Lavent adopted as part of the new edition of NFPA 204 guide for smoke and heat venting

At the recent annual meeting of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the membership adopted a new edition of NFPA 204: Guide for Smoke and Heat Venting. The major feature of the new guide is the inclusion of the computer fire model LAVENT (Link Actuated VENTs). This model was developed at NIST during 1987-89 with support from the American Architectural Manufacturers Association Research Foundation as a design tool for sizing building smoke and heat vents. LAVENT was designed to simulate the environment and the response of sprinkler links in compartment fires with draft curtains and fusiblelink-actuated ceiling vents. The adoption of the new 204 guide represents the first time that an NFPA guide or standard has ever included a fully documented computer fire model.

It is anticipated that the adoption of LAVENT in a national consensus standard will have a major impact on fire safety in that it will provide an accepted practice for the design of new venting systems and the evalution of existing systems at a level of detail and sophistication that was not possible previously.