nesarikar, Chief Fire Officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade, who has done many commendable safety operations in Mumbai, spoke about the Active and Passive measures for fire safety. The active measures include installation of fire sprinklers, fire detection systems and fire alarms. The passive measures include proper openings, passages, and compartments for fire and smoke escape. Nesarikar added that the guidelines for fire-safety are designed with users in mind. MCHI developed the guidelines after consulting glass manufacturers, users, fabricators, consultants, architects, etc. These guidelines were decided after many discussions with experts, as their consent is very important. “We are open to changes. The basic requirement is to provide enough time for the occupant to survive for a period till the emergency service reaches the spot for rescue. Hence, providing escape routes for occupants to reach safer places is essential. The glass or the façade should not prevent the movement of the occupant to reacha safer place. The guideline should be a need-based one with flexibility.
Praveen Chaubey, Project Manager, Priedemann, said that certain bi-laws or specifications should be flexible rather than keeping it too rigid, like the specification for windows of 1.5mX1.5msize openable windows at side-angles. An architect may not prefer to have these windows as they may not suit his design. If the designer is able to explain and convince that the occupants can be evacuated without having this kind of window, probably through any other methods like break panels, which could be more practical. Guidelines should not be very stringent, but should be flexible and allow discussion; otherwise, approval would be a tedious process. A large balcony or a break panel could be a substitute for windows of a specific size mentioned, though it may not support the specific guidelines.
Nesarikar said that the opening sizes are specified for the smoke to escape. “But in the case of building restoration or renovation projects, we are not very stringent. The conditions are:
a. 2.5 per cent opening in a building is another specification;
b. The glass façade should not be towards refused areas,
c. seal the gap between the glass façade and the building line.
Double skin facades are the in-thing in design. In this case, if the gap between the two glass walls is more than 300 mm, then it would get counted in FSI. This is done because, if the gap is more than 300 mm, people will occupy those spaces.
Shrikrishna Ginde, VP – Operations, Belgium Aluminium & Glass, said that the guidelines on automatic smoke vendors become critical for a contractor. He also pointed out that the standard for the gap between the glass walls in a double skin façade should be increased to at least 450 mm. Atul Bhandari from RSP agreed with this point.
Ginde added that Fabricators should have knowledge of norms. They lack knowledge and experience. But at times, even after approval, it is challenging for the fabricator to integrate the openings into the drawings. Along with the fire hazard, one has to look at the safety and security of the building itself, i.e. access to the exteriors, Fabricators role is usually at the end of the implementation of the project. But this role should start from the planning stage itself. This would help to incorporate all the necessary safety aspects.
Mukesh Jaitley, Director – Projects, The Wadhwa Group, insisted on the need for an agency to take care of the implementation of codes in the right way and also for their inspection. Presently, the national building code gives guidelines for each and every aspect related to building and its safety. Provision for licensing agencies to cover the fire code in Gujarat and Maharashtra for fire safety and life safety are in place. There are three types of licensing agencies: For Detection section (like fire alarms); Water sprinkler systems, hydrant, etc., and for passive fire protection systems like glass facades.
Right from the planning and design stage, the licensing agencies should get involved. To avoid the disconnect between professionals like architects, façade consultants, fabricators, and other stakeholders, all professionals should be educated on the specifications and safety norms.
The panel discussion helped to resolve confusion regarding the norms among fabricators, façade engineers, architects and officials from the fire brigade.
WFM Pays Tribute to Chief Fire Officer Sunil Nesarikar
Sunil Nesarikar
A fortnight after he was seriously injured in the fire that destroyed a building at Kalba Devi in Mumbai on May 9, Chief Fire Officer of Mumbai, Sunil Nesarikar, passed away on May 24th. We at Window & Façade Magazine (WFM) bid adieu to the Chief Fire Officer, Sunil Nesarikar. Nesarikar and three other fire officers – Sudhir Amin, M N Desai and SW Rane – were caught in the debris when a part of the building caught fire. Nesarikar was admitted to the National Burns Centre in Navi Mumbai with over 50 per cent burns and was under treatment for a fortnight.
Born in Kolhapur in 1964, Nesarikar completed his schooling at Vasai in Thane district. A science graduate who specialised in Chemistry, he had completed several certification courses along with his fire brigade colleagues in London, after almost a decade in service. Nesarikar was also nominated for a President’s medal for his bravery during the dousing operation at the Lotus Business Park inferno in 2014. He was presented with a ‘Rajat Padak’ by the Mumbai municipal commissioner for the rescue efforts that he undertook during the Dockyard building collapse (2013) and the house collapse incident at Senapati Bapat Marg (2002). He was a man of integrity, courage and conviction.
We at WFM are deeply saddened by the demise of Sunil Nesrikar and his colleagues – Sanjay Rane (SDO), Mahendra Desai (STO). Sudhir Amin (DCFO) of the Mumbai Fire Brigade. Deputy Chief Fire Officer S.W. Amin, a President`s gold medal awardee, had succumbed to over 80 per cent burns he suffered in the same incident. The bodies of two other firemen – M.M. Desai and S.W. Rane – who went missing during the firefighting, were found among the debris of the building, which had collapsed. We salute these Fire Officers who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Our Condolences and prayers are with the deceased and their families. May their souls rest in peace.
