Al Patenaude’s business goal is to offer his customers new and renovated homes that meet their needs for both comfort and safety.

After an increase in new homebuyers’ questions about fire sprinklers, the Pepperell, MA developer realized he needed to learn more about residential sprinklers. Already familiar with commercial systems, he did the research on home fire sprinklers and became convinced it is the way to go.

Patenaude said he was pleased to learn that sprinklers are affordable, helping him decide to set his construction company apart from other builders in the area by offering sprinkler systems in his new homes. A fully sprinklered model home is now being built for a new 12-house Patenaude Construction development underway in north central Massachusetts.

About a third of Patenaude’s customers routinely ask him about installing sprinkler systems in new homes, the builder said. He credits homeowner interest in fire safety to an enhanced focus on home safety and security at local home and builder shows, including more frequent displays with fire sprinkler systems.

Patenaude, whose degree is in architecture and construction management, said he has an eye for detail. He opted to feature concealed sprinklers in the model because he wanted potential home buyers to see for themselves how well fire sprinklers can blend into a home (décor).

If buyer response to the sprinklered model meets his expectations, Patenaude plans to make sprinklers standard in future developments. “I want to stay one step ahead of the other builders in the area,” he said.