Swap Heat for Smoke in Nonsprinklered Building?

Hi, I am a Fire Alarm system installer and have been active for 25 years.

I am writing today because the change from the UBC to the IBC, or some other change that I am unaware of, has removed the requirements to do anything in an existing un sprinklered building in Washington state.

Looking at the requirements for E occupancy, specifically for a sprinklered building, it says to install heat detectors in most locations. There is no guidance for what to do in an existing non-sprinklered building. This has led some to remove smoke detectors from projects and install only heat detectors other than the one for the panel and power supplies, treating sprinklered buildings and non-sprinklered buildings the same.

I am alarmed by this and think it’s a mistake we will regret. On a sprinklered building, you have suppression, so the fire will likely be in a controllable state when first responders arrive. It makes sense that early warning would be redundant, other than areas like exit pathways or sleeping areas where someone could be overcome with smoke or the exit path may be blocked. Early warning devices are necessary in those cases. If we get the people out safely, then the firemen don’t need to go in. Early warning devices achieve that.

But on a non-sprinklered building there is no suppression. Heat detectors do not go into alarm until the fire reaches them, they are mounted on the ceiling so the walls and building will be on fire before they activate. Smoke detectors will go off when the fire is smoldering getting the first responders on the way before the building is on fire. Oh, and getting the people out of the building before it’s on fire, one of my personal favorites.

My goals, 1. I wanted to add some beam smoke detectors over the gym floor area and some smoke detectors over the stage due to the large amounts of fabric. 2. I intended on replacing all the devices on the permitted installation with like for like. Resulting in smoke detectors in the areas that currently have smoke detectors.

Both of my submittals (to the architect) showing smoke detectors were rejected and I was instructed to show heat detectors. I have no way to argue for the smoke detectors, there is no guidance I can find. We are removing all the life safety out of the life safety systems.

Is there something I am missing, is there a way I can fight to get smoke detection in the halls and classrooms that do not have an exit doors?

I looked at the 2021 IFC chapter 11, specifically 1103. I hoped I had found my solution but reading it more carefully, I see the intent of that statement is the table. I can’t find anything on that table that will keep the early warming detection in the life safety system. I know the goal is to reduce false alarms. Smoke detectors have a bad reputation for unwanted alarms. On this project they were suffering from false alarms. That is the reason they are wanting to eliminate smoke detectors. With in a half hour of being on site the existing system went into alarm. I viewed the point, found out it was a 135 fixed temp heat installed in an attic that was at 150. So Heat detectors false alarm as well when incorrectly applied to the environment or poorly maintained.

​Are we going to regret this or am i just an old man with old ways of doing things?

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