Balconies
Aluminium decking and balcony manufacturer AliDeck have published their 2021-2022 Balcony Fires Report with alarming results. Collating data from Fire Services across the UK using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the data returned is extremely concerning amidst the context of the ongoing building safety crisis.
A total of 310 Balcony Fires occurred between August 1st 2021 and July 31st 2022, up from 213 the year prior for a 46% year-on-year increase. The most troubling statistic within the report is that, of the 310 fires on balconies, 182 were related to smoking, for 59% of the total.
Timber decking on balconies has been recognised as no longer fit for purpose. We spoke with Richard Izzard, managing director of AliDeck, about a recent fire-safety remediation
project in London where aluminium decking provided a compliant solution.
With the monumental change in building regulations for multi-storey developments over recent years, new-build use of combustible materials such as timber or composite decking on balconies has fallen to zero.
However, there are countless existing buildings across the UK that have already had timber decking installed. Property managers and building owners have increasingly faced the prospect of undertaking fire safety remediation across their portfolio, and progress to a fire-safe future has been a challenge to achieve.
Following extensive review, the Government has responded to a 2020 consultation reviewing the ban on the use of combustible materials in the external wall systems of buildings.
There will be several major changes to the Building Regulations and Approved Document B as a result and these will significantly impact how many within the construction industry operate.
The conversation around fire safety in high rise developments has never been more critical, and much attention is being given to the building materials used across large expanses such as façades and flat roofs. To achieve regulatory compliance, however, it’s crucial to pay attention to each and every detail. Will Wigfield, Product Manager – Building Envelope, ROCKWOOL UK, examines the fire safety implications of external amenities above ground level such as balconies, upstands and terraces, and discusses product certifications which help stakeholders to achieve the required performance.
Rochester-based balcony components manufacturer AliDeck made an important contribution last year to the national debate on fire safety in high-rise buildings with the publication of the Balcony Fires Report 2017 to 2020.
Collating data from UK Fire and Rescue Services on the prevalence and causes of balcony fires across the country, the report was shocking; at least 873 fires on balconies were recorded nationally across the period, with almost half of them caused by smoking materials such as carelessly discarded cigarettes.
As legislation has continued to evolve following Grenfell, achieving fire safety has become the major challenge for property managers and building owners across the UK. We spoke to Richard Izzard, managing director of aluminium decking manufacturer AliDeck, to find out more about effective solutions for full compliance.
Fire safety remains the major concern in the housing sector. Despite several years of legislation and regulation updates, however, a settled conclusion seems remote. The industry-led EWS1 initiative attempted to provide clarity on risk for lenders and unblock the market but was quickly undermined by changing Government advice relating to height of affected buildings.
Resolving Fire safety concerns in residential multi-occupancy buildings poses a major challenge for property managers and specifiers. We spoke to Richard Izzard, managing director of aluminium decking manufacturer AliDeck, to find out more about successful fire safety remediation of balconies.
Following Grenfell, the parameters for compliant specification of materials for multi-occupancy buildings has changed immeasurably. As these changes to regulations have been announced relatively piecemeal since 2017, keeping track of current requirements has proved challenging for even the most conscientious specifier or property manager.