Summary
Tricel Water successfully delivered an LPCB-approved sprinkler tank installation for a SEN school in Falkenham, with two tanks installed as part of the project.
The project required precise coordination to meet strict safety regulations and the requirements of BS EN 12845 and BS 9251, while also working within a limited installation window during the school holidays and accommodating space constraints in the existing plant room.
Through planning and collaboration with the local M&E contractor, Tricel Water provided a robust fire protection solution designed to enhance life safety and support long-term resilience for the school.
Project Information
At a Glance
A Special Educational Needs school requiring a dependable fire sprinkler water storage solution that could be installed without affecting day-to-day education services.
Education, public-sector infrastructure and fire protection.
Tricel Water worked collaboratively with the project’s mechanical and electrical contractor to coordinate the tank design, technical information, delivery and installation.
The project used a custom sectional GRP sprinkler tank design. The original specification records approximate dimensions of 11m × 3m × 3m or sizing to suit plant-room constraints.
Design, supply and installation of a dedicated GRP sprinkler tank supporting the project’s BS EN 12845 and BS 9251 fire protection requirements.
The project combined demanding fire protection requirements with limited internal space, a short installation programme and the need to avoid disruption during term time.
Q3 2025 – Tank installation completed during the planned school holiday programme.
2025 – Final installation review and project sign-off progressing at the time of publication.
Installation completed, providing the school with a dedicated fire sprinkler water storage solution.
Project Background
Fire Safety Water Storage for a Special Educational Needs School
Tricel Water successfully delivered an LPCB-approved sprinkler tank installation for a UK school, ensuring compliance with BS EN 12845 and BS 9251 standards.
The project required precise coordination to meet strict safety regulations while minimising disruption during term time. The installation programme also had to take account of the school holiday window and space constraints in the existing plant room.
Through planning and collaboration, Tricel provided a robust fire protection solution designed to enhance life safety and support long-term resilience for the facility.
Delivery Approach
Tricel's Engineering and Delivery Approach
The project combined fire protection requirements, restricted plant space and a tightly controlled installation programme. Early technical coordination was therefore central to the delivery strategy.
Bespoke GRP Sectional Tank Design
The GRP sprinkler tank was configured around the available plant room footprint rather than relying on a standard tank arrangement.
Its modular sectional construction enabled the design to make efficient use of the restricted internal space while providing the required dedicated sprinkler water storage.
Compliance-Led Specification
DWG and BIM information was provided to the project team to support consultant review and coordination.
This enabled the proposed tank configuration, dimensions and positioning to be assessed alongside the surrounding building services before installation commenced.
Programme-Led Installation
Site works were planned around the school holiday window.
Coordinating installation outside normal term-time operations reduced disruption to pupils and staff while providing the site team with the access required to complete the works efficiently.
Collaborative Project Delivery
Tricel Water worked closely with the local M&E contractor throughout the project.
Clear coordination between design, manufacture, delivery and installation helped ensure that the tank solution remained aligned with both the fire protection requirements and the wider project programme.
The Brief
Understanding the Challenge
Delivering the sprinkler tank required the project team to address several interconnected challenges.
•Restricted Plant Room Space: The existing plant room provided limited space for a substantial sprinkler water storage tank. The tank therefore needed to be configured around the available footprint rather than forcing the building layout to accommodate a standard design.
•Limited Site Access: An internal plant room installation required careful consideration of how tank components would be brought into the building and assembled on site.
•Fire Protection Compliance: The tank specification needed to support the relevant fire sprinkler system requirements, including LPCB approval and compliance with BS EN 12845 and BS 9251.
•Design Approval: The tank had to be coordinated with the plant room and associated building services before manufacturing. Accurate drawings and technical information were therefore essential.
•Stakeholder Coordination: The school, consultants, mechanical and electrical contractor, delivery teams and installers all needed to work to the same programme and approved design.
Programme
Timeline
Bespoke LPCB-approved GRP sprinkler tank installed within the SEN school’s restricted plant room during the school holiday period.
Final inspection and project sign-off completed following successful installation and technical coordination with the local M&E contractor.
Fire sprinkler water storage solution fully delivered — supporting BS EN 12845 and BS 9251 requirements while avoiding disruption to normal school operations.
Outcome
A Fire Water Storage Solution Delivered Around the School
The sectional tank configuration enabled the required water storage solution to be accommodated within the existing plant room.
An LPCB-approved GRP sprinkler tank was delivered to support the project’s BS EN 12845 and BS 9251 requirements.
Installation was coordinated around the school calendar, allowing the project to progress within the planned programme.
Scheduling the installation outside normal term-time activity prevented disruption to pupils, staff and everyday school operations.
Technical drawings and BIM information supported communication between Tricel Water, the project consultants and the mechanical and electrical contractor.
The completed tank provides dedicated stored water for the school’s fire sprinkler system, strengthening the facility’s long-term fire protection infrastructure.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
When should a sprinkler tank supplier become involved in a school project?
Ideally, the tank supplier should be involved before the plant room and surrounding services are fully coordinated.
Early involvement gives the project team an opportunity to review the proposed tank footprint, access route, connection positions, installation clearances and maintenance requirements before the layout becomes difficult or costly to change.
For restricted plant rooms in particular, early coordination can significantly simplify the final tank design and installation programme.
How can a large sprinkler tank be installed where building access is restricted?
A sectional GRP tank can be particularly suitable where a complete one-piece tank cannot be moved through the available access route.
Individual GRP panels can be transported into the plant area and assembled on site, allowing substantial water storage capacity to be created within basements, internal plant rooms and other restricted-access locations.
The final configuration should always be assessed against the actual site dimensions, access route and maintenance requirements.
Who determines the required sprinkler tank capacity?
The required fire water storage volume should be established by the fire protection system designer based on the applicable standard, system design and project-specific fire strategy.
The tank manufacturer then uses the confirmed storage requirement together with the available space and site conditions to develop an appropriate tank configuration.
Tank capacity should therefore not be selected solely from the approximate physical dimensions available within the plant room.
Does specifying an LPCB-approved tank make the whole sprinkler installation compliant?
No. An approved water storage tank is one component of the overall fire sprinkler system.
The complete installation must be appropriately designed, specified, installed, commissioned and maintained. Other elements can include pumps, controls, pipework, sprinkler heads, valves and the hydraulic design.
The relevant fire protection designer and project stakeholders remain responsible for confirming the requirements of the complete system.
What information helps Tricel design a sprinkler tank for a restricted plant room?
Useful information normally includes the required water storage capacity, room dimensions, door and access measurements, available headroom, structural details, pipe connection requirements and the location of surrounding building services.
Architectural drawings, coordinated M&E drawings and BIM information can also help identify potential clashes before manufacture or installation.
For particularly constrained sites, early technical coordination is strongly recommended.
Why is installation planning particularly important for schools?
Education buildings often provide relatively narrow opportunities for intrusive building-services work.
Where installation must take place during holidays, the delivery date, access arrangements, installation sequence and coordination with other trades all need to be agreed in advance.
A well-planned programme can allow essential infrastructure work to be completed while avoiding unnecessary disruption once pupils and staff return.
What maintenance access should be considered when designing a sprinkler tank plant room?
The layout should provide suitable access for inspection, maintenance and any future repair or replacement of tank components and associated fittings.
Clearance requirements depend on the selected tank configuration and site conditions, so maintenance access should be incorporated into the plant room design from the beginning rather than considered only after the available space has been allocated.
Can the tank design be coordinated using BIM before installation?
Yes. Digital design information can help consultants, M&E contractors and other members of the project team coordinate the tank with surrounding services before work begins on site.
For constrained plant rooms, this can be particularly useful in identifying potential clashes, confirming access requirements and improving confidence that the proposed tank arrangement is practical to install.
About the SEN School
The project was delivered for a Special Educational Needs school in Falkenham.
As an education facility supporting pupils with additional needs, maintaining a safe, resilient and dependable building environment was an important consideration throughout the project.
The sprinkler water storage installation formed part of the facility’s wider fire protection infrastructure, with site works coordinated carefully to avoid disruption to school operations.
About Tricel Water UK
Tricel Water designs, manufactures and supplies GRP water storage solutions for projects throughout the UK.
Working with consulting engineers, M&E contractors, fire protection specialists and facilities teams, Tricel provides water storage solutions across education, fire protection, healthcare, infrastructure, commercial and industrial applications.
For sprinkler projects, Tricel can support project teams from initial tank configuration and technical coordination through to manufacture, delivery and installation.
CONTENTS
Free Download
LPCB-Approved Sprinkler Tank Installation for a SEN School
See how Tricel Water delivered a bespoke GRP fire sprinkler water storage solution within a restricted school plant room while coordinating installation around a limited school holiday window.
