Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Fire Safety and Green Buildings

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is funding new research by the Worcester Polytechnic Institute to examine and reduce fire safety concerns regarding green buildings. The three-year project is a follow-up to a 2012 report by Worcester Polytechnic Institute researchers that was commissioned by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

The initial research identified 78 common features of green buildings that can potentially pose fire-related risks. Green building attributes identified in the report generally fell into 8 categories:

•structural materials and systems, such as lightweight construction materials and extended solar roof panels;
•exterior materials and systems, including structural integrated panels and PVC rainwater catchment;
•facade attributes;
•interior materials, such as wood panels;
•interior space attributes;
•building systems and issues, including high-volume, low-speed fans and refrigerant materials;
•alternative energy systems;
•site issues, such as permeable concrete systems.

Potential hazards identified in the report include:

•Lightweight engineered lumber that uses less material than typical lumber could present additional risks during fires because it may collapse more quickly than conventional timber construction.
•Vegetative roof systems present a flames spread concern and may affect firefighter access and operations.
•Rigid foam insulation and spray-applied foam insulation present several hazards, including that they are readily ignitable, produce significant smoke, show a faster fire growth rate, and potentially cause toxicity and explosion hazards.
•Exterior solar shades and awnings may affect occupant evacuation during a fire.
•Double-skin facades and cavity walls have the potential to cause additional spread of smoke and flames if system failure occurs.

An article in NFPA Journal provides more information.