Under The Microscope

FIRE ENGINEERING DESIGN CODE, ed A.H. Buchanan; Centre for Advanced Engineering, University of Canterbury, 1994; $90.00

With the introduction of the Building Act 1991 and the subsequent performance-based National Building Code, scope was given for fire protection related matters in new buildings to be individually designed rather than having to meet the requirements of rigid, prescriptive bylaws which were frequently seen as prohibiting the use of modern building techniques and design features.

Although fire engineering design of buildings is a complex, multi-disciplinary subject which extends well beyond the scope of this Design Guide, it is an excellent introduction to the subject and provides basic strategies and design information supplemented by worked examples which will be of assistance to those individuals trying to grasp the fundamentals of the rapidly expanding fire engineering field.

Edited by Andy Buchanan, the authorship is attributed to at least ten of New Zealand's leading practitioners of fire engineering.

The Design Guide is well illustrated using photographs, diagrams, tables and graphs which will greatly enhance the readability of this publication for those who are less skilled in the field.

Although by necessity a number of chapters are based on overseas publications, the Design Guide has chapters on New Zealand Fire Service operations and procedures, local water reticulation systems and the New Zealand regulatory framework.

Overall, the Fire Engineering Design Guide is an excellent local publication which should be considered an essential part of the reference library of any engineer or design professional contemplating undertaking work in fire engineering field or pondering the safety aspects of new and innovative building design features.

John Sinclair is a divisional officer with the New Zealand Fire Service in Christchurch.