Fire Compliant AHU: Statutory Safety Standards 2026

In the 2026 Malaysian regulatory landscape, a Fire Compliant AHU is defined by its ability to integrate seamlessly into a building's active and passive fire protection systems. Under the Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341) and the Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL) 2026, an AHU is a critical life-safety asset. Failure to meet these compliance standards can lead to the withholding of a building's Fire Certificate (FC) or the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC).

At EKG (Malaysia) SDN BHD, we engineer Fire Compliant AHU systems to be Sterile, Silent, and Statutory-Compliant.

1. The Mandatory AHU Safety Permit

As of February 2026, any AHU installation serving a commercial or industrial space must obtain a BOMBA Safety Permit. This ensures the unit will not act as a "smoke pump" during an emergency.

• Smoke Control Integration: Units serving areas larger than 92.9 square meters (1,000 sq. ft.) must be interlocked with the Fire Alarm Monitoring System (FAMS).

• Automatic Shut-off Protocol: Upon a fire signal, the IE5 EC Fan Walls must trigger an immediate power-cut. This halts the recirculation of toxic fumes throughout the building's fire compartments.

• BOMBA "K" Mark: All fire-safety components—including sensors and dampers—must carry a valid BOMBA "K" Mark or be registered in the eFEIS 2.0 digital system.

2. Engineering Hardware for Compliance

A fire-compliant setup requires specialized hardware designed to maintain the integrity of fire-rated walls and floor slabs.

3. Passive Fire-Stopping & Compartmentation

Compliance extends beyond the AHU itself to how it is installed within the plant room.

• 2-Hour Fire-Rated Sealing: Every duct, pipe, and cable penetration through a fire wall must be sealed with BOMBA-approved intumescent fire-stop mortar or mastic.

• BOMBA Approved Layout: The installation must maintain a minimum 1000mm frontal clearance to allow fire officers safe access to the control panel and the Fireman’s Switch.

• Plinth Integrity: The unit must be mounted on a non-combustible plinth with High-Deflection Spring Isolators that do not compromise the fire-rated floor slab.

4. Verification & Functional Testing

To be certified as "Fire Compliant," the system must pass a physical witness test by a BOMBA officer:

1. Smoke Injection Test: Non-toxic smoke is introduced into the return air plenum to verify the millisecond-response of the Automatic Fire Signal AHU Shut-off.

2. Damper Fail-Safe Audit: Verification that all motorized dampers revert to a "Closed" position upon loss of power.

3. Fireman’s Switch Validation: Ensuring the manual override in the Fire Control Room allows emergency responders to take immediate command of the fans.

5. Why Partner with EKG (Malaysia) SDN BHD?

• Technical Integrity: Our fire-compliant installations are designed by mechanical engineers who understand the intersection of HVAC thermodynamics and active fire protection.

• EECA 2024 Alignment: We ensure that safety components, such as low-pressure-drop dampers, do not compromise your unit's Specific Fan Power (SFP) energy targets.

• GITA Support: Documented compliance with BOMBA standards is essential proof for claiming the 100% Green Investment Tax Allowance.

Is your AHU installation safe enough to pass a 2026 BOMBA audit? Contact EKG (Malaysia) SDN BHD today for a specialized Fire Compliance Audit & Installation.

Are you seeking a fire-compliant setup for a new Grade-A office development or for a safety upgrade of an existing industrial facility?