There’s never been a better time to build. Materials, construction techniques and fire safety have reached a pinnacle unthought of in times past. Architecture and design continue to push into brave new frontiers - with masterpieces like the Louvre Abu Dhabi becoming a more regular addition to the world. So, with all the advances in the art and science of construction, is one now able to make a fireproof building?
The short answer is no. There’s no way to make a building completely fireproof. Even though there are stringent fire regulations for new builds, they can still be poorly designed, or even ignored by builders. But even with every possible safety measure implemented and agonized over, ruling out a fire would be impossible. The ideal, least likely to catch fire building would be highly impractical and unaffordable to the extreme.
Built-in fire safety
Imagine a structure carved from a single piece of stone, molded entirely in concrete - and crucially, filled with nothing but inert materials. No wood, fabric, paper or plastic could enter the building, because they’d represent a fire risk. Even if one were to remove every element of accidental fire risk, there’s still malicious damage and arson to think about. Advertising a building as “completely fireproof” could serve as an invitation to test the claim out.
Achieving exemplary fire safety standards isn’t a case of removing all risks - because that’s not possible
A well-planned fire could damage and stress even the strongest stone structure, and water penetration could take decades to resolve. A building made for the sole purpose of resisting fire would, of course, technically be safer than a standard build - but that safety gain would be at the expense of usability, design and just about everything else. Achieving exemplary fire safety standards isn’t a case of removing all risks - because that’s not possible.
Fire Curtains for Compartmentation
It’s about good planning, excellent design and a proper fire strategy. Fire curtains can be applied to any architectural design: office blocks, high rise buildings, retail environments, heritage buildings, airports - even high-risk industrial facilities. Keeping fire at bay starts at the design stage. Compartmentation is an essential part of design - and it can still be achieved in an open-plan environment.
Fire curtains make this possible by slowing the spread of fire down, protecting fire escapes for longer periods in the event of a fire. At Coopers Fire, the company is always developing, testing and improving their products. To find out more about their renowned fire curtains or to enroll in one of their educational training courses.
