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Fire Alarm Systems

Revision7
EditedAug 29, 2026
StatusCurrent
Contents

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Current revision. This is editorial revision 7, the current text of this standard. Read it on the standard's page.

SynC Standards Team — Specifier (Platform Standards) ✓ OfficialDiscloses employment SynC (SynC Platform Team)
Neutrality remake campaign: from-scratch field derivation per authoring cheatsheet; project parameters and derived dispositions

1 Scope

NOTE This standard covers the control equipment, initiating devices, notification appliances, circuits, power supplies, off-premises signal transmission, wiring, and acceptance testing of a protected premises fire alarm and signaling system as defined in NFPA 72. (1.1)
NOTE Much of a fire alarm design is fixed rather than chosen. The adopted building and fire codes decide whether a system is required and what it must cover, and NFPA 72 decides how detection, notification, power, and supervision perform. The decisions this standard exposes as datasheet fields are the ones the code leaves to the designer: how far coverage extends beyond the code minimum, which of several permitted architectures and communication technologies is used, and which of several permitted performance levels applies where the occupancy does not dictate one. (1.2)
1.3 Equipment and installation shall comply with the edition of NFPA 72 adopted by the authority having jurisdiction.
1.4 The Contractor shall confirm the adopted editions of NFPA 72, the building code, and the fire code in writing with the authority having jurisdiction before preparing shop drawings.
1.5 Where a datasheet selection in this standard is less stringent than the adopted code requires for the project occupancy, the code requirement shall govern.
NOTE The following are outside this standard and are governed elsewhere. (1.6)
  • Mass notification and in-building emergency communications for non-fire threats — see Mass Notification SystemsMass Notification SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/mass-notification-systems
  • Fire pump controllers, fire pump power, and fire pump equipment — see Fire PumpsFire PumpsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fire-pumps
  • Sprinkler system design, piping, and the placement of devices within the piping — see Wet Pipe Fire Sprinkler SystemsWet-Pipe Fire Sprinkler SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/wet-pipe-fire-sprinkler-systems
  • Raceway and conduit products and installation methods — see Raceways And ConduitRaceways and ConduitResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/raceways-and-conduit
  • Building wire and cable outside fire alarm circuits — see Conductors And CablesConductors and CablesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/conductors-and-cables
  • Grounding electrode system design — see Grounding And BondingGrounding and Bonding for Electrical SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/grounding-and-bonding
  • Dedicated smoke control panels and the smoke control design itself
  • Single- and multiple-station smoke alarms in dwelling units where no protected premises system is required
NOTE The fire alarm system interfaces with the sprinkler, air distribution, elevator, and door hardware systems, and each of those trades sets either a device location or an interface requirement that the fire alarm shop drawings depend on. Coordination that happens after those trades are roughed in is the most common source of fire alarm change orders. (1.7)

2 Referenced Standards

2.1 Equipment, materials, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
2.2 Where referenced standards conflict, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
Standard Title
NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code
NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (Article 760)
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code
NFPA 13 Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems
NFPA 90A Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems
NFPA 92 Standard for Smoke Control Systems
International Building Code Chapter 9, Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems
International Fire Code Chapter 9, Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems
UL 38 Manual Signaling Boxes for Fire Alarm Systems
UL 268 Smoke Detectors for Fire Alarm Systems
UL 268A Smoke Detectors for Duct Application
UL 464 Audible Signal Appliances
UL 521 Heat Detectors for Fire Protective Signaling Systems
UL 864 Control Units and Accessories for Fire Alarm Systems
UL 1481 Power Supplies for Fire Protective Signaling Systems
UL 1711 Amplifiers for Fire Protective Signaling Systems
UL 1971 Signaling Devices for the Hearing Impaired
UL 2017 General-Purpose Signaling Devices and Systems
UL 2075 Gas and Vapor Detectors and Sensors
UL 2572 Mass Notification Systems
ANSI/ASA S3.41 Audible Emergency Evacuation Signal
ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
ADA Standards for Accessible Design Accessibility standards issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act
ASME A17.1/CSA B44 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators
IEEE 485 Recommended Practice for Sizing Lead-Acid Batteries for Stationary Applications

3 Submittals

3.1 Action Submittals

3.1.1 The Contractor shall submit the following for the Engineer's review and return before any fire alarm equipment is procured or installed:
  • Product data for the control unit, annunciators, power supplies, batteries, amplifiers, every initiating device type, every notification appliance type, every input, output, relay, and isolator module, duct detector housings and sampling tubes, and end-of-line devices, identifying the listing standard and the listing mark for each
  • Evidence that every device appears on the control unit manufacturer's published compatibility listing for the control unit model proposed
  • Riser diagram showing the control unit, every annunciator and power supply, every signaling line circuit, notification appliance circuit, and initiating device circuit with its class designation, the pathway survivability level assigned to each pathway, primary and secondary power connections, and every interface to another building system
  • Floor plans showing every device with its address or zone, the coverage area and spacing basis for every automatic detector, the candela rating assigned to every visible appliance with the room dimensions used to select it, and the routing of every circuit
  • Sequence of operations matrix listing every initiating input by device type and zone, every output, and the response of each output to each input, with alarm, supervisory, and trouble conditions shown separately
  • Secondary power calculation listing every device with its standby and alarm current draw, the required standby and alarm durations, the safety margin applied, and the resulting ampere-hour capacity
  • Voltage drop calculation for every notification appliance circuit and every signaling line circuit showing the end-of-line voltage under worst-case alarm load against the listed minimum operating voltage of the last device
  • Speaker circuit power calculation and amplifier sizing where an emergency voice/alarm communication system is provided
  • Cybersecurity plan covering remote access, account management, credential replacement, and firmware maintenance for the control unit and any networked component
  • Record of the authority having jurisdiction's pre-submittal review where that review is required before permit
Required Action Submittalscheckbox
☑ Product data with listing standard and listing mark for each component
☑ Manufacturer compatibility listing evidence for every device
☑ Riser diagram with circuit classes and survivability levels
☑ Floor plans with device addresses, detector coverage, and candela assignments
☑ Sequence of operations matrix
☑ Secondary power calculation
☑ Voltage drop calculation for notification and signaling line circuits
☐ Speaker circuit power and amplifier sizing calculation
☑ Cybersecurity plan
☐ Record of pre-submittal review by the authority having jurisdiction
3.1.2 The Contractor shall submit the fire alarm action submittals as one coordinated package covering the whole system.
3.1.3 The Engineer shall return a partial submittal without review, and the Contractor shall bear the cost of the Engineer's review of the resubmittal.
NOTE A fire alarm submittal is reviewed as a system, because the sequence of operations, the circuit classes, the secondary power calculation, and the device schedule are each meaningless in isolation from the others. (3.1.4)
3.1.5 Review and return of a submittal does not relieve the Contractor of responsibility for compliance with the contract documents or the adopted codes.

3.2 Informational Submittals

3.2.1 The Contractor shall submit the following for information before the pre-installation conference:
  • Certification and licensing documentation for the individual designated as system designer and for the individual designated as installer-in-charge
  • Fire alarm contractor licensing documentation required by the state or local jurisdiction
  • Evidence of the installing contractor's manufacturer-authorized training on the control unit platform proposed for this project
  • Qualification statement listing comparable completed projects with their scope and completion dates
  • Proposed acceptance test plan giving the test procedures, the test sequence, the personnel assigned, the forms to be used, and the witnessing arrangements
  • Manufacturer's published installation instructions for each component, which the Contractor retains on site for the duration of the installation
Required Informational Submittalscheckbox
☑ Designer and installer-in-charge certification documentation
☑ Fire alarm contractor license
☑ Manufacturer-authorized training evidence for the proposed control unit platform
☐ Qualification statement with comparable completed projects
☑ Proposed acceptance test plan
☑ Manufacturer's published installation instructions retained on site

3.3 Closeout Submittals

3.3.1 The Contractor shall submit the following before the fire alarm system is accepted:
  • Completed Record of Completion in the form required by NFPA 72 Chapter 7, signed by the Contractor, by the individual who performed the testing, and by the authority having jurisdiction's representative
  • Record of inspection and testing documenting every device tested, the method used, and the result
  • Record documents reflecting the installed device locations, final addresses, final zone assignments, final circuit designations, and every deviation from the reviewed submittal
  • Complete control unit configuration record listing every point, every address, every zone, every control-by-event relationship, every programmed delay, and every disabled point
  • Operation and maintenance manual covering system description, normal operation, alarm and supervisory response procedures, reset procedure, secondary power replacement interval, and the inspection and testing schedule required by NFPA 72 Chapter 14
  • Cybersecurity closeout record listing every account created, the role assigned to each, the installed firmware version of each networked component, and a signed statement that every default and vendor-supplied credential has been replaced
  • Speech intelligibility test report where an emergency voice/alarm communication system is provided
  • Written warranty documents and the service contact information for warranty response
  • Signed inventory of the spare parts turned over to the Owner
Required Closeout Submittalscheckbox
☑ Record of Completion per NFPA 72 Chapter 7
☑ Record of inspection and testing
☑ Record documents with final addresses and circuit designations
☑ Control unit configuration record
☑ Operation and maintenance manual
☑ Cybersecurity closeout record
☐ Speech intelligibility test report
☑ Warranty documents and service contact information
☑ Signed spare parts inventory

4 Quality Assurance

4.1 Designer and Installer Certification

4.1.1 The certification basis for the individual responsible for the fire alarm system design shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
System Designer Certification Basisradio
● NICET certification in Fire Alarm Systems at Level III or higher
○ NICET certification in Fire Alarm Systems at Level IV
○ Professional Engineer licensed in the project jurisdiction with fire alarm design experience
○ Professional Engineer registered in the fire protection discipline
○ Certification accepted by the authority having jurisdiction on submitted documentation
4.1.2 The certification basis for the individual supervising field installation, programming, and testing shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Installer-in-Charge Certification Basisradio
● NICET certification in Fire Alarm Systems at Level II or higher
○ NICET certification in Fire Alarm Systems at Level III or higher
○ Manufacturer factory certification on the installed control unit platform
○ Certification accepted by the authority having jurisdiction on submitted documentation
4.1.3 The installing contractor shall hold the fire alarm contractor license required by the state or local jurisdiction for the duration of the work.
4.1.4 The installing contractor shall hold current manufacturer authorization for the control unit platform installed on this project.
NOTE Manufacturer authorization is what gives the installing contractor access to the programming software, the firmware releases, and the parts channel for the platform. Where authorization lapses after installation, the Owner is left with a system that only a different contractor can reprogram. (4.1.5)
4.1.6 The individual designated as installer-in-charge shall be present on site during acceptance testing.

4.2 Installing Contractor Experience

4.2.1 The installing contractor shall have completed fire alarm installations of comparable scope for not less than the period indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Installing Contractor Experiencerange
years
015
Default: 5 years

4.3 Equipment Sourcing

4.3.1 The sourcing policy for the control unit and the initiating devices shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Control Unit and Initiating Device Sourcingradio
● One manufacturer for the control unit and all initiating devices
○ Any devices carrying the control unit manufacturer's compatibility listing
4.3.2 The sourcing policy for the notification appliances shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Notification Appliance Sourcingradio
● Same manufacturer as the control unit
○ Any listed appliances compatible with the selected synchronization method
NOTE On an addressable system the initiating devices communicate on the manufacturer's own signaling line protocol, so the control unit and the detectors travel together whichever policy is selected. Notification appliances are the one product class where a second manufacturer is routinely used, and the constraint there is the synchronization protocol rather than the panel. (4.3.3)
4.3.4 The Contractor shall remain the single point of responsibility for system performance and warranty regardless of the sourcing policy selected.

4.4 Product Listing

4.4.1 The fire alarm control unit shall be listed to UL 864.
4.4.2 Every initiating device and notification appliance shall be listed to the standard applicable to its type, and the Contractor shall identify that standard for each product in the submittal.
4.4.3 Spot-type and duct-mounted smoke detectors shall be listed to the edition of UL 268 in force at the time of manufacture.
NOTE The seventh edition of UL 268, effective for new listings in June 2024, added a smoldering polyurethane test and a cooking nuisance test. Detectors listed to the seventh edition respond to the smoke produced by modern furnishings and discriminate against cooking aerosols better than earlier listings, and mixing listing editions on one project produces detectors with visibly different nuisance behavior in similar rooms. (4.4.4)
4.4.5 Devices that are not listed, or that do not appear on the control unit manufacturer's published compatibility listing, shall not be installed.

4.5 Pre-Installation Conference

4.5.1 The Contractor shall convene a pre-installation conference before any fire alarm rough-in begins, attended by the parties indicated in the datasheet.
Required Pre-Installation Conference Attendeescheckbox
☑ Fire alarm contractor and the designated installer-in-charge
☑ Electrical contractor
☑ Mechanical contractor
☑ Sprinkler contractor
☑ Elevator contractor
☑ Door hardware and access control contractor
☑ Engineer of Record
☑ Owner's representative
☐ Authority having jurisdiction
☐ Commissioning authority
4.5.2 The sequence of operations matrix shall be reviewed line by line at the pre-installation conference and shall be signed by the attending trades.
4.5.3 The Contractor shall distribute conference minutes to every attendee and to the Engineer of Record within five business days of the conference.

5 System Architecture

5.1 Addressability

5.1.1 The system architecture shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
System Architectureradio
○ Addressable, with a unique address for every initiating device and every controlled output
○ Addressable initiating devices with conventional notification appliance circuits
○ Conventional, with zone-based initiating device circuits
○ Addressable control unit extended to existing conventional zones through monitor modules
Per drawings — fire alarm riser diagram (deferred by default)
5.1.2 An addressable system shall report the individual device address and a plain-language location description for every alarm, supervisory, and trouble condition.
5.1.3 A conventional system shall report at least the zone of origin for every alarm, supervisory, and trouble condition.
NOTE Address-level reporting shortens the time an occupant or responder spends locating the device in alarm, and it lets a nuisance-prone detector be identified without walking the zone. Zone-level reporting carries lower device and installation cost and is common where an existing conventional infrastructure is being extended rather than replaced. (5.1.4)
5.1.5 The address or zone designation assigned to each device shall be recorded on the floor plans and shall match the description programmed at the control unit.

5.2 Automatic Detection Coverage

NOTE NFPA 72 Section 17.5 defines the extent of automatic detection as total, partial, selective, or nonrequired coverage, and the adopted building and fire codes set the minimum for the occupancy. Coverage beyond that minimum is a decision the project makes, and it is one of the few detection decisions the code leaves genuinely open. (5.2.1)
5.2.2 The extent of automatic detection coverage shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Automatic Detection Coverage Extentselect
Total coverage of all occupiable areas and concealed spaces per NFPA 72 Section 17.5.3.1
Total coverage of occupiable areas without concealed spaces
Partial coverage of designated areas per NFPA 72 Section 17.5.3.2
Selective coverage of designated hazards per NFPA 72 Section 17.5.3.3
Coverage limited to the minimum required by the adopted building and fire codes
Coverage limited to the code minimum with nonrequired detection added in designated areas
Per drawings — fire alarm floor plans and life safety code analysis (deferred by default)
5.2.3 Automatic detector placement and spacing shall comply with NFPA 72 Chapter 17.
5.2.4 Spacing that deviates from the listed spacing or from the spacing limits of NFPA 72 Chapter 17 shall be supported by an engineering analysis demonstrating equivalent performance, submitted with the shop drawings.
5.2.5 The Contractor shall apply the ceiling height, ceiling shape, and airflow adjustments of NFPA 72 Chapter 17 to the listed spacing and shall show the resulting spacing on the floor plans.

5.3 Evacuation Signal Strategy

NOTE The evacuation signal strategy determines which notification zones are signaled by an alarm and in what order, and it is set by the occupancy, the egress design, and the authority having jurisdiction rather than by product selection. It drives the pathway survivability requirement, the circuit class, and whether a voice system is needed, so it is settled before the rest of the notification design. (5.3.1)
5.3.2 The evacuation signal strategy shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Evacuation Signal Strategyselect
Total evacuation with all notification zones signaled simultaneously
Selective evacuation of the notification zones affected by the alarm
Phased relocation beginning with the alarm floor and the floors immediately above and below
Defend in place with staff notification and selective occupant notification
Private mode notification to a constantly attended location
Per drawings — life safety code analysis and sequence of operations matrix (deferred by default)
5.3.3 A partial evacuation or relocation strategy shall not be programmed unless the adopted building and fire codes permit it for the occupancy.

5.4 Emergency Control Functions

NOTE Emergency control functions are the outputs the fire alarm system drives in other building systems, and NFPA 72 Chapter 21 governs the interface. Each function belongs to a different trade, and each has a different acceptance test, so they are enumerated individually rather than described as a group. (5.4.1)
5.4.2 The emergency control functions the fire alarm system initiates shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Required Emergency Control Functionscheckbox
☐ Air handling unit fan shutdown
☐ Smoke damper and combination fire/smoke damper closure
☐ Smoke control system activation
☐ Stair pressurization fan start
☐ Elevator Phase I recall to the designated level
☐ Elevator Phase I recall to the alternate level
☐ Elevator power shunt trip on sprinkler activation in the machine room or hoistway
☐ Elevator hoistway and machine room smoke detector supervisory annunciation
☐ Release of electromagnetic door holders
☐ Release of electrically locked egress doors
☐ Unlocking of stairwell reentry doors
☐ Release of a fire suppression system on cross-zoned detection
☐ Emergency generator start signal
☐ Fuel supply shutoff
☐ Process or conveyor shutdown
☐ Notification to a building automation system
Per drawings — sequence of operations matrix (deferred by default)
5.4.3 Every emergency control function shall be initiated through a supervised output of the fire alarm system.
5.4.4 Output circuits driving emergency control functions shall be separate from notification appliance circuits.
5.4.5 Each emergency control function output shall be rated for the voltage and current of the circuit it controls, and the Contractor shall confirm the required contact form and signal type with the receiving trade before rough-in.
5.4.6 Elevator recall and elevator power shunt trip shall be arranged in accordance with ASME A17.1 and NFPA 72 Chapter 21.

5.5 Sequence of Operations Matrix

5.5.1 The Contractor shall prepare a sequence of operations matrix listing every initiating input and every output, and shall program the control unit to that matrix.
5.5.2 The sequence of operations matrix, once reviewed by the Engineer and signed at the pre-installation conference, shall be the contractual basis for control unit programming.
5.5.3 The matrix shall show alarm, supervisory, and trouble conditions as separate rows so that a device producing a supervisory signal is never confused with one producing an alarm.
5.5.4 Where the Contractor proposes a change to the matrix after it is signed, the change shall be submitted to the Engineer of Record before it is programmed.

5.6 Signal Distinction and Response

5.6.1 An alarm signal shall sound the audible notification appliances and flash the visible notification appliances in the notification zones the evacuation strategy assigns to the device in alarm.
5.6.2 An alarm signal shall display the device address or zone and its location description at the control unit and at every annunciator.
5.6.3 An alarm signal shall be transmitted to the supervising station where off-premises transmission is provided.
5.6.4 An alarm signal shall energize the emergency control function outputs assigned to the device in alarm.
5.6.5 A supervisory signal shall produce an audible and visible indication at the control unit and at every annunciator that is distinct from the alarm indication.
5.6.6 A supervisory signal shall not activate notification appliances.
5.6.7 A trouble signal shall produce an audible and visible indication at the control unit and at every annunciator that is distinct from both the alarm and the supervisory indication.
5.6.8 A trouble signal shall not activate notification appliances.
NOTE Distinct indications matter most at three in the morning, when the person reading the panel is a security officer rather than the designer. A closed sprinkler control valve and a broken detector wire call for different responses on different timescales, and a panel that renders them identically produces the wrong one. (5.6.9)

6 Fire Alarm Control Unit

6.1 Control Unit Capacity

6.1.1 The control unit shall be sized for the addressable points, circuits, and control outputs the project requires, plus the spare capacity indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Spare Addressable Point Capacityrange
%
050
Default: 20 %
6.1.2 The control unit shall be delivered with spare notification appliance circuit capacity of at least the percentage indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Spare Notification Appliance Circuit Capacityrange
%
050
Default: 20 %
6.1.3 Spare capacity shall be usable without adding hardware, in the form of unused addresses on installed signaling line circuits and unused terminals on installed circuit cards.
6.1.4 A statement that expansion cards are available from the manufacturer does not satisfy the spare capacity requirement.
NOTE Spare capacity is consumed by tenant fit-outs and by rooms that change use after occupancy. A panel delivered at its addressable limit turns the first added detector into a card purchase and a shutdown, which is a cost the Owner incurs to save a smaller one at procurement. (6.1.5)
6.1.6 The Contractor shall record the as-installed spare capacity in each category in the closeout documentation.

6.2 Operator Interface

6.2.1 The control unit operator interface shall be of the type indicated in the datasheet.
Control Unit Display Typeselect
Backlit alphanumeric display
Backlit alphanumeric display with a light-emitting diode zone map
Touchscreen display with alphanumeric event list
Touchscreen display with floor plan graphics
6.2.2 The control unit display shall be capable of showing the device address, a plain-language location description, and the system status message for each event.
6.2.3 The minimum number of characters the control unit displays at one time shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Displayed Charactersrange
characters
324080160240320
6.2.4 The control unit shall provide separate indicators for normal operation, alarm, supervisory, trouble, and primary power status.
6.2.5 The control unit shall provide dedicated acknowledge, signal silence, and system reset controls.
6.2.6 Access to the acknowledge, silence, and reset controls shall be restricted by a keyswitch, a passcode, or a locked enclosure door.
6.2.7 The control unit shall display the current date and time together with the most recent unacknowledged event.

6.3 Remote Annunciation

6.3.1 Whether a remote annunciator is provided shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Remote Annunciator Providedradio
○ Provided
○ Not provided
Per drawings — fire alarm riser diagram (deferred by default)
6.3.2 The remote annunciator type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Remote Annunciator Typeselect
Light-emitting diode zone annunciator with engraved zone descriptors
Backlit alphanumeric annunciator
Touchscreen annunciator with alphanumeric event list
Graphic annunciator with a floor plan of the protected premises
Not applicable
6.3.3 The functions available at the remote annunciator shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Remote Annunciator Functionscheckbox
☑ Display of alarm, supervisory, and trouble events
☑ Acknowledge
☐ Signal silence
☐ System reset
☐ Manual evacuation signal initiation
☐ Drill signal initiation
☐ Not applicable
6.3.4 Where the control unit is not located at the point of fire department response, an annunciator shall be provided at the location the authority having jurisdiction directs, annunciator location on the fire alarm floor plans.
6.3.5 A remote annunciator shall replicate the alarm, supervisory, and trouble displays of the control unit it serves.
NOTE Every annunciator function beyond display is a function that can be exercised by someone who is not the designated operator. Where an annunciator is in a public lobby rather than a secured fire command room, restricting it to display is what keeps a curious occupant from silencing an active alarm. (6.3.6)

6.4 Control Unit Enclosure

6.4.1 The control unit enclosure mounting shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Control Unit Enclosure Mountingradio
● Surface mounted
○ Semi-flush mounted in a finished wall
○ Freestanding in a floor-mounted equipment cabinet
○ Mounted in a fire command center console
6.4.2 The control unit enclosure finish shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Control Unit Enclosure Finishradio
○ Red
○ Finish selected to match the surrounding wall
Manufacturer's standard (by default)
6.4.3 The control unit enclosure shall be labeled FIRE ALARM CONTROL UNIT in permanent lettering not less than 1 in. high.
6.4.4 The control unit shall be located where it is accessible to authorized personnel and to responding fire service personnel, and where it is not exposed to damage from normal building activity.
6.4.5 The dedicated working space in front of the control unit shall comply with NFPA 70 and shall not be used for storage.

6.5 Control Equipment Cybersecurity

6.5.1 The control unit and every networked component shall comply with the cybersecurity requirements of NFPA 72 Chapter 11.
6.5.2 The remote access policy for the fire alarm control unit shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Remote Access to the Control Unitradio
○ Not permitted by any means
● Permitted for read-only diagnostics over an authenticated and encrypted connection
○ Permitted for diagnostics and programming over an authenticated and encrypted connection
○ Permitted only through an Owner-managed virtual private network
6.5.3 Multi-factor authentication for remote access shall be provided where indicated in the datasheet.
Multi-Factor Authentication for Remote Accessradio
● Required for every remote session
○ Required for sessions holding programming privilege
○ Not required
○ Not applicable
6.5.4 The Contractor shall replace every default and vendor-supplied credential on the control unit and on every networked component before acceptance testing begins.
6.5.5 The Contractor shall record every account created during installation and commissioning, with the privilege level of each, in the cybersecurity closeout record.
6.5.6 The Contractor shall remove or disable every account created for the Contractor's own use at the end of the warranty period unless the Owner directs otherwise in writing.
NOTE An account left behind after a project closes is indistinguishable from an unauthorized one a year later, because nothing in the panel records who created it or why. Enumerating the accounts at closeout is what makes the later review possible. (6.5.7)

6.6 Reset and Acknowledgment

6.6.1 The control unit shall require a manual reset action after every alarm event.
6.6.2 The control unit shall not return to the normal state automatically following acknowledgment of an alarm.
6.6.3 The control unit shall confirm that every initiating device has returned to its normal state before the system returns to the normal state.
6.6.4 Silencing an alarm signal shall not clear the alarm display at the control unit or at any annunciator.

7 Initiating Devices

7.1 Spot-Type Smoke Detection

7.1.1 Spot-type smoke detectors shall be listed to UL 268.
7.1.2 The sensing technology of the spot-type smoke detectors shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Spot-Type Smoke Detector Sensing Technologyselect
Photoelectric light-scattering
Ionization
Dual photoelectric and ionization
Multi-criteria photoelectric and thermal
Multi-criteria photoelectric and carbon monoxide
Multi-criteria photoelectric, thermal, and carbon monoxide
Projected beam
NOTE Photoelectric sensing responds sooner to the large smoke particles of a smoldering fire, and ionization sensing responds sooner to the small particles of a flaming fire. Multi-criteria detectors combine a smoke sensor with a thermal or carbon monoxide sensor and use the combination to separate a developing fire from steam, cooking aerosols, and dust, at a higher unit cost and with a shorter listed service interval on the added sensing element. (7.1.3)
7.1.4 Where projected beam detection is used, the transmitter and receiver shall be mounted on structure that does not move relative to each other under normal building loading and thermal movement.
7.1.5 Projected beam detectors shall be provided with an automatic gain compensation function and shall report a trouble signal where the compensation range is exhausted.

7.2 Smoke Detector Sensitivity and Alarm Verification

7.2.1 The sensitivity configuration of the spot-type smoke detectors shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Smoke Detector Sensitivity Configurationselect
Nominal sensitivity within the listed range
Reduced sensitivity within the listed range
Increased sensitivity within the listed range
Sensitivity varied by time of day under control unit programming
Sensitivity varied by occupancy state under control unit programming
7.2.2 Every sensitivity setting shall remain within the range for which the detector is listed.
7.2.3 The control unit shall report a trouble signal where a detector's measured sensitivity drifts outside its listed range.
7.2.4 The Contractor shall record the as-commissioned sensitivity setting of every detector in the configuration record.
7.2.5 Alarm verification shall be applied as indicated in the datasheet.
Alarm Verificationradio
● Not applied
○ Applied at the control unit to designated smoke detectors
○ Applied at the control unit to all smoke detectors
○ Cross-zoned confirmation by a second detector in place of a timed verification
7.2.6 The maximum alarm verification period shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Maximum Alarm Verification Periodrange
seconds
060
Default: 30 seconds
7.2.7 Alarm verification shall not be applied to manual fire alarm boxes, waterflow devices, or heat detectors.
NOTE Alarm verification buys time against a transient smoke condition by requiring the detector to confirm the condition after a reset, and it spends that time out of the occupants' escape time. NFPA 72 caps the total verification interval, and the interval is set once for the system rather than tuned per device. (7.2.8)

7.3 Detector Placement Relative to Airflow

7.3.1 Smoke detectors shall be installed not less than 3 ft (0.9 m) from a supply air diffuser.
NOTE Air moving past a detector at high velocity dilutes the smoke reaching the sensing chamber, so a detector in the discharge of a diffuser can sit in the smoke layer without reaching its alarm threshold. (7.3.2)
7.3.3 Where room geometry prevents the required separation from a diffuser, the Contractor shall notify the Engineer of Record before rough-in and shall install the detector at the location the Engineer directs.
7.3.4 Smoke detectors mounted on a ceiling shall be located not less than 4 in. (100 mm) from the wall.
7.3.5 Smoke detectors mounted on a wall shall be located with the top of the detector not less than 4 in. (100 mm) and not more than 12 in. (300 mm) below the ceiling.

7.4 Duct Smoke Detection

7.4.1 Duct smoke detectors shall be listed for duct application to UL 268A or to UL 268 with a duct housing listing.
7.4.2 The extent of duct smoke detection shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Duct Smoke Detection Extentselect
Supply air systems above the capacity threshold of NFPA 90A
Supply and return air systems above the capacity thresholds of NFPA 90A
Every air handling unit regardless of capacity
Every air handling unit with a downstream detector at each smoke damper
Not required for this project
Per drawings — mechanical air distribution plans and equipment schedules (deferred by default)
7.4.3 The signal a duct smoke detector produces at the control unit shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Duct Smoke Detector Signal Typeradio
○ Supervisory signal
○ Alarm signal
Per drawings — sequence of operations matrix (deferred by default)
7.4.4 Duct smoke detector activation shall shut down the air handling unit it serves.
7.4.5 Duct smoke detector activation shall not be the sole means of initiating occupant notification.
NOTE A duct detector samples air that has already been mixed and diluted across the whole return path, so it reports that smoke is circulating rather than where a fire is. Programmed as an alarm it can evacuate a building from a point of origin nobody can find; programmed as a supervisory signal it stops the fan without telling occupants anything. Which behavior the project wants is a life safety decision, not a device setting. (7.4.6)
7.4.7 Duct smoke detectors shall be provided with sampling tubes sized for the duct dimension at the detector location, and the tube selection shall be shown in the submittal.
7.4.8 A remote test and indicator station shall be provided for each duct smoke detector where indicated in the datasheet.
Duct Smoke Detector Remote Test Stationradio
● Provided for every duct smoke detector
○ Provided only where the detector is not accessible from the floor
○ Not provided
7.4.9 The remote test and indicator station shall be mounted in an accessible location and shall be labeled with the designation of the air handling unit it serves.
7.4.10 The mechanical contractor shall provide the duct access provisions required to service and test each duct smoke detector.

7.5 Aspirating Smoke Detection

7.5.1 Whether aspirating smoke detection is provided shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Aspirating Smoke Detectionradio
○ Not provided
○ Provided in designated equipment and telecommunications rooms
○ Provided in designated storage and archival areas
○ Provided throughout the protected premises
Per drawings — fire alarm floor plans (deferred by default)
NOTE An aspirating detector draws air continuously through a sampled pipe network to a central sensing chamber, which lets it hold an alarm threshold well below what a spot detector can sustain without nuisance alarms. Where a room's contents are damaged by the fire suppression response as much as by the fire, the value is in the alert threshold below the alarm threshold rather than in the alarm itself. (7.5.2)
7.5.3 Aspirating smoke detectors shall be listed to UL 268.
7.5.4 The sampling pipe network shall be designed for a transport time from the most remote sampling point that complies with the detector's listing.
7.5.5 The Contractor shall verify the transport time from the most remote sampling point during acceptance testing.
7.5.6 The alert, action, and alarm thresholds of each aspirating detector shall be set during commissioning and recorded in the configuration record.
7.5.7 Sampling pipe shall be supported independently of ceiling systems and shall be identified as fire alarm sampling pipe at intervals not exceeding 20 ft (6 m).

7.6 Heat Detection

7.6.1 Heat detectors shall be listed to UL 521.
7.6.2 The heat detector type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Heat Detector Typeselect
Fixed temperature, restorable
Fixed temperature, non-restorable
Combination rate-of-rise and fixed temperature
Rate compensated
Line-type heat sensing cable
Linear fiber optic heat sensing
7.6.3 The fixed temperature rating of the heat detectors shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Heat Detector Fixed Temperature Ratingrange
°F
135155175194200225286
7.6.4 The fixed temperature rating shall be selected so that the detector's rated temperature exceeds the maximum expected ambient temperature at its location by the margin required by NFPA 72 Chapter 17.
NOTE A rate-of-rise element responds to a temperature increase of roughly 15°F per minute regardless of the starting ambient, which gives a fast-developing fire a response well before the fixed element reaches its rating. A slow-developing fire never triggers the rate-of-rise element, which is why the combination device carries both. (7.6.5)
7.6.6 Non-restorable detectors shall be replaced after any activation, and the Contractor shall include replacement units in the spare parts turnover where non-restorable detectors are installed.
7.6.7 Heat detectors shall be used in place of smoke detectors in spaces where the normal ambient conditions fall outside the listed operating conditions of a smoke detector.

7.7 Device Suitability in Harsh Environments

7.7.1 Every device shall be listed for the temperature, humidity, and airborne contaminant conditions of the space in which it is installed.
7.7.2 Smoke detectors shall not be installed in spaces where the normal ambient conditions exceed the detector's listed limits for temperature, humidity, airborne particulate, or corrosives.
7.7.3 The substitution policy for spaces outside standard smoke detector operating limits shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Detector Substitution in Harsh Environmentsselect
Heat detection substituted in the identified spaces
Heat detection added alongside smoke detection in the identified spaces
Smoke detection listed for the specific environment used in the identified spaces
Aspirating detection with a filtered sampling network used in the identified spaces
No space on this project falls outside standard smoke detector operating limits
Per drawings — fire alarm floor plans (deferred by default)
7.7.4 The Contractor shall record the environmental basis for every substitution in the shop drawing submittal.
NOTE Commercial kitchens, laundries, parking structures, loading docks, dusty process areas, and unconditioned attics are the recurring cases. Substituting heat detection in these spaces trades detection sensitivity for freedom from nuisance alarms, and a system that cries wolf in the kitchen every week is one occupants stop responding to everywhere. (7.7.5)

7.8 Carbon Monoxide Detection

7.8.1 Carbon monoxide detection connected to the fire alarm system shall be provided where indicated in the datasheet.
Carbon Monoxide Detectionselect
Not provided
Provided at the locations required by the adopted building and fire codes
Provided at the code-required locations and in designated sleeping areas
Provided throughout the occupiable areas
Per drawings — fire alarm floor plans and life safety code analysis (deferred by default)
7.8.2 Carbon monoxide detectors connected to the fire alarm system shall be listed to UL 2075.
7.8.3 Carbon monoxide detection connected to a protected premises system shall comply with NFPA 72 Chapter 17.
7.8.4 The carbon monoxide alarm signal shall be distinct from the fire alarm signal at the control unit, at every annunciator, and at every notification appliance.
NOTE The requirements for commercial carbon monoxide detection moved into NFPA 72 when NFPA 720 was withdrawn, so a project that previously cited NFPA 720 now cites Chapter 17 for detectors connected to a system and Chapter 29 for single-station alarms. (7.8.5)
7.8.6 Carbon monoxide detectors shall be replaced at the end of the service life marked on the device, and the Contractor shall record that date in the operation and maintenance manual.

7.9 Manual Fire Alarm Boxes

7.9.1 Manual fire alarm boxes shall be listed to UL 38.
7.9.2 The extent of manual fire alarm box provision shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Manual Fire Alarm Box Provisionselect
At every exit from every story and at the locations required by the adopted codes
At every exit and additionally at each floor level of every exit stair
A single box at the constantly attended location where the adopted codes permit omission elsewhere
At every exit and at each designated area of refuge
Per drawings — fire alarm floor plans (deferred by default)
7.9.3 The actuation type of the manual fire alarm boxes shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Manual Fire Alarm Box Actuationradio
● Single action
○ Dual action
NOTE A dual action box requires two distinct motions to signal, which reduces accidental and casual activation and adds a step for an occupant acting under stress or with limited hand strength. Some jurisdictions require single action in specified occupancies, so the adopted code is checked before a dual action box is selected. (7.9.4)
7.9.5 The protective cover provided over the manual fire alarm boxes shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Manual Fire Alarm Box Protective Coverselect
No cover
Clear protective cover without a local alert
Clear protective cover with an integral local alert
Weatherproof cover listed for wet locations
Impact-resistant cover for areas subject to damage
7.9.6 Manual fire alarm boxes shall be red and shall be clearly visible, unobstructed, and reachable without moving furniture, equipment, or a door leaf.
7.9.7 Manual fire alarm boxes installed in wet, outdoor, or wash-down locations shall be listed for the installation environment.

7.10 Waterflow Alarm Initiating Devices

7.10.1 Waterflow alarm initiating devices shall be listed for the pipe material, pipe size, and working pressure of the sprinkler piping in which they are installed.
7.10.2 Waterflow alarm initiating devices shall be connected to the fire alarm system as supervised alarm initiating points.
7.10.3 The waterflow alarm retard period shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Waterflow Alarm Retard Periodrange
seconds
1530456090
7.10.4 The retard period shall be set to the lowest value that eliminates alarms from pressure surge at the project site.
7.10.5 The alarm shall be transmitted within the maximum interval after waterflow that the adopted fire code allows.
NOTE A retard timer exists to absorb the momentary flow of a water hammer event, and every second of retard is a second added to the response time for a real sprinkler activation. The setting is verified against the actual site conditions during waterflow testing rather than left at the value that shipped with the switch. (7.10.6)
7.10.7 The Contractor shall record the as-commissioned retard setting for each waterflow device in the closeout documentation.

7.11 Supervisory Signal Initiating Devices

NOTE Supervisory signal initiating devices monitor the readiness of the fire protection systems and report any departure from the required normal condition. A sprinkler control valve that has been closed and not detected is the condition that turns a fully designed sprinkler system into no system at all, and it produces no other symptom until there is a fire. (7.11.1)
7.11.2 The supervisory points connected to the fire alarm system shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Required Supervisory Pointscheckbox
☑ Sprinkler control valve position on every control valve
☑ Fire pump running
☑ Fire pump failure
☑ Fire pump phase reversal or power loss
☐ Fire pump controller in the off or manual position
☑ Dry pipe system air pressure high and low
☐ Preaction and deluge system supervisory conditions
☐ Water storage tank level
☐ Water storage tank temperature
☐ Building or valve enclosure low temperature
☐ Clean agent and carbon dioxide cylinder pressure
☐ Standpipe control valve position
☐ Backflow preventer valve position
☐ Generator and emergency power supply status
7.11.3 Every sprinkler control valve on the project shall be provided with a valve supervisory switch.
7.11.4 Valve supervisory switches shall initiate a supervisory signal within two revolutions of the valve stem or within one fifth of the travel from the fully open position, whichever is less.
7.11.5 The Contractor shall coordinate with the sprinkler contractor to confirm that every control valve, including zone valves, outside stem and yoke valves, post indicator valves, and backflow preventer valves, carries a supervisory switch connected to the fire alarm system.
7.11.6 Fire pump supervisory inputs shall be connected as separate points so that each condition is annunciated individually.

8 Notification Appliances

8.1 Appliance Type and Packaging

8.1.1 Notification appliances shall be listed to the standard applicable to their type, with audible appliances listed to UL 464, visible appliances listed to UL 1971, and speakers listed to the standard applicable to emergency voice service.
8.1.2 Notification appliance placement shall comply with NFPA 72 Chapter 18, ICC A117.1, and the ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
8.1.3 The audible notification technology shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Audible Notification Technologyselect
Electronic horn
Electromechanical horn
Bell
Chime
Speaker driven by a fire alarm amplifier
8.1.4 The packaging of the audible and visible appliances shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Notification Appliance Packagingradio
● Combination audible and visible appliances on a common backbox
○ Separate audible and visible appliances
○ Combination appliances in occupied areas and separate appliances elsewhere
NOTE Combination appliances reduce the device count, the backbox count, and the circuit count, and they tie the audible coverage and the visible coverage to the same mounting position. Where the room dimension driving the candela rating and the ambient sound level driving the audible rating point to different locations, separate appliances let each be placed where its own coverage requirement is met. (8.1.5)

8.2 Audible Notification Performance

8.2.1 Audible notification appliances operating in public mode shall produce a sound pressure level not less than 15 dB above the average ambient sound level, or not less than 5 dB above the maximum sound level having a duration of at least 60 seconds, whichever is greater, measured in accordance with NFPA 72 Chapter 18.
8.2.2 The rated sound pressure level of the audible appliances shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Rated Audible Appliance Sound Pressure Levelrange
dB(A) at 10 ft
75808588909599
Per drawings — ambient sound level survey
8.2.3 The Contractor shall base the appliance rating and quantity on a measured or documented ambient sound level for each space rather than on a single project-wide assumption.
NOTE The rated output of an appliance is a catalog figure at 10 ft in a test chamber. What the code measures is the level a person actually hears in a furnished room with the door closed, which the room's absorption and the appliance spacing decide as much as the rating does. (8.2.4)
8.2.5 Audible appliances signaling a fire alarm condition shall produce the three-pulse temporal pattern of ANSI/ASA S3.41 as required by NFPA 72 Chapter 18.
8.2.6 The three-pulse temporal pattern shall not be used for any signal other than a fire alarm condition.
8.2.7 Audible appliances operating in private mode shall produce a sound pressure level not less than 45 dB(A) at the location of the intended recipient.

8.3 Sleeping Area Notification

8.3.1 Whether the project contains sleeping areas requiring notification shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Sleeping Area Notificationradio
○ Required in guest rooms, patient rooms, or dwelling units
○ Required in designated accessible sleeping units only
○ Not applicable to this occupancy
Per drawings — life safety code analysis (deferred by default)
8.3.2 Audible appliances installed in sleeping areas shall produce a low frequency signal consisting of a square wave with a fundamental frequency of 520 Hz ±10 percent, in accordance with NFPA 72 Chapter 18.
8.3.3 Audible appliances in sleeping areas shall produce a sound pressure level of not less than 75 dB(A) measured at the pillow.
NOTE The low frequency requirement follows from research showing that a 520 Hz square wave wakes sleeping adults with mild to moderate hearing loss, and adults whose hearing is temporarily impaired, substantially more reliably than the 3 kHz tone a conventional horn produces. It applies to the appliances intended to wake occupants, not to appliances in the rest of the building. (8.3.4)
8.3.5 The Contractor shall confirm that the notification appliance circuit power supply is rated for the higher current draw of low frequency appliances before sizing the circuit.

8.4 Visible Notification Appliances

8.4.1 Visible notification appliances shall be listed to UL 1971 and shall flash at not less than 1 Hz and not more than 2 Hz.
8.4.2 The candela rating of the visible appliances in general areas shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Visible Appliance Candela Ratingrange
cd
15307595110115135150177185
Per drawings — room-by-room visible coverage calculation on the fire alarm floor plans
8.4.3 The candela rating for each appliance shall be selected from the coverage tables of NFPA 72 Chapter 18 using the room dimension and the appliance position within the room.
8.4.4 Where an appliance is not centered on the wall it is mounted on, the room dimension used to enter the coverage table shall be twice the distance from the appliance to the most remote wall on that axis.
8.4.5 The floor plans shall show the candela rating assigned to each appliance together with the room dimension used to select it.
NOTE The candela rating is not a property of the building or of the occupancy; it is a property of each individual room and of where in that room the appliance lands. A project-wide candela value produces both under-covered large rooms and needlessly loaded circuits in small ones. (8.4.6)
8.4.7 Visible appliances shall be provided in every public and common-use toilet room and bathing room.
8.4.8 The visible appliance in a sleeping area shall have a rating of not less than 110 cd where it is mounted more than 24 in. (610 mm) below the ceiling.
8.4.9 The visible appliance in a sleeping area shall have a rating of not less than 177 cd where it is mounted less than 24 in. (610 mm) below the ceiling.
NOTE An appliance close to the ceiling can sit inside the smoke layer when it is called on to operate, which is why the required intensity rises as the mounting approaches the ceiling. (8.4.10)

8.5 Visible Appliance Synchronization

8.5.1 The synchronization method for the visible appliances shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Visible Appliance Synchronization Methodradio
○ Synchronization generated by the control unit
○ Listed synchronization module on each notification appliance circuit
○ Synchronization generated by the notification appliance power supply
Manufacturer's standard (by default)
8.5.2 Visible appliances that can be seen from any one location shall flash within 200 milliseconds of each other in accordance with NFPA 72 Chapter 18.
8.5.3 Appliances using different synchronization protocols shall not be installed on the same notification appliance circuit.
8.5.4 Appliances using different synchronization protocols shall not be installed where both are visible from the same location.
NOTE Unsynchronized strobes in a corridor or an open floor plate can produce a combined flash rate high enough to trigger a photosensitive seizure, which is the reason the 200 millisecond window is a requirement rather than a quality preference. (8.5.5)

8.6 Notification Appliance Mounting

8.6.1 The mounting position of the visible appliances shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Visible Appliance Mounting Positionradio
● Wall mounted
○ Ceiling mounted
○ Wall mounted in rooms and ceiling mounted in open areas
8.6.2 The mounting height of wall-mounted visible appliances shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Wall-Mounted Visible Appliance Mounting Heightrange
in. above finished floor to the bottom of the lens
8096
Default: 80 in. above finished floor to the bottom of the lens
8.6.3 The entire lens of a wall-mounted visible appliance shall fall between 80 in. (2030 mm) and 96 in. (2440 mm) above the finished floor, in accordance with NFPA 72 Chapter 18.
8.6.4 Where the ceiling height does not permit the required mounting height, wall-mounted appliances shall be installed within 6 in. (150 mm) of the ceiling.
8.6.5 The mounting height of manual fire alarm boxes shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Manual Fire Alarm Box Mounting Heightrange
in. above finished floor to the operable part
4248
Default: 48 in. above finished floor to the operable part
8.6.6 Device mounting heights shall be coordinated with the finished ceiling height and the wall finish before rough-in.

9 Emergency Voice/Alarm Communications

9.1 Voice System Provision

9.1.1 Whether an in-building emergency voice/alarm communication system is provided shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
In-Building Emergency Voice/Alarm Communication Systemradio
○ Provided
○ Not provided
Per drawings — life safety code analysis (deferred by default)
9.1.2 An emergency voice/alarm communication system shall comply with NFPA 72 Chapter 24.
9.1.3 Amplifiers serving an emergency voice/alarm communication system shall be listed to UL 1711.
NOTE The adopted building code requires a voice system in high-rise buildings, in large assembly occupancies, in covered mall buildings, in underground buildings, and in other occupancies it enumerates. Beyond those cases the decision rests on whether the evacuation strategy needs to tell occupants something a tone cannot, which is true wherever some occupants are asked to stay put while others leave. (9.1.4)

9.2 Voice System Capability

9.2.1 The message capability of the emergency voice/alarm communication system shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Voice System Message Capabilityselect
Prerecorded messages only
Prerecorded messages with live paging from the control unit
Prerecorded messages with live paging from the control unit and from remote microphone stations
Prerecorded messages with multi-channel paging to independent notification zones
Not applicable
9.2.2 Whether a fire fighter telephone system is provided shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Fire Fighter Telephone Systemradio
○ Provided
○ Not provided
Per drawings — life safety code analysis (deferred by default)
9.2.3 The signaling line circuits serving an emergency voice/alarm communication system shall be Class A or Class X where a partial evacuation or relocation strategy is used, in accordance with NFPA 72 Chapter 24.
9.2.4 Secondary power for an emergency voice/alarm communication system shall support 15 minutes of operation at maximum voice output following the required standby period.

9.3 Speech Intelligibility

9.3.1 The minimum speech transmission index the installed system achieves shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Speech Transmission Indexrange
STI
0.450.75
Default: 0.45 STI
9.3.2 Speech intelligibility shall be verified by measurement in accordance with NFPA 72 Chapter 24 at acceptance.
9.3.3 Where the measured speech transmission index at any test position falls below the value indicated in the datasheet, the Contractor shall add speakers, adjust equalization, or provide acoustic treatment until the criterion is met, at no additional cost to the Owner.
NOTE Speech intelligibility is a pass or fail acceptance criterion rather than a design aspiration, and it is decided by the room's reverberation and the speaker density as much as by the amplifier. Reverberant spaces with hard finishes are where the criterion is missed, and the remedy there is more speakers at lower output rather than more power into the same speakers. (9.3.4)

10 Circuits and Pathways

10.1 Pathway Class Designations

10.1.1 Every fire alarm pathway shall be designated and installed in accordance with the class definitions of NFPA 72 Chapter 12.
NOTE NFPA 72 Chapter 12 defines seven pathway classes that differ in how the pathway behaves under a fault. Class A returns to the control unit so that a single open or ground fault leaves every device in service. Class B is radial, so a single open fault disconnects everything beyond it. Class X adds short-circuit fault tolerance to the Class A redundancy. Class C is a networked path verified by end-to-end communication, Class N is a networked path with redundancy to each device, Class D fails in a safe state without annunciating, and Class E is unmonitored. (10.1.2)
10.1.3 The signaling line circuit class shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Signaling Line Circuit Classselect
Class A
Class B
Class C
Class N
Class X
Per drawings — fire alarm riser diagram (deferred by default)
10.1.4 The notification appliance circuit class shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Notification Appliance Circuit Classselect
Class A
Class B
Class X
Per drawings — fire alarm riser diagram (deferred by default)
10.1.5 The initiating device circuit class shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Initiating Device Circuit Classselect
Class A
Class B
Class X
Not applicable on a fully addressable system
Per drawings — fire alarm riser diagram (deferred by default)
10.1.6 Signaling line circuit isolator modules shall be provided so that a short circuit on the pathway removes no more devices from service than the count indicated in the datasheet.
Maximum Devices Lost to a Single Short Circuitrange
devices
150
Default: 20 devices
NOTE A short circuit on an addressable loop takes the whole loop down until an isolator opens the faulted segment. The isolator count is what decides how much of the building loses detection while the fault is being located, and it is cheap at rough-in and expensive afterward. (10.1.7)

10.2 Class A and Class X Routing Separation

10.2.1 The outgoing and return conductors of a Class A or Class X pathway shall be routed by separate paths in accordance with NFPA 72 Chapter 12.
10.2.2 The outgoing and return conductors shall be permitted to share a raceway, cable, or enclosure only within the limits NFPA 72 Chapter 12 allows for entry to and exit from device enclosures, for drops to individual devices, and for installation within a single small room.
10.2.3 The minimum separation maintained between the outgoing and return conductors of a Class A or Class X pathway shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Class A Pathway Separation, Vertical Runsrange
in.
0120
Default: 12 in.
Minimum Class A Pathway Separation, Horizontal Runsrange
in.
0240
Default: 48 in.
NOTE NFPA 72 requires the two legs to be routed separately but leaves the distance to the designer, and its annex offers 12 in. vertically and 48 in. horizontally as a starting point. Two home runs pulled in adjacent conduits through the same shaft satisfy the letter of separate routing and none of its intent, because the fire that opens one leg opens the other. (10.2.4)
10.2.5 The Contractor shall show the routing of both legs of every Class A and Class X pathway on the shop drawing floor plans.

10.3 Pathway Survivability

10.3.1 The pathway survivability level shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Pathway Survivability Levelselect
Level 0
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Per drawings — fire alarm riser diagram and life safety code analysis (deferred by default)
NOTE NFPA 72 Section 12.4 defines the survivability levels, and they are not a ladder in which a higher number is better. Level 0 imposes no survivability provision. Level 1 relies on a building fully protected by an automatic sprinkler system with the pathway in metal raceway. Level 2 uses a 2-hour circuit integrity cable, a 2-hour rated cable system, or a 2-hour rated enclosure. Level 3 combines the Level 2 methods with a fully sprinklered building. Level 4, added in the 2022 edition, applies the Level 2 methods at a 1-hour rating. (10.3.2)
10.3.3 Survivability provisions shall be applied to the pathways serving notification zones other than the zone of origin where the evacuation strategy is partial evacuation or relocation.
10.3.4 The Contractor shall confirm that the proposed cable type, raceway, and installation method have been evaluated as a system for the selected survivability level before any material is purchased.
NOTE A circuit integrity cable that is listed only as part of a tested assembly does not carry its rating when it is installed in a different raceway or with a different support method than the assembly that was tested. This is the most common survivability failure found at inspection, and it is found after the ceilings are closed. (10.3.5)

11 Power Supplies

11.1 Primary Power

11.1.1 The primary power supply voltage for the fire alarm control unit shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Primary Power Supply Voltageselect
120 V, 1Φ, 60 Hz
208 V, 1Φ, 60 Hz
240 V, 1Φ, 60 Hz
277 V, 1Φ, 60 Hz
Per drawings — electrical one-line diagram
11.1.2 The source of primary power for the fire alarm system shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Primary Power Sourceradio
● Normal building power distribution
○ Emergency power system branch
○ Legally required standby power system
○ Optional standby power system
NOTE Connecting the fire alarm system to a generator-backed branch means a generator fault or a transfer failure presents at the panel as a fire alarm trouble condition. Connecting it to normal power means the secondary battery, rather than the generator, carries the system through an outage. Some jurisdictions direct one arrangement or the other, so the position of the authority having jurisdiction is settled before the branch circuit is roughed in. (11.1.3)
11.1.4 The control unit shall be supplied from a dedicated branch circuit with no other load connected.
11.1.5 The branch circuit overcurrent device shall be identified FIRE ALARM CIRCUIT and shall be secured against unintentional operation.
11.1.6 The branch circuit shall be sized for the total connected load of the control unit, every power supply it feeds, and every ancillary device, and the Contractor shall submit the load calculation to the Engineer of Record.
11.1.7 Primary power connection and circuit identification shall be coordinated with PanelboardsPanelboardsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/panelboards.

11.2 Secondary Power

11.2.1 The secondary power supply standby duration shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Secondary Power Standby Durationrange
hours
2460
11.2.2 The secondary power supply alarm duration following the standby period shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Secondary Power Alarm Durationrange
minutes
5153060
11.2.3 The secondary power supply shall meet or exceed the standby and alarm durations required by NFPA 72 Chapter 10 for the system type, regardless of the values indicated in the datasheet.
11.2.4 Secondary power for an emergency voice/alarm communication system shall provide 15 minutes of alarm operation at maximum voice output.
11.2.5 Batteries shall be located inside the control unit enclosure or in a listed battery cabinet adjacent to the equipment they serve.
11.2.6 The control unit shall supervise the battery, the battery charger, and the battery connection, and shall produce a trouble signal on failure of any of them.
11.2.7 The battery charger shall restore a fully discharged battery to its rated capacity within 48 hours.

11.3 Battery Technology and Sizing

11.3.1 The secondary power battery technology shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Battery Technologyselect
Sealed valve-regulated lead-acid
Vented lead-acid
Nickel cadmium
Lithium iron phosphate listed for use with the control unit
11.3.2 The safety margin applied to the calculated ampere-hour capacity shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Battery Sizing Safety Marginrange
%
2050
Default: 20 %
11.3.3 The battery calculation shall apply not less than the safety margin required by NFPA 72 Chapter 10 and not less than the margin indicated in the datasheet.
11.3.4 The battery calculation shall list every device with its standby current and its alarm current, the durations applied to each, the margin applied, and the resulting ampere-hour capacity.
11.3.5 The installed battery shall have a rated capacity not less than the calculated capacity.
NOTE The safety margin exists because a battery's usable capacity falls over its service life and with ambient temperature, so a battery sized exactly to the calculated demand meets the standby requirement only on the day it is installed. (11.3.6)
11.3.7 The battery replacement interval shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Battery Replacement Intervalrange
years
210
Default: 5 years
11.3.8 The Contractor shall mark each battery with its date of manufacture and shall record the replacement interval in the operation and maintenance manual.

11.4 Notification Appliance Circuit Loading

11.4.1 The maximum notification appliance circuit loading as a percentage of the rated circuit current shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Maximum Notification Appliance Circuit Loadingrange
%
50100
Default: 80 %
11.4.2 The maximum voltage drop permitted on a notification appliance circuit shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Maximum Notification Appliance Circuit Voltage Droprange
%
520
Default: 10 %
11.4.3 The voltage at the most remote appliance on each notification appliance circuit shall exceed the listed minimum operating voltage of that appliance under worst-case alarm load with the system on secondary power.
11.4.4 The Contractor shall submit a voltage drop calculation for every notification appliance circuit and every signaling line circuit.
NOTE Circuit loading and voltage drop are what decide whether the last strobe on the run actually fires at the end of a 24-hour outage, and both are settled on paper before the cable is pulled. A circuit loaded to its nameplate limit has no headroom for the appliance a tenant adds in year three. (11.4.5)

11.5 Remote and Booster Power Supplies

11.5.1 Remote notification appliance power supplies shall be listed to UL 1481.
11.5.2 Each remote power supply shall be supervised by the control unit for primary power, charger status, and battery status.
11.5.3 Each remote power supply shall have its own secondary battery sized for the same standby and alarm durations as the control unit.
11.5.4 Remote power supplies shall be installed in labeled enclosures in electrical, mechanical, or telecommunications rooms, and shall not be installed above accessible ceilings.
NOTE A booster power supply above a ceiling is a supervised, battery-backed panel that nobody inspects and nobody can find when its battery reports trouble. Keeping it in a room with a door is what makes the annual battery replacement happen. (11.5.5)

12 Monitoring and Off-Premises Transmission

12.1 Supervising Station Service

12.1.1 The supervising station service type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Supervising Station Service Typeselect
Listed central station service
Proprietary supervising station operated by the Owner
Remote supervising station at an attended off-premises location
Transmission to the public fire service communication center where the jurisdiction accepts it
No off-premises transmission
Per drawings — life safety code analysis (deferred by default)
12.1.2 Off-premises transmission shall comply with NFPA 72 Chapter 26.
12.1.3 Alarm signals, supervisory signals, and trouble signals shall each be transmitted to the supervising station and identified there as the type of signal they are.
12.1.4 Signals shall be transmitted and acknowledged within the maximum intervals NFPA 72 Chapter 26 allows.
12.1.5 The Contractor shall obtain written confirmation from the supervising station that every signal type was received and correctly identified during acceptance testing.

12.2 Communications Technology

12.2.1 The primary communications technology shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Primary Communications Technologyselect
Internet protocol communicator over the building network
Internet protocol communicator over a dedicated circuit
Cellular radio communicator
Digital alarm communicator transmitter over a managed facilities-based voice network
One-way private radio alarm system
Two-way radio frequency multiplex system
Not applicable
12.2.2 The communications path redundancy shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Communications Path Redundancyradio
○ Single path with end-to-end supervision
● Two paths using different transmission technologies
○ Two paths using the same technology on independent carriers
12.2.3 The secondary communications technology shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Secondary Communications Technologyselect
Internet protocol communicator over the building network
Internet protocol communicator over a dedicated circuit
Cellular radio communicator
Digital alarm communicator transmitter over a managed facilities-based voice network
One-way private radio alarm system
Two-way radio frequency multiplex system
Not applicable
NOTE NFPA 72 Chapter 26 permits a single supervised path as well as two paths, and it sets a shorter supervision interval for the single path in exchange. Two paths on different technologies survive the loss of one carrier or one physical entry to the building; two paths on the same technology do not, though they do survive the loss of one carrier's network. (12.2.4)
12.2.5 Where two paths are provided, no single failure shall disable both paths.
NOTE Telephone line service delivered over the copper pair is being withdrawn by carriers across most of the United States, and a communicator whose only path is that service will eventually stop reporting whether or not it remains code compliant on the day it is installed. (12.2.6)

12.3 Path Supervision

12.3.1 A single communications path shall be supervised end to end, and its failure shall be annunciated at the protected premises and at the supervising station within 60 minutes.
12.3.2 Where two communications paths are provided, the failure of either path shall be annunciated at the protected premises and at the supervising station within the interval NFPA 72 Chapter 26 allows for the arrangement used.
12.3.3 A digital alarm communicator transmitter shall test each of its paths to the supervising station at intervals not exceeding 6 hours.
12.3.4 Loss of a communications path shall produce a trouble signal at the control unit and at every annunciator.

13 Wiring and Installation

13.1 Circuit Power Limitation

13.1.1 Fire alarm circuits shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 70 Article 760.
13.1.2 The power limitation classification of the fire alarm circuits shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Fire Alarm Circuit Power Limitationradio
● Power-limited fire alarm circuits per NFPA 70 Article 760 Part III
○ Non-power-limited fire alarm circuits per NFPA 70 Article 760 Part II
○ Power-limited circuits with non-power-limited circuits at designated equipment
13.1.3 Fire alarm circuit conductors shall not occupy the same raceway, cable, cable tray, or enclosure as conductors of other building systems except where NFPA 70 Article 760 permits it.
13.1.4 Cable installed in a plenum used for environmental air shall be listed for that use.
13.1.5 Cable installed in a vertical riser shall be listed for that use.

13.2 Raceway and Cable Support

13.2.1 The raceway policy for fire alarm circuits shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Fire Alarm Raceway Policyselect
All fire alarm circuits in raceway throughout
Raceway in exposed and finished locations with independently supported cable above accessible ceilings
Raceway where the adopted codes require it with independently supported cable elsewhere
Raceway throughout with metallic raceway where survivability provisions apply
13.2.2 Fire alarm cable installed without raceway shall be supported independently of ceiling systems, ductwork, piping, and other trades' supports at intervals not exceeding 5 ft (1.5 m).
13.2.3 Exposed fire alarm wiring in occupied and finished spaces shall be installed in raceway.
13.2.4 Raceway products and installation methods shall comply with Raceways And ConduitRaceways and ConduitResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/raceways-and-conduit.
13.2.5 The Contractor shall install every raceway, pull box, and junction box serving fire alarm circuits, and shall resolve routing conflicts with ductwork, piping, and structure before rough-in.

13.3 Conductor Size

13.3.1 The minimum conductor size for signaling line and initiating device circuits shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Signaling Line and Initiating Device Circuit Conductor Sizeselect
18 AWG
16 AWG
14 AWG
12 AWG
Per drawings — voltage drop calculation
13.3.2 The minimum conductor size for notification appliance circuits shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Notification Appliance Circuit Conductor Sizeselect
18 AWG
16 AWG
14 AWG
12 AWG
13.3.3 Where the voltage drop calculation requires a conductor larger than the minimum indicated in the datasheet to hold the end-of-line voltage above the listed minimum operating voltage, the larger conductor shall govern.
13.3.4 Fire alarm conductors shall be solid or stranded copper, and aluminum conductors shall not be used on fire alarm circuits.

13.4 Shielding and Grounding

13.4.1 Whether shielded cable is used on signaling line circuits shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Shielded Cable on Signaling Line Circuitsradio
○ Required on all signaling line circuits
○ Required where a circuit runs parallel to power conductors
○ Not required
Manufacturer's standard (by default)
13.4.2 Where shielded cable is used, the shield shall be terminated in accordance with the control unit manufacturer's published installation instructions and shall be grounded at one end only.
NOTE A shield grounded at both ends carries circulating current from the difference in ground potential between its two termination points, and that current couples into the pair it was installed to protect. The resulting intermittent communication trouble is the hardest fault to find on an addressable loop. (13.4.3)
13.4.4 The control unit enclosure and every remote enclosure shall be bonded to the building grounding electrode system.
13.4.5 Fire alarm system grounding shall comply with NFPA 70 and shall be coordinated with Grounding And BondingGrounding and Bonding for Electrical SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/grounding-and-bonding.

13.5 Identification and Labeling

13.5.1 The device identification method shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Device Identification Methodselect
Permanent label at each device carrying its address
Permanent label at each device carrying its address and its circuit designation
Address marked on the device mounting plate only
13.5.2 The junction and pull box identification method shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Fire Alarm Junction and Pull Box Identificationselect
Cover painted red
Red label applied to the cover
Cover painted red and labeled with the circuit designation
13.5.3 Remote power supply enclosures shall be labeled FIRE ALARM POWER SUPPLY in permanent lettering.
13.5.4 Annunciator enclosures shall be labeled FIRE ALARM ANNUNCIATOR in permanent lettering.
13.5.5 Device labels shall use the same location description that is programmed at the control unit for that device.
NOTE A device label that reads differently from the panel description makes the panel unusable during an alarm investigation, because the responder is holding two names for the same point and no way to reconcile them. (13.5.6)

14 Acceptance Testing

14.1 Pre-Test Readiness

14.1.1 The Contractor shall complete a full pre-test of the installed system before requesting acceptance testing.
14.1.2 The Contractor shall not request acceptance testing until the system is completely installed, completely programmed, and free of trouble conditions.
14.1.3 The documentation available on site before acceptance testing begins shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Required Pre-Test Documentationcheckbox
☑ Reviewed shop drawings
☑ Control unit configuration record
☑ Signed sequence of operations matrix
☑ Secondary power calculation
☑ Voltage drop calculations
☑ Preliminary record documents showing installed device locations
☑ Contractor's completed pre-test record
☐ Manufacturer's published installation instructions
14.1.4 The Contractor shall provide the test personnel, test instruments, keys, access codes, and ladders required to complete acceptance testing without interruption.
14.1.5 The Contractor shall bear the cost of any retest required because the system was presented for acceptance testing with an incomplete installation, an unresolved trouble condition, or missing documentation.

14.2 Test Witnessing

14.2.1 The parties witnessing acceptance testing shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Acceptance Test Witnessescheckbox
☑ Authority having jurisdiction
☐ Engineer of Record
☑ Owner's representative
☐ Commissioning authority
☐ Third-party inspection agency
☐ Insurance carrier representative
14.2.2 Acceptance testing shall not be performed in stages on separate days unless the authority having jurisdiction accepts a staged test in advance.
NOTE A staged test breaks the system into pieces that each pass while the interactions between them go unexercised, which is where cross-zoning errors, output conflicts, and address duplications hide. (14.2.3)

14.3 Device Functional Testing

14.3.1 The proportion of installed devices functionally tested at acceptance shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Acceptance Test Device Coverageradio
● Every installed device
○ A sample accepted by the authority having jurisdiction with the balance tested within the first year
14.3.2 Each initiating device shall be tested for activation, for correct address and location description at the control unit, for correct zone assignment, and for the output response the sequence of operations matrix assigns to it.
14.3.3 Test methods shall comply with NFPA 72 Chapter 14.
14.3.4 Smoke detectors shall be tested with a listed aerosol or a magnet test tool accepted by both the detector manufacturer and the control unit manufacturer.
14.3.5 Smoke, dust, and compressed air shall not be used to test a smoke detector.
14.3.6 Heat detectors shall be tested with a listed heat source, and an open flame shall not be used.
14.3.7 Each manual fire alarm box shall be operated, and each shall be confirmed to restore to normal after reset.
14.3.8 Each waterflow device shall be tested by opening the inspector's test connection on the zone it serves, and the retard setting shall be confirmed during that test.
14.3.9 Each supervisory device shall be tested to confirm that it produces a supervisory signal rather than an alarm signal, and that it is correctly identified at the control unit and at the supervising station.
14.3.10 Each emergency control function shall be tested end to end with the receiving trade present, and the response of the controlled equipment shall be observed rather than inferred from the output contact.

14.4 Notification Verification

14.4.1 The audible sound pressure verification method shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Audible Sound Pressure Verification Methodradio
○ Measurement at one representative location in each notification zone
● Measurement at the location most remote from an appliance in each notification zone
○ Measurement in every occupiable room
○ Measurement at locations selected by the authority having jurisdiction
14.4.2 Sound pressure measurements shall be taken with a calibrated sound level meter with the doors of the measured space closed.
14.4.3 Where a measured sound pressure level does not meet the criterion of NFPA 72 Chapter 18, the Contractor shall add or relocate appliances and shall repeat the measurement at no additional cost to the Owner.
14.4.4 Visible appliance synchronization shall be verified by observation from each location where more than one appliance is visible.
14.4.5 Every visible appliance seen from one location shall appear to flash simultaneously.
14.4.6 An appliance that flashes out of step with the others on its circuit shall be corrected before the system is accepted.

14.5 Secondary Power Verification

14.5.1 The battery capacity verification method shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Battery Capacity Verification Methodradio
○ Full duration discharge test over the specified standby and alarm periods
● Loaded discharge test with capacity confirmed by calculation
○ Loaded discharge test per the control unit manufacturer's published procedure
14.5.2 The secondary power supply shall be tested by disconnecting primary power and confirming that the control unit and every supervised component remain operational.
14.5.3 The battery charger shall be tested to confirm that it restores the battery to its rated capacity within 48 hours of a full discharge.
14.5.4 The Contractor shall record the measured battery terminal voltage at the start and at the end of the discharge test.

14.6 Off-Premises Transmission Verification

14.6.1 Each signal type shall be transmitted to the supervising station over each provided communications path and shall be confirmed as received and correctly identified.
14.6.2 Where two communications paths are provided, the backup path shall be tested by disabling the primary path and confirming successful transmission.
14.6.3 The elapsed time from signal initiation to acknowledgment at the supervising station shall be recorded for each test signal.

14.7 Speech Intelligibility Verification

14.7.1 Where an emergency voice/alarm communication system is installed, speech intelligibility shall be measured at test positions distributed through the occupiable areas in accordance with NFPA 72 Chapter 24.
14.7.2 The intelligibility measurement report shall identify each test position, the measured value at that position, and the instrument used.
14.7.3 The intelligibility measurement report shall be submitted with the acceptance test documentation.

14.8 Record of Completion

14.8.1 The Contractor shall complete the Record of Completion required by NFPA 72 Chapter 7 in full upon successful completion of acceptance testing.
14.8.2 The Record of Completion shall be signed by the Contractor, by the individual who performed the testing, and by the authority having jurisdiction's representative.
14.8.3 The Record of Completion and the record of inspection and testing shall be placed in the operation and maintenance manual and left on site with the system.

15 Coordination with Other Trades

15.1 Sprinkler System Coordination

15.1.1 The Contractor shall coordinate with the sprinkler contractor to confirm the location, quantity, and contact arrangement of every waterflow and supervisory device connected to the fire alarm system.
15.1.2 The sprinkler contractor shall install the waterflow and supervisory devices in the piping, and the fire alarm Contractor shall install the wiring from the control unit to those devices.
15.1.3 The Contractor shall confirm the normally open or normally closed contact arrangement of each device before terminating it.
15.1.4 Sprinkler system design and the placement of devices within the piping are governed by Wet Pipe Fire Sprinkler SystemsWet-Pipe Fire Sprinkler SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/wet-pipe-fire-sprinkler-systems and NFPA 13.

15.2 Air Distribution System Coordination

15.2.1 The Contractor shall coordinate duct smoke detector locations, duct access provisions, and remote test station locations with the mechanical contractor before ductwork is fabricated.
15.2.2 The Contractor shall confirm the control voltage, current, and contact arrangement each air handling unit requires for shutdown before terminating the output circuit.
15.2.3 Wiring from the fire alarm output to the air handling unit control panel is fire alarm scope, and the control logic within the air handling unit is mechanical scope.
15.2.4 Where the fire alarm system exchanges status with a building automation system, the interface shall be coordinated with Building Automation SystemBuilding Automation SystemResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/building-automation-system.

15.3 Elevator Coordination

15.3.1 The Contractor shall coordinate elevator recall contacts, power shunt trip arrangements, and elevator lobby and machine room detector wiring with the elevator contractor and the elevator inspector.
15.3.2 The Contractor shall confirm the signal format each elevator controller requires before terminating the interface.
15.3.3 Elevator recall and shunt trip arrangements shall comply with ASME A17.1 and NFPA 72 Chapter 21.
NOTE Shunt trip of elevator power on sprinkler activation removes power from the car, and the sequencing between the sprinkler activation, the recall, and the power removal is what keeps a car from being stranded between floors with occupants inside. That sequencing is verified with the elevator contractor present rather than by exercising the fire alarm output alone. (15.3.4)

15.4 Door Hardware and Access Control Coordination

15.4.1 The Contractor shall coordinate the release of electromagnetic door holders, electrically locked egress doors, and stairwell reentry locks with the door hardware and access control contractors.
15.4.2 Release of an electrically locked egress door on fire alarm activation shall be tested with the access control contractor present.
15.4.3 The release output for an egress locking arrangement shall fail to the unlocked state on loss of the fire alarm output or loss of power to the locking device.

16 Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance

16.1 The Owner shall maintain the fire alarm system in accordance with NFPA 72 Chapter 14 after the system is accepted.
16.2 The inspection and testing program the Contractor's service agreement provides shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Inspection and Testing Programradio
● Semiannual inspection with annual testing per NFPA 72 Chapter 14
○ Quarterly inspection with annual testing
○ Quarterly inspection with semiannual testing
○ Monthly inspection with annual testing
16.3 The term of the service and inspection agreement the Contractor provides shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Initial Service and Inspection Agreement Termrange
months
12243660
16.4 The Contractor shall include the initial service and inspection agreement in the installed cost of the system, beginning at the date of system acceptance.
16.5 The Contractor shall turn over the inspection and testing schedule, the device inventory, and the test forms required by NFPA 72 Chapter 14 at closeout.
NOTE An inspection and testing record that starts as a blank form on the day the Contractor leaves is one the Owner is unlikely to keep. Turning over a populated device inventory and a dated schedule is what makes the first annual test a routine event rather than a rediscovery of the system. (16.6)

17 Warranty

17.1 Warranty Period

17.1.1 The equipment warranty period shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Equipment Warranty Periodrange
months
12243660
17.1.2 The installation warranty period shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Installation Warranty Periodrange
months
12243660
17.1.3 Both warranty periods shall begin at the date of system acceptance.
17.1.4 The equipment warranty shall cover the control unit, annunciators, power supplies, batteries, amplifiers, initiating devices, notification appliances, and modules against defects in materials and workmanship.
17.1.5 The installation warranty shall cover wiring, terminations, device mounting, raceway, and programming against defects in workmanship.
17.1.6 Where a manufacturer's warranty on a component extends beyond the period indicated in the datasheet, the longer period shall apply to that component.
17.1.7 The Contractor shall submit a summary of every manufacturer warranty, with its start date and its term, at closeout.
17.1.8 Where a warranty repair is made, the repaired or replaced work shall carry a new warranty of the full original term from the date of the repair, or the remainder of the original term, whichever is longer.

17.2 Warranty Service Response

17.2.1 The maximum time within which the Contractor responds on site to a reported system trouble during the warranty period shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Maximum Warranty Service Response Timerange
hours
272
Default: 24 hours
17.2.2 The Contractor shall provide corrective service for any defect covered by the warranty at no additional cost to the Owner, including labor, parts, and travel.
17.2.3 Where a fault leaves the system unable to detect or notify in any part of the protected premises, the Contractor shall provide an interim fire watch arrangement or shall restore the system before leaving the site.

17.3 Nuisance Alarm Remediation

17.3.1 The number of nuisance alarms attributable to installation or programming that the Contractor is permitted during each year of the warranty period shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Permitted Nuisance Alarms Per Yearrange
alarms per year
012
Default: 2 alarms per year
17.3.2 Where nuisance alarms attributable to installation or programming exceed the number indicated in the datasheet, the Contractor shall investigate, reprogram, relocate, or replace devices until the rate falls within the permitted number, at no additional cost to the Owner.
NOTE Alarms attributable to occupant activity, to a change in the use of a space, to construction by others, or to conditions outside the Contractor's control are excluded from the count. (17.3.3)
17.3.4 Where the parties disagree whether a nuisance alarm is attributable to installation or programming, the Engineer of Record shall make the initial determination.

18 Spare Parts

18.1 The Contractor shall deliver the spare parts indicated in the datasheet at substantial completion.
Required Spare Partscheckbox
☑ Spot-type smoke detectors of each installed type
☑ Detector bases of each installed type
☑ Heat detectors of each installed type
☐ Duct smoke detector sensing elements
☑ Manual fire alarm boxes
☐ Manual fire alarm box protective covers
☑ Audible notification appliances of each installed type
☑ Visible notification appliances of each installed candela rating
☐ Combination audible and visible appliances of each installed type
☑ Addressable monitor and control modules of each installed type
☐ Signaling line circuit isolator modules
☐ Secondary power batteries of each installed size
☑ Manual fire alarm box operating keys
☑ Detector removal and test tools
18.2 The quantity of each spare device type shall be as indicated in the datasheet, expressed as a percentage of the installed quantity of that type.
Spare Device Quantityrange
%
010
Default: 2 %
18.3 The minimum quantity of any spare device type shall be as indicated in the datasheet regardless of the percentage calculated.
Minimum Spare Quantity Per Device Typerange
devices
010
Default: 2 devices
18.4 Spare devices shall be of the same model and firmware revision as the installed devices, and the Contractor shall record the model and revision of each spare in the closeout documentation.
18.5 Spare devices shall be delivered in their original packaging and shall be turned over against a written inventory signed by the Owner's representative.
18.6 Spare devices and spare batteries shall be stored in a conditioned location identified in the closeout documentation.
NOTE A sealed lead-acid battery held in an unconditioned mechanical space self-discharges and sulfates on a timescale set by its storage temperature, so a spare battery bought at project close can be past its usable capacity before the first replacement cycle calls for it. (18.7)