DePauw frat house sprinkler system sparks win for Breneco Fire Protection

A sprinkler system customized for a DePauw University fraternity house has won an award for an Indiana fire protection company.

For the second straight year, Brenneco Fire Protection of Flora in Carroll County has won an Award of Excellence from Associated Builders and Contractors Inc., a professional construction trade association.

Brenneco's 2011 Phi Delta Theta fraternity house project at DePauw earned the award for the company.

The 18,440-square-foot historical home/fraternity house at 446 Anderson St. was built in the late 1920s when construction didn't account for things like sprinkler systems.

Brenneco's system installation, which included 188 sprinkler heads and six different head types, was part of a major renovation project to keep the house safe and comfortable for its campus residents.

"The biggest impact of this project for Phi Delta Theta is safeguarding its students and the institution from the threat of a fire," Eric Flora, owner of Brenneco Fire Protection, said.

"This project required a high level of experience and communication. We were able to fulfill those needs in a timely manner so that the historical Phi Delta Theta house and its incoming students would be safe."

The Phi Delta Theta building's general contractor, C.F. Jones Group in Lebanon, had very specific aesthetic requirements to maintain the integrity of the historic structure, and its modern sprinkler system had to accommodate those requirements.

Brenneco's experience handling "difficult, labor-intensive projects" helped make the project a success for Phi Delta Theta.

The 2012 Merit Shop Awards Gala recognizing all Indiana chapter ABC winners is set for Sept. 25.

Brenneco Fire Protection, based in Carroll County, serves all of central Indiana with fire protection defense opportunities, providing installation, service and inspection needs.