Smoke Ventilation and Smoke Control Systems
EBSA NZ designs, supplies and supports automated opening systems used in smoke ventilation and smoke control applications for commercial buildings across New Zealand. These systems may include automated windows, façade openings, roof openings, operable louvres, smoke ventilation control panels, fire alarm interfaces and project-specific control logic.
Smoke ventilation and smoke control systems are normally part of a wider fire safety strategy developed by the project fire engineer, mechanical engineer and design team. EBSA NZ’s role is to support the automated opening system that may form part of that compliant solution, including product selection, control panel coordination, integration requirements and commissioning support.
Depending on the project design, automated openings may be used for smoke relief, smoke exhaust support, make-up air, stair pressurisation relief, fire alarm-controlled opening, fire-mode override or combined natural ventilation and smoke ventilation operation.
Why smoke control matters
Smoke is a primary life-safety hazard in building fires. It can obscure escape routes, expose occupants to toxic gases and heat, affect firefighting access and contribute to heat build-up within the building.
Smoke ventilation and smoke control systems are used to support the fire safety strategy by managing the movement, relief or exhaust of smoke and hot gases where required by the project design. Depending on the building, this may assist occupant evacuation, support firefighting operations, provide make-up air, relieve pressure or help manage smoke spread between zones.
Automated windows, louvres and façade openings can form part of this strategy when they are correctly selected, controlled, interfaced and commissioned as part of the wider fire engineering and mechanical services design.
Smoke ventilation and smoke control in New Zealand buildings
Smoke management is an important part of fire safety design. In New Zealand commercial buildings, smoke ventilation, smoke relief, make-up air, stair pressurisation relief or mechanical smoke control functions may be required as part of the project fire strategy, consented fire design, mechanical services design or building compliance documentation.
Automated windows, louvres and façade openings can form part of this strategy where the project design requires controlled openings to operate during a fire event or smoke control mode. The final arrangement depends on the fire engineering design, building layout, smoke control strategy, fire alarm interface, cause-and-effect matrix, mechanical services requirements, power supply, opening geometry and commissioning process.
Relevant design references may include the New Zealand Building Code Clause C Protection from Fire, C/AS2, C/VM2, AS 1668.1, NZS 4512, AS/NZS 3000, the project fire engineering report, the mechanical services design, the electrical services design and the building’s compliance schedule requirements.
EBSA NZ does not determine whole-building fire compliance or the performance of a stair pressurisation or mechanical smoke control system. Our role is to design, supply and support the automated opening system that may form part of the project’s smoke ventilation or smoke control solution. Final suitability should be reviewed by the project fire engineer, mechanical engineer and approval authority, then confirmed through the applicable inspection, commissioning and maintenance process.
Relevant standards, design references and compliance pathway
The applicable compliance pathway depends on the building type, risk group, fire strategy and consented design. Some projects may follow an Acceptable Solution pathway, while others may require a Verification Method or project-specific alternative solution supported by fire engineering.
| Reference | Typical relevance to automated smoke ventilation or smoke control openings |
|---|---|
| NZ Building Code Clause C | Primary Building Code clause area for protection from fire, including movement to a place of safety, smoke obscuration, internal fire and smoke spread, and firefighting considerations. |
| C/AS2 | Acceptable Solution for buildings other than risk group SH. It may be relevant to the project fire strategy, fire safety systems, escape routes, internal fire and smoke spread, and smoke control in air-handling systems. |
| C/VM2 | Verification Method pathway commonly associated with fire engineering analysis and project-specific fire safety design where an Acceptable Solution pathway is not used or is not sufficient. |
| AS 1668.1 | Key design reference for fire and smoke control in multi-compartment buildings, including mechanical smoke control and pressurisation-related strategies where referenced by the project design pathway. |
| NZS 4512 | Relevant to fire detection and alarm systems, fire alarm interfaces, ancillary outputs, smoke detection, cause-and-effect coordination and control signals used to initiate smoke control operation. |
| AS/NZS 3000 | Relevant to electrical installation requirements, power supply, cabling and electrical coordination for connected control equipment. |
| Compliance schedule and BWoF requirements | Relevant where the installed system is a specified system requiring ongoing inspection, maintenance, testing and reporting to remain effective over the life of the building. |
These references should be interpreted and applied by the appropriate project consultants. EBSA NZ can assist with the automated opening equipment, control panel selection, interface coordination and commissioning support associated with the openings under our scope.
What a smoke ventilation control system can include
A smoke ventilation or smoke control system is more than an actuator connected to a window. The system normally includes the opening element, electric drive, control panel, monitored inputs, fire-mode logic, power supply, cabling, interfaces and commissioning requirements.
| System element | Typical role |
|---|---|
| Window drives | Operate compatible awning windows, casement windows, façade openings, roof windows or other suitable opening elements where selected for the project application. |
| Rack and pinion drives | Provide robust opening force for larger, heavier or externally exposed openings where suitable for the smoke ventilation arrangement. |
| Smoke ventilation control panels | Manage power, inputs, outputs, battery-backed operation where required, fire-mode control and project-specific cause-and-effect requirements. |
| Fire alarm interface | Receives signals from the fire alarm or fire indicator panel to initiate the required smoke control response. |
| Manual controls and overrides | Allow authorised operation, testing or override where required by the fire strategy, control design or maintenance procedures. |
| Mechanical or BMS interface | Allows coordination with smoke exhaust fans, stair pressurisation systems, make-up air systems, mechanical plant or building control systems where required. |
| Commissioning and testing | Confirms that the installed system operates in accordance with the agreed fire-mode logic, interface requirements and project documentation. |
Typical smoke control functions
The required smoke control function depends on the project fire strategy and the role of each automated opening. EBSA NZ can assist with selecting and coordinating the automated opening equipment needed to support the specified function.
| Function | Typical purpose |
|---|---|
| Smoke ventilation opening control | Opens selected windows, louvres or façade elements when required by the fire-mode sequence. |
| Smoke relief or smoke exhaust support | Provides controlled opening area to assist smoke relief or exhaust strategies where included in the project fire design. |
| Make-up air opening control | Opens selected façade elements to support air replacement requirements for smoke exhaust or mechanical smoke control systems. |
| Stair pressurisation relief or pressure control support | Provides controlled relief openings or make-up air openings associated with stair pressurisation or pressure control strategies where specified by the fire engineer or mechanical engineer. EBSA NZ supports the automated opening system; the pressurisation strategy and performance requirements remain part of the project fire and mechanical design. |
| Fire alarm-controlled operation | Responds to fire alarm inputs, fire zone signals, ancillary outputs or agreed cause-and-effect logic. |
| Battery-backed smoke ventilation control | Supports operation during a fire-mode event where the selected control panel and project requirements include battery-backed operation. |
| Mechanical services interface | Coordinates automated openings with smoke exhaust fans, make-up air systems, stair pressurisation systems, dampers, BMS signals or other mechanical plant where required by the project design. |
| Combined natural ventilation and smoke ventilation | Allows the same opening system to support day-to-day ventilation and fire-mode operation where the design, products and control strategy are suitable. |
Automated openings used for smoke ventilation
Automated smoke ventilation systems can use several types of operable building elements. The correct selection depends on the opening type, required free area, wind exposure, temperature exposure, actuator load, mounting details, façade design, access for maintenance and the requirements of the fire strategy.
- Automated awning windows.
- Automated casement windows.
- High-level façade openings.
- Roof windows and smoke ventilation openings.
- Operable glass louvres.
- External louvre or façade ventilation elements.
- Dedicated smoke relief or make-up air openings.
Not every automated opening or natural ventilation product is suitable for smoke control use. Product suitability, actuator selection, control panel type, power supply, wiring arrangement, approval pathway and maintenance requirements should be reviewed early in the project.
Control panels, fire-mode logic and interfaces
The control panel is central to the smoke ventilation system. It receives the required inputs, manages power to the drives and applies the agreed fire-mode logic for the selected opening groups.
For simpler systems, this may involve a smoke ventilation control panel responding to fire alarm inputs and operating a defined group of windows, louvres or façade openings. For more complex projects, a project-specific CPS-M control panel can support advanced grouping, feedback, programmed control logic and integration with other building systems.
Smoke control interfaces may include fire alarm signals, fire zone inputs, ancillary outputs, manual controls, smoke exhaust fans, make-up air systems, stair pressurisation systems, BMS signals, mechanical plant interlocks, fault monitoring, test controls and maintenance controls. The exact cause-and-effect sequence should be confirmed by the project design team and tested during commissioning.
Where AS 1668.1, NZS 4512 or project-specific fire engineering documentation applies to the wider system, EBSA NZ can coordinate the automated opening controls with the required interface points. EBSA NZ does not replace the role of the fire engineer, mechanical engineer, fire alarm contractor or approval authority in confirming the overall smoke control strategy.
Combined natural ventilation and smoke ventilation
Some buildings use the same automated windows, louvres or façade openings for both day-to-day natural ventilation and smoke control-related functions. This can be efficient, but it requires careful system design because normal ventilation operation and fire-mode operation have different priorities.
In normal mode, the system may respond to wall switches, temperature, CO2, rain, wind, time schedules or BMS inputs. In fire mode, the system may need to ignore normal ventilation commands and operate according to the fire alarm input, cause-and-effect sequence or smoke control strategy.
Where a combined system is used, EBSA NZ can assist with actuator selection, control panel architecture, interface coordination and commissioning support. The fire-mode function should be clearly defined in the fire strategy, control matrix, electrical design and commissioning documentation.
Project coordination considerations
Smoke ventilation and smoke control systems should be coordinated early. The required opening area, actuator type, panel location, power supply, cabling route, fire alarm interface, manual control requirements and access for future inspection can all affect the final system design.
For commercial projects, EBSA NZ can assist with reviewing:
- opening type, opening size, sash weight and opening geometry;
- required actuator force, stroke, mounting and bracket arrangement;
- control panel selection and actuator load;
- fire alarm inputs and cause-and-effect requirements;
- smoke ventilation, smoke relief, make-up air or pressure relief functions;
- normal-mode and fire-mode operating priorities;
- natural ventilation and smoke ventilation combined operation;
- interfaces with BMS, smoke exhaust, make-up air, fans or mechanical plant;
- battery backup, monitoring and fault indication requirements where applicable;
- field cabling, access for installation and future maintenance;
- commissioning, test procedures and project documentation;
- project specification content, including EBSA NZ’s Masterspec work section/code where applicable.
Related product groups and system pages
| Related page | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Window Control Panels | Natural ventilation control, smoke ventilation control and project-specific CPS-M control panel solutions. |
| Chain Drives | Compact electric drives for compatible windows and façade openings where suitable for the project application. |
| Rack and Pinion Drives | Robust electric drives for larger, heavier, exposed or demanding opening applications. |
| Sensors and Switches | Manual controls, switches and control inputs used for operation, override, testing or system integration. |
| Window Automation and Control Systems | General overview of automated window systems, drives, panels, sensors and building integration. |
| Natural Ventilation Systems | Automated natural ventilation, mixed-mode ventilation, weather response, sensor control and project-specific ventilation logic. |
Talk to EBSA NZ about smoke ventilation and smoke control
Smoke ventilation and smoke control system selection depends on the fire strategy, opening type, required function, control interfaces, power supply, commissioning requirements and ongoing maintenance obligations. EBSA NZ can assist with reviewing the automated opening system before products are selected, specified or ordered.
Contact EBSA NZ early in the design or coordination process where automated windows, louvres or façade openings are intended to form part of a smoke ventilation or smoke control strategy.
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