At Quasar, Fire Protection Is Invited to the Design Table

Fire protection is often the system no one thinks about, until it doesn’t work.

It’s one of the few building systems designed specifically to save lives in an emergency, detecting, controlling, or suppressing fire through both active systems (sprinklers, alarms) and passive measures (fire-rated walls, doors, structural fireproofing) built into the structure itself.

Well-designed systems give occupants time to evacuate and firefighters time to respond, and they determine whether a building meets code for occupancy, which affects permitting timelines and insurance costs.

Despite its importance, fire protection can sometimes get pushed to the end of the to-do list. Once construction is complete, most of the systems are tucked away behind walls and ceilings, making it easy to forget just how much goes into getting them right. That is, until an inspection, insurance audit, or, worse, an actual fire brings an issue to light.

On projects with tight schedules, fire protection can also get caught in the middle of mechanical and electrical coordination. When things don’t line up, resolving those conflicts later in construction can mean added costs, delays, and a lot of unnecessary headaches.

“I think a lot of clients may not understand the intricacies of fire protection,” says Jessica Potvin, Senior Fire Protection Specialist at Quasar. “If we can help, that’s a win.”

What Quasar Does Differently

At Quasar, the depth of our in-house expertise and integration into the engineering team sets our firm apart. Seasoned fire protection specialists with more than 20 years of experience work closely alongside mechanical, electrical, ICAT and plumbing disciplines, developing full design specs and hydraulic calculations. It results in a much smoother experience for clients, who don’t have to coordinate across firms to secure approvals.

The approach our team takes is that fire protection isn’t a system to design around. It’s a system to design with, from a project’s earliest stages through occupancy. Early engagement on a project changes what is possible. A full design and calculation package takes real time to develop and getting it right the first time avoids costly rework later.

At Quasar, we believe the best time to solve a problem is before it becomes one. That’s why our client-focused approach is all about catching potential issues early, when there’s still time to make adjustments.

On a recent project, our team was reviewing fire hydrant flow test results from the City when we discovered that the available street pressure wouldn’t support the building’s needs. The multi-storey facility included a large, high-piled storage area attached to a truck bay; a combination that comes with significant requirements under National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes.

The finding meant the building needed a considerably larger fire pump than originally planned. Fortunately, we caught it during design development, well ahead of permitting. This gave the client time to adjust the fire pump room size and budget before the changes became more difficult and costly to accommodate.

It’s a great example of why early coordination matters: a little extra attention upfront can save a lot of time, money, and headaches down the road.

“I’m glad we caught it early,” says Jessica Potvin. “The client is thankful, and they understand.”