Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis is one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. In 2013, Novartis had the highest sales of any other publically traded pharmaceutical company. They develop many different forms of prescription medication, including the manufacturing of life-saving medication for millions of people. They also produce various over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, including Excedrin and Theraflu. Novartis is also values itself on providing medication to the world’s poor segments, showing up regular at the top of the Access to Medicine Index
Zari Consulting Group has provided many different fire protection engineering and building code consulting services for Novartis, including fire alarm, smoke control, fire sprinkler, risk analysis, building code, and fire code consultation.
Our fire alarm system consulting included the following:
- Conducting a survey to determine existing conditions of the fire alarm systems. The survey also included an evaluation of components of related systems connected to the existing fire alarm system (Energy Management System, elevator recall, fire/smoke damper, HVAC, etc.).
- Review of existing plans, testing reports, and other as-built documents.
- Preparation of a preliminary report detailing the results of the site surveys, identifying the following:
A. Description of the existing system.
B. Evaluation of the existing system, including the following:
- Sequence of Operations
- New device and appliance capability and availability
- NAC and SLC wiring
- Existing permits and testing certificates
- Expandability for additional devices
- HVAC, damper and smoke control integration
- FM200 system integration
- NFPA 72 and building code requirements
- Recommendations and options of value engineering for upgrades, including the use of non-proprietary fire alarm system components, and vendor service support.
- Developing a basis of design to conform to the project requirements and identified fire protection/life safety standards.
- Preparing preliminary specifications for the fire alarm system. Specifications included Novartis standards and consisted of Technical Sections.
- Preparing fire alarm system design drawings in accordance with Novartis standards and other applicable codes. The drawings showed fire alarm device locations, riser locations, panel locations, and the location of connections to the sprinkler system, etc.
- Witnessing the final acceptance tests of the fire alarm system and preparation of a test report identifying deficiencies.
Our building code consulting services included the following:
- Compiling the most recent set of mechanical and architectural building and renovation drawings into a single Master drawing. The drawing was used for the new fire alarm system layout, the LED display for the new Fire Alarm Control Unit, and a new egress analysis plan.
- Coordinating architectural renovation drawings with the architect(s) of record.
- Coordinating mechanical renovation drawings with the mechanical contractor.
- Performing a site wide egress analysis (on a room-by-room basis) of the facility for the purpose of determining the required exit locations.
- Review of the most recent architectural egress drawing for the facility, including renovated areas.
- Conducting a site survey to determine the locations of existing exit signage and coordinating with existing drawings.
- Conducting a site survey to identify security doors, where they are being used as a portion of the required means of egress. If these doors were maintained locked in the direction of the means of egress, they were activated to unlock by the fire alarm system in the event of a fire. Zari Consulting Group integrated this feature in the new fire alarm system design.
- Confirming occupant loads for each room based on the occupancy classification.
- Issue an updated exiting drawing, showing the locations where exit signs were provided or removed from the field.