ENFE603-25X (C) General non-calendar-based 2025

Fire Safety Systems

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 23 June 2025
End Date: Sunday, 16 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 6 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 5 October 2025

Description

Fire detection and alarm systems. Suppression systems. Fire extinguishment. Smoke control systems. Integration of fire safety systems with building services.

Fire safety systems (ENFE603) is given at the University of Canterbury in semester 1. The course is given as mixed course, i.e., includes both on-line and in classroom activities. Classroom and laboratory activities are scheduled for 3 consecutive days in the beginning of the course and 3 consecutive days at the end of the course, i.e., ENFE603 is a block course.  

After completion of the course, you will have an in-depth understanding of fire safety systems. The main focus is on systems for fire detection, fire suppression and smoke management. By combining and applying knowledge gained in ENFE603 and past courses, you will be able to analyse, evaluate, and design selected fire safety systems. More information about the learning outcomes can be found in the course plan, which is available at http://learn.canterbury.ac.nz (herby called LEARN).

Prerequisites

ENGR403 or subject to approval of the Head of Department

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Intensive Block Course A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 09:00 - 17:00 FENZ Engineering Facility - Henderson Room
30 Jun - 6 Jul
18 Aug - 24 Aug
Intensive Block Course B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00 FENZ Engineering Facility - Henderson Room
30 Jun - 6 Jul
18 Aug - 24 Aug
Intensive Block Course C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00 FENZ Engineering Facility - Henderson Room
30 Jun - 6 Jul
18 Aug - 24 Aug

Timetable Note

Lab exercises:

There are two confirmed lab exercises in the course, namely one computer lab and one fire lab. The lab exercises are:
i) Lab 1 – Sprinkler system calculations
ii) Lab 2 – Sprinkler activation and water discharge

One laboratory exercise (Lab 1) will be performed during the block part of the course (block 1), i.e., in the computer labs at the University of Canterbury. You will do the second laboratory exercise (Lab 2) during the second block part (block 2) of the course. Lab 2 is an experimental laboratory in the fire lab, where you will evaluate sprinkler activation and water discharge from a sprinkler.

The plan for 2020 is to introduce a third laboratory exercise about smoke spread in ventilation systems (Lab 3). Lab 3 will be performed during the second block part of the course (block 2).

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Aatif Khan

Lecturers

Andres Valencia and Daniel Nilsson

Lab Technicians

Grant Dunlop and Logan Cooper

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Report - Alarm system (auditability) 10%
Report (detection system) 10%
Presentation, Report (Suppresion systems) 15%
Report - Sprinkler system 10%
Report (smoke control system) 10%
Report (pressurisation system) 10%
Lab report (sprinkler activation & water discharge) 5%
Test 30%


There are a number of activities that are compulsory and need to be completed in order to pass. Not all activities contribute to your final grade, but you still need to complete all in order to pass the course.

Activities that need to be completed, but that do not contribute to the final grade:

Lab 1 – Sprinkler system calculations Calculation results
Lab 3 – Ventilation system calculations (tentative) Calculation results
Quiz – Detection
Quiz – Suppression
Quiz – Sprinkler

There will be one test in the course. The test will be performed during block 2 of the course. It will cover everything covered in the course up to the time of the test. The test can include theoretical questions and calculation questions.

Textbooks / Resources

The literature in the course consists mainly of handbook chapters and some papers. Some of the literature will be published in LEARN, but you need to download some publications yourself using the University of Canterbury library resources.

Notes

Study breaks or holidays

As you are aware this is a full-on programme. It is a big ask to expect so much learning to be crammed into a short period if you are a full-time student. Therefore, it is expected that you will be committed to the programme. This means that when classes are not in session that you will be spending your time studying your course work or working on your research. Think of the term breaks as study breaks and not holidays. It is a good idea to take some time off for relaxation but use the time wisely. During the term breaks there will be some block courses that do not fit into the normal course schedule. If you plan to go away at any time please check with Charley, Tony or Daniel, to avoid any conflicts with your travel plans. One final comment, it is not a good idea to plan a holiday when you are trying to finish your research project.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,268.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Civil and Natural Resources Engineering .

All ENFE603 Occurrences

  • ENFE603-25X (C) General non-calendar-based 2025