Smart Buildings Systems for Architects, Owners and Builders

as determined by Underwriters Laboratories testing and listing guidelines for
use as a fire alarm notifier.
Fire alarm notification devices include, but are not limited to, the following:

n Bells

n Chimes

n Horns

n Speakers

n Strobes, including strobe lights combined with other devices

Monitoring

There are two fire alarm system classes:

1. A protected premise system, which is a single building or campus of
   buildings under control of one owner and protected by a single system
   where the system is monitored locally or remotely by the owner


2. A supervised station system, which is much like a protected premise sys-
   tem except that the system is continuously monitored by a third-party
   security or central monitoring company; monitoring is addressed in
   the following ways:
    Local monitoring—When activated, a local alarm announces an
   alarm in the area that it covers
    Remote monitoring—When activated, a local alarm will be monitored
   remotely by building or campus personnel through a communica-
   tions network
    Supervised station—When activated, a local alarm will be monitored
   by an offsite company that provides recording, supervision and man-
   agement of the fire alarm system

Communications and IP

The fire alarm system must call out in case of alarm. The NFPA code requires
that a fire alarm’s digital alarm communicator/transmitters (DACTs) be
connected to two independent means of communication to a supervising sta-
tion. Traditional fire alarm communications have used two dedicated phone
lines to call out to a supervising station or a primary telephone line with the

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