Fire-performance standard for planning and development

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

A new fire-performance standard could be used by those in the commercial planning and development sector.

By Ashley Brunskill

The Loss Prevention Certification Board's LPS 1501 will assist insurance companies in the commercial property investment sector when it comes to delivering a fire-based performance test.

Jo Whyman, principal risk analyst at Zurich, told the Building Research Establishment (Bre) that LPS 1501-approved building systems will enable confidence to be garnered that property reaches a high fire-performance standard.

Firms responsible for the planning and development of commercial property may want to take the standard into account, which extends "beyond the Building Regulations' [fire] safety remit", she said.

The LPCB standard provides modern building systems with a fire test, performance and classification system.

Ms Whyman stated: "The wider benefits of innovative forms of construction are well understood, but it is vital that these aims are not achieved to the cost of satisfactory fire performance."

Bre is an impartial and independent, research-based consultancy that helps organisations achieve safer, better and more sustainable buildings and businesses.

Source: ask-re The Property People LLP