Below is from the NFPA 13 handbook regarding the section 12.5.1
The design area must be increased for single interlock preaction systems. The situation pro- tecting storage occupancies is different from the situation protecting light, ordinary, or extra hazard systems. For light, ordinary, and extra hazard systems, Chapter 11 does not require the increase of 30 percent for single interlock preaction systems. But for storage occupancies, Chapter 12 requires the increase for single interlock systems to ensure that the water will be at the sprinkler when the sprinklers open. Getting water to the sprinklers in the single interlock preaction system is a function of the sensitivity of the detection system. The detection system must be fast enough to overcome the water transit time from the preaction valve to the open sprinkler, so there will not be a delay in getting water to the fire. With the rapid fire growth rate associated with storage occupancies, any delay will result in additional sprinklers open- ing. Therefore, every preaction system, including single interlock systems, needs to have a 30 percent increase to the design area.
In theory, a single interlock preaction system could be designed with very sensitive detec- tors that could start the flow of water early enough that, by the time that sprinklers open, water would be at the sprinklers. If a designer could provide calculations and demonstrations (once the system was finished) to ensure this, it is possible that the 30 percent design area increase would not be necessary. This would need to be evaluated by all of the authorities having jurisdiction on the job, and they would need to agree that the design area increase would not be needed under one of the equivalent performance sections of NFPA 13 (Section 1.5 or 1.6).