Fire Protection Systems

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Active Fire Protection — Sprinklers, Smoke Control & Suppression

Active fire protection means systems that detect, suppress, or control fire — automatically triggered, not reliant on human intervention. KS & A Security Solutions designs, installs, commissions, and maintains active fire protection systems for commercial, industrial, and residential properties.

Our fire protection engineers work to the relevant British and European standards, and our certification to NSI Fire Gold and BAFE ensures independent oversight of our competence. From a residential sprinkler system in a single flat to a gas suppression system protecting a data centre, we design and deliver systems that protect life, property, and business continuity.

Active fire protection is distinct from passive fire protection (structural compartmentation, fire doors, fire-stopping of penetrations). The two work together — active systems suppress the fire, passive systems contain it. A building’s fire strategy needs both.

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Our Fire Protection Services

Sprinkler Systems

Sprinklers are the most effective fire suppression technology available. In buildings protected by sprinklers, no fire has ever killed more than two people in the UK since records began. Sprinklers activate individually — only the head or heads directly affected by heat open. The Hollywood image of every sprinkler in a building discharging simultaneously is a fiction. Sprinklers control or extinguish the fire at source, often before the fire and rescue service arrives.

We design and install two categories of sprinkler system, to two distinct standards:

Residential Sprinklers — BS 9251:2021

Residential sprinkler systems protect life, not just property. BS 9251 governs sprinklers in domestic and residential occupancies: houses, flats, HMOs, care homes, residential care facilities, and student accommodation. Key characteristics:

• Fast-response sprinkler heads that activate at lower temperatures than commercial heads
• Designed to deliver a controlled water spray to the floor, cooling the fire gases at ceiling level and wetting surrounding surfaces to prevent fire spread
• Typically fed from the mains water supply (town mains) where flow and pressure are adequate, or from a dedicated tank and pump set
• Minimum design life of 30 years for pipework and 50 years for the tank
• Required in all new-build flats in England above 11 metres under Building Regulations Approved Document B (since 2020, extended from the previous 30-metre threshold)

Commercial Sprinklers — BS EN 12845:2015+A1:2019

Commercial and industrial sprinkler systems are designed primarily for property and business continuity protection, though they also provide life safety. BS EN 12845 classifies occupancy hazard categories (Light Hazard, Ordinary Hazard Groups I-IV, High Hazard) and defines water density, coverage area, and discharge duration for each. Our commercial sprinkler installation covers:

• Warehouses, logistics centres, and distribution hubs (ESFR — Early Suppression Fast Response — for high-rack storage)
• Offices and commercial buildings
• Retail premises and shopping centres
• Manufacturing and processing facilities
• Underground and above-ground car parks

Every system includes a monitored alarm valve set, a dedicated tank and duty/standby pump arrangement, and a connection to the fire alarm system for automatic signalling to an Alarm Receiving Centre.

Smoke Ventilation Systems (AOV / SHEV)

Smoke, not flame, is the primary killer in building fires. Most fire deaths result from smoke inhalation, and smoke is what obscures vision, disorientates occupants, and prevents escape. A smoke ventilation system keeps escape routes clear by removing smoke and hot gases from the building — either naturally (buoyancy-driven through automatic opening vents, or AOVs) or mechanically (powered extract fans, or SHEV — Smoke and Heat Exhaust Ventilation).

BS 7346 and BS EN 12101 govern the design, components, and testing of smoke control systems.

Automatic Opening Vents (AOVs)

AOVs are the most common form of smoke ventilation in residential and smaller commercial buildings. Roof hatches, louvres, or window vents open automatically on receipt of a signal from the fire alarm system or a dedicated smoke detector. The hot smoke rises and exits through the vent, while cooler, cleaner air is drawn in at low level — a natural buoyancy-driven circulation. AOVs are particularly important in:

• Common corridors and staircases in blocks of flats — keeping the protected stair smoke-free for evacuation and fire service access
• Shopping centre malls and atria
• Single-storey industrial buildings and warehouses (where roof-mounted AOVs provide smoke clearance)

Mechanical Smoke Ventilation (SHEV)

For larger, more complex buildings — multi-storey offices, hospitals, underground spaces, enclosed shopping centres — natural ventilation alone is insufficient. Mechanical SHEV systems use powered extract fans, engineered ductwork, and automated dampers to actively pull smoke from the building. These systems require a complete engineered design including:

• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling to predict smoke behaviour and design the extraction layout
• Extract shafts rated to high temperatures (typically 300 degrees C for 60 minutes, 400 degrees C for 120 minutes for car parks)
• Make-up air provision at low level (replacement air inlet to balance extraction)
• Fire-rated power supplies and control panels
• Integration with the fire detection system for zoned activation

We can design and install both AOV and mechanical SHEV systems, and we maintain existing smoke ventilation installations for compliance and reliability.

Fire Curtains & Compartmentation

Fire curtains are flexible, fire-resistant barriers that descend automatically on receipt of a fire signal to compartmentalise a building — creating a temporary fire-resistant separation where a permanent wall or door is impractical. They are increasingly specified in open-plan environments and building designs where staircases and lobbies are not enclosed.

Common applications include:

• Protecting open staircases and atria
• Compartmenting open-plan floors in commercial buildings
• Creating protected lobbies around lift openings
• Separating retail units within a shopping centre
• Barriering stage areas in theatres and entertainment venues

Fire curtains are manufactured from woven glass-fibre fabric coated with fire-resistant compounds. They descend vertically from a concealed headbox, controlled by a gravity-fail-safe mechanism (the curtain deploys even on total power failure). Performance is graded by integrity in minutes — typically 60, 120, or 180 minutes — tested to BS EN 1634-1. A curtain rated E120 has been tested to contain fire for 120 minutes.

Our fire curtain service covers design consultation (sizing, fixing details, integration with fire alarm cause-and-effect), supply and installation, and ongoing servicing (annual drop test and inspection of the motor, control panel, battery backup, and fabric condition).

We also advise on passive compartmentation — the use of fire-resisting walls, floors, ceilings, doors, and penetration seals to divide a building into fire-resisting compartments — though we do not directly install these elements. We work with approved fire-stopping contractors as part of a coordinated fire strategy.

Gas Suppression Systems

Water and sensitive electronic equipment do not mix. In server rooms, data centres, archive stores, telecommunications facilities, and any environment where water damage is as catastrophic as fire damage, gas suppression is the preferred fire protection technology. A gas suppression system detects fire at its very earliest incipient stage — typically via high-sensitivity aspirating smoke detection — and discharges a clean extinguishing agent into the protected enclosure, rapidly reducing oxygen concentration or chemically interrupting the combustion chain reaction to extinguish the fire before it can develop.

Gas suppression leaves no residue, does not conduct electricity, and does not damage electronic equipment. After a discharge, the room can be ventilated and brought back into operation quickly — a critical consideration for data centres and trading floors where downtime costs can run to thousands of pounds per minute.

We design, install, and service two primary types:

FM-200 (HFC-227ea)

FM-200 is a hydrofluorocarbon clean agent. It extinguishes fire primarily through heat absorption and, to a lesser degree, chemical interruption of the combustion reaction. It is discharged as a gas within ten seconds of activation and achieves extinguishing concentration at 7-9% by volume. It is safe for normally occupied spaces at design concentration (its NOAEL — No Observed Adverse Effect Level — is 9.0%, well above the extinguishing concentration). FM-200 has a global warming potential (GWP) of 3,220, and while existing systems can continue to be serviced, new installations are transitioning to lower-GWP alternatives under F-gas regulations.

Novec 1230 (FK-5-1-12)

Novec 1230 is a fluoroketone-based clean agent with a global warming potential of less than 1 — a tiny fraction of FM-200. It extinguishes fire through heat absorption (it evaporates rapidly, removing heat from the fire) and has a NOAEL of 10%, well above its design concentration of 4.5-6.0%. It has an atmospheric lifetime of just five days (compared to 29 years for FM-200), making it the environmentally preferred option for new installations. Novec 1230 is covered by the same design standard as FM-200: BS EN 15004-1 (the European standard for gaseous fire-extinguishing systems).

A typical gas suppression installation for a single server room includes:

• One or more cylinders of agent, stored at the enclosure or in an adjacent plant area
• A network of discharge nozzles positioned for rapid, uniform agent distribution
• Detection via aspirating smoke detection (VESDA, ICAM, or similar) configured for early warning
• A control panel managing detection logic (cross-zoned — requiring two detectors to confirm before discharge, minimising the risk of false release), countdown timers, and abort buttons
• Pneumatic or motorised dampers that close ventilation openings before discharge (room integrity is essential — the agent must be held at concentration for a defined hold time, typically ten minutes)
• Manual release and abort stations at the room entry

We also service fire suppression systems from other manufacturers, including Firetrace (tube-based linear detection and suppression for enclosed equipment — ideal for server racks, CNC machines, and fume cupboards) and kitchen suppression systems (Ansul, Amerex) for commercial kitchens.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between active and passive fire protection?

Active fire protection comprises systems that detect, suppress, or control fire through some positive action — they do something when a fire starts. Examples: sprinklers (discharge water), fire alarms (detect smoke and sound an alert), smoke ventilation (opens vents and extracts smoke), gas suppression (discharges extinguishing agent). Passive fire protection is built into the fabric of the building and works without any activation. Examples: fire-resisting walls and floors, fire doors, cavity barriers, intumescent seals around pipes and cables, and fire-resistant glazing. A complete fire strategy requires both: passive measures contain the fire within a compartment, active measures suppress it and facilitate safe evacuation. The Building Regulations and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 require consideration of both.

Do sprinklers discharge by accident?

Extremely rarely. A sprinkler head is a heat-activated device — the glass bulb contains a liquid that expands with heat, and the bulb shatters only when the temperature at the ceiling reaches the head’s rated activation temperature (typically 68 degrees C for residential heads, 68-93 degrees C for commercial). Sprinklers do not activate from smoke, dust, cooking vapours, or building vibration. The statistical probability of accidental discharge from a manufacturing defect is in the region of one in 16 million heads per year. The Hollywood trope of pulling a fire alarm and soaking an entire building is complete fiction — only the heads directly exposed to fire heat will open.

Do I need a sprinkler system legally?

It depends on the building type. Sprinklers are mandatory in England for: new-build residential blocks of flats above 11 metres (Building Regulations Approved Document B, since 2020); new-build care homes (all heights); new-build schools above a certain size (in most cases); and warehouses of significant floor area (varies by height and storage configuration, set out in Approved Document B). In other building types, sprinklers are not mandated but may be recommended or required by a fire risk assessment, particularly where: the building has complex means of escape, evacuation times are long (hospitals, care homes), property protection or business continuity is critical, or insurance conditions demand it. We can advise on applicability for your specific project.

What is a gas suppression system suitable for?

Gas suppression is the right choice for any enclosed space containing high-value assets that would be damaged by water or by the fire itself. The classic applications are: server rooms and data centres, telecommunications exchanges and switch rooms, archive and document stores, museum and gallery storage, MRI and CT scanner rooms in hospitals, control rooms and process control centres, and any laboratory or clean-room environment where water would destroy the contents or the process. Gas suppression requires a well-sealed enclosure to hold the agent at concentration for the specified hold time, so it is not suitable for open-plan areas or naturally ventilated spaces. Where room integrity is borderline, we carry out door-fan (blower-door) testing to measure leakage and advise on the sealing works needed before installation.

How are fire curtains tested and maintained?

Fire curtains are tested to BS EN 1634-1 (fire resistance tests for doors, shutters, and operable fabric curtains) by an independent notified body — typically Warringtonfire, BRE, or Exova. The test provides the integrity rating in minutes (E classification). Curtains must then be installed in accordance with the tested design detail, including the side guides, headbox, and bottom bar configuration. Maintenance is essential: fire curtains must be gravity-drop tested (simulate deployment under power failure) at least annually, and the motor, control panel, battery backup, curtain fabric, side guides, and closure speed must be inspected and recorded. Fire door hardware (closers, magnetic hold-open devices connected to the fire alarm) associated with the compartmentation line must also be tested in conjunction with the curtain.

Can you maintain a fire protection system that another company installed?

Yes, and we do this regularly. We hold comprehensive third-party certifications for servicing and maintaining sprinkler systems, smoke ventilation, fire curtains, and gas suppression — regardless of the original installer. Our first step is a system survey to establish the design basis, current condition, and any compliance gaps. We then provide a condition report and a maintenance quotation. Once engaged, we take over the full maintenance schedule, including the weekly and monthly checks required by the relevant British Standards, the annual service and inspection, and the extended service intervals (five-yearly sprinkler tank drain and clean, ten-yearly gas suppression cylinder hydraulic pressure test, etc.). We also manage your compliance documentation centrally — if the fire authority or your insurer asks for maintenance records, we can produce them immediately.

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Standards & Regulations

Standard	Application
BS 9251:2021	Residential and domestic sprinkler systems — houses, flats, HMOs, care homes
BS EN 12845:2015+A1:2019	Commercial and industrial sprinkler systems — offices, warehouses, factories, retail
BS EN 15004-1:2019	Gaseous fire-extinguishing systems — design, installation, and maintenance of FM-200, Novec 1230, inert gas, and other clean-agent systems
BS 7346-8:2013	Components for smoke and heat control systems — powered smoke and heat exhaust ventilators
BS EN 12101	Multi-part standard covering smoke and heat control systems — natural and powered ventilators, smoke curtains, control panels, and ducting
BS 9999:2017	Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management, and use of buildings — includes detailed guidance on smoke control and suppression for fire-engineered solutions
BS EN 1634-1	Fire resistance and smoke control tests for door, shutter, and fabric curtain assemblies
BS EN 54	Multi-part standard for fire detection and fire alarm system components — integral to AOV and suppression system trigger logic

All our system designs are prepared in accordance with these standards, and our certification to BAFE and NSI Fire Gold means our design and installation competence is independently audited.

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Brands & Technology Partners

Brand	Application
Kentec	Taktis and Syncro control panels — used for smoke ventilation control, fire alarm integration, and suppression system initiation. Kentec panels are widely specified for fire protection system control across the UK.
Advanced	MxPro 5 control panels with configurable cause-and-effect programming — ideal for complex suppression and smoke control integration where multiple systems must interact.
Firetrace	Tube-based linear pneumatic detection and suppression for enclosed equipment — server racks, CNC machines, fume cupboards, electrical cabinets. The Firetrace tube bursts at the point of highest heat, releasing the extinguishing agent directly into the fire source. No external power required.

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Why Choose KS & A Security Solutions?

• NSI Fire Gold accredited — your fire protection systems are designed, installed, and maintained by a provider whose competence is independently audited
• Multi-discipline expertise — we understand how sprinklers, smoke ventilation, fire detection, and suppression interact, and we design systems that work as a coherent whole
• Directly employed engineers — every person who works on your system is our employee, fully trained, and ECS-card-holding
• Compliance documentation — we provide complete system documentation for handover, ongoing maintenance, and regulatory inspection
• Emergency call-out — 24/7 response with van stock for all the systems we maintain
• Local and established — based in Watford, serving London, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and the Home Counties since 2026

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Next Steps

Call us on +44 7423 127081 or email info@ksasolutions.uk to discuss your fire protection requirements. We respond within one working day. An initial consultation is free of charge, and we can provide budget costings for most system types from floor plans alone.

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Related Fire Safety Services

• Fire Alarm Systems — Design, installation, servicing, and 24/7 monitoring to BS 5839-1:2025
• Fire Extinguisher Supply & Servicing — Annual servicing and supply of all extinguisher types to BS 5306
• Emergency Lighting — Design, installation, and testing of emergency escape lighting to BS 5266