Fire-rated cladding key to safe buildings

Fire-rated cladding key to safe buildings The recent fire-related incidents in two towers in Sharjah have brought the fire safety issue and the deployment of fire-rated cladding materials in modern buildings to the fore. Civil defence and architects can play an important role in this and provide a list of certified fire-rated panels. Lack of clear policy and regulation is another important factor impacting the fire safety of buildings. However the current standards of BS 476 Part 6 and 7 approvals are not fully effective to combat spread of fires. Full fire-rated system specifications including Rockwool insulation will contribute towards energy savings. However, the use of fire-rated materials, or lack of it, is the key issue that came out due to the two recent fire incidents. What is alarming is that the use of fire-rated cladding has not yet being made mandatory by law. These tests only test the surface of panels and do not actually test the burning characteristics of the core of the panel, which is LDPE and primarily responsible for the spread of fire. The industry needs to embark on a focused awareness programme at the highest level by conducting conferences with architects, developers, fire-testing laboratories, contractors and facade installation companies. The perception of high-cost implications is perhaps the biggest factor in deterring architects and developers from choosing certified fire-rated facades. The incidents have also raised a number of issues, such as the awareness about building safety stem and are in use all over the world. The two incidents in which two high-rise towers caught fire that forced their occupants out in the woods Fire-rated cladding key to safe buildings Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 15/05/2012