SBIR Phase II: Integrated Fire Modeling Software

This Small Business Innovation Research project will develop an integrated fire modeling software package for use in building design and accident analysis. This will increase public safety by providing widespread access to state-of-the-art fire simulation. Modeling fires using a rigorous scientific approach makes it possible to predict the course of an evolving fire and its impact on the building occupants, contents, and structure. The software will help designers implement new fire safety codes and standards that allow the use of Performance-Based design as an alternative to Rule-Based design. Performance-based design and post-accident analysis offer the potential to reduce injury, loss of life, property damage, and the overall cost of constructing and maintaining buildings through advanced technology. This project will accelerate the introduction of new fire simulation technology into the fire safety industry. In the United States, the total cost of fires is over $100 billion annually, with a loss of more than 4,000 lives. Driven by the availability of the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) from NIST and new performance-based fire safety standards, the fire safety industry is responding to these costs by adopting greater use of fire simulation. As a result, there is an emerging market for fire simulation software that is powerful, yet easy to use. The potential market includes fire safety engineers (design), companies involved in accident review and litigation, Authorities Having Jurisdiction (regulation), and fire service personnel (suppression and investigation).