PLUMBING & DRAINAGE
THE (NON-) BURNING CONSTRUCTION QUESTION
Andrew Surtees, co-founder of CuSP tells BMJ about the importance of
fire-resistant materials in all aspects of building.
T
he fire safety landscape has experienced significant change in recent years. Some high-profile incidents, including those in
Catford and Dagenham, highlight the critical importance of using fire-resistant materials and implementing enhanced safety measures for both residential and commercial structures. These tragic incidents have prompted the construction industry to rethink how it designs and builds safe spaces for people to live and work in. In fact, the latest revision to the Fire Safety Standard (BS 9991) introduced several important changes to improve regulation. Among them, broadening the scope to include residential care homes, bringing fire door classifications up to European standards, and improved provisions for tall buildings when it comes to smoke control and evacuation lifts. A key aspect of the evolving Fire Safety Standard, and among the most critical, has been the widespread adoption of non- combustible materials in construction. The choice of materials has become a key focus in modern construction projects.
Non-combustible materials, by definition, do not burn or support the spread of fire. They therefore play a key role in reducing the risk of fire ignition and slowing its spread throughout a building, minimising potential for injury or loss of life and reducing the overall damage to the structure.
The 2024 revision to regulation limits the restriction on combustible material use to external walls, ancillary areas, and kitchens. However, a critical risk remains in the use of plastic piping for heating and plumbing, due to its combustibility and potential to release toxic fumes.
In response to growing concerns about fire risks, the Fire Sector Federation, a diverse range of groups, including government departments,
fire safety professionals, insurance bodies, and the construction industry, has launched a fire consultation forum, which aims to ensure the implementation of the Building Safety Act 2022, a crucial piece of legislation aimed at improving safety, accountability, and compliance within the construction sector. It mandates the registration of high-risk buildings and clarifies the roles of accountable persons. By systematising fire safety measures across the industry, the act strengthens long-term resilience and accountability, helping to create safer built environments.
The goal is simple but vital: to create safer, more resilient buildings by improving how fire safety information is shared, and policies are developed. As part of this shift, the materials used in construction have come under greater scrutiny.
Modern construction Among the most overlooked elements in fire safety are the systems, used within buildings, such as plumbing. Increasingly, these are plastic, yet many plastics, including polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, and multi-layer composite pipes burn quickly when exposed to fire and can release toxic fumes that fuel the blaze and pose risks to human health. These plastics not only catch fire quickly but melt and drip, exacerbating the spread of fire. This is where copper comes in as a vital material for improving fire safety. Copper is a non-combustible material that can help prevent the spread of fire in critical areas like plumbing
February 2025
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
systems. The metal has a high melting point of 1,085°C - far exceeding the temperature of most building fires – and does not catch fire easily or release harmful gases when exposed to high heat.
Copper pipes also have a low thermal expansion coefficient, meaning they expand at a slower rate than most other building materials when exposed to heat. This makes copper particularly valuable in fire situations, as it retains its structural integrity for longer, helping to prevent further damage or catastrophic failure. The properties of copper make it a vital component of fire safety, particularly in modern buildings, where fast and reliable evacuation is key to saving lives.
As the construction industry faces increasing pressure to meet heightened fire safety standards, the adoption of non-combustible materials such as copper is essential. The importance of these materials cannot be overstated, especially in the context of modular homes. When will it become the standard for plumbing and infrastructure? BMJ
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