NEWS
Sustainability & fire safety: what’s the link?
As part of EU Green Week, Fire Safe Europe’s 2nd June 2022 webinar discussed why fire safety is linked to sustainability in buildings, in the context of the EU’s “Renovation Wave” objective of renovating building stock to improve energy efficieny and of “green buildings”.
READ MOREMargaret Simonson McNamee, Lund University
Introduced the webinar with a presentation explaining why environmental and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) assessments of buildings should take into account fire risk and fire safety, in the context of the IAFSS agenda for fire safety (International Association for Fire Safety Science, see pinfa Newsletter n°108).
READ MOREHeikki Väänänen, European Commission DG GROW
The EU FIEP (Fire Information Exchange Platform) was launched with the aim of improving fire safety across the EU by sharing information on best practices between Member States.
READ MOREFulvia Raffaelli, European Commission DG GROW
Emphasised that sustainability is critical in construction, but is also very complex. Energy efficiency was a key parameter in the past, but now circularity is also a priority (use of secondary materi...
READ MOREChristian Fundby Schou, DBI
Agreed that fire safety opens important potential for innovation in sustainable building materials and construction.
READ MOREGrunde Jomaas, FRISSBE and ZAG
There is a need for science, testing and standards, both on new materials and new energy systems in green buildings, and on the links between fire safety and sustainability.
READ MOREBrian Meacham, Meacham Associates
Further underlined the need for data on changing fire risks with green buildings. Data is not keeping up with the implementation of new technologies, green materials, façade insulation, photovoltaics, energy storage, etc.
READ MOREYosr Melki, Knauf Insulation
Keeping people safe is critical for all buildings. She calls for wide value chain cooperation to integrate sustainable construction and fire safety, engaging design engineers and architects, materials suppliers, the construction industry, as well as researchers and regulators
READ MOREFanny Guay, PAROC
Industry wants European standards, to facilitate placing on the market and to ensure demanding levels of fire safety. The EU has regulatory tools which can support this, in particular the Construction Products Directive and the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive, but in the latter fire safety is only included marginally.
READ MOREResearch gaps for integrating fires into LCA
A Fire Safety Journal article and a thesis from Oregon State University find little existing science and identifies research and data gaps.
READ MOREData on environmental emissions from fires
New report analyses emissions from fires, susceptible to have health or environmental impacts, with an Emission Factor database for 90 materials.
READ MOREReview of environmental impacts of fires
NFPA-funded study proposes framework for quantifying environmental impact of fires and identifies research gaps. As above, most of the c. 60 references concern environmental impacts of wildfires or of major fire incidents, fire statistics reports or ISO methodologies.
READ MOREEU FireStat project reports 3 – 5
Efectis has published reports on several packages of the EU FireStat project on fire data and cost/benefit analysis of fire safety actions (“Closing data gaps and paving the way for pan-European Fire Safety Efforts”, see DG GROW above).
READ MOREFire safety regulation of upholstered furniture & mattresses
EU FireStat report concludes fire safety regulation upholstered furniture and mattresses in Sweden offers net cost benefit, but with high uncertainty. This is the report of package #5 of the EU FireStat project (see above), led by Efectis, with this work package carried out by Lund University.
READ MORESFPE Handbook of Fire and the Environment
New 500 page reference work from the Society of Fire Protection Engineers on fire impacts on the environment, including mitigation and sustainability.
READ MOREEU JRC reviews SSbD approaches
Commission report analyses objectives and existing tools for assessment of “SSbD” for chemical, but ignores durability. The 184 page report reviews existing frameworks relevant to “Safe and Sust...
READ MOREpinfa GA addresses the Green Deal
pinfa members working together on opportunities offered by for PIN flame retardants by the EU Green Deal.
READ MORENew chairman of pinfa-NA: Carolyn Pressley
Pinfa North America has elected Carolyn Pressley, Budenheim USA, as Chairman for 2-year term, from 1st July 2022.
READ MORESafety by Durability
pinfa infographics explain why chemical stability of PIN FRs is key to Green Deal product durability objectives.
READ MORERoad to Flame Retardant Commercialisation
pinfa-NA member, Dr. Anteneh Worku (FR Adviser LLC) presents challenges of FR design and production. pinfa North America (pinfa-NA) was a sponsor of the ACS Fire and Polymers 2022 workshop
READ MOREPossible restriction of halogen FRs in E&E
State proposes to restrict all halogenated flame retardants (HFFRs) in E&E enclosures and stands. The proposal from the Washington State Ecology Department takes forward the SAFER “priority products” process (law RCW 70.365, see pinfa Newsletter n°108).
READ MORECancer recognised as firefighter health risk
The WHO’s IARC has classified cancer as an exposure risk for firefighters. At an expert meeting 1st July 2022, IARC classified occupational exposure as a firefighter as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1)
READ MOREEU reports record wildfires in 2022
The EU’s Copernicus (CAMS) data show record wildfire activity in South West Europe. Germany, Eastern Europe and Baltic States are also affected.
READ MOREWhirlpool sued 1.3 M£ for tumble-dryer fire
Legal action by a London borough adds to payments already made to 37 residents and recall of half a million driers. In August 2016, a fire started in a flat on Heathstan Road, Shepherds Bush, caused by tumble drier (according to the London Fire Brigade investigation).
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