Fire protection engineering delivering compliant, coordinated life safety systems.
Overview
Fire protection provides the active systems that detect, suppress, and manage fire. This includes hydrants, hose reels, sprinklers, alternative suppression, detection and alarm systems, emergency warning, smoke and hazard control, and portable extinguishers where applicable.
We combine prescriptive and performance approaches to suit the project. Our process begins with risk assessment and zoning, followed by hydraulic calculations, pump and tank sizing, and system layout tailored to building use and geometry. We design water-based systems, including wet and dry configurations, alongside alternative suppression systems selected to suit the hazard: wet sprinklers for general areas, pre-action and deluge systems for sensitive plant rooms, and clean agent systems for data rooms, where protection is required without water or chemical residue.
Detection strategies consider false alarm reduction and staged evacuation, and we integrate alarms with building management and emergency interfaces. We also assess smoke movement and pressure management in large volumes such as atria. Documentation includes system layouts, hydraulic calculations, equipment schedules, and certification by accredited practitioners when required.
BSE delivers fire protection systems that protect life, reduce property damage, and support efficient emergency response. Systems are coordinated, documented, and certifiable, providing confidence to owners, insurers, and regulators while minimally impacting architectural outcomes.
01
Australia’s first Five Guys restaurant opened in Penrith, Sydney, in September 2021 following the conversion of an existing building on Mulgoa Road. The project involved adapting Five Guys’ international design requirements to suit the Australian construction and regulatory environment within the constraints of the base building.
02
BSE provided fire protection engineering services as part of the internal fit‑out works, focused on reviewing existing fire services and developing compliant solutions aligned with operational and regulatory requirements.
03
Assessment of existing conditions identified non‑compliant fire services, creating a compliance and life‑safety risk for the new tenancy. A key challenge was reconciling Five Guys’ established international design standards with the requirements of the National Construction Code and relevant Australian Standards, without altering the operational functionality of the production and service model.
These challenges were compounded by the limitations of the existing building, requiring a solution that could achieve compliance without extensive base‑building modifications.
04
BSE developed and delivered an alternative fire protection solution that satisfied Australian regulatory requirements while remaining compatible with the existing building. The compliant outcome was achieved without extensive base‑building modifications.
This project demonstrates BSE’s capability to resolve complex fire compliance challenges within existing buildings and internationally driven design frameworks.
Images courtesy of Five Guys.
Projects
