FDS was responsible for a verification method fire design for an existing marae to allow for 90 people sleeping in an unsprinklered building. The design included a computer model of the existing marae for fire safety compliance with the NZBC requirements as per the community’s request.

Aside from demonstrating/ modelling compliance with no sprinklers, surface finish fire spread with traditional tukutuku panels were also a challenge with the limitations given in the Building Code. This was cleverly modelled in the software to the acceptance of the Council and the Fire Service achieving a passing result.

Fire modelling using a specialist software as opposed to a ‘cook book’ solution for a special building, knowing the limitations of the software thus achieving results that will provide a safer building design for the end users at an affordable cost.