Did you know there have been concerns about the combustibility of construction materials in the building envelope since the 70s? It’s been in the spotlight several times since then, notably in the 90s and in 2017 with the devastating Grenfell Tower disaster. It’s an important topic, especially for architects, developers, and contractors. Whether it is housing, public buildings, commercial architecture, infrastructure, or any other structure, it’s crucial to design the building envelope carefully and select the right materials.
Layers
One of the most important things to think about is the building envelope has several layers. This includes the cladding, structural materials, insulation, cavities, and fixings. It’s essential to think about each of them and the impact on fire safety. If even one can allow a fire to start or spread, or spread smoke, it can put the whole building at risk.
Why do fires start?
Before thinking about designs and choosing materials, it is essential that you understand how a fire can actually start in the first place. In most cases you need three things; heat, fuel, and oxygen. The trio creates the fire triangle. When all of them are present, combustion can occur and self-sustain. A fire will burn until you remove one of the elements.
Interestingly, in modern fire safety the fire triangle has actually become a tetrahedron. It includes a key fourth element; chemical chain reactions. They are a serious factor that can lead to rapid fire propagation. Crucially, a chain reaction can make a fire burn hotter, releasing more combustible gas, and causing a continuous cycle. This is what happens with lithium-ion batteries and is the reason why they are one of the most dangerous types of fire.
What to choose?
The vital thing if you want to make sure a building envelope is fire resistant is to focus on the materials. This is vital for any kind of property, including commercial architecture.
The best decision is to use materials that are non-combustible where possible. This includes the structural materials, fixing, insulation, and other products. Ideally, avoid things like organic material and polymer-based products. They can act as a source of fuel and allow propagation of fire and smoke.
What you should do, especially when designing a building, is consider the material classes. The latest classification is Euro-class EN 13501-1, replacing older, out of date standards. It categorises materials from A to F. Only materials with an A1 or A2 classification are non-combustible. This includes things like rock wool and glass wool insulation.
As well as the classification, look closely at additional suffixes like s1, s2 and d0. They provide further information about what will happen with the materials in real world conditions. Materials with s2 for example produce smoke.
Create commercial architecture with a beautiful building envelope
Coffey Architects is a great team to work with if you want to create wonderful buildings, including offices, homes, mixed use developments, and more. We carefully consider the most important topics, including fire safety, energy efficiency, lighting, and sustainability. A great design can give you all of that while also ensuring the building looks incredible.
So, get in touch with us today if you need help with new builds, retrofitting, or other projects. We can design safe, high quality commercial architecture and more.