Smoke Control System for High-Rise Buildings in Japan

A smoke exhaust system must be installed basically in all high-rise buildings in Japan, in order to eliminate smoke and gas from combustible materials and ensure safe evacuation effectively. However, a new problem, i.e., the difficulty of opening and closing doors when a smoke exhaust fan is operating, has occurred since air-tightness has been improved in high-rise buildings. There are therefore many cases recently where a pressurized smoke control system is adopted. In this paper, the basic concept of this system is described and the pressurized smoke control system that is used in Harumi Triton Square, one of the largest high-rise buildings in Japan.