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The debate about modern construction methods continues. Although modular off-site construction can significantly save cost and time, many people in the fire protection industry still worry that fire safety standards and quality separation methods are considered after the fact in the process.

Ian King, Chief Commercial Officer, Zeroignition

Here, Ian King, Chief Commercial Officer of Zeroignition, focuses on the benefits of modern construction methods and how to apply the solutions provided by off-site methods to fire protection and safety in an effective and holistic way.

The recent "Building Safety Act" is an important step in making everyone's houses safer. The construction industry shoulders a great responsibility for the safety of the built environment, so the importance of fundamentally changing working methods is immeasurable.

Since the Grenfell tragedy in 2017, the construction industry has been working hard behind the scenes to tighten processes, and new regulations have become a powerful driving force for positive change and innovation.

The addition of meaningful sanctions will act as a powerful deterrent to the few companies that do not put safety first, but continue to focus on providing larger, faster, and cheaper builds. This method can lead to errors and sometimes roundabouts, all of which can lead to loss of life.

In a typical year, more than 200,000 houses were built in the UK, of which approximately 15,000 were modular. Due to reduced truck transportation to and from construction sites, modular buildings have a lower carbon footprint than more traditional construction methods. Residents nearby can also benefit-reducing noise and pollution. The efficiency is greatly improved-the entire off-site construction process can be completed in about half of the time of traditional construction, which has a great impact on the bottom line of house builders

"However, it is clear that for a system-led fire protection method to really work, the knowledge of the entire industry must be sound and comply with current regulations."

One of the biggest benefits of modular construction is that it allows standardization of housing design, which makes production faster and shortens the entire construction process. Quality control should also be considered-in a "factory" type environment, stricter safety inspections and monitoring can be carried out to ensure that the quality of components and builds meet acceptable industry standards and performance levels.

By introducing quality inspection and testing into the assembly process of components in a factory environment, it is easier to develop and implement industry standard certifications. In turn, this helps to raise the standard of the finished product in all elements of the assembly.

When the materials are subsequently transported to the construction site for installation, qualified labor can more easily perform the final build, with the latest knowledge of the product and the building as a complete “system”.

Fire protection design can use this method.

The system-led approach to fire protection design involves checking whether specified components work individually and as a whole. System components usually include:

A system-led approach can be combined with compartments—for example, with fire doors, sprinkler systems, and FR-rated OSB panels. It can be evaluated, which can evaluate the individual performance of each component and how it can be used in conjunction with other components.

However, it is obvious that for the system-led fire protection method to really work, the knowledge of the entire industry must be sound and comply with current regulations.

As we all know, fire safety regulations are very complex and require in-depth understanding. After the Grenfell disaster, our research in the United Kingdom, Germany, and France showed that some of our most trained construction professionals have a worryingly low level of knowledge about fire and fire protection.

In these three countries, only 3% of architects can correctly define the four basic fire protection terms: active fire protection, passive fire protection, fire resistance, and fire response.

Only 2% of the architects surveyed stated that they have received comprehensive fire protection training. Although most people agree that they have received some kind of training, less than one in ten (8%) said they have never received firefighting training. Our survey results shocked the entire industry and emphasized the clear need for re-education to improve professional knowledge and understanding of the basics of fire protection.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, it has been reported that nearly half of the British workforce (49%) intends to invest time and actively learn more about fire safety.

NBS (formerly the National Building Code) stated that during this period, the number of attendance at webinars has increased dramatically, as more and more people work from home and have free time instead of spending time traveling. The eager participants include product manufacturers, as well as architects and regulators. Online webinars cover various topics including fire safety.

Construction projects are multifaceted and involve various decisions. Each choice will have a chain reaction. If you do not adopt a systematic fire prevention method, unpredictable results may occur.

Although many construction industry professionals know that this method works best, manufacturers and construction agencies still have a lot of work to do to ensure that best practices are fully established and followed.

Modern construction methods have the ability to provide obvious solutions for future advancements that are unmatched on paper. However, the systematic approach still exists, and if used improperly, build problems may and still occur. In some cases, safety negligence resulted in the loss of the entire building. This is why if standards are to be raised, it is necessary to actively promote the improvement of the capabilities and training of all personnel involved in the construction process of architects, designers, installers and other industry professionals.

It is important that we look at the building as a whole and evaluate the structure as a whole rather than a single stage to ensure that the MMC is used as intended, and to reduce the risk of fire and improve the safety of the end user.

In addition, the construction industry needs to learn from other industries such as automobiles and aviation, which focus on reducing the harm to passengers through the inventory method. If people rely on memory, mistakes will occur, and the simple operation of checkpoints can prevent the omission of fire plan elements. The digital “revolution” currently undergoing in the construction industry can create a “digital footprint” that proves that the correct building standards are being complied with. This will become critical if we are to successfully implement waterproof and fireproof safety inspections before handing them over to the occupants or end users.

It is encouraging to see the industry working together to put fire safety on the agenda. The new building safety regulations, which will come into effect next month (August 2021), will greatly help improve current standards. Coupled with industry professionals' strong interest in learning more, improving knowledge and putting safety first, this will be a joint effort to provide industry best practices. Manufacturers are also investing heavily in research and development projects, which will help increase fire safety awareness in buildings and provide additional protection. After all, only by taking fire protection seriously can we begin to find new construction methods to strengthen the role of buildings in protecting people's safety.

The industry needs to continue to participate in the positive changes that are beginning to appear. I am sure that with a culture that is willing to learn and improve, the industry will begin to adapt and innovate further. Ensuring that we can prove that safety and well-being are regarded as the core of architectural design will help increase the confidence of end users. For now, this still has a long way to go.

Download the 2020 fire safety e-book, IFSEC Global and FIREX International keep you up to date with the most important stories of this year, including new legislation, Grenfell Tower Inquiry revelations and how the COVID-19 pandemic affects professionals in the industry.

The e-book also contains a nine-point fire fighting guide, an exclusive foreword by Ian Moore of the Fire Industry Association, and a summary of this year's biggest news and prosecution stories.

The current construction method requires more testing; evaluation should not be used instead of testing, but some large-scale work should be carried out to ensure that the designed system does indeed perform as required.

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