Building fires can have a significant impact on the environment. As combustible materials burn, they release carbon dioxide and other toxic gases. Uncontrolled fires burn significantly more of a building and its furnishings. Additionally, firefighter intervention in an uncontrolled fire requires a large amount of water to extinguish the flames. The wastewater from these firefighting activities often contains pollutants from the burnt material, which can end up in waterways. Larger fires subsequently lead to disposal of more material and reconstruction of a greater degree of the home, ultimately embodying more carbon. Active fire protection systems control the spread of fire significantly reducing its size and damage. These systems reduce the size and amount of combustible material consumed by the fire subsequently reduces the carbons and toxic gases released. Firefighter intervention in a fire controlled by active water-based fire protection systems requires much less water resulting in a fraction of the wastewater. Smaller fires result in less disposal of damaged material and less reconstruction consuming less carbon overall. In this presentation we will discuss the impact automatic fire sprinklers and water mist systems have on minimizing the environmental impact of building fires.
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