In October of 2003 a major U.S. manufacturer of sprinkler heads and fire equipment accessories sought to demonstrate how a solely active fire suppression system could replace the need for passive fire-rated systems. This resulted in evaluation report ESR-2397 and the 2007 issuance of AC385 – Acceptance Criteria for Special-purpose Sprinkler Heads Used with Fixed Glazed Assemblies to Provide a Fire-resistance Rated Wall Assembly. AC385 is one of the most hotly debated topics in fire safety today, with code officials, fire safety experts, designers, engineers and manufacturers weighing in on the issue.
