Notice by Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, and Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps on Issuing the Implementation Plan on Reforming the Review and Acceptance of Fire Protection Design for Existing Buildings in Beijing during Urban Renewal

　　Jing Jian Fa [2021] No. 386

To all units concerned,

　　To further deepen the reforming of government functions, optimize business environment, improve the management of review and acceptance of fire protection design for existing buildings, provide convenience services for people and enterprises, stimulate market dynamism, and push forward urban renewal, Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, and Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps jointly formulate the Implementation Plan on Reforming the Review and Acceptance of Fire Protection Design for Existing Buildings in Beijing during Urban Renewal, which has been reviewed and approved on the 22rd session of the Comprehensive Deepening Reform Committee of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, and the 130th executive meeting of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality. It is hereby issued to you for your earnest implementation.

　　Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development

　　Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources

　　Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps

　　November 28, 2021

　　
Implementation Plan on Reforming the Review and Acceptance of Fire Protection Design for Existing Buildings in Beijing during Urban Renewal

　　Based on the actual conditions of Beijing Municipality, the Implementation Plan has been formulated to deepen the reforming of government functions, optimize business environment, improve the management of review and acceptance of fire protection design for existing buildings, provide convenience services for people and enterprises, stimulate market dynamism, and push forward urban renewal, according to regulations made in Interim Provisions on the Management of Fire Protection Design, Review and Acceptance of Construction Projects, Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Piloting Fire Protection Design Review and Acceptance for Renovation of Existing Buildings (Jian Ban Ke Han [2021] No. 164), Guidance of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality on Implementing Urban Renewal Action (Jing Zheng Fa [2021] No. 10) and relevant supporting policy documents.

　　I. General Requirements

　　Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, with comprehensive implementation of the spirits of the 19th National Congress of the CPC and the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth of the Plenary Sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee, efforts should be made to coordinate development and safety, adhere to problem-oriented approach, highlight the highest standards, and strengthen bottom-line thinking. Taking the opportunity of Beijing Municipality as the city to carry out pilot program of review and acceptance of fire protection design for existing renovated buildings, works should be done to focus on the concerns of market entities. It is necessary to regard the improvement of fire protection design standard system as the key, and with focuses on optimizing the renovation approval process, adopt classified supervision, strengthen the combination of fire prevention and control, effectively push forward reform of critical links and prominent problems in fire protection review and acceptance for the renovation of existing buildings, and set up and improve the policy system of fire protection design review and acceptance in line with urban renewal.

　　II Improving the Standard System of Fire Protection Design

　　(I) Improving the standard for fire protection design of existing building renovation. It is supposed to set up follow-up assessment and dynamic adjustment mechanism, and continuously revise the Guidelines for Fire Protection Design of Renovation of Existing Buildings in Beijing (Trial). It is also necessary to formulate case-based fire protection design guidelines for different types of renovation demands, including old buildings, commercial facilities, industrial (structures) constructions, equipment and facilities, and bungalows (courtyards) in the core area of the capital city, upgrade the scenario-based services, and provide market entities conducting building renovations with technical support and guidelines. (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps, and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　(II) Carrying out classified fire protection design reviews. Before launching the renovation project, construction units are encouraged to take comprehensive fire safety evaluation, taking the architecture safety, technical feasibility and engineering economy into consideration, so as to provide technical support to the scientific practice of renovation. The expert evaluation mechanism should be adopted. For renovation projects with changes in use function, increased risk of fire where it is hard to comply with the existing fire protection technical standards, a performance-based fire protection design could be adopted and the projects are supposed to be evaluated and verified by experts organized by relevant departments. The evaluation result shall be used as the reference for fire protection design reviews. The practice of architect accountability system should be promoted. For renovation projects without changes in the original use function or more fire risk, the overall improvement of fire safety is encouraged. For those with difficulties to improve the fire protection facilities, the design should meet the fire protection standards no lower than those when the buildings were built, and the registered architect shall sign the project and be held accountable for fire incidents. (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　III Improving the Management of Fire Protection Design Review and Acceptance

　　(III) Clarifying the confirmation procedures for changes in use function. Planning should be upheld to lead construction projects, and positive and negative lists of use function changes in existing buildings should be carefully studied and optimized. The administrative approval of fire protection and the management of construction project planning approval should be further connected. More effective fire protection design review and acceptance mechanism should be set up for renovation projects in line with urban planning and are on the positive lists. (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　(IV) Simplifying the review and approval of micro and small renovation projects. The management of requirement notification and compliance commitment should be adopted for micro and small renovation projects of fire protection review and acceptance. Apart from places accommodating flammable and combustible materials, renovation projects with construction area less than 300 square meters, or dispense with construction permits according to law, could save the procedure of fire protection review and approval, so that the ex ante approval could be streamlined into interim and ex post inspection. Rules should be formulated to implement measures for the Requirement Notification and Compliance Commitment Mechanism for micro and small renovation projects. Primary responsibility should be strictly shouldered by the project units, and participating entities shall also be supervised to assume their responsibilities, to strengthen interim and ex post supervision. With reference to the review and approval reform in engineering construction, an accountability system of professionals for micro and small renovation projects is supposed to be established. (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　(V) Piloting the Requirement Notification and Compliance Commitment Mechanism for fire protection acceptance for renovated shopping malls with an area of less than 5,000 square meters. The "Listing + Requirement Notification and Compliance Commitment Mechanism" and "Filing for Future Reference Mechanism" shall be piloted in fire protection acceptance and record keeping. With the exception of Class 1 high-rise public buildings and venues equipped with facilities for public entertainment and for children and senior citizen activities, for shopping mall renovation projects with ground renovating area less than 5,000 square meters, construction units are supposed to abide by corresponding requirements and submit materials. Regulations for interim and ex post supervision should be discussed and formulated to ensure the implementation of the regulation responsibilities. The above-mentioned mechanism is supposed to be piloted at this stage and will be promoted as per difference types and scales of renovation when conditions are mature. (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　(VI) Carrying out phased fire protection design acceptance. For renovation projects under one planning permit and consisting of multiple single buildings (subject to the requirements stipulated by the Uniform Quality Acceptance Standards for Engineering Projects (GB50300)), the construction unit can apply for phased inspection and acceptance, provided that the design contents of public fire-fighting facilities including fire-fighting driveways, operation site for fire-fighting vehicles, elevated fire-control water tanks, fire-fighting pools, fire-fighting pump rooms, fire-fighting control rooms, outdoor fire hydrant systems, power substation and distribution rooms, etc. have been finished and the intended functions of such facilities can be achieved. (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　(VII) Implementing the "design drawing-based acceptance" system. During the acceptance, design files will not be reviewed. Instead, the acceptance and record filing shall be conducted according to the approved fire protection design documents and the review results of fire protection design and construction drawing. With regard to projects adopting performance-based design, being included as one of the city's major projects, or representative cases of existing building renovation projects, an expert evaluation system for fire protection design inspection and acceptance could be established. (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　Ⅳ. Promoting Integrated Regulation of Fire Protection and Engineering Projects Quality

　　(VIII) Moving the regulation of fire protection quality to the front. The partitioned and sub-divisional projects for fire protection will be integrated into the key points of routine project quality regulation. It is also necessary to incorporate fire protection quality regulation into the existing system for engineering quality guarantee. Responsibilities will be clearly defined for parties taking part in the construction. Through comprehensive utilization of smart regulation and "Internet+" technology, more efforts should be made to test and estimate the safety and quality of the projects, locating and solving problems timely. (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　(IX) Adopting differentiated spot check and on-site evaluation. Existing on-site evaluation standards for fire safety acceptance of the renovation of existing buildings will be improved. Projects to be inspected and methods of inspection should be defined in advance, categorizing key, major and general projects, and the differentiated spot check on projects shall be implemented. (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　(X) Realizing "one-time acceptance". The comprehensive acceptance will be adopted for renovation projects and during the acceptance, on-site inspection will be implemented for inspection of form, procedure and fire protection upon completion of construction projects, fulfilling the requirement of "one-time acceptance". (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　V. Improving Regulation and Management System

　　(XI) Setting up "risk alert" management mechanism. Efforts should be taken to standardize behaviors of agencies undertaking inspections over fire protection facilities. For dishonest behaviors like issuing fake reports, undertaking projects without permits or breaking mandatory sections of technical standards for fire protection made by such agencies in the process of inspection and acceptance, the fire and rescue department will be in charge of the investigation and punishment. At the same time, the information will be published on platforms such as the creditability information regulatory service platform of Beijing's construction market, relative agencies shall receive a risk warning. (Responsible entities: Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps, Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　(XII) Establishing a coordinated mechanism for fire prevention and fire control. The housing and urban-rural development as well as fire protection and rescue departments shall take part in the expert review for performance-based design of fire protection facilities, and provide suggestions based on construction acceptance and fire fighting and rescue conditions. During on-site evaluation of fire protection inspection for special construction projects, key projects, large chemistry-related programs and representative renovation projects, the local fire and rescue departments shall participate in test of items related to fire fighting and rescue like fire lanes, elevating platform for fire engines, fire hydrant systems and evacuation, according to real fire fighting and rescue demands. (Responsible entities: Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　(XIII) Enhancing fire safety regulation during the use phase. Fire and rescue departments shall enhance daily fire protection supervision and inspection after renovated buildings are put into use, set up a classification management mechanism, and roll out regular inspection, mitigating fire protection and safety risks timely. During daily fire protection inspection, when detecting illegal and dishonest behaviors related to fire protection design and acceptance by construction, design and operation organizations, fire and rescue departments shall report them to planning and natural resources departments and housing and development departments for further investigation. (Responsible entities: Beijing Fire and Rescue Corps, Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, Beijing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and governments at the district level, according to the division of responsibilities)

　　VI Enhancing Coordinated and Organized Implementation

　　(XIV) Intensifying cooperation among departments. Coordination and cooperation among departments shall be strengthened to improve work mechanisms like common consultation, information sharing, problem feedback and joint punishment. Regular joint conference shall be convened to discuss countermeasures, creating regulation synergy.

　　(XV) Boosting technical support. Full play shall be given to the third-party technical support. Districts are encouraged to hire third-party technical service institutions or experts to take part in the fire protection design inspection and acceptance of existing buildings, so as to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of fire protection quality regulation.

　　(XVI) Carrying out promotion and instruction effectively. All districts and departments shall summarize the practice of reform and draw lessons from the experience in a timely manner, take the initiative to publish and explain the policies, timely respond to social concerns, and offer services in policy consulting and technical support on their own initiative, providing enterprises and the public with convenient access to searching and understanding policies.

　　Annex: Task Breakdown Table for the Implementation Plan on Reforming the Review and Acceptance of Fire Protection Design for Existing Buildings during Beijing Urban Renewal (First Batch)

　　Annex

　　Task Breakdown Table for the Implementation Plan on Reforming the Review and Acceptance of Fire Protection Design for Existing Buildings during Beijing Urban Renewal (First Batch)