Overview
ISO 20710-1:2022 - "Fire safety engineering - Active fire protection systems - Part 1: General principles" provides the foundational guidance for applying the ISO 20710 series to performance-based fire safety engineering. It explains the goal, scope, structure and background of the series and links active fire protection systems (AFPS) to the performance-based design process in ISO 23932-1. This Part 1 is a guidance document for professionals - not a detailed technical design manual - and is intended to help users estimate AFPS activation time and effectiveness within fire safety designs.
Key topics
- Purpose and scope of the ISO 20710 series and its relationship to performance-based fire safety engineering (ISO 23932-1).
- Definitions and terminology for AFPS elements (e.g., activation time, fire suppression systems, smoke control systems, fire doors, detectors).
- Evaluation methods permitted by the series:
- Hand calculations
- Computer fire modelling
- Performance testing of AFPS
- Guidance on inputs and data required for performance estimation (theories, algorithms and test methods are referenced rather than fully explained).
- Maintenance and reliability considerations for AFPS during design and use, including the role of maintenance in reliability.
- Scope limits: the document does not replace technical design standards, does not cover passive fire protection elements, and does not address human behaviour or evacuation modelling impacts.
- Role of stakeholders including engineers, peer reviewers and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) in setting test scenarios and performance criteria.
Practical applications
Who uses ISO 20710-1:2022:
- Fire safety engineers applying performance-based design methods.
- AFPS designers and system integrators estimating activation time and system effectiveness.
- Peer reviewers and AHJs evaluating the adequacy of AFPS in a design submission.
- Fire investigators and analysts reconstructing system performance in fire scenarios.
- Maintenance managers assessing AFPS reliability and lifecycle requirements.
How it’s used:
- To select appropriate AFPS performance-estimation methods consistent with ISO 23932-1.
- To define test procedures and acceptance criteria for AFPS performance tests in consultation with AHJs.
- To integrate AFPS performance estimates (from modelling, hand calculation or testing) into a fire safety engineering report.
Related standards
- ISO 23932-1 (performance-based fire safety engineering process)
- ISO 13943 (fire safety vocabulary)
- ISO 7240 series (fire detection and alarm systems)
- ISO 19353, ISO 12239 and other ISO/TC 92 outputs referenced for specific terms and inputs
Keywords: ISO 20710-1:2022, active fire protection systems, AFPS, fire safety engineering, performance-based design, activation time, performance testing, ISO 23932-1.