sustainability & fire resilience
Sprinklers have a key role to play The discussion on sustainability has been raised as an opportunity post Covid for national governments to change the approach to the built environment. Whilst there are many articles that call for the use of natural construction materials, greater insulation, and changes in energy efficiency the aspect of fire resilience is seen as a side issue. It should not be, stresses Tom Roche, Business Sprinkler Alliance. Losing the materials and the building usability in a fire will result in valuable resource taken to rebuild them. A holistic approach that addresses sustainability and fire resilience will be needed to deliver these outcomes. Active fire protection has a key role to play in this resilience. According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report1, when adding emissions from the building construction industry on top of operational emissions, the built environment sector accounted for 38 per cent of total global energy-related CO2 emissions. Prepandemic building emissions from the built environment in 2019 were noted to reach their highest level. Further it has urged governments to implement deep building renovation and performance standards for newly constructed buildings into pandemic recovery packages.
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outlook
Action is needed if we are to meet the aspiration of net zero carbon by 2050. The drive to preserve resources will mean a building will no longer follow the traditional linear model of ‘take, make, dispose’, but would be circular and built with reused materials and/or more organic (bio) materials. Buildings will also be able to be taken apart and deconstructed. Furthermore, a building will need to be flexible and adaptable to both the short term whilst being built for the long term when considering its internal use. They will also need to be smart and connected, using sensors to determine efficiency operations and user experience.
