Solutions for life safety in buildings showcased at Safety Design in Buildings Conference

In the wake of increased fire and safety accidents in Qatar and the UAE, the conference provided a platform for engineers, manufacturers, fire consultants, architects, regulators and related professionals of the construction and contracting industry to debate issues surrounding fire safety strategies, building codes and standards.

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Allan Comello, an Executive Director at Trinity, emphasized the importance of adherence to building standards and design criteria with particular reference to safe paths of egress. He highlighted the importance of having stairwells protected with certified fire resistant doors and well designed stair pressurization, exit lighting and egress illumination installed in buildings. "HVAC system for the buildings should be adequately fitted with smoke detectors to shut off fresh air intakes thus obstructing the flow of oxygen to the affected area. The penetrations for all services within stairwells and fire compartments should be adequately protected with fire-stop systems," Mr. Allan added.

As one of the key sponsors of the conference, Trinity Qatar called upon those related to the industry to participate in such forums for knowledge-sharing and implementation of global best practices in the region. Safety Design in Buildings conference, organized by Sesam Business Consultants, featured presentations and panel discussions on key topics such as 'Developing Fire Strategies', 'Perimeter Joint Fire Protection in Curtain Walls', 'Specifications and Value Engineering' and 'Tower Smoke Management'. The conference which is part of a regional campaign to raise awareness on life safety in buildings is supported by the American Institute of Architects Middle East, Society of Façade Engineering (SFE), Abu Dhabi Department of Municipal Affairs, Intersec, Schott Glass and White Aluminium Enterprises among others.