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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: GB on August 16, 2010, 01:38:19 PM

Title: External Timber Cladding
Post by: GB on August 16, 2010, 01:38:19 PM

I am enquiring as to the recent trend to utilise panels of external timber cladding to blocks of apartments.

In a domestic apartment block less than 18m in height; with a boundary of more than 1m to any relevant building (taking into account unprotected areas); where cavity barriers are used at compartment (apartment) boundaries; can untreated timber be utilised on external walls?

Is their a concern that where windows are open from apartments that there could be external flame spread up the building with the potential to re-enter a higher apartment with windows open (during our extremely hot summers!!).

Does ADB V2 deal with this in domestic apartments?

Title: Re: External Timber Cladding
Post by: FSO on August 16, 2010, 03:07:04 PM

No is does'nt.

We had a fire that did exactly that in this neck of the woods. Timber clad, new build etc.

Building control became very twitcy all of a sudden, but quite rightly they said it complied at the time of build.

BS 9999 is the only document I have read which details reccomendations about consideration of external claddings allowing fire spread beyond compartment floors.

Has anybody seen any more?

Title: Re: External Timber Cladding
Post by: wee brian on August 19, 2010, 09:25:14 AM

BRE Report 185

Title: Re: External Timber Cladding
Post by: GB on August 24, 2010, 01:12:12 PM

Thanks FSO - can you provide a link for any more detail on that fire?

Thanks Wee Brian - had a look for BRE report 185 but site says its relating to flooding?

Title: Re: External Timber Cladding
Post by: CivvyFSO on August 24, 2010, 03:44:53 PM

Try BR135, it doesn't look at timber cladding though.

GB, bear in mind that space separation is a separate issue, and it (any combustible cladding) counts in part to the 'unprotected area'.

Title: Re: External Timber Cladding
Post by: wee brian on August 25, 2010, 12:36:38 PM

OOps, sorry, thats the one I meant.

Title: Re: External Timber Cladding
Post by: Tom Sutton on August 25, 2010, 08:15:26 PM

The Knowsley Heights Fire instigated BRE 135 and the following links will provide background knowledge but I don't think it will help your problem this was a block of flats over 18M high.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199697/cmhansrd/vo970120/text/70120w05.htm

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199899/cmselect/cmenvtra/741/9072008.htm

Check out pages 31 to 35 http://www.ife.org.uk/docs/agm/Martin_Shipp_Fire_Investigation.pdf