DOHA: A leading Dutch firm, Hunter Douglas, that makes window blinds and coverings for buildings and high-rise towers, claims to have come out with new ‘QuadroClad’ panels that are, according to the company, “complete fire-resistant façade system unlike competing products”, a press statement issued by the Company said yesterday.
Recent fires in buildings and towers in Qatar and the neighbouring states such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have cost lives and caused considerable damages.
According to the release, most of the façade panels on the market are so-called standard Aluminium Composite Material sheets (ACM) with a core of petroleum-based, flammable material. These panels pose a huge fire hazard and have a D Classification — the lowest fire safety classification — according to European norm EN 13501.
Investigations have shown that most of the panels used in the towers that witnessed fires were ACM sheets.
ACM sheets with a higher fire safety classification, such as B1 or A2, do exist, however, the disadvantage of these products is that they are sold as stand-alone sand have not been tested as complete, fire-safe façade systems.
“It turns out that the insulation materials used in the façade cladding fuelled the fires, while falling façade panels, still burning, caused a lot of danger at street level,” the statement said.
“The incidents have led authorities to toughen fire safety regulations. The only façade panels that can stand up to the new requirements are Hunter Douglas’ QuadroClad panels. Unlike competing products, the QuadroClad panels delivered by Hunter Douglas are a complete fire-resistant façade system,” it said.
Qatar’s and Dubai’s fire safety regulations are considered to be among the toughest in the world. For each utility function, they include detailed requirements as to fire compartments, construction materials, sprinkler installations and fire alarm systems. Among other things, cladding is subject to the NFPA 255 norms, the Standard Method of Test of Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials.
Fire analyses have brought to light the vulnerability of the façade cladding, among other things. While the panels themselves are usually made of aluminium, the insulation material is usually synthetic and contributes to the spreading of fire.
The Peninsula
