Originally built in 1904, the Guinness Storehouse is one of the most popular and iconic locations in Dublin. It has seven floors built around a large, pint glass-shaped atrium that would hold just over 14 million pints if it were filled. MSA were hired to develop and implement a solution for the Guinness Storehouse’s major fire safety challenges.
Originally built in 1904, the Guinness Storehouse is one of the most popular and iconic locations in Dublin. It has seven floors built around a large, pint glass-shaped atrium that would hold just over 14 million pints if it were filled. The storehouse also features beautiful original steelwork and flooring.
MSA were hired to develop and implement a solution for the Guinness Storehouse’s major fire safety challenges. If a fire were to break out and spread throughout the building, it would prove catastrophic for Guinness’s business. However, applying modern fire protection products such as intumescent paint would prove expensive and negatively impact the building’s character.
Since the Guinness Storehouse’s steelwork and flooring needed to remain exposed (i.e. not covered by fire protection), MSA performed an exhaustive fire severity analysis to work around these limitations. We spent several months studying how fires could develop and spread within the building.
When MSA had enough information, we created and implemented an innovative, sophisticated solution that included smoke detection systems and sprinklers. With these systems in place, smoke on the ground and second level can be removed without spreading higher. Smoke on levels three through five will flow into the atrium and out through the roof.
In this way, we were able to save Guinness a considerable amount of money while keeping the storehouse and its visitors safe. In addition to developing our smoke control solution, MSA worked with Guinness to increase the storehouse’s capacity safely.
We undertook a feasibility study to see whether more people could be let in without adding new ways of leaving the building (i.e. building more staircases). MSA’s work on the Guinness Storehouse is ongoing. The results of our feasibility study showed that the building’s capacity could be increased under the new British Standard 9999. We’re currently working with Guinness to see how more people can visit this Dublin landmark at a time.