Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association

Of all the roles the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) has, one of the least appreciated is our role in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards process. The process that NFPA uses is designed to be very egalitarian and to give all the stakeholders in the fire protection community …

How Can AFSA Assist You? One of the many benefits of your AFSA membership is access to AFSA”s Technical Services Department and its archives of Informal Interpretations. Have you taken advantage of it? In 2015, members saved over $80,000 and 200 hours on jobs by putting AFSA’s Technical Services staff …

Skilled Labor Shortage Intensifies; Myths Debunked About Misunderstood Workforce FMI Corp., a leading provider of investment banking and management consulting services for the engineering and construction industry, recently released two reports: its “2015 Talent Development Survey in the Construction Industry” and “Millennials in Construction – Learning to Engage a New Workforce.” …

Did you ever sign a document without reading the small print? Personally, I have always thought that the small print was designed to keep attorneys well funded, because the only time small print is important is when it is violated. The primary concern about your insurance policy or contract small …

AFSA Recognizes Mr. Sprinkler Fire Protection The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) has awarded Quality Contractor recognition to Mr. Sprinkler Fire Protection, Roseville, California. The Quality Contractor (QC) program was launched to publicly recognize and honor fire sprinkler contracting firms that have documented their commitment in four key areas of …

Business Conditions Show Continued Strength in Some Regions As has been the case a few times already in 2015, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) dipped in November 2015. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine- to 12-month lead time between architecture billings and construction …

The Outlook for 2016 In 2010 I authored an article for Sprinkler Age regarding international opportunities for American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) contractors. As you recall, at the beginning of 2010 we were in the midst of the economic crisis that is referred to as the “Great Recession.” I wrote …

Weighing the Differences For most sprinkler projects the building structure is of sufficient design and capacity to allow hanging of sprinkler components directly to the structure. Structural engineers take into account loads imposed on the structure by the sprinkler system and calculate them into the building design. Safety factors are …

Steady Economic Recovery Forecasted Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) forecasts a continued steady economic recovery for the U.S. commercial and industrial construction industries in 2016. Despite a weak global economy, the industry’s solid economic recovery in 2015 should continue in 2016, led by strong consumer spending. “As the mid-phase of …

Informal Interpretations Save Members Time, Money The informal interpretations featured in this issue of Sprinkler Age address obstruction concerns. AFSA’s informal interpretations are provided to AFSA members by Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services Roland Huggins, a P.E. registered in fire protection engineering; Director of Technical Program Development Phill …