Class A2 fire rated vapour control system launched by Glidevale Protect

Internal air and vapour control product targets UK high-rise market

Glidevale Protect has launched a Class A2 fire rated internal air and vapour control layer for use in internal walls, ceilings, and floors.

According to Glidevale Protect, the new Protect FrameFoil FR membrane and complementary Protect FR Foil sealing tape are designed to be used alongside its existing FrameSafe FR external breather membranes.

The company stated that the new system provides a fire rated, airtight, and thermally efficient solution for both residential and commercial buildings, especially those over 11 metres in height and covered by the Building Safety Act in the United Kingdom.

Designed for use across construction types

Glidevale Protect explained that the Protect FrameFoil FR system is suitable for internal application in steel, masonry, and timber-framed buildings.

It added that the system has been independently fire tested both as a free-hanging membrane and in application over A1 and A2 substrates, achieving a Class A2-s1, d0 reaction to fire rating.

According to the company, this rating exceeds the requirements of Building Regulations Approved Document B in England and Technical Guidance Document B in Ireland.

Contributes to thermal performance and airtightness

The company stated that Protect FrameFoil FR features a woven glass fibre construction with an aluminium foil surface.

Glidevale Protect reported that the membrane delivers an aged thermal resistance (R-value) of 0.64 m²K/W when used facing into a still air cavity.

It said this helps enhance thermal efficiency and overall building energy performance.

Product aimed at compliance and offsite efficiency

Glidevale Protect highlighted that the system is intended for use across traditional and offsite construction methods.

John Mellor, Head of Marketing at Glidevale Protect, said: “FrameFoil FR is another exciting addition to our fire rated solution offering, designed to meet the increasing demands of regulatory compliance and building performance as well as helping to deliver airtightness, vapour control and thermal efficiency.”

He continued: “Combined with our Class A2 fire rated external wall membranes, we can provide specifiers, contractors, and developers with a fully independently fire tested wall membrane system solution.”

Mellor added: “This can be installed across all development heights, helping to build healthy solutions with fire rated materials that can provide added reassurance for specification.”

Class A2 fire rated vapour control system launched by Glidevale Protect: Summary

Glidevale Protect has launched a new Class A2 fire rated internal air and vapour control layer called Protect FrameFoil FR.

The product is designed for internal walls, ceilings, and floors in multi-occupancy buildings.

It is intended for use in steel, masonry, and timber-framed structures.

Glidevale Protect has also introduced Protect FR Foil tape to seal membrane laps.

The system has achieved a Class A2-s1, d0 fire rating.

Fire tests were conducted with both free-hanging membranes and fixed system applications.

The company stated that this rating exceeds UK and Irish building regulation requirements.

The system includes a woven glass fibre structure and an aluminium foil surface.

It delivers an aged thermal resistance of 0.64 m²K/W.

It is designed to support airtightness and improve energy efficiency.

Glidevale Protect developed the solution for both offsite and traditional construction.

The product is aimed at supporting compliance with the Building Safety Act in the UK.

It is targeted for use in projects over 11 metres in height.

The product is part of a wider system including external wall membranes.

Glidevale Protect said it allows full wall membrane system specification with fire rated components.

Light Science Technologies secures contract with blue-chip customer

Light Science Technologies secures £750,000 contract in Nottingham

“We are delighted to be working with a world leader in construction.”

Simon Deacon, Chief Executive Officer at LSTH

Light Science Technologies Holdings plc (AIM: LST) has announced a significant contract win for its passive fire protection division, LSTH IFB Limited, as reported by Light Science Technologies.

The contract, valued at over £750,000, involves installing the Injectaclad cavity sealant throughout an 11-storey student accommodation block in Nottingham.

The contract is with a blue-chip leader in the construction sector, active in more than 120 countries.

LSTH IFB will deploy an eight-person team to drill access holes through structural insulated timber panels and install Injectaclad at every floor level.

The project has already commenced and is expected to continue until December 2024, with revenue recognition in the second half of the current financial year.

Expansion of LSTH IFB’s market reach

Since acquiring Injecta Fire Barrier’s trade and assets in November 2023, Light Science Technologies has strategically positioned LSTH IFB to leverage the growing fire safety retrofit market in the UK.

This market is estimated to be valued up to £50 billion.

In addition to the recent £600,000 contract won in November 2023, the latest contract further demonstrates the company’s ability to secure new business, with a quoted pipeline of sales opportunities currently exceeding £10 million.

Simon Deacon, Chief Executive Officer at LSTH, commented: “Injecta Fire Barrier is a cash-generative, high-margin and scalable business and this latest contract win highlights the significant potential here.

“We are delighted to be working with a world leader in construction, and expect that this initial contract could lead to further work within their extensive portfolio and provide us with a case study we can take to new customers.

“They have an extremely strong footprint in the UK and with legislation underpinning demand for increased building safety, we believe that we are well placed to rapidly scale.”

New leadership for LSTH IFB

In related news, Light Science Technologies announced the appointment of Shaun Tasker as Managing Director of LSTH IFB.

Tasker brings over 20 years of experience in commercials, sales, and operations.

He has managed multimillion-pound businesses and co-managed his own facilities management company.

Tasker’s focus will be on converting and growing the PFP pipeline.

He will collaborate closely with the team to strengthen the Injecta Fire Barrier brand and expand its operational reach.

Simon Deacon expressed confidence in Tasker’s ability to drive growth, stating: “We are in active talks with a number of prospects, and look forward to providing further updates in due course.

“In addition, we are delighted to welcome Shaun to the team and believe that his experience and industry contacts will further help drive growth.”

Pyroguard enhances test evidence for fire safety glass with Schüco systems

Pyroguard and Schüco collaboration yields new fire safety solutions

Pyroguard, an independent provider of fire safety glass, has recently completed a comprehensive testing programme in partnership with Schüco, a well-regarded supplier of aluminium window, door, and façade systems.

This collaboration has led to Pyroguard enhancing its product range with new capabilities for Schüco’s ADS 80 framing system and FW 50 curtain wall system.

These systems now feature Pyroguard Protect toughened fire safety glass in EI30 and EI60 classifications, expanding the options for aluminium framing, including internal glass partitions and curtain walling systems.

Andy Lake, Sales Director UK & IRE at Pyroguard, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration: “This is a really great success for both businesses and has been many years in the making, with considerable company investment and real dedication from Pyroguard and Schüco’s technical and R&D teams.

“Being able to partner with Schüco is a huge opportunity for us. They are a major name in aluminium framing – its FW 50 façade system dominates the European market.

“So, it’s great to have been able to work with them on these new system capabilities.

“As a result of this investment, we can provide our customers with a wider range of aluminium framing solutions that meet EI30 and EI60 ratings, contributing to more options that combine aesthetics with safety.”

Pyroguard’s commitment to safety and innovation

As part of the Technical Fire Safety Group and the svt Group of companies, Pyroguard continues to lead the industry in the development and testing of high-performance fire safety glass.

With a commitment to innovation, Pyroguard offers a diverse range of solutions and expert technical advice to support architects, specifiers, and installers in creating safe and aesthetically pleasing environments.

A wide array of tested fire safety glass solutions

Pyroguard’s offerings include cuttable and toughened fire safety glass, as well as solutions that protect against smoke and manual attack.

With one of the largest and most fully tested product ranges available, Pyroguard serves markets across Europe, the Middle East, India, and North America, ensuring a wide reach for its high-quality fire safety glass solutions.

IFSJ Comment

By combining Pyroguard’s expertise in fire safety glass with Schüco’s renowned aluminium framing systems, this collaboration offers enhanced safety and aesthetic solutions for buildings.

The rigorous testing and approval from esteemed institutions underline the reliability and effectiveness of their products.

As the demand for safe and visually appealing architectural elements grows, initiatives like these play a critical role in meeting industry needs and advancing fire safety standards.

New framework for fire safety experts open for registration

The Fire Safety (FS2) framework from LHC is now open for registrations of interest until summer 2023. The framework includes provision for new or replacement passive and active fire protection measures for existing and new domestic and non-domestic buildings, as well as consultancy and cladding.

FS2 is available to use by all public sector bodies across England, Scotland and Wales and expands on services previously offered in LHC’s FS1 framework.

FS2 includes a range of fire-related services such as: fire safety consultancy; fire risk assessments; fire safety inspections; passive fire protection installation, servicing, and maintenance; fire alarm installation testing, servicing, and maintenance; fire suppression system installation, servicing, and maintenance; waking watch services; and cladding remediation and replacement. 

It also includes a provision to replace, repair and maintain fire doors, shutters and associated equipment, install signage to meet the building’s fire strategy, and maintain and install carbon monoxide, heat and smoke detectors. Suppliers can also act as principal contractor for active fire protection and passive prevention.

Availability of regional suppliers

Dean Fazackerley, Head of Technical Procurement at LHC, explained that the framework was developed to provide the market to engage with a wider array of regional suppliers: “Fire safety has never been higher on the agenda with post-Grenfell regulations recently coming into force. It’s more important than ever for local authorities and social housing providers to carefully consider the preparedness of buildings in the event of a fire.   

“We developed the FS2 framework in collaboration with the marketplace to provide more opportunities to work with a wider variety of suppliers, especially SMEs. Our public sector clients told us they want more availability of regional suppliers – and FS2 directly answers that demand.

“It’s also important we provide a comprehensive range of fire safety services for the public sector to access, especially as many fire safety suppliers offer both passive and active services from detection to spread prevention. It was a logical step to include both under one framework, because these work hand in hand in buildings to prevent, detect, alert, and even suppress a fire that has already started.”

LHC said it worked closely with public sector organisations to develop values-based frameworks offering more opportunities for regional suppliers. To find out more about FS2, register interest, and register for the pre-tender engagement webinar being hosted by LHC on 7 March, visit LHC Group’s In-Tend Portal.

IFSJ Exclusive: The Last Word with ROCKWOOL

Will Wigfield, Product Manager for HVAC & Fire Protection at ROCKWOOL®, tells us about some of the company’s current initiatives.

Can you give us an overview of your history and current role at ROCKWOOL?

A chemistry graduate, my ROCKWOOL career began 14 years ago in the Quality and Process Department as an Engineer. Since that time, I held a number of positions within our Technical Department before taking on my first Product Management role in 2018.

As the new Product Manager for HVAC & Fire Protection, I’m responsible for the development and certification of new and existing products, ensuring that all supporting test data and literature is up-to-date. I also work closely with our Marketing Communications department to develop CPD’s, digital assets and online tools that educate and assist customers in specifying insulation products for HVAC and fire protection.

What’s your current focus at the moment?

As always, there’s an emphasis on working to ensure our products are tested to the latest and most stringent standards.

A particular focus is the development of our passive fire protection solutions for ductwork, ensuring not only that all testing is carried out to the latest EN standards, but that the ductwork specification itself accurately reflects what our customers use in fire-rated applications.

It’s our view that working with fire duct system suppliers to test complete systems is the best approach for ensuring that we meet the needs of the specifiers and installers. To this end, we’re working closely with fire-rated ductwork system holders to ensure we meet the needs of those who specify and install fire-rated ductwork.

What’s new from ROCKWOOL in terms of resources and support?

We’ve just launched an updated version of our ROCKWOOL FIREPRO® Book, our comprehensive catalogue of tested and certified passive fire protection solutions

It contains all the information specifiers and installers need for firestopping and fire resistance in every application, from structural protection to cavity firestops, and building services protection. Users can also find detailed information for each product in the FIREPRO® range, including application and installation advice, testing data and relevant specification clauses.

In addition, we’ve just released the latest edition of the ROCKWOOL Red Book, our established fully-interactive industry guide to acoustic, fire and thermal insulation. This new version also features details of our updated CPD library, including access to on-demand modules for industry professionals to upskill their knowledge at any time, and from anywhere.

We’re always looking at ways to improve our user experience and embed the golden thread process across our solutions. With this in mind, we’re currently working on our digital app, and look forward to being able to share an exciting update in the near future.

Do you have any product news to share with us?

Our RockLap Pipe Supports are now CE-marked, which provides verification of the product’s non-combustible Euroclass rating. This makes them, we believe, the first such certified non-combustible pipe support solutions available in the UK, further reinforcing our commitment to effective passive fire protection.  There’s no doubt that specifying non-combustible where possible, even when not regulated to do so, can embed an extra element of fire safety within a project.

This article was originally published in the January edition of IFSJ. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

Exclusive: Dedicated passive protection with ROCKWOOL

Paul Barrett, Head of Product Management at ROCKWOOL® UK, discusses the FIREPRO® RANGE and how it was used at London’s digital campus, Here East

Since it was established in 1979, ROCKWOOL has served as the UK’s leading manufacturer of non-combustible stone wool insulation, supporting the creation of buildings that feature high levels of passive fire protection by integrating its insulation into the fabric of a building.

Stone wool is manufactured from naturally occurring volcanic rock which is a vastly abundant material.  Being made from volcanic rock means that stone wool is naturally non-combustible and is capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 1000oC.

Over the years, the fire protection properties of stone wool have helped to protect many lives and its unique thermal properties have improved the indoor climate of many buildings and homes. Our products have been installed in domestic, commercial and industrial buildings of all types, from prestige projects including London’s O2 Arena and Hong Kong Airport to family homes, local hospitals and schools in many countries

However, for the past 43 years, ROCKWOOL has expanded its fire protection solutions with the FIREPRO range – products which provide firestopping and fire resistance throughout an entire building, from service penetrations to compartmentation.  

We wanted to extend our passive fire protection range beyond core stone wool products to offer a complete solution. Our aim was to help architects, contractors and developers conform to current fire regulations, making buildings and their inhabitants safer in the event of fire.

The result was the FIREPRO range. The FIREPRO range provides access to a comprehensive suite of passive fire protection products and certified solutions. Today, the FIREPROsuite of solutions includes over 25 product ranges designed for a variety of applications.

For example, ROCKWOOL Fire Barrier and Fire Barrier Slab were developed to offer easy to install solutions that effectively help to prevent the spread of fire and smoke within unseen roof and ceiling voids. The ROCKWOOL BEAMCLAD System provides a complete ‘tool-box’ of fire protection options for the diversity of modern steel construction. To effectively reinstate compartmentation within fire rated walls and floors, we developed the FIREPRO Ablative Coated Batt which offers a property critical fire stopping protection.

ROCKWOOL in action – Here East Digital Campus, UK

The former Olympic Broadcast and Press Centres on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – a space that captured and lived many of the most memorable moments of the 2012 London Olympic games – is now a world-class digital campus, Here East.

The dynamic redevelopment of Here East involved the transformation of the former Media Campus and more specifically, the Main Press Centre, Main Media Conference Room and International Broadcasting Centre, to provide a first of its kind location, complete with state-of-the-art infrastructure, for creative and digital industries.

The development is home to BT Sport’s headquarters, incorporating offices, restaurants, studio space and a data centre alongside new facilities for UCL, Loughborough University and Hackney Community College. Main contractor, Laing O’Rourke led the transformation of Here East into this all-round multi-use campus which will deliver a lasting educational and commercial legacy in East London. 

The challenge

With an innovative design which has created a modern, multi-purpose campus, Here East was built to the highest performance and fire safety specifications. The team at Laing O’Rourke were tasked with designing the building’s fire protection scheme that also accommodates building movements such as movement between floors and in services. 

This proved a major challenge, as the fire safety design needed to use air sealing and fire stopping systems that were compatible with the structures of the various buildings on the development. 

The ROCKWOOL solution

The ROCKWOOL FIREPRO SoftSeal System in combination with FIREPRO® SoftSeal Coated Strips was selected and installed by fire protection contractor Roseville to meet the project design specification.

ROCKWOOL FIREPRO SoftSeal System is a flexible, firestopping solution particularly suited to service penetrations and linear joints, where a high degree of movement needs to be accommodated, making it ideal for use in this type of application. The system can accommodate movement of +/- 25% and can be used for both vertical and horizontal applications to reinstate the fire resistance and acoustic performance in the re-purposing of the buildings where voids have been created for the passage of services.

At Here East, approximately 1300 linear metres of FIREPRO SoftSeal System were installed. The area between the slab and exterior cladding was filled with SoftSeal Linear Joint Strips, which are designed and tested to meet the fire resistance standard BS EN 1366-3. The SoftSeal system was also incorporated into the service penetrations, in the form of SoftSeal Coated Strips, which are classified to EN 13501-2 and have been tested to the dedicated fire resistance standard BS EN1366-4.

FIREPRO SoftSeal strips coated on both the top and bottom edges were used in this project to provide a clean, white coated finish. These strips help to extend the fire stopping and acoustic performance of the building where voids have been created for passage of services. 

Speaking about the project, Arthur Nelmes, Divisional Director – Passive Fire Protection, Roseville, said: “Fire protection was a major performance criterion for this project. ROCKWOOL was able to deliver products with the long-lasting firestopping performance we needed to achieve on this type of development whilst also being reliable and easy to install. ROCKWOOL FIREPRO SoftSeal system also simplified the application by providing proven fire and acoustic insulation performance all in one solution.” 

The ROCKWOOL solution has played a major role in meeting the performance standards required for the delivery of Here East. The structural fire protection and firestopping solution will effectively minimise the risk of fire spread and protect the people and property within the buildings.

Emirates Glass partners with SCHOTT to provide fire-resistant glass

Emirates Glass LLC, one of the leading processors of architectural flat glass in the Middle East and wholly owned by Dubai Investments PJSC has signed a deal with the international technology group SCHOTT to provide architects in the Middle East and beyond with high-performance glazing that combines fire-resistance and design freedom in a unique way.

The deal opens possibilities for fire-resistant glazing of facades, partition walls, skylights, rooflights, doors and windows that meet international safety requirements.

Emirates Glass and SCHOTT offer multifunctional, laminated and insulation glass types that are EN (European) and UL (Underwriter Laboratories) certified and deliver barrier times of up to 120 minutes.

The portfolio includes high-performance glass types like PYRAN and PYRANOVA and is suited for facades and roof glazing due to their stability upon exposure to UV-radiation, fluctuations in temperature and direct sunlight. In combination with other functional glass for double glazing constructions, these fire-resistant glasses also fulfil energy efficiency requirements.

Present at the signing ceremony were Abdulaziz Bin Yagub AlSerkal, CEO, Industrial Platform, Dubai Investments, Ahmed Al Shared, Head of Operations, Dubai Investments, Rizwanulla Khan, Executive President, Emirates Glass LLC along with Stefan Hergott, Vice President and responsible for SCHOTT’s Special Flat Glass business.

Rizwanulla Khan, Executive President, Emirates Glass LLC, said: “Modern architects and planners strive to make every building unique by integrating latest designs and products. This new innovative fire-resistant glass from Emirates Glass and SCHOTT paves the way for contemporary designs, maximizing natural light and creating more open and connected interiors.

“This fire-resistant glazing is a step forward in enhancing the creativity, fulfilling requirements of fire protection authorities. Opening the possibility of revolutionary viewing options, these glass series offer a wide range of individual solutions, ensuring maximum flexibility to meet complex demands.”

Stefan Hergott, Vice President at SCHOTT, said: “The Middle East with its high architectural ambitions is a very attractive market. Partnering with Emirates Glass allows us to enhance our presence and address the requirements of regional customers at the same time. We are looking forward to the cooperation.”

The fire-resistant specialty glass supplied by SCHOTT will be processed and distributed by Emirates Glass, with the aim to facilitate high-quality glazing in short lead times.

Different to standard safety glass, although offering some of the same high strength properties, fire-resistant glazing has been rigorously tested to ensure it can withstand the temperatures reached during a fire and offer effective protection for a stated period.

TBA Firefly’s Apollo Lite provides half hour fire protection at Surrey research building

A specialist contractor undertaking all of the fireproofing within a new medical research building in Surrey has made use of two flexible fire barrier products from the TBA FIREFLY’s range to provide 30 minutes protection within the majority of the ceiling voids throughout the four-storey structure.

Dartford based CLM Fireproofing has employed APOLLO Lite and the Collaroll product in tandem to protect the ceiling voids. The spaces which typically house pipework, power cables and air conditioning units above the suspended ceiling grid, are provided with 30 minutes integrity and insulation through the installation of the flexible APOLLO Lite barrier.

The Site Agent for CLM Fireproofing, Virginjus Pasvenkas, commented: “We are carrying out all of the fire-proofing work within this new facility on behalf of the main contractor, ISG, employing a wide variety of fully certified products. In the case of the APOLLO Lite, it is one of the systems specified by the fire engineer for the project as part of the fire strategy and FIREFLY provided us with detail drawings in order to suit this application – forming a cavity barrier in the void above the ceiling.

“A number of our operatives have also received training in the past from the manufacturer; though the system is quite straightforward to install. We are also using the Collaroll for protection around where pipes, cable trays and trunking penetrate the barriers. Work is progressing well, and we expect to complete on schedule this December.”

The APOLLO Lite 30/30 has been developed for use in vertical separation or compartmentation situations, offering both 30 minutes integrity and insulation, thereby exceeding the minimum requirements of the Building Regulations. It is widely specified to form fire barriers within roof voids in many different property types, including healthcare, commercial and social housing.

The flexible woven material is easy to cut and fix and is chemically treated to improve its cooling properties, and therefore prevent temperatures rising in adjoining areas. The system has been fully tested to BS 476 Parts 6.7, 20 & 22 and is third party certified by IFCC.

Six metre long rolls of APOLLO Lite 30:30 have a minimum thickness of 6mm and are installed using stainless steel staples as well as high temperature adhesive. Collaroll comes in a roll which unwraps to 10m long x 300mm wide with a sewn in skirt. The skirt can be moulded to shape to seal it neatly to the upright barrier which is usually at 90 degrees to the Collaroll and fixed into place using the high temperature adhesive.

Fire Detection Equipment market to reach over $12bn by 2026

The global fire detection equipment market size is expected to grow from USD $6.78 billion in 2021 to $7.72 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9%.

The growth in the market is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges.

The fire detection equipment market is expected to reach $12.46 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 12.7%.

Government regulations and mandates on fire detection measures contribute to the fire detection equipment market’s growth. Globally, different government agencies have implemented various laws regarding the installation of fire safety equipment in organizations to ensure employees’ safety.

High installation and maintenance cost may negatively impact the sales of fire detection equipment as the initial investment in installing a fire detection system includes the cost of equipment, installation, and subscription of security monitoring services.

In addition to that, along with maintenance cost makes the use of fire detection systems an expensive affair, potentially hampering the fire detection equipment market’s growth.

Major players in the fire detection equipment market are Johnson Controls, Honeywell International, United Technologies, Siemens, Halma, Gentex, Robert Bosch, Hochiki, Securiton AG, Encore Fire Protection, Sterling Safety Systems, Fire Suppression Limited, Schrack Seconet AG, Napco security technologies, VFP Fire Systems, Siemens AG, Emerson Electric Co., Bosch Security Systems, Tyco International Limited, Spectrex, Inc., Johnson Controls, General Monitors, Inc., Fire Suppression Limited, Schrack Seconet AG, Napco security technologies and VFP Fire Systems.

North America was the largest region in the fire detection equipment market in 2021. Asia pacific was the second largest region in the fire detection equipment market. The regions covered in the fire detection market are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

Euralarm updates study on False Fire Alarms in Europe

Euralarm’s Task Group False Alarms has released a second edition of the study on false fire alarms in Europe. The new edition has been enhanced by the analysis of the situation in Denmark. In addition, the measures to reduce the amount of false alarms have been updated and newer content has been added.

The Euralarm study focuses on the statistical data of fire alarms and the methodology in the collection and evaluation. Anyone studying the data of the different countries that participate in the study, comes to the same conclusion: that there is no unified approach.

This, said Euralarm, greatly hinders comparisons, which are invaluable when trying to better understand the overall situation and develop effective and simple countermeasures against false fire alarms.

This revised and expanded publication of the study is designed to be the basis to help guide the industry and its stakeholders towards a more uniform approach across Europe, by working together with the European standardisation Technical Committee 72 to implement a common technical language.

It also contains measures for the reduction of false alarms in terms of products, planning, organisation, and maintenance.

The latest edition of the False Alarm Study can be ordered in printed format or as ebook via the publisher or via the main book-webshops.