What exactly are sprinkler installers referring to when they ask for architectural drawings? Read our quick start guide here.
Table of Contents
What are architectural drawings?
Architectural drawings are technical illustrations that represent a building’s design, layout, and specifications, serving as a visual blueprint for construction. These drawings are essential for translating design concepts into physical structures, guiding contractors, engineers, and builders in creating an accurate representation of the architect’s vision.
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) provides resources on architectural drawing standards and best practices. This short guide is intended to highlight key items which may be requested by your sprinkler installer.
Floor plans
- What is a floor plan?
Floor plans are generally provided by the architect amongst their architectural drawings and are used when obtaining planning applications. They show the layout of the building from a bird’s eye view.
- When are they needed?
In every development.
- Why are they needed?
These are used to design the suppression system. Pipe routes and components will be drawn onto the drawings. These can also highlight areas which may be excluded from protection, such as smaller bathrooms. As such, they must be accurate. Ideally, we like to see them include at least one dimension so that we can confirm the scale detail in the drawing frame. Computer generated is preferred over hand drawn. .dwg is preferred over .pdf.
- At what stage in the project is it needed?
We need to see this before we can even give you a price.
- What if you don’t have this?
Floor plans will need to be obtained or created. We can arrange this, or you are welcome to provide your own.
Sectional drawings
Sectional detail
- What is it?
These architectural drawings show the cross-section of the building and should include void detail.
- When is it needed?
In every development.
- Why is it needed?
Sprinkler systems need to push the flow of water up through pipes. The taller the building, the higher that water needs to be pushed. This can affect the ability to be fed directly from the mains, and can lead to pumps where they could otherwise be avoided. If a pump is already known to be required, sectional detail can be used to select the correct pump.
Buildings with pitched roofs also need to be considered differently depending on the slope of the pitch. Sectional detail can be used for this purpose.
- At what stage in the project is it needed?
We need to see this before we can even give you a price.
- What if we don’t have this?
If elevation detail is available, this can often be used in residential developments, although won’t detail void spaces.
Void space needs to be considered in commercial developments.
In either case, if insufficient information is available, a site survey would be required.
Reflected Ceiling Plan
Reflected Ceiling Plan
- What is it?
These are floor plans with additional detail of what is to be installed in the ceilings. For example, lighting, alarm, and sensor locations.
- When is it needed?
Wherever possible for smaller developments, such as one off dwellings. In every case for larger developments.
- Why is it needed?
Sprinklers need to be coordinated around other components to make sure that they don’t obstruct the flow of water. In smaller developments, we can co-ordinate on site, but larger developments will benefit from providing this information earlier. Sprinklers need to be places so that rooms are protected from wall to wall. Placing a light where a sprinkler was planned could lead to additional costs, delays, and heads.
- What if we don’t have this?
Smaller developments can be co-ordinated on site, although this could lead to additional heads being installed. We would prefer to co-ordinate with other services and can contact the specialists for those services, if this information is not available.
Find out more
If you found this post useful, feel free to share it and take a look at our other resources over at the Sprinkler Academy for Developers and Regulators.
Loading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
