BS 9251: 2014 was withdrawn with immediate effect on 30 June, replaced with BS 9251: 2021. The 2021 version has been introduced primarily for residential premises that are more than four storeys. The standard also sets out a fourth category of building (applicable to developments over 11m in height), and provides design criteria for limited areas of non-residential occupancy such as bin stores or car parking less than 100m2 per compartment.
The new revised standard directs designers of fire sprinkler protection for properties less than four storeys to consider BS EN 16925: 2018 Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems. This is also the route our third-party accreditation body, the LPCB, wishes us to take under their LPS 1301 scheme.
BS EN 16925: 2018 closely aligns with the withdrawn BS 9251: 2014, therefore is fairly straightforward to adopt. It should be noted, however, that there is now a greater requirement for the monitoring of valves across both standards.
Ecotect has immediately undertaken a project review of live projects and contracts for which we have recently tendered, and is currently working with clients and their stakeholders to clarify which standards apply moving forward, and how these changes will affect our client base.
