fire protection for building frames

The Project Manager for White Haus, Tony Buck, commented: “We offer clients a bespoke service for the supply and installation of high performance timber frames to meet various specifications – right up to PassivHaus standard – building schools, hospitals and commercial premises as well as domestic properties. Although these structures aren’t within the designated five metre distance of existing buildings, the client (Emerson Properties) wanted the additional protection provided by a fire rated sheathing board – in addition to fire rated timber cladding – and we are using 9mm Magply boards on the outside of the timber frames. “

Dame Judith Hackitt’s assertion that the building industry routinely puts cost before quality will come as no surprise to architects and contractors who often see their specifications being challenged, and changed, just to save a few pounds. ‘Value engineering’ has become synonymous with an industry obsessed seeking to do everything at the lowest possible cost. Fire rated glass, framing materials and other components must be evaluated and scrutinised at the product specification stage. Once specified, passive fire protection products must stay specified, as the slightest change to the specification can compromise the expected level of fire resistance.

DRU gas fires and a Spartherm wood fire were specified by Ethos Construction and DRU dealer Grate Expectations for Harford Manor, a country house in Holyport, Windsor. They selected the fires for their ‘A’ energy ratings. This included the DRU PowerVent extended flue system for flexibility of location. In addition, the gas fires can be operated using the DRU Eco Wave app for tablets and smartphones. Ethos project manager Niten Mistry said: ‘The fires were selected for their impressive performance and ease of installation. They also contribute to the high quality of the property.’ www.harfordmanor.com, www.grateexpectations.com,

Coopers FireMaster Concertina is a great way to offer compartmentation between areas like a kitchen and restaurant and able to divide up these two critical areas in a public building and act as a fire break. By installing the FireMaster Concertina meant it would provide the building with an approved, non-invasive means of fire protection that would satisfy the fire regulations as well as ensuring that the open plan design remained as intended. Compartmentation and Protected Means of Escape were required as part of the fire safety solutions.

The steel framing system that was introduced in the UK to provide EI fire protection in butt jointed glazing is now available as a complete, safety-assured glazing system with the launch of the SYSTEMGLAS® Ferro range from Promat UK. SYSTEMGLAS® Ferro is a complete glazing system suited to contemporary interiors with the fire glass, steel framing, beading and setting blocks supplied directly by Promat for maximum traceability. It is installed exclusively by a network of approved installers to ensure total peace of mind for specifiers, backed with the confidence of Promat UK’s 360 degree wheel of assurance.

When you design a building that will be used by lots of people, like a tower block, you need to make sure that the building has the correct level of fire prevention and fire protection equipment. In instances where this isn’t the case, tragedies like the Grenfell Fire can happen. The importance of passive and active fire protection methods are vital for the safety of the intended occupants, but how can you ensure they’re going to be safe?

Compartmentation, Protected Means of Escape and Boundary Protection were all required as part of the fire safety solutions and therefore Coopers FireMaster fire curtains and Coopers FireMaster Plus2 fire curtains were installed to ensure the fire safety requirements were met. In total, 113 fire curtains were installed, 96 with round headboxes and 17 with square headboxes. Round headboxes were engineered for The British Museum as a request from the architects. The headboxes of the fire curtains were going to be seen by the occupants so Coopers engineered a round headbox that looked in keeping with the design of the building.

Designing, specifying and installing fire rated timber framed butt-jointed glazing is now easier with the assurance of a fully traceable supply chain with the launch of SYSTEMGLAS® Ligna by Promat, one of the country’s leading manufacturers of fire, thermal and acoustic solutions. Ligna gives designers the ideal balance of assured fire protection and maximum light transmission in all kinds of timber framed glazed partitions and screens. Ideal for offices, healthcare, education, retail and public sector applications, it has been tested to provide integrity and insulation (EI) fire protection from 30 minutes up to 60 minutes (EI30 to EI60).

When you design a building that will be used by lots of people, like a tower block, you need to make sure that the building has the correct level of fire prevention and fire protection equipment. In instances where this isn’t the case, tragedies like the Grenfell Fire can happen. The importance of passive and active fire protection methods are vital for the safety of the intended occupants, but how can you ensure they’re going to be safe?

Architect Tamas Deilinger and his wife chose a DRU Maestro 75 contemporary gas fire to be the main focal point in the living room of their classic town house It was installed by London fireplace specialists Acquisitions. They adapted the existing chimney, creating a larger opening for the fire and inserting the balanced flue all the way up to the roof. The Maestro 75 has the exclusive DRU Dynamic log burner, which generates high, dense, realistic flames underpinned by a comforting glow. The flame picture can be controlled with a smartphone or tablet using the unique DRU Eco Wave app.

The existing ornate and decorative features of the hotel, meant that the fire curtains needed to integrate with the existing parts of the building that were remaining. This included a four sided, marble clad atrium in one of the main entrance halls, which covers two floors. There were four fire curtains installed around the first floor of the atrium therefore reinstating fire separation between floors. Fire curtains offering up to 3 hours fire resistance were also installed in the new hotel kitchens, preventing fire from spreading from kitchen areas to the public dining rooms and bar.

Bioethanol fires require no chimney or flue, give off no harmful emissions and are 95% energy efficient. They are available in a large selection of designs for living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and gardens. A good example is the home of Bury resident Anthony Norman, who chose an Italian kitchen and a British made bedroom from local dealer Icon, both featuring table-top bioethanol fires. Anthony and his family were convinced that they would make exciting additions to their new kitchen and master bedroom. Ebios bioethanol fires are made in Germany and distributed by DRU in the UK.

The Coopers FireMaster, closed and open Concertina fire curtain is a perfect solution when requiring fire compartmentation around a staircase as it offers a virtual firewall creating a lobby, once the curtain has been deployed, with more than 3 hours integrity. A total of five FireMaster Concertinas were installed between floors 11 and 15 in this large office space. These curtains allow for the open plan flow of the building to remain as intended and prevent the spread of fire through the building whilst providing compartmentation.

The recently renovated 'schloss Colditz' in Saxony, Germany is a great example of how to reconcile the often conflicting demands of historic preservation and fire-protection. The renovation has not just fulfilled fire-protection requirements but the planners have used extremely discreet solutions that fit with historic preservation requirements. Many of the passageways have been fitted with Teckentrup T30 all-glass doors, which combine functionality with aesthetics and maximum transparency.

DuPont™ Tyvek® Reflex and DuPont™ AirGuard® achieve impressive results for a new timber frame house build in Ireland

Coopers installed and commissioned two FireMaster® Plus fire curtains, the first to protect the property from fire and smoke migrating from the kitchen whilst the second to protect the internal balcony from smoke and fire travelling between floors. Both fire curtains provide 2 hours fire and insulation zone protection and were installed into the ceiling to remain hidden from view until deployed by a fire alarm.

There are a total of 30 active SmokeStop smoke curtain barriers, 5 vertical FireMaster fire curtains and 2 FireMaster Concertina multi-faceted fire curtains installed within the university building offering protection from fire and smoke. With a large central atrium in the centre of the building, smoke control was a huge necessity on this project and therefore various bespoke engineered solutions were required to help solve the smoke and fire requirements.

As the leading manufacturer of fire and smoke curtains, Coopers were appointed to develop a smoke curtain system to provide an unintrusive method capable of controlling smoke migrating from the lower floors. It was also necessary to protect the un-insulated glazing installed above the atrium’s reception area with an approved fire curtain barrier system approved to provide a one hour insulating zone. Coopers manufactured, installed and commissioned two SmokeStop smoke curtains developed to control smoke generated in the event of fire and effectively channel it away from occupants during evacuation.

The Coopers FireMaster®, closed rectangular Concertina fire curtain is a perfect solution when requiring fire compartmentation around a staircase as it offers a virtual firewall creating a lobby once the curtain has been deployed with more than 2 hours integrity. The innovative Concertina fire curtain installed at Aldgate Tower fully encapsulates the staircase from the 11th to the 12th floor in the event of a fire. The curtain is triggered by either the fire alarm system or a local heat or smoke sensor and is automatically deployed from the ceiling to the floor.

DRU has installed 89 gas fires into Ebury Square, a development of luxury 1-4 bedroom apartments and 5 bedroom penthouses by Berkeley Homes in Belgravia, London. The fires were selected for their contemporary design, easy installation and high energy efficiency. They consist of single-sided and double-sided tunnel models. Berkeley Homes selected DRU because of their unique PowerVent® flue system. Due to the configuration of the apartments, the flues had to be extended up to 64 metres throughout the service ducts in the complex, with most of the fires having external PowerVent® terminals on the roof.

Coopers installed FireMaster fire curtains with smoke control over the lift door openings on each of the ground and upper seven floors and two on the basement so a total of forty eight curtains. An important part of the design of the building on the ground and first floor was to subtly integrate the fire curtain headbox and side guides into the lift opening.

O1A Architects oversaw the conversion of a former Gordon Ramsay restaurant in Islington into two luxury town houses with roof gardens and many unique features. O1A chose DRU Metro 100XT/2 corner gas fires for the main living areas in the properties. They utilise the balanced flue system to be flexibly located anywhere in the building without the need for a chimney. False chimneybreasts have been created in each property to house the impressive log-effect fireplaces. They also accommodate the flat screen TVs making perfect focal points and conceal the concentric flues, which exit the building through the roof.

Coopers innovative FireMaster Plus2 fire curtains was also used to create tenable zones as the product offers both integrity and radiance performance. The use of all the fire curtains allowed the open plan design of the museum to be realised by offering fire compartmentation and boundary protection. A total of 20 Simplex and Duplex FireMaster Horizontal fire curtains and 110 FireMaster and FireMaster Plus fire curtains have been installed in the museum by Coopers Fire UAE partners, Dosteen Doors.

Television Centre in Shepherds Bush, West London, is the iconic former BBC HQ that was opened in 1960. Architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris and developers Stanhope have now created a multi-media environment that includes apartments, offices, studios, hotels, restaurants and retail, all based around the famous crescents that defined the original complex. DRU Metro 100XT/2 designer gas fires were specified for a selection of the apartments and were installed by DRU dealers Victoria Stone of Tunbridge Wells. They utilise the exclusive DRU PowerVent system, which enables the fires to be installed in apartment complexes and other challenging locations.

Coopers Fire installed a large, multi-faceted FireMaster Concertina Closed fire curtain on floor 12. The client utilising floors 12 and 13 wanted to keep an open plan feel between floors to allow a more free flowing environment for the staff. To achieve this, a bespoke staircase was designed connecting the floors. The spiral staircase was a major feature on floor 12 and meant that staff were able to move freely between floors 12 and 13 without using the lifts.

Kendrick Homes has selected DRU gas fires for ‘The Ridings’, a development of nine executive properties in the commuter village of Balsall Common, near Coventry. DRU Metro 100XT frameless gas fires are situated in six of the properties, with the other three having DRU Global 70XT models in fire surrounds. Both fires are balanced flue models, which do not require a chimney and are installed into a false chimneybreast. The fires have heat outputs of 7 kW, enough for a large living room. They feature realistic log fire displays and are operated by remote control.

The Matki-ONE Framed Effect Wet Room Panel in Black forms the centrepiece in this on-trend, monochrome Bathroom space by Kuche & Bagno. Avoiding bulky metal framing, the fineline framing is digitally printed on to the 8mm solid Safety glass panel providing a bold contemporary finish which is easier to clean and maintain. Continuing the theme, the Matki Universal Colour 40 Shower Tray has been colour matched to the accompanying Black fixtures in the bathroom. With a hardwearing and colourfast gel coat, the surface finish stands out vividly.

Our range of products meant all of the fire curtain requirements were met and the fire regulations could be adhered to keep the occupants of the building safe. Coopers FireMaster Concertina is a great way to offer compartmentation between floors and was installed because there were no columns at the atrium to install side guides and there is no smoke extraction system on the atrium so functional gaps were not allowed.

The project was to refurbish the roof and improve the drainage and insulation and bring it up to current building control standards. A thermographic survey of the roof was carried out by IKO, which confirmed that it was sound enough to have an overlay of IKO UXPL bituminous membrane rather than stripping it back and rebuilding. IKO UPXL was primarily chosen by the client for the 30 year guarantee. One section of the roof to be repaired was on top of dormers. Flame-free IKO UPXL membranes were used because of the potential fire risk of the abutting pitched tiled roof.

A timber frame structure requires the floor to provide racking to prevent the building from twisting. Meaning the floor needs to be secured to the joists below so the floor can stop twisting. There are 2 ways of installing Lewis Deck in timber frame structures. Firstly is to fix the Lewis Deck down and lose acoustic performance or the second way is to fix a timber deck on top of the timber joists. Lewis is then laid loose on top of the timber with the resilient acoustic strips in between keeping all of the benefits Lewis Deck but slightly thicker.

The National Assembly Building for Wales is one of the most recognisable buildings in the UK and a landmark project in the use of timber ceiling systems by BCL. The building has gained worldwide recognition, culminating in the project being shortlisted for The Stirling Prize in 2006. BCL’s team designed a panel layout that allowed the complete ceiling, totalling over 3,000 sqm, to be created using only 35 different panel shapes, 99% of which could be flat packed and curved on site, helping to keep logistical costs to a minimum and maximise the speed of installation.

Bilston Fire Station has been protecting the local community for over half a century. However in recent years the building had started to show its age, in particular the roof structures, which have seen increasing stress through the application of roof lights and other services essential to the operation of the fire service. Attempts to repair the existing waterproofing system had clearly been made however, water ingress was still a common occurrence. Garland were approached to provide a complete solution to ensure that the building remained watertight for years to come.

This bespoke new build project uses a full range of Weru Afino-Tec systems comprising of inward opening windows, french doors, panoramic patio doors & a sun lounge with shaped frames. Additionally, a Weru Atris bespoke entrance door with finger scan entry system was also installed on this high specification project. Located in the sought after region of the Lake District National Park, this new build property is situated in the market village of Ulverston. The system specifically used for this project, is Afino-Tec due to being a severe weather rated triple glazed system, perfect for this exposed coastal location.

The Isotec is a heavy duty commercial loft ladder offering up to 120 minutes fire protection. It also offers very high thermal insulation (U value 0.33 W/m2K) and an airtight seal (class 4). Available made-to-measure

Impressive new build project with stunning architectural designs. Weru bespoke Afino-Tec carbon composite windows, french doors and wide span patio are included in this project. Weru Acento aluminium bifold doors, 48mm factory triple glazed ultra-low E 0.5Wmk2 units have also been used in this 3 storey, 8000 sqft property. All products are finished in RAL 7016 anthracite grey on both sides. The huge Weru Atris Life designer entrance door with quad-pane ultralow E laminated safety glazing which is fitted to RC3 security standards & the storey height glazing with U Value 0.47Wmk2 featuring innovative FiproRau technology.

A £400k installation for Galliford try designed by Architects BDP for Northampton county council’s new civic offices. A combination of oak slatted panels balustrades, ceilings and fabric wrapped absorption panels were used to reduce the reverberation time in the atrium and open areas. In addition, an oak feature wall was created in the entrance hall complete with integral lighting and a commemorative stone. A truly stunning visual effect and a successful acoustic performance was achieved.