FireDNA - Monitoring Passive Fire Products
Innovation overview and development
An overview of the digital innovation
FireDNA is cloud-based Software and a Mobile App that has been developed for everyone involved in Passive Fire Product Manufacture, Installation, Inspection, Management and Maintenance. As well as for those that live and work within environments where passive fire products are installed and have a crucial role to play in fire safety and prevention.
FireDNA software catalogues Manufacturers product data, digitally shares it with Contractors and Installers, who in turn add their installation data, passing that onto Building Owners, FM’s & TMO’s.
That data can then be used by Building Control, Maintenance Teams, Fire Inspectors and viewed by Tenants and Residents alike, with a simple swipe of a smartphone or mobile device.
How the digital innovation was developed, including effective collaboration, knowledge transfer and partnership along the project team
FireDNA is a software development company in the ‘digital twinning’ arena. The company has developed its Passive Fire Product Monitoring Software, App and Mobile Tools over the last 5 years, working closely with Manufacturers, Fire Inspectors, Main and Sub-Contractors, Installers and Fitters of Passive Fire Products, as well as with Building Owners.
FireDNA’s core objective is to facilitate and deliver structured, unambiguous and accessible data, to the right people at the time they need it.
In collaborating with organisations and businesses along the interior fit-out supply chain, we have immersed ourselves in their working practices, and through consultative meetings and software modelling been able to identify and define where the problems and frustrations lie in each of their roles. Here are a couple of ‘pain point’ examples:
– Passive Fire Product Manufacturers have found it extremely difficult to impart critical third party product certification, test evidence and installation data ‘along the chain of responsibility’. Traditional paper-based information often gets discarded amongst the product packaging, or can end up in the hands of the wrong person… and often doesn’t reach the O&M Manual. Without this critical information being readily available to Maintenance Teams and Inspectors, errors or remediation mistakes can be made and more lengthy and intrusive inspections have to be conducted.
– Fire Door Inspectors, as an example, currently have to use multiple online and offline solutions to enable them to audit and inspect assets. This often culminates in having to spend many hours at the end of each day collating their findings. This labour intensive manual process includes having to pull together the failures, recommendations, supporting photography and format that into their own branded document for customers. This current reporting process is extremely time consuming, inefficient and costly.
These ‘pain points’ and many more have been resolved through the use of our digital technology.
Details on the measurable commercial results
FireDNA delivers time efficiencies and cost savings for all user groups.
For Manufacturers, FireDNA streamlines the ‘paper trail’ reducing the need for printed certificates, installation guide and DoPs, saving thousands per annum on printing. Manufacturers’ also get a lot of requests for replacement certificates, where the initial documentation has either been damaged or lost on site. Again, FireDNA overcomes this by storing everything in the cloud. Not only does this eliminate the need for reissuing paper copies, but also allows those that need the documentation to access it when they need it.
For Contractors and Installers FireDNA saves a lot of time and money when it comes to providing evidence that their installations have been performed in accordance with the required level of competency and standards. This is achieved by cataloguing the installation as it’s undertaken. FireDNA enables the installer to photographically capture key aspects along with supporting notes. This is particularly useful where elements of the installation are no longer visible when completed.
A prime example of this being intumescent and filler materials being hidden once architraves have been fitted. If a problem occurs and proof of installation is required then the only way for this to be obtained is by invasive work to gather evidence. This adds time and cost to the inspection and having to make good the invasive work.
For qualified Inspectors FireDNA has shown it can half the time in carrying out surveys and inspections of fire doors compared with their existing methods. In addition, it also negates the need for time intensive paperwork and has shown to save significant time (up to 70%) in creating inspection reports and remedial costing documentation.
In a recent case study on behalf of Mitie for the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service our software was used. The project included inspection and reporting on 9422 fire, across 357 sites, within 547 buildings. As a result FireDNA was instrumental on bringing the project in on time and within budget.
You can read the full case study here:
https://www.fire-dna.com/case-studies/scottish-fire-rescue-service-fire-door-inspections-for-mitie/
Our software also enables Building Owners, FM’s and TMO’s to save considerable time and money on their compliance reporting. They are able to organise quarterly and annual inspections and have the results immediately accessible to digitally share with interested third parties and stakeholders.
The FireDNA Software and Mobile App has recently been deployed by asset management firm BAML to inspect and monitor 25,000 fire doors across 10 of its large London developments including Embassy Gardens in Nine Elms, Wardian London’s iconic two towers in Canary Wharf, Royal Wharf in the Royal Docks area and the Brentford town centre regeneration project adjacent to the River Brent.
With the new Regulation 10 coming into force on the 23rd January 2023, owners of buildings over 11 metres are required to carry out quarterly checks and annual inspections on all doors. BAML will immediately benefit from the cost savings that FireDNA delivers, compared to their existing processes and systems.
(About BAML – BAML is a property management organisation providing customer-focused services to residents in more than 11,000 homes across London. This includes managing the planned maintenance, capital expenditure programmes and financial accounting and onsite services.)
How does this innovation improve processes
FireDNA improves processes by connecting everyone in the chain of responsibility, creating a ‘live digital conduit’, that gets the right information, to the right people, at the time of need. This in turn helps and supports decision making and improves competencies.
Tenants, Residents & Public
FireDNA exists to share critical data and reports, with anyone that lives, works and relaxes alongside passive fire products, installed in homes, offices and leisure environments. If you are a tenant, resident, or member of the public, you’ll be able to simply swipe our QR Code or NFC Tag with your smartphone in order to:
– See if the passive fire products you live with are compliant, safe, and up-to-date
– Find out when inspections were last undertaken and if products have passed or failed
– Access the summary information and talk to your landlord or TMO about their on-going
fire management strategy and maintenance program
Building Owners & Facilities Management
FireDNA digital tools give you total control over all the crucial stages involved in managing the passive fire products within your portfolio. There by ensuring they remain compliant, safe and will ultimately do what they are designed to do, when called upon. Our product can be applied during new fit-out or retrospectively fitted to legacy assets giving you the ability to:
– Track the history and complete supply/installation chain for every tagged product
– Access multiple location datasets 24/7 wherever you are
– View live ‘compliance status’ in real time
– Set-up maintenance and inspection schedules and reminder alerts
– Allow access and/or share data records with other stakeholders and third parties, such as Insurers and Fire Inspectors and Local Authorities
– Keep your Tenants and Leasees updated on current status with our ‘quick scan’ feature
– Interface with other compliance and risk management systems like Meridian
Tenant Management Organisations
FireDNA delivers unambiguous, accurate and transparent passive fire product data. Information is key to keeping you up-to-date with the current status of your buildings and premises, enabling you to confidently report back to your committee and community. FireDNA enables you to keep everyone updated and informed on the fire safety and maintenance requirements of all of your passive fire products, building by building, floor by floor and dwelling by dwelling, which gives you specific data on:
– Where each product was manufactured and by whom
– When it was made and its full production specification and test evidence
– When it was installed, by who, and to what tolerances
– Who approved the installation and signed-it-off
– When it was last inspected, by whom and if the product is still compliant and approved for use
Manufacturers
FireDNA has been designed specifically for manufacturers of passive fire products. We know you want your products to be the best they can be, using the most up-to-date fire resistant ‘tested and certified’ materials, because you know that ultimately your products can help save lives. Our manufacturer module allows you to input your full product ‘DNA’ at time of manufacture. From size, shape, materials, finish, and any specification or installation guidance documents, imagery and test certification, digitally attaching all of this data to each specific product before its packed and despatched, you’ll also be able to:
– Keep a record of every product you manufacture with our QR Code and NFC Tag enablement, using our unique product identification number and ‘digital record’ system
– Track full or part deliveries to site
– Share critical product specifications, installation guides and test evidence, pushing the ‘golden thread’ of information to others in the chain of responsibility
Contractors & Installers
FireDNA gives Contractors and Installers the ability to document and date stamp all of passive fire product installations. Our app will allow you to ‘claim’ ownership of the product from the manufacturer by simply scanning the QR Code or embedded NFC Tag. In doing this you’ll be able to access all of the manufacturer’s product ‘DNA’ data, information sheets, installation guidelines, tolerance standards, specifications and recommendations. This will enable you to guarantee that the product supplied was as specified and to confirm that your assigned fitters have been able to install the product correctly, in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines, making every install fully compliant and safe. Other features also include being able to:
– Import and organise manufacturer data easily in your system
– Attach installation photography and hand-over documentation
– Digitally sign-off installations, and pass your completed installation data and imagery on to your customer as part of their O&M Manual
Maintenance Teams
FireDNA is ideal for Maintenance Teams, providing access up-to-the-minute status of all of the passive fire products within their remit. You’ll not only be able scan every FireDNA enabled product on-site, to get the latest compliance status, but also through your desktop, update any maintenance adjustments or changes that are made to each product, effectively keeping the products ‘live status’ up-to-date at all times. You’ll be able to add photographs of any remedial works as well as PDF’s of any new specifications, or material changes, which confirm that these changes are still in line with the manufacturers guidelines and fire safety test evidence. You’ll also be able to:
– See which team member has performed the remedial works and when
– Automatically notify the building owner when all maintenance procedures are completed and up-to-date
Fire Inspectors
FireDNA records contain critical product information and data vital for Fire Inspectors to be able to evaluate and assess what they are inspecting. Also that ‘in place’ products align with what’s in the digital record, and if any changes or alterations have been made to the initial installation. In addition, if any damage or wear issues have arisen that will affect the performance, structural integrity, or ‘moving part’ componentry that could compromise any fire resistance capabilities. You’ll be able to:
– Check the live status of the product against the original manufacturer’s specifications, guidance and test evidence
– Scan each products QR Code or NFC Tag to instantly see the previous inspection status
– Confirm that the product was installed correctly and if or when any changes have been made to the original product or componentry
– Pass or fail the product based on your latest inspection, and notify the building owner, FM or TMO of why the product has failed
Insurers
FireDNA enabled products can be recommended by Insurers and Underwriters. As an Insurer, you want to know that what’s been specified matches what’s been physically installed…especially when it comes to fire prevention and where proof of compliance are critical to the underwriting of a policy. Recommending FireDNA to your clients in the property ownership or management sectors, will give you the confidence that the information and data you require from them is transparent, up-to-date, easily accessible and the data record date stamped and secure. You’ll be able to:
– Login to your clients’ FireDNA system to view current compliance status 24/7 – with access permissions
– See inspector’s reports, remedial work requirements and pass/fail criteria
– Confirm compliance of materials and standards against current guidelines and legislation
Building Control
FireDNA enabled products can be recommended by Building Control Surveyors and BCO’s. If you’re charged with making sure that any work undertaken complies with the latest building regulations and fire safety standards, then FireDNA enabled products will transform your day-to-day inspections. Again, with a single swipe of your smartphone, you be able to see:
– Where each product was manufactured and by whom
– When it was made and its full production specification and test evidence
– When it was installed, by who, and to what tolerances
– Who approved the installation and signed-it-off
– When it was last inspected, by whom, and if the product is still compliant and approved for use
FireDNA offers so many benefits to all users in one simple, easy-to-use App.
How might this innovation influence the specification
FireDNA enabled products can be specified by architects and designers. As a specifier of passive fire products within the built environment you’ll understand how critical it is to know that the products you are specifying are rigorously tested, accompanied by test evidence, and are fully compliant. You can specify FireDNA enabled products from accredited manufacturers and suppliers, knowing that all of the relevant safety and procedural data and information will be readily available, digitally attached to the product on delivery, and accessible via the cloud. As a specifier you’ll want to know that:
– Products meet the approved BS or ISO standards
– Helps to ensure Architects and Specifiers material and design specifications are adhered to from inception to installation
– Each product comes with a complete set of specifications, guidelines and test certification
– You can confidently inform your client that by specifying FireDNA enabled products ‘the golden thread’ of information can be easily accessed and monitored by everyone in the chain of responsibility.
Creation of novel internal systems to produce eco-innovation
FireDNA doesn’t create any novel internal systems per se, but by its very nature of being a cloud-based digital product, connects everyone in the passive fire product supply chain ‘with a very low carbon footprint’, which we can argue is an eco-innovation approach in itself.
The World Economic Forum in 2021 stated;
“Optimising environmental impacts within operations is very important, but its positive impact will be hindered if similar measures aren’t taken throughout the entire supply chain. Today’s technologies enable us to stay connected with people, systems and things along the way. The use of data-sharing, monitoring and tracking platforms provides both visibility and accountability – in real time – thereby reducing environmental impacts before they are magnified.”
FireDNA helps to reduce the amount of printing and paper usage required (over 9.9 million tonnes of paper used annually in UK) and can also have an input on reducing duplication, waste, and man hours on-site.
Equally, FireDNA is hosted on Azure which is a sustainable cloud infrastructure and as part of Microsoft, has been 100% carbon neutral since 2012.