I have been a temporary lecturer for the FH (professional school for applied sciences) in Mainz, Germany since the winter term of 2003.
The specialized field of civil engineering under the direction of Prof. Dr. Nagel has brought into being a new studies program called “Technical Building Management.”
In tandem with work this master course of studies teaches the essential features of Facility Management, in technical and economic regard, to the architects and civil engineers.
The modular developed and structured studies make it possible for the students to put their own studies program together and choose from a variety of mandatory and optional courses. The lecture course “Foundation of the fire protection” is one of the mandatory classes to be attended.
The lecture is understood as a seminar in which practical problems are discussed.
This is a great chance for those students who have predominantly been working as architects or civil engineers for many years, to deepen their knowledge or to gain and add experience to their basic knowledge in fire protection. The daily practise shows that the term “fire protection” often leads to confusion, misunderstandings and also to misinterpretation.
The fire protection module gives an overview over the themes of fire prevention and fire fighting and it explains the structural, plant-technical, operational and public fire protection.
Material 1: Structure of fire protection
Besides the basics of the building laws of the country (and the typical national differences), some of the numerous guidelines, such as
Guidelines for the industrial construction (IndBauRL)
Guidelines for the sample- and the management-systems (MLAR)
Guidelines for the venting-system (LüAR) etc.
Guidelines for the areas and fields of the fire brigade
are being introduced and explained in detail.
The DIN 4102 as the “mother” of the fire protection regulation, as well as the VDI, the VDE and the professional associational rules are of course not missing.
Unit-Temperature-Time-Curve (ETK= Einheits-Temperaturzeitkurve) according to DIN 4102-2
The building owner or rather the user of a real estate transfers the responsibility for a smooth operation to the manager of the building. In the most favorable case, the Facility Management not only has an exquisite Catering but it also has the overview over the liability according to the building regulation.
The current dispensation of justice should cause some thinking.
In a judgement of the OLG in Münster, Germany, it reads:
“It accords to the life experience that you actually have to be prepared for a fire at any time.
The circumstance that for decades no fire has broken out in a lot of buildings does not prove that there is no danger; it is simply lucky for the people who are affected and can come to an end at any time.”
