Man Mo Temple : a study of fire regulations and fire protection solutions

Abstract

There is no tailor-made building code for historic buildings in Hong Kong. Due to functional limitations and historical reasons, some historic temple buildings demonstrate difficulties in complying with existing fire safety statutory requirements and codes. For example, some mandated fire service installations and equipment are not applicable in temples because of worshipping purposes which requires the continuous presence fire and smoke for the burning of paper offerings and incense. It is difficult for old timber construction to meet modern requirements of fire resistance. This paper uses Man Mo Temple as a case study to demonstrate the tension between the requirement to provide fire protection and to respect historical fabric and cultural traditions. It argues that attempts to comply with fire safety requirements should be considered with respect to historic fabric. A review of existing building codes follows a review of fire code compliance at Man Mo Temple. The significance of Man Mo Temple is established and the values and character-defining elements (CDEs) are identified. Results of this research demonstrate that there are non-compliance issues at Man Mo Temple regarding fire resisting construction and fire service installations. After considering the significance, values and CDEs of the temple, recommendations include the application of fire retardant paint to the timber components of the roof and the installation of fire extinguishers in the temple while rejecting other fire protection methods, such as wood charring and sprinkler systems, which would damage the CDEs of the building.