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Fire Performance in Building Membranes: Ensuring Safety with Partel Products 

Fire safety is a top priority in building construction, especially concerning building envelopes and membranes. These materials are vital for the structural integrity, energy efficiency, and overall safety of buildings. In the unfortunate event of a fire, the performance of these membranes can greatly impact the spread of fire and smoke and the safety of occupants. This article delves into the fire performance of building membranes and showcases Partel’s range of products designed to meet stringent fire safety standards. 

The Importance of Fire Performance in Building Membranes 

Building membranes are critical components in modern construction, providing benefits such as air tightness, moisture control, and energy efficiency. However, their role in fire safety is equally vital. The fire performance of building membranes is evaluated based on their reaction to fire: This assesses how the material influences fire development and spread, including factors such as ignitability, flame spread, heat release, and smoke production. 

High-performance membranes are engineered to prevent the rapid spread of flames and smoke, offering valuable additional time for occupants to evacuate and for fire services to respond. 

How High-Performance Membranes Work in Fire Safety 

  1. Smoke Control: High-performance membranes manage smoke production effectively. Designed to minimise smoke emissions, these membranes are crucial because smoke inhalation is a leading cause of injury and death in fires. By limiting smoke spread, these membranes help keep escape routes clearer for longer. 
  1. Barrier to Heat Transfer: These membranes act as barriers to heat transfer. When exposed to fire, they slow down heat penetration through building elements, which can prevent fire from spreading to other areas and delay structural damage. This additional time is critical for occupant evacuation and for fire services to arrive and control the blaze. 
  1. Maintaining Integrity: Engineered to retain their structural integrity under high temperatures, high-performance membranes are less likely to degrade or fail when exposed to fire. This helps maintain effective compartmentalisation within the building, containing fire and smoke within specific areas and allowing more time for occupants to escape. 
  1. Enhanced Evacuation Time: By controlling the rapid spread of fire and smoke, high-performance membranes provide crucial extra minutes for occupants to evacuate safely. These minutes can make a significant difference between a safe evacuation and a disaster, as well as provide fire services with more time to manage the situation before it escalates. 

Fire Performance in Different Building Types 

The fire performance requirements for building membranes can vary greatly depending on the type of building. Here, we compare the fire performance needs for high-rise versus single-storey buildings and residential versus commercial structures. 

High-Rise vs. Single-Storey Buildings 

High-Rise Buildings: Fire safety in high-rise buildings is critical due to the complex evacuation process and the increased risk to a large number of occupants. Building membranes in high-rise structures must comply with stringent fire performance standards to prevent the vertical spread of fire and smoke between floors. The Grenfell Tower fire underscored the need for enhanced fire safety measures, leading to stricter regulations. Membranes in these buildings are now required to meet the highest fire performance standards, such as: 

  • Fire Classification: A1 or A2-s1,d0 according to EN 13501-1, where A1 indicates non-combustibility and A2-s1,d0 signifies limited combustibility with minimal smoke production. 
  • Enhanced Testing Protocols: More rigorous testing methods and large-scale fire tests to simulate real-world fire scenarios effectively. 

Single-Storey Buildings: Fire safety is also important in single-storey buildings, though the requirements may be less stringent compared to high-rise structures. Evacuation is generally simpler, and there is no risk of vertical fire spread. However, high-performance fire-rated membranes still offer significant benefits: 

  • Fire Classification: Membranes may be rated as B-s1,d0 or similar, providing effective fire and smoke control. 
  • Horizontal Spread Control: Focus on preventing the spread of fire and smoke horizontally, which is crucial for protecting goods and personnel in commercial warehouses or retail spaces. 

Residential vs. Commercial Buildings 

Residential Buildings: In residential buildings, fire safety focuses on protecting occupants, who may be asleep and unaware of a fire. Membranes in residential buildings must provide robust fire performance to prevent rapid fire and smoke spread, giving occupants more time to evacuate. Key standards include: 

  • Fire Classification: Membranes generally need to meet standards such as B-s1,d0 or A2-s1,d0, depending on the building’s height and occupancy load. 
  • Compartmentalisation: Effective compartmentalisation to prevent fire and smoke from spreading between units in apartment complexes. 
Whitethorn Village, LGS Frame Apartments. This residential scheme is positioned adjacent to the centre of Naas, a bustling town with an abundance of amenities and the whole of Dublin on its doorstep. 
In this residential project with fire protection a major concern, Partel’s EXOPERM MONO DURO 200, which has a reaction to fire classification of B-s1, d0 according to EN13501-1, was chosen as the external weathertight barrier – protecting the building fabric from moisture, driving rain and wind. 

Commercial Buildings: For commercial buildings like offices, shopping centres, and industrial facilities, fire safety measures must protect both people and valuable assets. These buildings often feature complex layouts and large occupancy loads, requiring high-performance fire-rated membranes to compartmentalise fire and restrict its spread. Relevant standards include: 

  • Fire Classification: Membranes often meet high standards such as A2-s1,d0 or similar, ensuring minimal fire contribution and smoke production. 
  • Complex Layouts: Consideration of fire performance in relation to complex building designs and large, open spaces. 
     
Central Plaza Bank, Dublin. The design of the new steel roof construction has a complex geometric structure, following the exposed suspensions of the building – with cantilevering triangles.
The plan for roof expansion involved passive fire protection measures and an appropriate airtightness strategy, using Partel’s IZOPERM PLUS FR Class A2 vapour control system.

Partel’s High-Performance Fire-Rated Membranes 

Partel is a leader in high-performance building envelope solutions, offering a range of products that meet rigorous fire safety standards. Our membranes are designed to enhance energy efficiency and durability while ensuring superior fire performance. 

EXOPERM DURO A1 

EXOPERM DURO A1 is a high-performance, non-combustible breather membrane ideal for use in walls and roofs. It combines excellent protection against the elements with superior fire performance. Key features include: 

  • Fire Classification: A1 according to EN 13501-1, indicating it is non-combustible and does not contribute to fire at any stage. 
  • Durability: High resistance to UV and weather exposure, ensuring long-term performance. 

EXOPERM DURO A2 

EXOPERM DURO A2 is another high-performance breather membrane offering robust fire safety features. Suitable for use in walls and roofs where additional fire resistance is needed, it includes: 

  • Fire Classification: A2-s1,d0 according to EN 13501-1, indicating it has limited combustibility with minimal smoke production. 
  • Weather Resistance: Excellent protection against wind, rain, and snow, ensuring durability and performance. 

IZOPERM PLUS A2 

IZOPERM PLUS A2 is a vapour control layer (VCL) designed to provide excellent airtightness and moisture management. Its fire-resistant properties make it suitable for various construction types: 

  • Fire Classification: A2-s1,d0, confirming its minimal fire contribution and smoke production. 

Ensuring the fire performance of building membranes is crucial for the safety and resilience of modern buildings, especially high-rise structures. The Grenfell Tower fire has driven significant changes in regulations and industry practices, emphasising the importance of using non-combustible materials with superior fire performance. 

Partel’s range of fire-rated membranes, including EXOPERM DURO A1, EXOPERM DURO A2, and IZOPERM PLUS A2, offers outstanding protection against fire while delivering superior performance in air tightness, moisture management, and durability. By choosing Partel products, builders and architects can enhance the fire safety of their constructions, providing peace of mind and meeting the stringent regulatory requirements of today’s construction industry. For more information on our fire-rated membranes and how they can benefit your projects, please visit Partel. 
 
References 

  1. Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. “Building a Safer Future: Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.” Retrieved from GOV.UK. 
  1. The Building (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (SI 2018/1230). 
  1. European Commission. “Fire Safety in Buildings – Study.” Retrieved from European Commission
  1. British Standards Institution. “BS EN 13501-1:2018 – Fire classification of construction products and building elements.”

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