Next month marks five years since the tragic Grenfell Tower fire that took the lives of 72 people in the summer of 2017. Since the night of the terrifying blaze in North Kensington, London, news of Grenfell’s victims, its homeless survivors, the cause of the disaster and the resulting inquiry permanently dwell in the headlines, and rightly so. In construction industry news, there’s little difference. Named the ‘deadliest structural fire in the UK since the second world war’, Grenfell has pulled together various professionals from the built environment in a nationwide effort to enhance the magnification of fire safety in today’s buildings and prevent catastrophes, such as Grenfell, from surfacing again.
Following Dame Judith Hackitt’s interim post-Grenfell report on building safety, the Building Safety Bill 2022 is now making its way through Parliament. It is set to change the face of building safety regulations and, of course, will impact all stakeholders across the construction realm. In this month’s edition, we talk to Dave Maginnis, Managing Director at BriggsAmasco, about the proposed changes. This article offers his initial view on these revisions and explains how they will affect the industry. Turn to page 22 to read the full article.
Elsewhere, Naveen Sandhu, UK & Ireland Specification Manager for QUALICOAT-approved system supplier Akzo Nobel Powder Coatings, explores the fire performance of architectural powder coating. Following a rise in requests for powder coating specifications that request an A1 classification for combustibility under BS EN 13501-1, Naveen explains that property stakeholders are misguidedly attempting to mitigate their risk by exceeding the current guidance, standards and legislation. Here, he describes how this can add both complexity and cost to projects without any benefit or reduction of risk. Turn to page 24 to learn more about Naveen’s guidance on which classification is the right choice.
Last but by no means least, Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance, joins the connection between fire safety and sustainability. Here, he explains that when a building is not made to withstand a fire, it can nullify the benefits gained from sustainable construction. Turn to page 30 for the full story.
ON THE COVER:
Perron’s spatial objective for game store L’Imaginaire was to create an exhilarating and unique customer journey with colours that construct a playful universe.
Rebecca Kemp
Editor
rebecca@redhutmedia.com