NFPA Skilled Trades survey shows technology plans and workforce worries

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Skilled Trades report flags gaps and rollbacks

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released its annual State of the Skilled Trades report on 15 January 2026, setting out survey findings on artificial intelligence, labour shortages and concern about rollbacks in codes and standards.

The NFPA said the publication is intended to reflect workforce perspectives, sentiment and anticipated challenges for the year ahead.

Jim Pauley, President and CEO of NFPA, said: “For years, the skilled trades industry has been called ‘automation-proof,’ but AI isn’t here to replace the craft; it’s here to remove the friction,

“We can use technology to both streamline mundane tasks and deliver smarter, more personalized training, unlocking the efficiencies companies need and the upskilling opportunities employees deserve.

“Leaders must show clearly that both priorities are advancing together.”

The announcement also referenced an upgrade to NFPA LiNK, NFPA’s digital codes and standards platform.

It said the new version adds AI-powered capabilities, including CASI, described as an AI assistant trained on NFPA-sourced content.

NFPA said the full State of the Skilled Trades report can be accessed by completing a short form.

Skilled Trades survey shows expected AI impact alongside training preferences

In the State of the Skilled Trades report, NFPA reported results from a virtual survey of 512 U.S.-based workers aged 18 and older across sectors including electrical, manufacturing, construction, engineering, architect and design, facility maintenance, fire service, fire protection, inspection and AHJ, government, healthcare, industrial and education.

Sixty-eight per cent of respondents said AI and technological advancements will have a tangible impact on their work in 2026.

Thirty-eight per cent said technology advancements will reduce mundane tasks in 2026.

Thirty-seven per cent cited quick access to relevant information on the jobsite as a benefit of AI and technology upgrades.

Thirty-four per cent cited streamlining project management and communication as a benefit.

Thirty per cent identified resistance to change within the skilled trades industry as a primary barrier to adopting new technologies.

Thirty-four per cent cited the cost of implementing technology upgrades as a barrier.

Twenty-seven per cent cited a lack of training or knowledge of new technologies as a barrier.

Thirty-five per cent expected increased technology deployment to be their organisation’s top focus for the next year.

Twenty-six per cent wanted technology to be a primary focus.

Twenty-nine per cent preferred increased training for a more skilled workforce.

Twenty-one per cent preferred updating manual or outdated equipment.

Fifty-four per cent planned to take part in more training in the next year.

Thirty-eight per cent planned to sit for more certifications in the next year.

Seventeen per cent anticipated their organisations would prioritise training opportunities.

Skilled Trades findings highlight code rollback concerns and labour shortages

In the same report, NFPA reported increased awareness of codes and standards alongside continued concern about workforce capacity and retention.

Sixty-two per cent agreed in some capacity that their understanding of how building codes and standards affect their day-to-day lives increased in the past year.

Sixty-one per cent said they were aware of ongoing changes and deregulation efforts around codes and standards.

Thirty-five per cent said they were not yet feeling the impact of codes and standards deregulation in their industry.

Twenty-six per cent said they were currently experiencing the impact of codes and standards deregulation in their industry.

Respondents averaged a concern rating of 6.4 out of 10 when asked to rank concern about rollback of codes and standards compliance across the U.S.

Forty-one per cent said they had more conversations in 2025 with friends, family and colleagues about codes and standards.

Jim Pauley, President and CEO of NFPA, said: “Skilled professionals depend on codes and standards during every moment of their work.

“Having the right requirements in place at the right time is what protects workers, communities, and the built environment.

“This year’s survey shows growing unease, reinforcing that preserving—not rolling back—codes and standards must remain a top priority.”

Fifty-three per cent said a shortage of qualified candidates will be their biggest challenge at work in 2026.

The report described that figure as a 3 per cent increase from 2025 expectations.

Thirty-nine per cent cited workforce retention as a top challenge in 2026.

The report described that figure as up 8 per cent from 2025 data.

Thirty-three per cent cited a lack of knowledge sharing and collaboration on the jobsite.

Nineteen per cent anticipated their organisations would increase hiring or add jobs in the next year.

Nineteen per cent wanted their organisations focused on hiring.

Seventy-eight per cent reported membership of a professional organisation or trade association.

Forty-three per cent cited benefits from networking opportunities with industry professionals, plus professional development and training programmes.

Thirty-nine per cent valued access to industry resources and publications through memberships.

Thirty per cent cited advocacy around industry-related issues and regulations as an important membership benefit.

Prisons top Buckinghamshire fires list as deliberate incidents lead causes

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Prisons lead Buckinghamshire public building fire breakdown

Public buildings in Buckinghamshire have recorded 271 commercial fires per 250,000 people over the past five years.

Research by health and safety consultants Rhino Safety ranked Buckinghamshire third-highest in England on that measure.

The research listed Greater Manchester first with 285 fires per 250,000 people, followed by Staffordshire with 278.

Nottinghamshire and Shropshire completed the top five with 267 and 266 fires per 250,000 people respectively.

Within Buckinghamshire, prisons accounted for 36.9% of commercial fires, followed by retail buildings at 6.7% and industrial manufacturing buildings excluding factories at 4.6%.

Other building categories listed included offices and call centres at 3.5%, permanent agricultural buildings at 3.5%, pre-schools, nurseries or infant primary schools at 3.3%, pubs, wine bars and bars at 3.2%, nursing and care homes at 3.1% and restaurants and cafes at 2.8%.

Ignition sources and causes recorded in Buckinghamshire

A third of ignition sources in Buckinghamshire commercial fires were listed as unspecified at 32.7%.

Wiring, cabling and plugs were the largest listed source at 11.7%, followed by smoking materials at 7.3% and naked flames such as a lighted piece of paper or card at 6.2%.

Batteries and generators accounted for 5.2% pressures, while cookers including ovens accounted for 3.5%.

Other ignition sources listed included cigarette lighters at 2.9%, fluorescent lights at 2.7%, microwave ovens at 2.5%, other industrial equipment at 2.5% and deep fat fryers at 1.7%.

The dataset also reported that 44.4% of fires at Buckinghamshire establishments over the past five years were started deliberately.

Other accidental causes were listed at 18.2%, faulty appliances and leads at 13.5%, faulty fuel supplies at 10.2% and misuse of equipment and appliances at 6.6%.

Rhino Safety comments on end of year safety steps

Simon Walter from health and safety consultancy Rhino Safety said: “With the festive season upon us, safety should still be the number one priority for businesses in the Buckinghamshire area, which have experienced the third-highest number of public building fires since the pandemic.

“With the majority of fires being started deliberately, the first thing business-owners should do is ensure all smoke alarms and sprinkler systems are up to date and working, as well as ensuring access to the building after hours is secured and removing any/all flammable materials, which can help fires spread instantly.

“Almost a quarter (23.8%) of commercial fires are started via faulty appliances, leads or fuel supplies, so business owners must hire a licensed electrician to carry out any work on the premises, as well as carrying out checks on lighting, electricals or other elements that could cause a fire (this is usually covered as part of your annual Fire Risk Assessment).

“User error accounts for one in eight fires (11.7%), including the misuse of equipment or appliances, careless handling of fire or hot substances, or placing articles too close to a heat source.

“These are incidents that can easily be avoided with more fire safety education and training for all staff, as well as ensuring your Fire Risk Assessment is up to date, and that all fire safety equipment is present and in working order.”

The research also set out the building types, ignition sources and stated causes recorded across Buckinghamshire commercial fire incidents over the past five years.

Near-UV light drives PFAS defluorination in new zinc oxide catalyst study

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A cheap material is breaking PFAS bonds faster than expected

Ritsumeikan University researchers have reported that ligand-capped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals can defluorinate perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) under near-UV light, with results published online in Chemical Science on Wednesday 5 November 2025.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were described as synthetic chemicals used for heat, water and oil resistance.

The university said PFAS persistence is linked to the high energy required to break the carbon–fluorine (C–F) bond.

It described defluorination as removing fluorine atoms to make PFAS compounds more susceptible to further breakdown.

PFAS defluorination under ambient light

The study tested ZnO nanocrystals capped with acetic acid (AA–ZnO NCs) and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA–ZnO NCs), along with other organic ligands for comparison.

The defluorination experiments used 365 nm LED light, which the researchers said mimics ambient lighting conditions.

Professor Yoichi Kobayashi, Professor at Ritsumeikan University, said: “Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid or PFOS is a PFAS compound that was once widely used but is now strictly regulated, and we wanted to see if ligand-capped ZnO NCs can defluorinate it,”

The team also tested the ligand-capped ZnO nanocrystals on other PFASs including trifluoroacetic acid and Nafion.

Efficiency results and key numbers

AA–ZnO nanocrystals achieved up to a 92% defluorination rate after 24 hours under optimised conditions.

MPA–ZnO nanocrystals achieved 8.4% defluorination after 24 hours.

The researchers reported that the acetic acid ligand produced higher defluorination efficiency than 3-mercaptopropionic acid in the PFOS tests.

Durability and repeat-use testing

The team also tested durability and changes in catalytic efficiency over time across multiple cycles.

It reported that a single ZnO nanocrystal could break up to 8,250 C–F bonds during the decomposition reaction.

The researchers described ZnO nanocrystals as low-toxicity, inexpensive and suitable for production at scale.

Mr. Shuhei Kanao, researcher at Ritsumeikan University, said: “The reaction occurs at room temperature and does not require high-energy light sources, which can be costly, fragile, or hazardous,”

Potential applications named by researchers

Ritsumeikan University said the system could be used to tackle industrial PFAS pollution and support PFAS recycling.

It listed fluorochemical materials manufacturing units, semiconductor manufacturing units, the recycling industry and wastewater treatment facilities as potential use settings.

Professor Yoichi Kobayashi, Professor at Ritsumeikan University, said: “PFAS pollution is a worldwide concern, and this simple NC-based technology could contribute significantly to tackling this issue,”

What this could mean for industrial contamination control

Wastewater treatment facility managers and environmental risk leads in industrial sites may track this work because it targets PFOS using 365 nm LED light under ambient conditions.

Fire safety officers and facility managers in semiconductor manufacturing units may also be interested because the researchers named that sector as a potential use setting.

Procurement teams and equipment specifiers supporting the recycling industry could compare this room-temperature photodegradation approach with methods that rely on harsh chemicals or high energy inputs, as described by the university.

Environmental compliance teams working in fluorochemical materials manufacturing may watch follow-on work because the researchers framed the method as a way to address PFAS recycling challenges.

The reported durability data, including repeated-cycle operation and the 8,250 C–F bond figure per nanocrystal, may be relevant for evaluating whether a catalyst can be reused in a process setting.

Electric vehicle safety outlook predicts five-fold growth in EV fire coatings

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Forecast raises new supply chain questions around electric vehicle safety

Future Market Insights said a newly released report values the PFAS-Free EV Battery Fire-Protection Coatings market at USD 1.6 billion in 2026, rising to USD 7.7 billion by 2036.

The report described a compound annual growth rate of 17.6% across the forecast period.

Future Market Insights linked the market shift to efforts to prevent battery fires described as thermal runaway and to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from coating chemistries.

Electric vehicle safety drivers cited by report

Future Market Insights said some fire-resistant coatings have historically relied on PFAS due to heat tolerance.

The report said tightening regulations in North America and Europe and growing demand for cleaner manufacturing are pushing original equipment manufacturers to move to PFAS-free alternatives.

Future Market Insights framed the change as affecting automotive supply chains as electric vehicle production volumes increase.

Coating types and reported market shares

Future Market Insights said liquid coatings hold a 40% market share because they can be applied across complex battery pack geometries.

The report said intumescent coatings account for 30% of the market.

Future Market Insights said intumescent coatings expand under heat to form a char barrier intended to insulate the battery and create time for passengers.

Regional growth rates highlighted by Future Market Insights

Future Market Insights said China leads forecast growth at 12% compound annual growth, which it linked to domestic electric vehicle production volumes.

The report said India follows at 11%, which it linked to government incentives including the FAME scheme.

Future Market Insights said the US is forecast at 10% and the UK at 9%, which it linked to environmental regulations and a shift toward sustainable transport.

What this means for electric vehicle safety engineering

Fire engineering consultants and mechanical and electrical engineers working on vehicle systems may use the forecast figures and coating-type shares to benchmark where suppliers are concentrating product development.

Procurement officers and equipment specifiers supporting electric vehicle manufacturing may track the reported shift away from PFAS-based chemistries when reviewing material specifications for battery pack fire protection.

Standards and certification bodies may also watch the market direction described in the report, as it frames PFAS-free coatings and thermal runaway mitigation as linked requirements in future battery designs.

Emergency and disaster response managers may note the report’s focus on thermal runaway prevention as a driver behind new protective materials entering the vehicle fleet over the 2026 to 2036 period.

Malaysia daycare safety compliance hinges on exits, alarms and detectors

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Nationwide daycare safety inspection results released in Malaysia

The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has carried out 1,172 inspections of childcare centres across Malaysia as of October, with 373 notices issued for non-compliance, Malay Mail has reported, citing Bernama.

The figures were shared by Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu during a question and answer session in Dewan Negara on 15/12/2025.

She was responding to Senator Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Mohammad Redzuan Othman on how Malaysia will ensure daycare centres and private education institutions operating in business complexes and shophouses comply with safety regulations.

Daycare safety enforcement to run on schedule

Aiman Athirah said the ministry, through JBPM, will implement enforcement through scheduled activities to eliminate fire hazards on premises.

Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu said: “The ministry, through JBPM, will implement enforcement through activities to eliminate fire hazards on premises, on a scheduled basis.

“This is to ensure that the premises always comply with the conditions set and do not make any modifications to the premises that were approved for the original plan,” she said during Dewan Negara.

Safety requirements listed for operators

Aiman Athirah said safety requirements include installing a fire safety system and providing at least two exits, including doors and exit stairs.

She also cited separation walls, fire extinguishers placed at easily visible exits, limits on cooking activities and the installation of self-contained smoke detectors.

Private education inspections also reported

Aiman Athirah said 234 inspections were conducted for private primary and secondary educational institutions during the same period.

She said 41 notices were issued following those inspections.

Licensing and monitoring data from 2024 and 2025

Aiman Athirah said that in 2024, local authorities (PBT) approved 1,208 business premises licences and carried out 723 monitoring and enforcement operations.

She said this resulted in 61 compounds and eight notices issued to licence owners.

She said that in 2025, local authorities approved 1,737 licences and conducted 472 monitoring and enforcement operations.

She said these operations led to 96 compounds and 23 notices.

Licensing process and stakeholder involvement

Aiman Athirah said the ministry supports stakeholder involvement to develop the private education sector through efforts to simplify business premises licence approvals.

She said this will be done while maintaining safety aspects and compliance with applicable laws.

Hot Work fires fell 9% across England, CE Safety analysis finds

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Hot Work fire incidents across England

CE Safety has analysed Office for National Statistics (ONS) records and identified 199 hot work-related fires in non-dwelling buildings across England in 2023/24 and 182 in 2024/25.

The company said the data covers more than 26,000 non-dwelling fire incidents recorded by the ONS across England’s fire and rescue areas over the two financial years.

It reported that hot work fires fell by 9% year on year, and that they accounted for 1.3% of all non-dwelling fires in 2024/25.

Welding and cutting remain dominant

CE Safety said welding or cutting was the source of ignition in 85% of hot work-related fires in 2023/24.

It added that the proportion linked to welding or cutting remained at 85% in 2024/25.

The company said this indicates welding and cutting continued to be the dominant ignition source within the hot work incidents it identified.

Construction settings and casualty counts

CE Safety said 12 hot work fires in 2023/24 occurred in buildings under construction.

It reported that eight incidents in 2024/25 occurred in buildings under construction.

Across both financial years, CE Safety said 32 hot work fires had at least one casualty or fatality at the scene.

It reported that 19 of those incidents were recorded in 2023/24 and 13 were recorded in 2024/25.

Regional proportions and incident totals

CE Safety said Cumbria recorded the highest proportion of hot work fires in 2024/25, accounting for 4.55% of all non-dwelling fires attended in the region.

It said Derbyshire recorded 4.06%, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly recorded 3.85%, North Yorkshire recorded 3.57%, and Hereford and Worcester recorded 3.5%.

CE Safety said London Fire Brigade recorded the highest number of hot work fires in 2024/25, with 14 incidents.

It added that the 14 incidents accounted for 0.81% of all non-dwelling fires in the region.

For 2023/24, CE Safety said the five regions with the highest percentage of hot work fires were Northumberland (4.6%), Hertfordshire (3.98%), Devon & Somerset (3.91%), West Yorkshire (3%) and North Yorkshire (2.93%).

CE Safety comments on oversight and permits

Gary Ellis, Managing Director of CE Safety, comments: “While the number of fires related to hot works don’t contribute to a huge percentage of the total number of fires in England every year, our analysis of data from the ONS still shows that these highly dangerous incidents do still happen consistently every year.

“Although there was a drop in the number of hot work-related fires in 24/25, this drop was only small and there’s still a significant number of them being attended.

“However, these fires should be near enough avoidable.

“There is often a lack of managerial oversight of hot work activities.

“The requirements for a fire risk assessment and hot work permit (HWP) are well known, but in many cases they are generic and treated more like a paper exercise by both the client and the contractor.

“The data we’ve presented here shows that proper practices should always be put in place when conducting hot works, ensuring everyone has had comprehensive fire training to ensure they stay safe.”

What the Hot Work figures mean for controls

The CE Safety analysis identifies welding and cutting as the ignition source in 85% of recorded hot work fires across both 2023/24 and 2024/25.

This points training officers and instructors towards welding and cutting controls, including how hot work permits are applied in practice and who is responsible for oversight.

Risk assessors, facility managers and fire-protection contractors can use the regional percentages to prioritise scrutiny where hot work incidents form a higher share of non-dwelling fires.

The casualty and fatality count attached to 32 incidents across the two years provides a prompt to review whether permit processes, supervision and fire training are being treated as task-specific controls.

The construction figures, covering 12 incidents in buildings under construction in 2023/24 and eight in 2024/25, provide a reference point for site managers planning hot work activity and monitoring.

Survey finds Australians back AI for emergency call handling upgrades

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AI in call handling wins trust

Motorola Solutions said an independent research study found strong public support in Australia and New Zealand for sharing personal data with emergency services and using AI to improve emergency call handling.

The findings were published in Melbourne on Thursday 11 December 2025, following a September 2025 survey of more than 2,500 residents across the two countries conducted by Researchscape.

According to Motorola Solutions, the research was designed to inform emergency services agencies as they plan new emergency call handling and computer aided dispatch deployments.

The company said the report frames this work as a modernisation effort for emergency call handling services first introduced in the early 1960s.

Location and health data willingness

Motorola Solutions said 86% of respondents reported feeling comfortable sharing their exact location data with emergency services.

The company said 75% were comfortable sharing personal information about medical conditions or allergies.

Motorola Solutions added that 54% were comfortable sharing wearable health data from smartwatches, rings and other devices.

The report also recorded what it described as an expectation gap between public willingness to share data and beliefs about whether emergency services can receive and use it.

Motorola Solutions said expectations of capability were lower by 1% for exact location data, 20% for medical conditions or allergies and 16% for wearable health data.

AI options for emergency call handling

Motorola Solutions said 58% of respondents supported the use of AI to detect critical keywords in emergency calls, citing examples such as “knife” or “collision” to accelerate emergency response.

The company said support also extended to ranking emergency calls by urgency at 55%.

Motorola Solutions said 52% supported automatically identifying potential safety threats in live video footage and 52% supported enabling live translations of callers speaking foreign languages.

Motorola Solutions said 78% of respondents were unaware that AI technology is currently being used or developed for emergency call handling.

The company said those aware of AI usage were almost three times more likely to trust it, with 56% trust among those aware compared with 19% trust among those unaware.

Craig Anderson, Executive Chair, National Emergency Communications Working Group, said: “The Triple Zero and 111 hotlines have provided a lifeline for the public in times of crisis for more than 60 years, but the need to modernise emergency call handling technology has never been greater.

“These research findings show that communities expect emergency services to keep pace with rapid technology change, as well as clear generational shifts among younger users to provide more ways to contact emergency services in addition to voice calls.”

How people want to contact emergency services

Motorola Solutions said phone calls remain the dominant preferred method for contacting emergency services, cited by 88% of respondents.

The company said respondents also identified SMS or text messaging at 41%, smartphone apps at 38% and video calls at 15% as top alternatives.

Motorola Solutions said communication preferences differed across generations, with 95% of Baby boomers preferring traditional voice calls.

The company said smartphone apps were the preferred contact method among Millennials at 35%.

Con Balaskas, Managing Director, Motorola Solutions Australia and New Zealand, said: “In an era where we can track the arrival of rideshare services and use AI to deliver faster insights and improve our decision making, it’s not surprising that the public wants to see their emergency services make use of these innovations to help keep our communities safer.

“These findings provide valuable insights to help public safety agencies align their technology modernisation strategies with community needs and expectations, fostering stronger collaboration, better emergency management and a pathway to a safer future.”

What this means for emergency communications teams

Emergency call handling leaders and control room managers can use the reported figures to benchmark public acceptance of sharing exact location data, medical conditions or allergies and wearable health data during emergency calls.

Procurement officers and emergency communications programme leads can also use the breakdown of preferred contact methods, including SMS, apps and video, when assessing requirements for future call handling and computer aided dispatch upgrades.

Training officers and call taker supervisors may want to note the stated support for AI functions such as keyword detection, call ranking and live translation, alongside the reported trust gap between people who are aware of AI use and those who are not.

Technology and integration teams planning media-rich contact channels can also use the generational preference split, including high voice-call preference among Baby boomers and higher app preference among Millennials, when mapping channel demand and data intake needs.

Building safety duties overwhelm SMEs as BESA calls for clearer enforcement

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BESA survey flags pressures from building safety regime

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has reported that many small construction firms feel overwhelmed by the Building Safety Act, based on new research presented at London Build Expo in London on 26 November 2025.

The association said its second annual survey of the sector showed that, although 88% of industry professionals are aware of the legislation, most small and micro-businesses view it as “overwhelming and daunting” and feel “left behind”.

BESA added that these businesses make up 99% of the construction sector and related professions, which it described as the “lifeblood” of the industry.

There was also evidence that many clients are still operating on a “business as usual” basis, with cost and speed often taking precedence over safety.

The survey findings were discussed during a panel session at the London Build Expo, which focused on enforcement, communication and training needs linked to the new regime.

Rachel Davidson, director of specialist knowledge at BESA, said: “This is critical because those companies are the lifeblood of the industry.

“There are also a lot of people who still think the legislation only applies to HRBs (higher risk buildings).”

Davidson said: “A lot of this comes back to leadership and culture.

“78% of companies tell us that this is important to them but fewer than half report having taken enough action.”

Calls for clearer enforcement and targeted building safety guidance

Davidson noted that building engineering contractors increasingly want consistent enforcement of the Building Safety Act.

She stated that many contractors believe some clients will continue to treat compliance as optional unless there are visible consequences for non-compliance.

BESA is expanding its guidance to show firms “what good looks like” within their particular part of the sector, Davidson explained.

The association is advising companies that they do not need to master every detail of the Act, but instead concentrate on the clauses that relate directly to their role and responsibilities.

Davidson said this approach is intended to help smaller firms identify where they have direct duties and where they need to coordinate with other dutyholders.

BESA has set up a Building Safety Hub to host this material, including a new guide aimed at Principal Contractors.

Communication challenges across a 2.6 million-strong workforce

Fellow panellist Hannah Carpenter, from the Building Safety Wiki, highlighted the scale of the communication task given that the sector employs around 2.6 million people.

She said that messages about the Building Regulations and building safety standards need to move beyond compliance alone and address behaviour and pride in work.

Hannah Carpenter, from the Building Safety Wiki, said: “We need to be innovative about how we communicate and appeal to personal values because that is going to be more effective than continually talking about regulation.

“But getting 2.6 million people to pull in the same direction is a huge challenge.

“We need to ask people why we are doing this [which is] to keep people safe and make sure the Grenfell tragedy cannot happen again.

“That means talking about ‘purpose’…people should want to make a difference.

“This can’t just be about ticking boxes.”

Carpenter argued that more use should be made of non-traditional communication channels, including partnerships with organisations such as HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

She said these bodies already have strong links to individuals and small construction businesses, which could help reach audiences that traditional industry channels do not.

The panel also heard that the industry’s average reading age is around 11, according to Hertfordshire Building Control Chief Executive Officer Gary Cass.

Cass said this creates additional barriers to spreading information about regulatory duties and good practice through text-heavy material.

Regulator progress and pressure on Building Control resources

Cass noted that there are signs of progress at the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) on planning approvals for higher risk buildings.

He said the new leadership team at the BSR has cut the average processing time at Gateway Two to 17 weeks, down from as high as 38 weeks earlier in 2025.

Cass added that the regulator has been “very honest” about its earlier backlogs and is now moving in what he described as a more positive direction.

However, he said the longer-term success of the new regime will depend on closer collaboration between industry and the regulator.

Gary Cass, Chief Executive Officer at Hertfordshire Building Control, said: “However, the industry needs more education about the Building Regulations.

“People need to be looking at compliance and focus on what is required in the regulations not guidance.

“Building Control Officers are regulators first and foremost but the industry used to rely on them to guide them through the process…and now it needs to be educated [about how the new process works].”

Cass said enforcement can be applied in a constructive way and does not always have to lead directly to legal action.

He also warned of a decline in the number of Building Control Officers (BCOs), which he said is creating a resource issue and reducing access to experienced inspectors.

How building safety pressures affect technical disciplines

The panel discussion concluded that more sector-specific training is needed so that different parts of the supply chain understand their duties under the Building Safety Act.

Speakers said that many of the firms that feel most overwhelmed are also those that deliver core technical services such as building engineering, installation and maintenance.

They added that these companies often sit at critical points in projects where design decisions, product choices and installation quality interact with regulatory requirements.

BESA said its Building Safety Hub is intended to give these businesses practical guidance, examples of good practice and role-based breakdowns of responsibilities.

Why building safety compliance burdens matter for practitioners

The survey findings and panel comments are directly relevant to building services engineers, fire engineering consultants and system installers who are working under the Building Safety Act.

These groups operate in a sector where small and micro-businesses account for 99% of organisations, and many report that the legislation feels “overwhelming and daunting”.

For building engineering contractors and Principal Contractors, the focus on clear enforcement, role-specific duties and practical examples of “what good looks like” may shape how they organise projects and allocate responsibilities.

Building Control Officers, and those who work with them, face pressure from reduced staff numbers and the need to move from an advisory role to one centred on regulation and education.

Facility managers and clients commissioning work will encounter an environment where cost and speed are more likely to be challenged by contractors who are conscious of compliance obligations and enforcement risks.

How Sugarcrete turned sugarcane bagasse into four-hour fire resistance

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Sugarcrete sets new EI 240 benchmark

The University of East London (UEL) has reported that its Sugarcrete® low-carbon building material has achieved an EI 240 fire resistance rating in full-scale testing in Spain, supporting its use in high-risk and safety-critical building applications.

According to UEL, Sugarcrete is formed from sugarcane by-product bagasse combined with sand-mineral binders and is intended as an alternative to conventional bricks and concrete blocks.

The university stated that the material has an estimated carbon footprint around six times smaller than traditional clay brick while maintaining performance in use.

Sugarcrete was developed at UEL’s Sustainability Research Institute, where researchers have focused on combining lower embodied carbon with stringent safety outcomes.

UEL indicated that fire performance has been a central element of the development programme in order to move the material into more demanding settings.

Full-scale AFITI test conditions and results

UEL reported that recent trials at AFITI Laboratories in Spain exposed Sugarcrete walls to one of the construction sector’s more demanding standardised fire resistance tests.

During the test, the internal face of the Sugarcrete wall was subjected to temperatures of 1,100°C inside the kiln chamber.

The external face of the wall reportedly remained at 26°C throughout the trial.

The test was run for 240 minutes, with UEL confirming that the wall maintained its integrity for the full four-hour duration.

Independent assessors concluded that the system achieved an EI 240 classification under EN 13501-2:2023.

The EI 240 rating indicates that the construction prevented fire penetration and limited heat transfer for at least 240 minutes.

UEL stated that this outcome places Sugarcrete among the highest-performing materials in current use for sustained fire resistance.

Performance compared with existing wall systems

According to the university, Sugarcrete’s performance in the AFITI test outstripped that of standard clay brick and concrete block walls assessed under comparable conditions.

The results were also reported to be in line with specialist fire-partition systems designed for higher-risk environments.

UEL said this brings Sugarcrete into the same category as systems currently specified for installations where extended fire resistance is required.

The university added that the testing focused on both structural integrity and thermal insulation across the four-hour exposure.

The material maintained stability while holding the temperature differential between the exposed and unexposed faces of the wall.

Potential use in safety-critical applications

On the basis of the AFITI trial and independent assessment, UEL stated that Sugarcrete is now a viable candidate for a range of safety-critical applications.

The university highlighted potential use in industrial fire walls designed to separate high-hazard areas within facilities.

It also identified protected escape routes as a key area where long-duration fire resistance and controlled heat transfer are required.

Further potential applications include data centres, where thermal protection and compartmentation form part of wider resilience strategies.

UEL added that petrochemical environments are another target sector, given their reliance on robust fire-rated separation systems.

Low-carbon profile alongside fire performance

UEL noted that Sugarcrete had already drawn attention for its lower embodied carbon profile before the latest fire tests.

The university presented the new data as evidence that reducing embodied carbon does not have to come at the expense of fire resistance or durability in use.

It said that the combination of lower carbon footprint and high fire performance could give construction clients another option when assessing materials for high-risk settings.

Alan Chandler, co-creator of Sugarcrete and Associate at the Sustainability Research Institute, said: “This is a defining moment.

“To hold back fire at over 1,000 degrees for four hours proves Sugarcrete® is not only sustainable, but also safe and resilient enough for the most demanding environments.”

How Sungrow kept ESS safety intact under forced thermal runaway

by Featured NewsResearchSafety

Sungrow residential system completes UL 9540B ESS safety trial

Sungrow has reported that its SBH Series: Residential ESS has passed the world’s first UL 9540B large-scale fire test for residential energy storage systems of 20kWh and below, conducted by UL Solutions, setting out a new reference point for residential ESS safety.

The company stated that this development follows two earlier real-unit combustion verification tests on utility-scale storage units.

Sungrow explained that it has extended this approach to the residential sector as home energy storage becomes more common and concern about safety incidents grows.

The manufacturer framed the UL 9540B result as evidence that the SBH system can manage thermal runaway and restrict fire spread in demanding test conditions.

UL 9540B standard focuses on thermal runaway

According to Sungrow, UL 9540B is a safety standard designed for residential energy storage systems up to 20kWh capacity.

The test forces fully charged systems into thermal runaway to assess how they handle flammable gas build-up, venting and ignition.

UL 9540B evaluates whether a system can prevent fire spread, explosions and other secondary hazards under these conditions.

Sungrow said the SBH system was exposed to a 24 hour trial with no external intervention.

During this period, test parameters included closely spaced battery units, disabled active fire suppression and repeated ignition triggers.

The company reported that the SBH system met all evaluation criteria over the full duration of the test.

Design features limit fire spread and heat transfer

Sungrow attributed the SBH Residential ESS performance in the test to features such as cell-level fire-resistant insulation, bottom heat dissipation and multi-directional pressure relief.

When a unit entered thermal runaway, flames were confined to the pressure relief area of the cabinet.

Adjacent units recorded internal surface temperatures of 21°C, below the 154°C venting threshold defined for the test.

Eave temperatures reached 35°C, which was also well under the 150°C limit specified in the standard.

System self-extinguishes and avoids explosion risk

The company stated that structural design choices were intended to promote heat dissipation and thermal isolation between modules.

In the UL 9540B trial, thermal runaway remained confined to the bottom module within the SBH system.

With fire suppression kept offline, open flames self-extinguished within one hour of ignition.

Further ignition attempts over the remaining 24 hours produced no re-ignition of the system.

Sungrow added that no additional combustion events, explosions or projectile hazards occurred during testing while the active suppression system stayed disabled.

The cabinet structure remained intact, which the company said shows the design’s focus on fire resistance, explosion management and mechanical stability.

Broader ESS safety approach and previous testing

Sungrow noted that the SBH Residential ESS had already completed the UL 9540A Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation Test before the UL 9540B assessment.

The company positions the combination of UL 9540A and UL 9540B results as a demonstration of system-level control from individual cells through to the full enclosure.

Sungrow stated that it aims to keep developing safety-focused technologies for energy storage as residential adoption grows.

The manufacturer added that it sees adherence to demanding standards as a way to increase confidence among homeowners in residential ESS installations.