Now the average dormitory room can be protected with a single sprinkler. Other advances include the development of special plastic sprinkler piping that makes retrofits easier and less costly. Also, the residential sprinkler that was first developed approximately twenty years ago specifically to assure that people trapped in a fire where they live have sufficient time to escape. Obviously, the installation cost to retrofit a building would depend on the design requirements and construction features of each building. The existing standpipes could be used to supply water for the sprinklers.
Students view dormitories and student housing as their home away from home.
In fact, the home is the most dangerous of all places in a fire. Simply stated, the single best way to assure fire protection and safety of building occupants from a fire is the installation of automatic sprinkler protection. Having said this, I feel compelled to raise another issue that would create a severe financial hardship should automatic sprinkler protection be required in college dormitories and student housing. The issue is water supply stand-by charges. Water supply stand-by charges are fees assessed by water providers for the privilege of having your sprinkler system hooked up to the water supply system.