Iliana Papamichael, Compliance & Sustainability Engineer at FirePro, explores sustainable fire suppression systems and their impact on safety, efficiency, and ecological preservation
FirePro, a Halma company, has been a global leader in the design, manufacturing and distribution of Condensed Aerosol Fire Suppression Systems for almost three decades.
In recent years, the escalating challenges in fire prevention and suppression have stressed the urgent need for a reassessment of current practices.
The growing recognition of the catastrophic consequences of inadequate fire management in industrial and building settings has prompted a critical examination of both human behaviour and fire prevention strategies.
The realisation of the potential long-term ecological and socio-economic repercussions has amplified the urgency for more effective, sustainable fire suppression practices.
FirePro and sustainable fire protection
FirePro has made significant strides in developing advanced and sustainable fire suppression systems, emphasising the importance of a holistic approach to its supply chain and production management as well as product distribution.
The physical and chemical characteristics of the FirePro products minimise their impact on the environment.
As health, safety and environment regulations are increasingly rigorous, environmental protection and energy conservation have become a development tendency in fire extinguishing agents.
Green technology
The core of FirePro’s sustainable fire suppression systems, the solid aerosol forming compound (FPC), converts to an aerosol agent, which unlike conventional systems does not rely on gas storage tanks or water piping for its deployment.
This innovation results in reduced material usage and replacement in production, installation and maintenance, thus offering less impact across different categories (raw material usage, air, soil and water pollution etc.) which is beneficial for the product’s life cycle.
As ozone depleting chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) are not being released during the aerosol agent discharge, both ozone depletion potential and global warming potential are minimal aiding in climate change mitigation and climate stability.
In addition, the active extinguishing agent’s negligible Atmospheric Lifetime (ALT) results in minimal environmental burden of the surrounding building and area under investigation.
Extended lifetime and waste management
FirePro’s Sustainable Fire Suppression products have a certified 15-year life span (UL, KIWA, VDS, LPCB).
The non-frequent disposal and end-of-life treatment coupled with the recyclable composition of the products, aid with the reduction of waste production beyond the boundaries of the establishments and in the hands of the users.
Green labelling
The FirePro Sustainable Fire Suppression Products are also certified to carry the Green Label, following the assessment by GEN (Global Eco-labelling Network), a leading network of the world’s most credible and robust ecolabels.
GEN set of requirements addresses multiple environmental criteria across the life cycle of a product or service and, most importantly, they are transparent in their development process and employ independent, third-party verification.
Additionally, FirePro manufactures its products according to stringent international standards and requirements for quality, safety and environmental management.
FirePro’s ISO 14001 certificate (issued by DNV) is testimony that FirePro adopts a systemic approach to handling environmental issues within the organisation.
This proactive approach supports key initiatives aimed at addressing climate change.
These include, among others, efforts to limit global temperature rise to less than 1.5°C as outlined in the Paris Agreement, as well as advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as SDG 13 on climate action, SDG 9 on industrial innovation, SDG 11 on sustainable cities and others.
Can fire suppression technology support environmental sustainability?
The development of environmentally friendly fire suppression systems addresses growing concerns about the ecological impact of traditional fire protection methods.
Conventional fire suppression agents, such as Halons and various Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), have been effective in extinguishing fires but pose significant environmental challenges.
These substances contribute to ozone layer depletion and have high global warming potentials, which exacerbate climate change and environmental degradation.
Companies like FirePro have introduced alternative technologies aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of fire suppression.
FirePro’s Condensed Aerosol Fire Suppression generators utilise potassium salts instead of harmful chemicals.
This approach results in systems with minimal ozone depletion potential and minimal global warming potential, aligning with international environmental agreements like the Montreal Protocol.
By avoiding fluorinated gases, these systems help mitigate the contribution to climate change.
Steps ahead
Sustainability reporting has evolved from being a non-essential, optional task to a critical requirement, driven by growing interest from investors, consumers and distributors, along with stricter regulations and more detailed reporting standards.
However, there is often a misconception of what sustainability entails.
Known by the scientific community as ‘the three pillars’ of sustainability (environment, society and economy) should be addressed equally.
Acknowledging this, FirePro has shifted its perspective and view on sustainability reporting as not just as a compliance obligation but as an opportunity to evaluate and improve its operations and revenue.
By default, FirePro technology contributes to community safety by providing advanced fire suppression systems that protect lives, property and critical infrastructure.
By minimising fire risks, FirePro enhances societal well-being, ensuring safer environments for communities worldwide.
Benchmarking through key performance indicators and transparent reporting of the results has created a unified data ecosystem, ensuring data centralisation.
In this regard, with a solid data infrastructure in place, FirePro has initiated data analysis for the extraction of valuable insights and actionable goals, going beyond simple reporting.
Reconsidering and investing in more sophisticated sustainability reporting delivers operational efficiencies by identifying inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement.
Sustainability is, after all, a continuous process of refinement that, when strategically implemented, drives innovation.
Viewing legislation as a guideline rather than a constraint enables organisations to lead by example and stay ahead of evolving standards.
At FirePro, we are redefining fire suppression through a steadfast commitment to sustainability, innovation and community safety.
As industry leaders, we are committed in shaping a safer and more sustainable future for generations to come.
Explore how our cutting-edge solutions and values-driven approach make a difference by visiting our website today.