Façade summit to focus on fire safety
01 September 2016
The Middle East Façades Summit will tackle the threat of fires in the region, an issue highlighted by recent blazes in high-rise towers in the UAE, and focus on the latest fire safety code issued by Dubai Municipality.
The summit is being held on the first day of Windows, Doors & Façades, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from September 18 to 20 in Dubai, UAE.
Andy Dean, head of façades for the Middle East at WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, said the update to the UAE Fire and Life Safety code includes a significantly enhanced section on façade materials (Chapter 4). “Since its original introduction in 2012, the market has consequently learned and absorbed this information and, at the very least, an awareness of the need for the control of fire performance has become self-evident, which is the first step in any learning process,” he said.
A panel discussion, ‘Fire safety in design – translating policy into practice’, featuring Dean alongside David O’Riley of Brittania International and moderated by Christopher Seymour from Mott MacDonald, will focus on the effective practices for ensuring the highest safety standards of new construction projects as well as the ways existing buildings can be brought up to code.
In 2012, 70 per cent of the UAE’s high-rise buildings were estimated to have utilised flammable panelling, but Dean believes the use of such materials has dropped significantly since, thanks mainly to the introduction of the UAE code.
Organised by dmg::events, Windows, Doors & Façades puts the spotlight on local and international products, while offering networking opportunities.
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