Standards

Gas Suppression in the Turkish Fire Regulation: Articles 79, 98 and 100

Under Article 98 of Turkey's Regulation on the Fire Protection of Buildings, gas suppression systems are designed on the basis of TS ISO 14520; audible and visual warnings of discharge and automatic closing of ventilation openings are mandatory, and halon-alternative agents must have documented long-term usability under the relevant standards. Article 79 covers connecting alarm and fault outputs to the building fire alarm system, and Article 100 covers periodic inspection, testing and maintenance.

In Turkey, the main legislation for gas suppression systems is the Regulation on the Fire Protection of Buildings (Binaların Yangından Korunması Hakkında Yönetmelik, BYKHY). It makes TS ISO 14520 the basis for design and requires audible and visual discharge warnings, automatic closing of ventilation openings, documented long-term usability of halon-alternative agents, connection to the building fire alarm system and periodic maintenance.

This page summarises the articles relevant to gas suppression in plain language and shows what each one means for a project. It is not legal advice; the official and current text on mevzuat.gov.tr prevails. Local fire brigade and insurer requirements may also apply.

At a Glance

Article	What the regulation says	What it means in a project
98(1)	Fixed automatic extinguishing systems are designed to suit the facility, current, certified and to the relevant standards	Approved system components, standard-based hydraulic calculation
98(2)	Spaces where water is not effective, or where water-reactive materials are present, get a suitable type of extinguishing system	Gas suppression considered for electrical, IT and archive rooms
98(3)	TS ISO 14520 is the design basis; audible and visual discharge warnings are mandatory	Design concentration calculation, pre-discharge sounder-beacon, door warning sign
98(4)	Natural ventilation openings and ducts close automatically on detection and discharge	Motorised dampers, HVAC shutdown contacts
98(5)	Halon-alternative agents need documented long-term usability under the relevant standards	Agent listed in the standard, documented refill and supply continuity
98(6)	Certified oxygen reduction systems may be used in enclosed spaces without permanent occupancy	An alternative prevention approach for stores and archives
79	If the building has a detection system, alarm and fault outputs of the gas system are connected to it and monitored as separate zones	Monitoring link between the extinguishing panel and the building fire alarm panel
100	Extinguishing systems are inspected, tested and maintained periodically under the responsibility of the owner or manager	Written maintenance contract, maintenance records, cylinder inspection

Design: TS ISO 14520 and Warnings (Article 98(3))

The regulation makes TS ISO 14520 the basis for gas suppression design. The series defines general requirements, how the design concentration is calculated and the properties of each agent, such as FM-200, FK-5-1-12 and the inert gases. See our guides on design concentration and hold time and standards and approvals.

The same paragraph requires audible and visual warnings for every gas system, informing the operator and occupants when the system activates or discharges so that they can leave. Systems are therefore normally designed with a pre-discharge delay, a sounder-beacon in the protected room and a “gas discharged, do not enter” sign outside the door. In occupied spaces the agent is also selected against human exposure limits; CO2 is used only in unoccupied spaces for this reason (CO2 safety).

Vents and Ventilation (Article 98(4))

The agent must stay at design concentration in the protected space for a set period. An open vent or running ventilation lets it escape quickly, so the regulation requires natural ventilation openings and ducts to close automatically on detection and discharge. In practice this means motorised dampers and contacts that stop air handling units, working in sync with the extinguishing panel. Whether the room actually holds the agent is verified with a room integrity (door fan) test.

Halon-Alternative Agents (Article 98(5))

Halon 1301 was widely used in fixed systems, but its production was ended under the Montreal Protocol because it depletes the ozone layer. According to the U.S. EPA, the Parties to the Protocol accelerated the halon production phase-out to 1 January 1994; only recycled halon is available for systems that still use it.

The total flooding agents that replaced Halon 1301 are called halon alternatives. Substitutes accepted under the EPA SNAP programme for total flooding include HFC-227ea (FM-200), FK-5-1-12 (Novec 1230) and inert gases such as IG-541 (Inergen) and IG-55 (Argonite).

Agent	Extinguishing mechanism	Point to check
FM-200 (HFC-227ea)	Mainly heat absorption	Fluorinated greenhouse gas; registration and certified personnel duties under the F-gas regulation
FK-5-1-12 (Novec 1230)	Mainly heat absorption	Original manufacturer’s exit and PFAS rules: assess supply and refill continuity
IG-541, IG-55	Oxygen dilution	More cylinders and storage space; exposure time limits in occupied spaces

The regulation requires the agent to have documented long-term usability under the relevant standards. In a project this means documenting that the agent is covered by the design standard, that system components are approved with that agent, and that refills and spare parts can be supplied over the system’s life. See FM-200 vs Novec 1230 for a comparison.

Connection to the Fire Alarm System (Article 79)

If the building has a fire detection and alarm system, the alarm and fault outputs of the gas system must be connected to it and monitored with separate zone indicators, so that an alarm, pre-alarm or panel fault in the protected room is visible at the central panel. The extinguishing panel’s own logic (cross-zoning, discharge delay, abort) is designed separately; see fire detection integration.

Periodic Inspection, Testing and Maintenance (Article 100)

The regulation places periodic inspection, testing and maintenance according to the relevant standards under the responsibility of the building owner, the manager or a building official they appoint in writing. For gas systems this covers agent quantity and pressure checks, functional tests of detection and control, review of changes to the protected room, and periodic inspection of pressure cylinders. See periodic maintenance and hydrostatic testing and refill.

Short Project Checklist

Check	Basis
Is the design standard and its edition stated in the project documents?	Article 98(3)
Are pre-discharge audible-visual alarms and a door warning sign provided?	Article 98(3)
Do vents, dampers and ventilation close automatically on discharge?	Article 98(4)
Is the agent’s coverage in the standard and refill continuity documented?	Article 98(5)
Are the extinguishing panel’s alarm and fault outputs connected to the building fire alarm panel?	Article 79
Is there a named maintenance responsible and are records kept?	Article 100

To build these points into your specification, use our technical specification checklist, or request a site survey and quote.

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Frequently asked questions

Which standard does the Turkish fire regulation require for gas suppression design?

Article 98(3) of the Regulation on the Fire Protection of Buildings states that TS ISO 14520 is the basis for the design of gaseous fire-extinguishing systems. The same series is also published as TS EN 15004; the edition applied should be stated in the project documents.

Are warnings mandatory in a room protected by gas suppression?

Yes. The same article requires audible and visual warnings that notify the operator and the people working in the room when the system is activated or discharging, so that they can evacuate the protected space.

What is a halon-alternative agent?

Halon 1301 is a legacy agent whose production was ended under the Montreal Protocol because it depletes the ozone layer. Agents that replaced it, such as FM-200 (HFC-227ea), FK-5-1-12 and inert gases like IG-541 and IG-55, are called halon alternatives. The regulation requires the agent used to have documented long-term usability under the relevant standards.

Who is responsible for maintaining a gas suppression system in Turkey?

Under Article 100, periodic inspection, testing and maintenance according to the relevant standards are the responsibility of the building owner, the manager, or a building official to whom they have delegated this responsibility in writing.

To apply this guide to your project, see our gas fire suppression services and every system option on our home page, or contact us through the quote form.

Last updated: 27 October 2026