There is an economic case for fitting sprinklers in homes, according to a new study by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The study looked at data between 2002 and 2005 and found that, taking into account the cost of installing and maitaining sprinkler systems in homes, there is a net benefit after subtracting the costs of lives saved, injuries avoided and property damage prevented.
NIST looked at multi-purpose sprinkler systems which are combined with the plumbing in a house.
Three years ago, a UK study came to the opposite conclusion. According to the European Fire Sprinkler Network, the largest differences between the two studies are the value placed on a life (almost $8million in 2005 in the US compared to $2.5million in 2003 in the UK) and the cost of the system ($656-1,621 in the US against $3,300 in the UK).
Commenting on the different findings, Alan Brinson, director of the European Fire Sprinkler Network said: “The cost of the system and the sum society is prepared to pay to save a life are of course the most important numbers in any such calculation. I believe that it is time to have another look at the British numbers.”Benefit-Cost Analysis of Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems can be downloaded at www.bfrl.nist.gov
