Kotzen, Benzion ORCID: 0000-0003-3522-0460, Galea, Edwin ORCID: 0000-0002-0001-6665, Mosco, Shelley, Wang, Zhaozhi ORCID: 0000-0002-8986-0554, Ewer, John ORCID: 0000-0003-0609-272X and Jia, Fuchen ORCID: 0000-0003-1850-7961 (2023) Fire safety risks of external living walls and implications for regulatory guidance in England. Fire Safety Journal, 139:103816. pp. 1-14. ISSN 0379-7112 (doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2023.103816)

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Abstract

External living walls (LWs) have aesthetic and environmental appeal, but these characteristics must not compromise fire safety. A review of legislation indicates there are no specific fire regulations or test standards for LWs in England. Furthermore, the 2013 UK Green wall guidance document (GWGD) contradicts current guidance in Approved Document B (ADB) for certain categories of buildings, yet ADB cites GWGD as “best practice”. We suggest the recommended reaction to fire testing methodology for LW systems (single burning item (SBI) EN13823/ignitability EN ISO11925-2 tests) is inappropriate for assessing their fire performance. Despite some limitations, the BS8414 full-scale test could be used to assess LW installations. While not identified in the GWGD or specifically recommended within ADB as a suitable test method for LWs, it is arguably more appropriate than reduced scale SBI testing, primarily because it accommodates full LW modules with planting, and uses a more appropriate fire size. To reduce testing costs, we propose the use of CFD fire modelling, or a modified SBI test to identify candidate LW products likely to pass BS8414 testing. Given the inherent variable nature of LWs and their associated fire properties, LW maintenance is considered essential for on-going compliance with fire safety requirements.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	living walls; green walls; fire; combustible materials; fire test standards; building regulations
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD61 Risk Management T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > Centre for Numerical Modelling & Process Analysis (CNMPA) Faculty of Engineering & Science > Centre for Numerical Modelling & Process Analysis (CNMPA) > Fire Safety Engineering Group (FSEG) Faculty of Engineering & Science > School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences (CMS)
Last Modified:	06 Jun 2023 10:08
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/42951

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