New research released by Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has highlighted a significant opportunity to improve fire safety in residential buildings across Australia. The Residential Sprinkler Research Report has confirmed that installing fire sprinkler systems in residential buildings under 25 metres in height can dramatically reduce fire spread, preventing up to 90% of fires from moving beyond the room of origin.
The study was a collaboration between FRNSW, Fire Protection Association Australia (FPA Australia), AFAC, CSIRO and wider industry partners. Together, they explored how affordable, reliable sprinkler solutions could address a longstanding gap in fire protection. Under the current National Construction Code (NCC), Class 2 and Class 3 buildings, such as apartments and shared residential accommodation under 25 metres, are not required to have sprinkler systems installed. This leaves thousands of residents at higher risk.
The research also examined two new sprinkler system designs that offer high levels of reliability with lower installation and maintenance costs. These systems simplify connection to building water supplies and reduce complexity without compromising safety. Based on these findings, FPA Australia, FRNSW and AFAC have submitted a formal proposal to the 2019 NCC, calling for mandatory sprinklers in all new Class 2 and 3 buildings up to 25 metres and recommending the adoption of the new system designs under AS 2118.
This issue is not theoretical. The tragic death of 21-year-old Connie Zhang in 2012 highlighted the consequences of insufficient fire protection. Her Bankstown apartment building, measuring just 10 centimetres under the sprinkler requirement threshold, had no automatic suppression system. The NSW Deputy Coroner’s recommendations following the incident were a key catalyst for this research.
The three-year project included world-first testing using a near full-scale residential mock-up at CSIRO’s North Ryde facility. The results clearly demonstrated that modern sprinkler technology can offer a highly effective, practical solution to protect residents, especially in a time when modern furnishings and materials allow fires to spread up to eight times faster than they did 50 years ago.
Alongside this research, FRNSW has updated its smoke alarm advice, now recommending interconnected alarms in every bedroom and living area.
As fire behaviour changes and residential density increases, these findings offer a critical path forward, helping ensure Australians are better protected in their homes.