NAREDCO partners with FSAI to enhance fire safety in India’s real estate sector

by Associations and OrganisationsFeatured News

Collaboration to improve fire safety and security standards

As reported by the Hindustan Times, the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Fire and Security Association of India (FSAI).

The agreement, announced on 5th October 2024, aims to improve fire safety, life safety, and security standards across India’s real estate sector.

The partnership is intended to encourage the sharing of knowledge, technical expertise, and advancements in fire protection and security systems.

G Hari Babu, National President of NAREDCO, said: “The MoU with FSAI establishes a more integrated approach to real estate development in Delhi.

The combined efforts of both organizations will enhance building safety, streamline regulations, and promote sustainable practices in India’s urban growth.”

Focus on knowledge sharing and technical advancements

A key objective of the partnership is the facilitation of knowledge exchange between NAREDCO and FSAI, particularly in the areas of fire safety, life safety, and security technologies.

Through this collaboration, both organisations seek to improve safety protocols in real estate projects by implementing the latest technological advancements.

Joint initiatives such as workshops, seminars, and conferences will be organised to keep members informed about new developments and best practices in fire and security systems.

These programs will help raise awareness and elevate safety standards across the industry.

Establishing global benchmarks for safety standards

In addition to knowledge sharing, NAREDCO and FSAI aim to set industry standards for fire and life safety systems in real estate developments.

The MoU outlines that these standards will align with global benchmarks, ensuring that the Indian real estate sector adheres to internationally recognised safety protocols.

Saurab Aggarwal, President of FSAI, highlighted the importance of the partnership, stating: “Partnering with NAREDCO is a crucial step for enhancing fire safety in Delhi’s real estate sector.

“Together, we aim to create safer environments for residents and workers, ensuring that safety becomes an integral part of every development.”

Promoting networking and industry collaboration

Another aspect of the MoU is the promotion of membership networking.

NAREDCO and FSAI plan to foster collaboration among their members by encouraging active participation in initiatives focused on enhancing safety and security.

This network will aim to build a strong community dedicated to improving fire and life safety standards in India’s growing real estate sector.

Both organisations intend to work closely with government agencies and industry stakeholders to enhance regulations and promote the safety of the built environment.

This initiative is expected to lead to safer living and working conditions across the country.

NAREDCO partners with FSAI to enhance fire safety in India’s real estate sector: Summary

The National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) has signed an MoU with the Fire and Security Association of India (FSAI) to improve fire safety, life safety, and security standards in India’s real estate sector.

Announced on 5th October 2024, the partnership aims to facilitate knowledge sharing and promote technical advancements in fire protection and security systems.

Both organisations will collaborate on industry standards that align with global benchmarks and will conduct joint programs to educate members on best practices.

This initiative is expected to enhance building safety regulations and promote safer environments across India.

Securing India’s Safety

by Featured NewsSafety

Ajit Raghavan, National President of the Fire & Security Association of India (FSAI) discusses the aims of the organisation

The Fire & Security Association of India (FSAI) is committed to making ‘Surakshit Bharat’ – a Safe and Secure India – a reality.

Established in 2002, FSAI represents the fire protection, life safety, security, and loss prevention sectors, underpinned by over 8500 members from leading global and Indian corporations.

Our mission is to position life safety and security as critical aspects of the country’s economic development.

To that end, we work closely with government bodies and stakeholders, fostering a collaborative environment to help the Indian Fire and Security industry attain global pre-eminence.

FSAI is proud of its 24 active chapters, inclusive of student chapters, spread across the length and breadth of the country.

We are committed to raising awareness and understanding of fire safety and security systems, underlining their importance in our daily lives.

Our members are our strength. They uphold the highest levels of professionalism, integrating fire safety, security, and services into the fabric of life safety.

They balance the right to information while respecting privacy and adhere to all regulations in the conduct of business.

To accomplish our goals, we employ a five-strategy approach: societal education, governmental partnership, global quality standard encouragement, talent pool expansion, and continuous member engagement.

FSAI is determined to uphold its values and mission to establish a safer India.

With safety as an index of our nation’s growth, we aspire to foster a world-leading safe and secure environment for all.

This exclusive article was originally published in the August 2023 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

IFSJ Influencer: Ajit Raghavan, National President, FSAI

by Featured NewsIFSJ Influencers
National President of the Fire & Security Association of India, Ajit Raghavan, shares his views and predictions for the fire and safety industry for the year ahead

India has seen a surge in demand driven by the rising construction of smart homes and buildings in the residential and commercial sectors, enforcement of NBC 2016 by several governments and extensive media coverage of recent fire-related incidents.

Part 4 of the National Building Code (NBC) of India, 2016, ‘Fire and Life Safety’ is quite comprehensive and covers the requirements for fire prevention, life safety in relation to fire and fire protection of buildings. The code specifies occupancy-wise classification, constructional aspects, egress requirements and protection feature that are necessary to minimise danger to life and property from fire. NBC Part 4 also specifies guidelines for drills and evacuations for high-rise buildings and mandates the appointment of a qualified fire officer.

Challenges

Fire service is a state subject and has been included as a municipal function in the XII schedule of the Constitution. In many states, municipal corporations and local bodies are responsible for providing fire services. Hence, adoption of NBC 2016 guidelines is left to the state thereby resulting in a lack of Uniform fire safety legislation.

There is an overall gap of more than 65% in terms of number of Fire Stations in the entire country. Furthermore, attendance time, fire cover and rescue operations are exacerbated by delays in reaching buildings, especially tall buildings often located in densely populated and congested urban areas with traffic gridlock.

Developments

BIS has been harmonizing its standards with the standards of ISO by adopting these standards as Indian standards.

National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) has accredited UL’s Fire Laboratory in India called UL – Jain Fire Laboratory (UL-JFL), the first-of-its-kind facility the company established as a joint venture with the Jain University in 2016.

UL–JFL will support the fire protection manufacturing community in India with globally renowned capabilities at affordable cost.

Issues

Design criteria stipulated in BIS standards for fire protection, normally adopted by government organisations, differ from NFPA or BS/EN/ISO standards. Most of the consultants do not specify fire rated cable for general power systems, HVAC, fire alarm, security, and communications systems for the DCOA (Designated critical operations areas) to ensure that the cable will continue to operate in the presence of a fire, also identified as Circuit Integrity Cable.

Pre-formatted checklists are not available in current IS codes to instil confidence on the effectiveness of the FP systems provided and most importantly personnel associated with inspection, testing and maintenance are not trained to the required level of competence for evaluating system performance.

The Fire Suraksha Index (FSI) formulated by Fire and Security Association of India (FSAI) is a fire rating that has been introduced wherein the building owners can fulfil the compliance requirements stipulated in the FSI guidelines and earn a rating for the fire and life safety quotient of the building. This will augur well for the fire and life safety of the building occupants.

About the influencer

Ajit Raghavan has spent more than 30 years in the Fire, Security, Cable & Engineering Industry in the Asia & Middle East Regions. Currently he is the National President (2022-24) of Fire & Security Association of India (FSAI). He was the National Secretary of FSAI in 2007-08 & 2015-2016. He is also on the Bureau of Indian Standards committee CED 22: Fire Fighting Sectional Committee & CED 36: Fire Safety Sectional Committee.

This article was originally published in the November edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.