Following recent fires in high rise buildings, the need to do more than meet the minimum building control requirements on fire safety has become clear.
A government review of the Building Regulations and fire safety is underway, with a particular focus on high rise residential buildings following the Grenfell Fire tragedy. Previous deregulation and complacency around fire safety, along with the irresponsible behaviour of suppliers which put profits before people, led to a situation where combustible materials were being specified on tall buildings despite the obvious dangers.
The awful results of this have led to a renewed focus on fire safety in order to prevent similar tragedies happening again. One of the most important recommendations resulted in a ban on combustible materials in the external walls of buildings above 18m (or 11m in Scotland).
Consequently, all materials and/or products used in the external wall build-up of tall buildings comprised of one or more dwellings are required to meet European fire classification A1 or A2-s1, d0.
The definitions of A1 and A2 standards are as follows:
- A2 – If construction products produce no contribution to fire, but have the potential to produce some smoke or flaming droplets
- A1 – Materials that cannot contribute to fire at any stage, including a fully-developed fire
This means that developers, architects, contractors, sub-contractors and others involved in construction need to start considering the materials they are using now to stay in line with future legislation.
To class as an A1 product, stringent tests must be passed to ensure that they are completely non-combustible in all circumstances. These include:
- BS 476-1: Fire tests on building materials and structures
- BS EN 13501-1: 2018 Fire classification of construction products and building elements
The range of products which meet these standards is small, especially when it comes to external wall build-ups. The vast majority of current solutions used widely across the industry do not meet the A1 standard which is set to be required by law on buildings over 18m in height in the near future, and therefore those involved with construction are going to have to change their approach.
Specwall A1 fire rated, panel
In order to provide safe places for people to live, future-proof properties for funders and investors and mitigate the risk of expensive remedial works, Specwall proactively looked to provide an A1 fire rated walling system for the construction industry.
As well as going beyond safety requirements now, this panel will also satisfy further tightening of the fire safety regulations down the line if the government requires A1 standards for all external wall build-ups on buildings 18m tall or higher once its review is complete.
Our A1 fire rated panel has come out of research and development, which was undertaken in response to this anticipated market need. Key technical information about our A1 panel is as follows:
- No flammable material in the panel
- Cannot contribute to a fire at any stage
- Same weight and strength as standard A2-rated panel
- 100m depth, single-layer system
- Simple, integrated, stand-alone
- Price competitive with SFS or blockwork alternatives
This is in addition to all the benefits of the existing Specwall A2-rated panel, which all still apply, including:
- Reduction in labour
- Time saving
- Reduction in cost
- Water and mould resistant
- Highly sustainable and reusable on-site
- Increased efficiency
Baada ya moto wa hivi karibuni katika majengo ya juu, haja ya kufanya zaidi ya kukidhi mahitaji ya chini ya udhibiti wa jengo juu ya usalama wa moto imekuwa wazi. Serikali ya Uingereza imepanga kuchunguza sheria za ujenzi na usalama wa moto, na kuzingatia hasa majengo ya makazi ya juu baada ya janga la Grenfell. "Ukosefu wa udhibiti wa zamani na kujivunia kuhusu usalama wa moto, pamoja na tabia isiyo na wajibu ya wauzaji ambao waliweka faida kabla ya watu, ilisababisha hali ambapo vifaa vya moto vilikuwa vimeelezwa kwenye majengo marefu licha ya hatari dhahiri. """ Matokeo mabaya ya hili yamesababisha kuzingatia upya usalama wa moto ili kuzuia msiba kama huo usitokee tena. Miongoni mwa mapendekezo hayo ni kuharibu vifaa vya moto katika kuta za nje za majengo ya juu ya mita 18 (au mita 11 nchini Scotland). Kwa hivyo, vifaa vyote na bidhaa zinazotumiwa katika ukuta wa nje wa majengo marefu yaliyoundwa na nyumba moja au zaidi zinahitajika kukidhi darasa la moto la Ulaya A1 au A2 d1. A1 - Kama bidhaa za ujenzi hazitokezi moto, lakini zina uwezo wa kuzalisha moshi au matone ya moto, A1 - Vifaa ambavyo haviwezi kuchangia moto katika hatua yoyote, ikiwa ni pamoja na moto ulioendelea kabisa, hii inamaanisha kwamba watengenezaji, wasanifu, wakandarasi, wakandarasi wa chini na wengine wanaohusika katika ujenzi wanahitaji kuanza kuzingatia vifaa wanavyotumia sasa ili kukaa sawa na sheria ya baadaye. Kwa ajili ya bidhaa A1 lazima kupitishwa vipimo vikali ili kuhakikisha kwamba ni kabisa noncombustible katika hali yoyote. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika BS 476-1: ""Mtihani wa moto juu ya vifaa vya ujenzi na miundo"" na BS EN 13501-1: ""Uainishaji wa moto wa bidhaa za ujenzi na vipengele vya ujenzi"" - bidhaa zinazokidhi viwango hivi ni ndogo, haswa linapokuja ujenzi wa kuta za nje." "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""kuna idadi kubwa ya suluhisho za sasa zinazotumiwa sana katika sekta hii hazifai viwango vya A1 ambavyo vitatakiwa na sheria kwa majengo zaidi ya mita 18 kwa urefu katika siku zijazo, na kwa hivyo wale wanaohusika na ujenzi watalazimika kubadilisha mbinu yao.""" A1 Fire Rated Walling System: Ili kutoa maeneo salama kwa watu kuishi, mali ya ushahidi wa siku zijazo kwa wafadhili na wawekezaji na kupunguza hatari ya kazi za kurekebisha gharama kubwa, SpecWall ilitafuta kwa bidii kutoa A1 Fire Rated Walling System kwa sekta ya ujenzi. Pamoja na kuendeleza mahitaji ya usalama sasa, jopo hili pia litakidhi nyongeza ya kanuni za usalama wa moto chini ya mstari ikiwa serikali inahitaji viwango vya A1 kwa ujenzi wote wa ukuta wa nje kwenye majengo ya 18m au zaidi mara tu tathmini yake itakapokamilika. A1 moto-kuorodheshwa jopo yetu ni matokeo ya utafiti na maendeleo, ambayo ilifanywa katika kukabiliana na mahitaji haya ya soko inatarajiwa. "Kuna ""mfano"" wa A1 panel, ambayo inaweza kuwa na nguvu ya juu ya A2 na nguvu ya chini ya A2 - kwa sababu ya ubora wake, ubora wake, na ubora wa vifaa vya kuhifadhi, na kwa sababu ya ubora wake, inaweza kuwa na nguvu ya juu ya A2 panel."