Volume 2 | Issue 1 September - October 2019
FACE TO FACE Alejandro Stochetti Director, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG)
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NEW FIRE SAFETY CODES REVAMPING THE FAÇADE MARKET Experts’ views on the subject of façade fire safety in buildings in the Middle East
INDUSTRY SPEAKS Syed Noorul Ibad Manufacturing Director, Middle East & Africa Cluster, AkzoNobel
PREFACE Façades Fire Safety A Top Agenda in the Middle East We are delighted to announce that we have successfully completed our one year journey in the façade & the fenestration industry in the Middle East. Without the support of our contributors, advertisers and subscribers, this wouldn’t have been possible. We are in deep gratitude for your patronage and constant encouragement. With the completion of our first year, we are proud to introduce the World’s first and only Digital Platform for façade & fenestration industry www.wfmmedia.com. You can see all the articles we have published so far in the magazine as well as much other interesting information on the newly unveiled website. We wish for your further support for our magazine as well as the newly launched online platform to touch the new heights. We are inviting experts to contribute relevant articles/ project/ news/ product writeup for upcoming editions/ website. We are beginning the second year of our magazine focusing on one of the key topics in the industry, i.e. “Façade Fire Safety”. There have been several serious fires at buildings in the Middle East in recent years. Now, the authorities and government bodies are taking this issue seriously and are also taking steps to fireproof façade products as construction activity ramps up. Many new fire safety codes have already been introduced to cope up with the situations that can cause the spread of fire in buildings. The updated safety policy is part of their wider action to ensure façades are adequately fireproofed to prevent future accidents. Buildings are replacing the façades and cladding in order to comply with the UAE’s updated Fire and Life Safety Codes. In this edition, we have presented the excerpts from the interviews of many top experts from the industry to get an in-depth understanding of the impact of new fire safety codes, the upcoming technological changes which could reduce the fire accidents, etc. We hope you will find the articles informative and of interest. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the subject with us. Team WFM
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CONTENTS The Rise of the Outsiders
Douglas Sum, Associate, Faรงade Service Group Leader, Aurecon
7
Middle East Architecture - A Jungle of Glazing?
Romi Sebastian, Senior Project Manager, Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (JLL)
Latest Trends in Faรงade Materials in the Middle East
Asad Ahmed Khan, Marketing Manager - Cladding Division, NAFFCO
15
Faรงade Fire Safety in the Middle East
Peter Stephenson, Business Development Manager, Warringtonfire
INDUSTRY SPEAKS
Interview with Syed Noorul Ibad, Manufacturing Director and Prescilla Dsouza, Technical Business Partner, AkzoNobel
COVER STORY
New Fire Safety Codes Revamping the Faรงade Market
40
12
Vinay Deshpande, Senior Fire & Life Safety Manager, DEC Dynamic Engineering Consultants, Dubai
Fire Engineering, Fire Strategy and Faรงades
24
4
Face to Face
18 28
Interview with Alejandro Stochetti, Director, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG) Front & Back Cover Courtesy: Shutterstock
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FAÇADE ENGINEERING The Rise of the Outsiders
Douglas Sum Associate, Façade Service Group Leader, Aurecon About the Author: Douglas Sum is an Associate, Façade Service Group Leader at Aurecon. Having worked in the Middle East for over 11 years, he is one of the region’s most experienced façade engineers. With over 16 years of global engineering consultancy and contractor experience, Sum played major roles in a variety of world-class projects such as Hong Kong Disneyland, Macau City of Dreams, Dubai Metro, Burj Khalifa and The Tower at Dubai Creek.
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Façade engineering is one of the newest areas of engineering and also one of its least understood as Aurecon’s Douglas Sum.
our inspiration from others. I will also take a short peek at what might be down the line, especially with respect to digital technologies.
I originally trained as a structural engineer, but now I spend my days as a façade engineer. It is an interesting area of engineering but certainly not the best-known. Façade engineering differs from other areas, such as MEP or structural engineering, but the principles remain the same. The problems we face are the same as our colleagues in other areas because, of course, no one can deny the laws of physics (yet!).
KEEP ON MOVING
The discipline of façade engineering is still relatively new, having started out with the widespread uptake of curtain wall construction in the U.S. in the 1970s. As an engineer, my job is to ensure the façade does its job structurally and provides protection and comfort to occupants, while bringing to life the architect’s design intent. In this article, I will look at some of the principal activities of façade engineers and show how we take Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi
The first point to note about a building’s façade is that it is constantly moving. It has to move to be able to do its job, because there is a lot of movement in the building it surrounds. Structural, wind, seismic or thermal forces will cause buildings to move and to give you an idea of the scale, one super tall building I recently worked on in Hong Kong recorded movement of 3 metres at its top. For some super tall developments under construction, we are expecting lateral movement of over 10 metres! How do you engineer a façade to accommodate that? Well, we took our inspiration from the design of footbridges. Under any footbridge there are four bearing pads, one is fixed, one is able to slide in one direction, another can slide in the opposite direction, and one is capable of all movements. For façades, we applied the same principles. A good way to think of the movement is to consider a train moving round a bend. Façade sections are always stiff, because they are typically made from glass or concrete, but with flexible joints in between we can create exteriors capable of moving with the buildings they surround. LET IT FLOW For engineers, one of the most difficult elements to deal with is water. But one thing we do know is you have got to let it flow. Artificial efforts to force water to stop flowing almost always end badly. So, when it comes to façade engineering, we want to prevent the water entering our building, but we also want to let it flow. In any building façade, there will be two lines of defence. The first is to stop the majority (say 90%) of the water reaching the building. Then we use our second line of façade defence to drain the water out. This provides a perfect solution. The principle of allowing water to flow can be seen in many other areas of engineering, for example infrastructure. Developments must be able to resist water, but equally and importantly, they must provide somewhere for the water to flow. SAFETY FIRST The issue of fire in façade engineering is one of the most important aspects of our job. Façades can
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The constellation at The Founder’s Memorial, United Arab Emirates
provide a perfect path for the spread of fire, with the air gap between the first and second elements in their design. So, we need to ensure that we have a proper fire design with the correct use of firestops. One of the weakest points in the design is the gap between the floor slab and the curtain wall, so we put a firestop on top of the insulation to prevent the smoke and flames from travelling from floor to floor. For this design practice, which is now used in almost all developments, we have shared the same firestop methodology from our friends in MEP engineering (the pipe penetration between a fire separation wall). FUTURE GLAZING We are still in the early days of façade engineering, so it is exciting to think what the future holds. Already we can see the importance of client experience in guiding how the industry will develop, especially if we look at what our peers in the world of architecture are doing. As façades become more complex and important to a building’s design, we will increasingly need to be better at showing our clients what it will look like. For this, we are already building prototypes and models, but as we progress, we will use more VR, AutoCAD and 3D printing. With customer experience becoming such an important part of modern-day engineering, designing façades of the future will be about more than just putting on an attractive face.
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International Tower, Abu Dhabi
FAÇADE MATERIALS Middle East Architecture A Jungle of Glazing?
Romi Sebastian Senior Project Manager, Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (JLL)
About the Author: Romi Sebastian is a Senior Project Manager currently working with JLL, Middle East - a top commercial real-estate firm in the UAE, and has been working in the Middle East for the past 2 decades. He holds a strong interest in the fields of organic architecture and bio-Mimetics. Apart from his passions for charcoal rendering and sketching, Romi writes on a broad range of subjects for national newspapers, magazines and web-journals. (Note: The article do not presents JLL view, but it reflects author’s personal views and opinion)
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In the last few decades, architectural language at a global level has given more importance to the ‘transparency’ and ‘lightness’ of building spaces - influencing and driving the Middle Eastern world towards a flattering glazed built environment. The question I then pose is this, to what extent fully glazed buildings, in particular the ones that claim to be ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’, are actually concerned about the environment? The Middle Eastern cities have become a jungle - a jungle of concrete, steel and glass. Architecture here is primarily influenced needlessly by concepts from predominantly the western world. We must remember that most of the iconic designs have been developed by expatriates. One of the most difficult problems for expatriates in the Middle East is their relative lack of experience of the public realm. I often wonder why is any element of existing heritage of the Middle East, be it cultural or spiritual, is always identified with the past, while the image of ‘progress’ is always borrowed from elsewhere. This process of disassociating from one’s own heritage is detrimental in the long run. Glazed façades were initially possible only due to the development of powerful cooling systems,
An example of façade made of brick masonry/elements both enabling shading and ventilation
otherwise these buildings would have been uninhabitable, especially in warm regions such as
An example of façade made of composite materials facilitating both shading, ventilation and allowing visual connection to the outside
Building envelope made of opaque materials with particular vents/holes to allow for minimum ventilation
the Middle East. Forgive me for not elaborating on the enormous amount of energy required to run the air-conditioning to compensate for the added heat loads through glass. A building enveloped with glass acts like a solar cooker. Remember, that the property of glass is to allow in heat (short waves) and not allow reflected heat (long waves) back out. For this very property, glass has been used in the western world (cold regions) to allow passive solar heating. In this part of the world, where methods of keeping the heat out and preventing its transfer are required, architects instead celebrate with glass in a superfluous manner.
An example of façade made of composite materials facilitating both shading, ventilation and allowing visual connection to the outside A glazed building envelope masked with exquisite patterns of fabric/ opaque sheets for maintaining shading coefficients
Architects to an extent have freed themselves from any kind of environmental constraint in the design of glazing and consider the engineering body of men to assume responsibility for maintaining the internal conditions desired for habitation. As a crude example, Ferraris are beautiful cars - a perfect balance between beauty and technology, but do not claim to be ecological or environmental friendly while they are sold. The same analogy - some glass façades are outstanding in terms of beauty and innovation, but we need to think twice before calling them environmentally friendly. I wonder why glass is widely considered to be a material that symbolises ‘progress’ in the Middle
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An example of façade made of composite materials (glass and metal) facilitating both shading and allowing visual connection to the outside
East whereas traditional and practical materials like mud, clay, limestone are often related to concepts of backwardness and poverty. This impractical dissociation between materials and the environmental context of a region causes a slow degradation of the architectural expression prevalent in the Middle Eastern world. Even the local builders often ignore simple concepts of how they can make their lives more comfortable within a living space. Consider the circumstances of walking out at midday. The first move of ours is to place our hands in a natural but strategic way above our eyes to cut off the direct harsh sunlight and reflected heat from the hard landscape we walk on. Our eye is the only transparent part of our body and the most fragile. We take measures to protect it. Glass in the similar manner, is the most transparent and fragile part of any building. Why don’t we protect it and shade it from the sun in the similar manner? One can also imagine the amount of water, embodied energy, equipment and manpower required to just clean off all the settled dust on the thousands of square metres of glass and solar panels on all buildings in the Middle East! Nowadays, tenants
An example of façade made of brick masonry/elements both enabling shading and ventilation
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Opaque envelope with openings ensuring interior spaces and shaded well and allows for cross ventilation
spend a lot of money on the interior layouts, in order to cut down the harsh light and heat coming in through the huge pans of un-shaded exterior glass. Some architects have justified the use of glazing façades for ventilation purposes in the Middle East by their use of colourful renders showing red and blue arrowed air movements. Unless properly analysed and calculated, these sketched arrows of air movements make no sense at all. Architects assume that laws of physics must obey architecture’s will, i.e, air will force itself magically through glass openings as sketched on paper. Glazing designs for ventilation purposes must be designed only after Stack and Coanda effects of air have been carefully studied and simulated through measured data in
An ‘out of the box’ façade idea for a skyscraper. Not all skyscrapers need to be fully glazed
a particular built setting. There have been reports of sick-building syndrome, where occurrences of unexpected buoyancy and reverse air movements have taken place. I agree that the invention of glass, after the fire, has been an important technological innovation in mankind’s history. I would even attest to the fact that the Chinese lagged in scientific finding and advancement just because it was satisfied with its inherent ceramic and clay - glass was not manufactured and found useful by the Chinese till much after the Egyptians and Mesopotamians. It drastically reduced their scientific enquiry, with the absence of microscopes, magnifiers, refractors, beakers, spectacles, tubes, mirrors, etc. Glass is indeed important, but we need to interpret its usage logically and with an understanding of ecological imperatives, especially in the building façade industry. The requirement for architecture to contribute to the social and environmental sustainability now charges architects with a responsibility that goes beyond a simple design brief. I call upon architects to avoid creating these unwanted glass monsters, in terms of overall comfort and energy usage. The future of architecture in the Middle East desperately lies in logical design, controlled urban growth and in the acceptance of one’s own cultural roots. In saying the above, I remain hopeful.
Building envelope made of brick masonry/elements both enabling shading and ventilation
An example of opaque façade to cater to the introvert nature of the space
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FAÇADE MATERIALS Latest Trends in Façade Materials in the Middle East
Asad Ahmed Khan Marketing Manager - Cladding Division, NAFFCO
About the Author: Asad Khan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management and an MBA in Project Management. He is currently working with NAFFCO Dubai for over the last 4 years and within the façade industry for over 3 years. He has a significant experience and understanding in façade material properties and installation of façades. He is pursuing further façade certifications to enhance his qualifications and credibility with regards to various types of façade materials.
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The usage of façades in buildings today is considered as one of the most crucial elements, not just in terms of visual aesthetics, but also in cases of fire where poorly performing systems lead to rapid fire spread and possible loss of human life. The last decade has seen massive improvements in façade designs to ensure that the buildings are not just safe in terms of fire performance, but also have a positive impact on a building’s energy consumption. These changes fundamentally alter the behaviour of modern façades in fire and pose a risk to building safety and economic loss in the event of a fire. An incident happened a few years back at the Address Hotel Tower Dubai clearly depicted how vulnerable the modern façade may be to the fires, and showed how this vulnerability can lead to fire spreading over a large area within a very short timeframe. The Middle East, being a region where temperatures can soar to a blistering 50°C and above, authorities are continuously pressured with tightening the regulations on the type of material that can be used in the façade system of buildings.
There are many critical aspects to the subject, as the combustibility of the materials, and continuous studies on façade systems have led to new solutions being garnered for implementation in the region. To combat these issues, the Middle Eastern countries have taken a number of different approaches, all with a common goal, to ensure that the façade system does not compromise the fire safety of a building. Building systems nowadays does not consist of just fire rated cladding in order to ensure fire safety. Getting the core or insulation within a façade as fire rated is just getting half the cake right. Every building has various differences in terms of geometry, air flow, shape and even thermal performance. In order to ensure an effective system is in place, there is a growing trend with the use of fire barriers. Fire barriers are insulation systems which compartmentalise a building into different areas, minimising the risk of a fire spread. Such barriers are used around openings of a building and between floors in order to prevent chances of fire spreading behind the façade. Using
Fire barriers (in red) used at every floor or opening of a building
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Sandwich Panels with noncombustible mineral wool core
these barriers has recently become a norm in the Middle Eastern countries and compulsory to the point where local Civil Defence authorities conduct the installation inspections at every stage of a construction milestone. Another type of cladding commonly used for industrial and commercial scale projects is insulated sandwich panels, comprising a core of various thicknesses with metal facings on both sides. These are considered very easy to install and save a lot of time when compared to a traditional rainscreen or block wall system. While these may be easy to install, the type of core being used always causes a debate due to massive differences in performance. While foam-based cores such as PU (Polyurethane) and PIR (Polyisocyanurate) are often considered by contractors for their lower cost benefits, they hugely compromise on a building’s fire performance due to the high flammability of foam. Due to this, the Middle Eastern market has started seeing a shifting trend towards “Mineral Wool Cores” in sandwich panels, which despite the slightly higher cost, provide insulation for which it is virtually impossible to catch fire. Lastly, Aluminium Composite Panels or commonly known as ACP, have been the hot topic of fire rated façade discussion due to the fact that it has been the major cause of fire in nearly every major fire outbreak in façade-related fires in the Middle East.
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Aluminium Composite Panels - Most commonly referred to as ACP façade
The Middle Eastern contractors often sought out ACP cladding with PE (Polyethylene) cores, which were very slightly priced lower than A2 based Mineral Core ACPs. Due to tightening regulations and mandatory government compulsions, the property owners are now inclined towards using ACP A2 cladding for their buildings. Moreover, the usage of A2 based cladding in the Middle East ensures that clients get much better insurance premiums, which significantly bring down the costs of maintaining their assets. As a fire safety company with utmost specialisation in various firefighting systems, NAFFCO Dubai saw it as necessary to introduce façade systems which met the values of the company and also ensured that we provide the best solutions to protect life, property and the environment. Therefore, we have introduced our own brand of fire rated sandwich panels and ACP façade that are completely manufactured and fabricated within our UAE facility. We have done as such in order to ensure to our clients that the complete quality aspect of every single façade component is controlled by our strict QC procedures. Different types of façade panels are being researched on and now available in the market, but recent catastrophic events have forewarned the industry to take time in understanding the behaviour of modern façade systems used in a structure, especially with regards to the various factors that affect fire behaviour.
FIRE SAFETY Faรงade Fire Safety in the Middle East
Vinay Deshpande Senior Fire & Life Safety Manager, DEC Dynamic Engineering Consultants, Dubai
About the Author: Vinay Deshpande has over 32 years of building systems engineering experience, 27 years of which have been in the fire protection industry. He started his fire protection engineering career in India before shifting to the Middle East. He is working in the Middle East from last 20 years. He is an experienced design engineer with a deep knowledge of both NFPA and British Standards as well as the local codes in the region and is able to develop fire protection designs, which are both practical and cost-effective. He is currently heading a fire engineering team at DEC Dynamic Engineering Consultants, Dubai, UAE and is involved in some prestigious projects like Dubai Parks and Resorts, La Mer, Dubai Creek Harbor Tower by Calatrava, The Royal Atlantis, etc.
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For architects, façade of a building is a beautiful building front that defines the character of the building and reflect on its design. However, with the recent rise in façade fires globally, this meaning is shifting towards its literal meaning of “a false appearance that makes something seem more pleasant or better than it really is”. The fire safety that are applicable to the building envelops in the Middle East have grown exponentially over the years from a traditional use of just fire extinguishers and basic fire warning alarm systems to more sophisticated integrated life safety systems, to meet the demands of more international quality building use. This growth phase in the building design and construction industry has also brought in more professional designs, technologies and construction methods to meet the demand and match the speed of growth. The challenges posed by the need to have more complex and energy-efficient buildings prompted adoption of certain construction materials that were architecturally appealing while meeting the energy efficiency criteria required to meet these challenges thus bringing in some combustible or flammable elements in the façade materials.
©Thomas Bell Write Intl Laboratory
Testing of façade material
The building codes traditionally did not require typically “fire rated” external walls of which façades are a major component (when building set-backs are complied with) and hence, there was a grey area in terms of implementation of fire safety objectives of the façade fire performance. It was indeed challenging times for regulators to keep pace with this ever-growing and developing sector to formulate and implement policies that will ensure the interest of various stakeholders having varied goals are met. The focus remained on the fire safety within the building enclosure or an envelope by adopting traditional fire engineering objectives of life safety, property protection and business continuity within the designs of the building. Many building designers still not feel it mandatory to involve a professional fire engineer in their design since they consider compliance to the building code prescriptions is enough to secure the building in terms of fire safety. Similarly, the focus on active fire protection system is far more than the passive fire protection measures. The active fire protection systems which are conspicuous and tangible in the building fire protection system as compared to passive firestopping systems that are generally acting behind
costs. Hence, multiple approaches will need to be developed and categorised.
Short term: 1. Risk assessment and/or inspections of the buildings 2. Identifying possible mitigating measures in terms of passive and/or active systems The façade fire draws wide spread attention while reducing the confidence in the safety design of the built environment
the scenes. There is a general lack of awareness on the fire-stopping systems and lack of mandatory regulatory compliance checks of these construction elements during the construction, which makes the building susceptible to the fire growth problems. The major high-rise fires in the recent past in the region as well as globally were mainly attributed to the rapid fire growth due to non-rated, non-tested façade systems installed on these and many such high-rise buildings. The façade fires are generally outrageous and draws wide spread attention while reducing the confidence in the safety design of the built environment. This has also necessitated the need to add another objective of “corporate/city image and commitment to safety of society” to the traditional fire engineering design objectives of life safety, property protection and business continuity. The entire fire industry stakeholders like regulators, testing laboratories, product developers, engineers and installers through their specific interest groups are proposing their solutions to improve the fire performance of these façade materials and systems. There is wide range of literature available now from these interest groups that define the various parameters for the performance of the façade materials during fire as well as the mitigating measures to prevent the fire spread in the building. However, they are unanimous on one aspect, i.e. the need for more research and industry cooperation in the subject. We cannot have a one-size-fits-all solution. Every façade fire design is unique with some unique variables related to its geo-location and surroundings. Even an approach of - “change the entire façade system of some of the already built buildings” is impractical since it will incur prohibitive
Medium/long term: 1. Certification regime 2. Testing of façade materials While the industry at the product design and manufacture level has been pro-active in addressing this global issue, the biggest gap currently is in the construction sector where the builders have limited exposure and knowledge of this burning issue at the field level. There is still a large gap of trained staff available at the construction sites, who are involved in the review of shop drawings, material submittals, supervise the construction methods, etc. There is an urgent need for training and orientation to be carried out by the product manufacturers and designers, to these field engineers, without which all the efforts of developing a solution will be in vain. Similarly, there is a need to ensure that the value engineering exercise that are carried out at various stages are not diluting the fire safety aspects due to lack of knowledge of these aspects. It is important that a qualified fire engineer is part of the value engineering process. It is indeed important to acknowledge that the fire safety within and outside the building envelope is not merely about filing the compliance reports with the authorities but more of creating a safe and sustainable community. Every façade fire design is unique with some unique variables related to its geo-location and surroundings
©TechnoPro Middle East
©The National
It is expected that such approaches may involve:
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FIRE SAFETY Fire Engineering, Fire Strategy and Faรงades
Peter Stephenson Business Development Manager, Warringtonfire About the Author: Peter Stephenson is a fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) and is currently President of the IFE GCC UAE branch which has been registered in Dubai through the Dubai Association Centre. As the Business Development Manager at Warringtonfire, he co-ordinates the development of the Middle East Fire Engineering Consultancy activities in addition to supporting the development of fire strategies, building assurance inspections and fire systems analysis for projects. His considerable experience includes working as Senior Fire Safety Engineer for Network Rail, a Fire Safety Officer for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and as a consultant in both large multi-disciplinary and small independent practices. Stephenson is actively engaged within the international fire safety community, formerly being treasurer (now Committee Member) of the Railway Industry Fire Association (RIFA) and former Finance Director of the International Aviation Fire Protection Association (IAFPA).
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There is rarely a day passes without a serious fire hitting the headlines and world news. Whether the fire incident is a forest, industrial or building fire, the impact on society can have far-reaching effects. Within the built environment, engaging a qualified fire engineer is always recommended to support project delivery and ensure a safe and code compliant design is achieved. Understanding the dynamics of fire and the role of the fire engineer is a key feature of a resilient design. What is fire engineering? By definition, fire engineering is the application of scientific and engineering principles, rules (codes) and expert judgment, based on an understanding of the phenomena and effects of fire and of the reaction and behaviour of people to it, to protect people, property and the environment from its effects. It is also important to develop a fire strategy for a project which is a role that should be undertaken by the fire engineer. The fire strategy should clearly identify the applicable legislation and mandatory framework relevant to the country and/or region to
ensure approval by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). This should not be limited to building control or municipality requirements, but should encompass all relevant stakeholder requirements, including insurers and special interest groups in the country/ region. An important factor when developing a fire strategy is to record and set objectives, not necessarily performance or legislatively driven but should consider: • Life safety: Considering the occupants of the building, the likely number and type of visitors, contractors and in the event of a fire incident the responding firefighters. • Property: The building structure and type, the fabric including the façade, fixed and movable assets. • Business: The business mission, confidence, long and short-term operations.
BS 8414 fire performance test of an external cladding system
Fire engineers undertaking an early on-site inspection
• Environment: Long term, locality, external and internal • Many codes and legislation have evolved following fire events, often resulting in large loss of life. Codes often inherently mitigate risk from lessons learned and provide guidance on basic fire safety concepts such as: o o o o o o o
Occupancy type Construction type Travel distances Number, size and location of exits Time to escape Fire service access requirements Fire safety management
Although a code compliant solution can be recorded in a fire strategy, a risk and hazard assessment should be carried out and can follow a qualitative or quantitative assessment methodology, risk profiling can be incorporated to accompany a hazard assessment and fire modelling can also be undertaken to support the overall analysis. A conceptual understanding of how different risk profiles require different levels of resource (cost) to arrive at similar residual levels of risk. As an example, a shopping mall will have a different risk
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profile to an offshore oil & gas installation, hospital or to an office complex. For similar equivalent levels of risk, different risk profiles will require different levels of investment in fire safety and protection. Similarly, the same level of spending on different risk profiles will result in different residual levels of risk. Consequently, a budget will need to be commensurate with both the risk profile and the acceptable level of risk remaining. When considering the façade of a building, it is often the most important architectural aspect from a design standpoint as it sets the tone for the rest of the building. From the engineering perspective of a building, the façade is also of great importance due to its impact on energy efficiency. For historical façades, many local regulations or other laws can greatly restrict or even forbid their alteration. In general, the façade systems that are suspended or attached to the precast concrete slabs are often made from aluminium (powder coated or anodised) or stainless steel. In recent years, more lavish materials such as titanium have sometimes been used, but due to their cost and susceptibility to panel edge staining these have not been popular. The term ‘cladding’ refers to components that are attached to the primary structure of a building to form non-structural, external surfaces. This is as
walls. At the times, the façade can be required to have a fire-resistance rating, for instance, if two buildings are very close together, to lower the likelihood of fire spreading from one building to another. Whether rated or not, fire protection is always a design consideration. The melting point of aluminium, 660°C (1,220°F), is typically reached within minutes of the start of a fire. Perimeter firestop systems for slab edge connections to the façade systems can be qualified too. The integration with a building’s fire sprinkler systems on each floor has a profoundly positive effect on the fire safety of buildings with curtain walls. Some building codes also limit the percentage of window area in exterior walls. When the exterior wall is not rated then the perimeter slab edge becomes a junction where rated slabs are abutting an unrated wall. For rated walls, one may also choose rated windows and fire doors to maintain that wall’s rating.
Cone calorimetry test to measure heat (energy) release
opposed to buildings in which the external surfaces are formed by structural elements, such as masonry walls or applied surfaces such as render. Whilst cladding is generally attached to the structure of the building, it typically does not contribute to its stability. However, cladding does play a structural role, transferring wind loads, impact loads, snow loads and its own self-weight back to the structural framework.
Metal composite panels (or metal composite materials - MCM) are typically used in the external cladding of buildings. They can be bent, curved and joined together in an almost unlimited range of configurations, making them popular with architects and engineers of complex structures. They first emerged commercially in the 1960s and are now frequently used as a wall cladding in cornices and canopies, and for joining areas between other building materials such as glass and precast panels. Two metal skins are bonded to an insulating core, forming a composite ‘sandwich’ panel. The metal component can be aluminium, zinc, stainless steel, titanium and so on, available in a wide variety of colours, finishes and profiles. The core may be manufactured from an insulating material such as polyethylene or from a fire-retardant material with a range of thicknesses available depending on the performance requirements.
In particular, the wind causes positive and negative pressure on the surface of buildings. The cladding must have sufficient strength and stiffness to resist this load, both in terms of the type of cladding selected and its connections back to the structure.
Due to the increase in fires involving building cladding systems, the international construction industry has been forced to address the issue of fire testing cladding systems. It has been suggested that one of the reasons of the severity of cladding fires around the world during the last decade is as a result of cladding that uses these new materials - aluminium composite, which is widely used in cladding as an architectural finish in high-rise buildings.
In modern high rise buildings, the exterior walls are often suspended from the concrete floor slabs. Examples include curtain walls and precast concrete
Newer generations of aluminium composite material cladding (ACM) include a fire retardant in the plastic core. However, this additional protection
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increases cost due to the need for fire testing to validate the effectiveness and composition of the fire retardant that has been used. If the system does not meet manufacturing test standards/quality and is deemed unfit for purpose, remediation is extremely difficult, expensive and complex because it means removing the whole system and replacing it. To ensure the correct quality and testing has been undertaken, test reports have been used for decades across industries to demonstrate the capability of organisations to produce products or materials that meet the given requirements. Testing generally undertaken on cladding systems fall into three categories, namely: • Resistance-to-fire testing is for building elements such as walls or doors, which provide the fire separation between defined compartments in a building. The test specimen is built into a frame that is placed on the open side of a full-scale test furnace and exposed to the standard time/ temperature curved for a period of time. The
maximum time achieved puts the test specimen/ element into a rating category, for example a 30 or 60 minutes fire rating. The same test equipment and methodology are applied to protective coatings for structural steel elements, which can also be tested under load. Such intumescent coatings expand with furnace heat, increasing their volume and reducing in density and protect the element for a period and achieve a similar fire rating. • Reaction-to-fire tests are generally for materials rather than systems and are typically tested in much smaller equipment, although there is a wider range of tests. Typical properties important to the design team are the conditions under which a material can catch fire (ignitability), the amount of heat (energy) released when material burns or is involved in combustion (calorific value or heat release ratio), the rate at which the flame travels across the surface of the material once ignited (flame spread) and physical reactions to fire such as smoke and droplets released.
Wind load testing of a cladding system
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Reviewing the fire protection measures as part of the building design
• Fire propagation (subset of reaction-to-fire): There are several different standards around the world for these tests, but in principle, a full-size or slightly scaled down two-storey specimen is erected on a backing system. An opening is built to represent a window and a fire is ignited in the inside of that opening to represent a room fire in the building. The test specimen includes all the materials combined according to the façade design, and it passes the test if none of the failure criteria is met. Following the testing by an accredited testing laboratory, a test report is prepared detailing the results benchmarked against the test standard. The test report is a snapshot of the behaviour of specific properties of a given sample of a material or system and it should not be automatically considered as a representative without measures to confirm that it is. Certification is also a common requirement that gives the product purchaser or end-user of a product or material the assurance that the product they are purchasing is the same as that was tested. Certification relies on a third-party organisation - a certification body (CB), which is accredited to ISO 17065 standard for conformity assessment for bodies certifying products, processes and services.
When the testing and certification processes have established the material’s fire properties, the façade engineers will design the cladding systems for a given project. Each project will have different details and one or more of these details could have a fire propagation risk. It is at this point that the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) will require the system to be mocked up and tested according to NFPA 285 or BS 8414 – Fire propagation testing. As highlighted above, these are full-scale tests with samples measuring between 6m and 8m in height respectively for the two standards mentioned. With every element of the system included, such test results give validation to the design philosophy and confirmation of fire risk mitigation. A façade design that has approved, tested products, satisfied, and passed a full-scale test, will then move forward to site for construction. As the certified products have traceability that can be checked at the construction site with approved cladding drawings and proof of mock-up tests, site inspections can be undertaken by an approved third-party inspection team. The regular on-site inspection of the cladding work by a façade specialist engineer may be the most time consuming part of the complete exercise but arguably the most critical.
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INDUSTRY SPEAKS “Coatings Contribute to Energy Conservation and are Fire Resistant�
About the Authors: Syed Noorul Ibad joined AkzoNobel in 2014 as a site manager of the Coatings site in Dammam Saudi Arabia. He then moved to a regional manufacturing role in 2017 as a cluster manufacturing director for NW Europe and spent two years working in the Netherlands. He recently moved to Dubai in June 2019 to lead the manufacturing team of the Middle East Africa Region.
Syed Noorul Ibad Manufacturing Director, Middle East & Africa Cluster, AkzoNobel
Prescilla Dsouza has been with AkzoNobel UAE since 2011 and has held various technical positions, including laboratory management, formula development, testing, technical services and specifications. She is responsible for the coil and extrusion technical business in the ME region.
Prescilla Dsouza Technical Business Partner, AkzoNobel UAE Metal Coatings
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Please brief us on the history and objective behind the formation of your company. Syed Noorul Ibad: AkzoNobel’s history can be traced back to 1792. Over the years, AkzoNobel has acquired multiple businesses globally to ensure that it remains the reference in the paints and coatings industry. AkzoNobel has a passion for paint and we are experts in the proud craft of making paints and coatings, setting the standard in colour and protection.
brands includes Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon - trusted by customers around the globe.
Please highlight briefly about your products. Syed Noorul Ibad: AkzoNobel has got a full range of paints & coating offerings from decorative to aerospace & various industrial segments. In addition to liquid paints & coatings, we are also the global leaders in powder coatings technology. Our products are some of the most renowned brands which have got decades of proven track record in their respective markets. The innovative product range from AkzoNobel is highly suited to the challenging environment of the Middle East region providing top quality aesthetics along with decades of durability. Our world class portfolio of
What are the advantages AkzoNobel have over its competitors? Syed Noorul Ibad: AkzoNobel has many distinct strengths in the industry. Some of the key ones include our strong R&D & innovation philosophy with a number of groundbreaking patents, we are a leader in sustainability, which is evident from our top ranking in the DJSI ratings for the past many years. We also provide ourselves in consistent quality and service to our customers. As a global player with strong regional networks, we provide competitive service levels along with value added and customized services for our customers.
Could you please tell us about your manufacturing facility and capacity? Syed Noorul Ibad: We have a number of manufacturing facilities in the region, including Dubai, Oman and Saudi Arabia with adequate capacity to service the needs of the Middle East region.
Yas Hotel, Abu Dhabi
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Sheikh Zayed bridge, Abu Dhabi
Please elaborate on the UAE legal set up and what it means to AkzoNobel in the Middle East. Syed Noorul Ibad: AkzoNobel takes pride in being a strong regional player with substantial presence in all geographical areas of the Middle East and Africa. Our presence in the Middle East region started in the 1980s predominantly as a trading entity at the time and now we have evolved into a manufacturing & a supply organisation throughout the wider region. Other major players have limited
Gateway Towers, Abu Dhabi
geographical reach and drive their strength from a specific geography. AkzoNobel globally has always believed in both organic growth as well as through acquisitions. Investors have always seen potential in our businesses, and we want to prove this further by setting transformation targets to make us the reference in paints and coatings. What are your views on the future façade and fenestration technologies as well as materials? Prescilla Dsouza: We are seeing a trend in environmental responsibility, most notably in government buildings, colleges and universities, and hospitals. These segments of the architectural aluminium extrusion industry are focused on LEED credits and energy-efficient coatings that are also environmentally responsible. The effort to remove lead and other heavy metal compounds from our products is in keeping with our corporate goal of eco-premium products. Coatings supporting easier and quick application and that can contribute to energy conservation and are safe (fire resistant) will be the future of the façade and fenestration technologies. Please highlight briefly about your coil and extrusion coatings products. Prescilla Dsouza: Our product portfolio consists of a wide selection of coil and extrusion coating solutions.
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These products are designed for architectural, commercial, and residential uses, industries and warehouses. Our finishes for pre-painted metal can be found in construction, domestic appliance, and transportation applications. We have a strong track record of giving our customers the best products possible, backed by rigorous research & development, testing and quality programs, and excellent customer support. Providing industry leading performance across a variety of industries, AkzoNobel coil and extrusion coatings have the right solution for pre-painted metal requirements. These products can be used on steel and aluminium cladding for façades, roofing and general cladding. AkzoNobel’s coil coatings are available in a full spectrum of colours.
Name a few of your latest prestigious projects and the innovations you made? Prescilla Dsouza: We have worked with your valuable partners (architects, consultants, coaters, extruders) on many iconic projects. To name a few projects in the Middle East, our coatings were used in a few projects like Al Ghurair City- Dubai, Amiri Terminal- Kuwait, Jeddah Airport- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait UniversityKuwait, Expo 2020 Al Wasl Plaza and Al Wasl Hotel- Dubai, One Zaabeel- Dubai, Address Hotel and Fountain view projects- Dubai, and the Dubai Metro.
(Source of project data is Coaters, Consultant & Architects)
Dubai metro station
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COVER STORY New Fire Safety Codes Revamping the Façade Market Fire accidents in the buildings are one of the major concerns for the builders, developers, architects and government authorities in the Middle East. Now, the building regulations have seen advancements in recent years in the region. Recent developments like the Dubai Expo 2020 is imposing strong regulations for the façade fire safety material and equipment market. The new UAE Civil Defence Codes have revolutionised the façade industry and also offer a higher standard of regulation as compared to the previous regulations. Many fire incidents have been witnessed in the Middle East region in the last few years that have taken so many human lives and caused economic losses. In order to minimise these losses, the fire safety codes are getting stringent.
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For understanding this critical aspect of façade fires, we interviewed many key players in the industry and gathered their thoughts on this important topic. This edition’s cover story deliberates their views on the subject - the Façade Fire Safety in buildings in the Middle East.
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The whole façade system should undergo a full fire test, such as BS 8414 or NFPA 285
THE IMPACTS OF FAÇADE DESIGN ON FIRE SAFETY OF BUILDINGS
Mayank Sharma Technical Specification Manager, Siderise Insulation
Mayank Sharma, Technical Specification Manager, Siderise Insulation observes that in recent decades, the desire for taller structures and with a strive for improved energy-efficiency by adding exterior insulation, we sometimes encounter potential conflicts with fire and life safety codes. With the popularity of building certification programmes to net-zero energy building initiatives, to the active building enclosure movement, the expectations continue to increase for building performance, facility life, and occupant health and safety. Because, two of the most critical aspects of high-performance buildings are air/water tightness and the enclosure’s thermal performance, the necessity of using more insulation, and highquality air/water barrier and flashing materials will continue to increase as the industry trends toward highly energy-efficient building envelopes. When it was realised that combustible material was being used in large quantities in exposed areas, the code officials and manufacturers got together and established codes and policies to protect life safety. Sandeep Thakur, Priedemann, Dubai, United Arab Emirates notices that the reason for many fire-related mishaps around the world is a combination of many aspects like improper use of materials and designs, lack of awareness, etc. He adds, since the question is more focused on the design matter, the suggested approach will be as follows:
Sandeep Thakur Priedemann, United Arab Emirates
• Take reference to the code of practice established in the specific market or similar markets (in the absence of such code). These codes are established under microscopic studies of multiple fire mishap cases, individual past experiences and in line with the specific social awareness and behaviours in that particular market. • Make use of recognised products and technologies. These products and technologies are usually developed with extensive research and case studies. Complying with its instructions are of absolute necessity. • Use common sense and rationales to assess the risk of fire initiation and propagations to apply above said preventive measures.
Peter Stephenson Business Development Manager, Warringtonfire
Andy Dean Head of Façades, The Middle East, WSP
• Include measures within the design to save lives and properties, in case of such mishaps. • Where uncertainties exist, avail expert knowledge and refer to relevant test requirements, as a nature of complexity and material may vary from project to project. According to Peter Stephenson, Business Development Manager, Warringtonfire, the performance of a façade system in the event of a fire can be the result of many factors, including the selection of individual components/materials making up the overall system, location of the fire origin (internal or external fire), provision and location of fire barriers and associated perimeter edge fire stopping systems. The correct testing, certification of installation and build-up of a system are very important and poor workmanship can negate a system's ability to perform as designed to reduce the effects of fire. Each individual component of the façade system should be tested to ensure its reaction to fire, etc. and the whole façade system should also undergo a full fire test, such as BS 8414 or NFPA 285.
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Fire safety, in the context of the façade, starts at the design stage. This must be a collaborative and coordinated process, along with the other technical disciplines and architect should ensure that the design aesthetic intent is met, with the required technical performance. The conversation should start as early as possible, whilst opportunities remain broad. As the design is refined in the transition from concept to IFC, those opportunities become narrower to nil, so giving the correct design direction at an early stage is essential. This is the case for new designs on new buildings - existing buildings are a different matter, of course, says Andy Dean, Head of Façades, The Middle East, WSP. PARAMETERS DEFINING THE PERFORMANCE OF FAÇADE MATERIALS DURING A FIRE According to Sharma, as codes and terminology have become more technical and complex, the lack of understanding of the basics on façade performance continues to feed an age-old problem. To start with,
let’s understand the difference between ‘reaction to fire’ and ‘fire resistance’. Generally, materials used in façades are burnable, notes Thakur. “While selecting the material for the projects, the criteria we would like to emphasise is, what is its behaviour in terms of fire propagation, smoke development, nature of droplets and so on. At times, there are elements of uncertainty in the exposure of the selected material. In those cases, we advise on special testing sequences”. Stephenson says, a façade system should meet the requirements of local fire code standards. This will generally include a full system fire test. The performance of the façade components should be assessed against resistance to fire tests, reaction to fire tests and fire propagation. Dean explains, just like any other part of the building, the parameters fall into the wellestablished categories of Reaction to Fire (RTF)
Difference between Fire Resistance and Reaction to Fire
(limited combustibility), B, C, D, E and F. A1 being the highest performance and F being the lowest.
The regulation requires the fire performance of construction materials to be considered, and in simplistic terms, the building components must not contribute to the ignition and spread of a fire, whilst the fabric elements must be resistant to fire in terms of their ability to provide the necessary structural and (fire) separation functions. Designs to achieve these requirements typically call upon two types of fire test data - reaction to fire and fire resistance. The former describes the combustibility characteristic of building materials, the latter describes the period for which particular construction can resist exposure to a specified fire load, whilst maintaining its form and function. A major difference between buildings built today and those built as recently as 50 years ago is the level of thermal insulation. The thermal benefits of insulation are well understood, however, consideration must be given to the effect of its presence - both in terms of the reaction to fire characteristics and the impact of high fabric insulation values of structures when involved in a fire. Reaction to fire classification is now largely based upon the European Standard EN 13501-1 giving European classes, or ‘Euroclasses’ and for most building materials, it is determined from a combination of four tests. There are seven levels of classification from the A1 (non-combustible), A2
From reaction to fire classification, the critical thing to note is that the nature of the testing changes from classes A1 and A2, where the focus is to show that a product is non-combustible, whereas for classes B and below the focus is on the degree of combustibility.
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Where reaction to fire looks at a material’s individual property, fire resistance classification relates to how building elements, including specifically purposed fire protection products, and their installation, can be expected to behave in the event of a fire. Fire protection classifications are commonly reported in terms of a period of fire resistance, for example, 30 minutes. The classifications relate to integrity (E), thermal insulation (I) and load-bearing capacity (R) either singly or in combination. In simple terms, where a fire occurs, stopping it spreading (E), restricting the temperature rise on the opposing side of the element (I), and maintaining the element load bearing capacity (R). The test methods are defined in British Standards (BS) which determine the conditions of the test as well as the preparation of the test element. Mayank Sharma, Technical Specification Manager, Siderise Insulation
Dean adds, these categories themselves are fundamentally passive processes, as opposed to active processes. That is, there are no mechanical moving parts, or fluid reservoirs or the like as is the case with active systems such as sprinklers or other suppression systems. Whilst there are some active systems for façades, the core of the performance should aim to be passive. Using a flammable material for a façade, which needs an additional active system to extinguish it in the case of a fire is costly and adds risk - what if the active system does not work? FEATURES OF FAÇADES WHICH PREVENT THE SPREAD OF FIRE Sharma highlights typical scenarios of fire spread over façades: • The spread of the external fire onto combustible façade by radiation from the neighbouring, separate building, • The spread of the external fire onto combustible façade from the source of fire located next to the façade, with the consequence of radiation or direct exposure to fire (litter on the balcony, parked cars, etc.), • An internal fire that has started in a space inside a building spreads through openings in the façade (windows, doors, etc.) on to higher or lower floors. • When flames (whether from an internal or external source) spread onto the external layer of the façade, further spread across the façade will depend on façade system properties where the most important factors are as follows: • Reaction to fire properties of the materials on a façade, influence the speed of fire spread on the envelope of a building. The mechanism of fire spread through openings on an ETICS façade with combustible insulation. • The existence of cavities in a façade (which are part of façade systems, e.g. ventilated ones, or the ones formed by parts of the façade delaminating during a fire). If fire enters a cavity, due to the chimney (stack) effect, it can be
extended five to ten times from its initial length, regardless of the properties of the material facing the ventilated layer. If fire barriers are not used, the described effect will cause fast vertical fire spread, which can be “hidden” below the cladding on the façade. • Openings on a façade (windows, doors, etc.) that enables the fire to return to and enter the indoor space of a building, when it can further spread from floor to floor according to the abovedescribed mechanism. Thakur believes that before discussing “fire spread” or fire propagation, we should tackle the fire initiation possibilities. Often we see the origin of fire at the garbage collection close to the building or collection of cigarette butts at the odd corners, etc. Different stakeholders of project need to put conscious efforts to have it designed to avoid such situations. Usually, direction of façade panel fixation on the building is favourable to fire initiation and fire spread. This is because the thinner side of the panels is directly exposed to origin of fire and its flame. So, material used for façade should not be easily combustible. Also, the main reason for fire propagation is due to the “chimney effect” behind the façade panels. Once the fire is initiated, it utilises the oxygen in the space behind the façade. Then the fire seeks more and more oxygen. In its magnitude, fire rushes through the cavity of façade quickly from the bottom of the building towards the top. Such propagation can be stopped by providing barriers to cut the fresh oxygen present in the cavity. This is where compartmentalisation of the cavity helps. Another measure to contain the fire spread is to design the floor level spandrel in such a way that, even if the infill of the façade is absent, the fire flame from lower level should not reach the floors above.
NFPA 285 close up
©Thomas Bell Wright
and Fire Resistance (FR). Understanding what these are and how they affect a façade is critical. In brief, RTF is how and if materials burn. FR is the compartmentation of a fire.
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Stephenson points out that the façade system should be designed by a competent design specialist with correctly specified and detailed components that have satisfied and passed appropriate fire tests. The inclusion of intumescent fire barriers and non-combustible products forming part of the system build-up will reduce the severity of losses in the event of a fire. The inspection regime of the finished system on-site and during installation is an important aspect, which can often be overlooked to ensure that the installation meets all of the design and test criteria. Dean suggests that expanding on the RTF and FR performance categories, and taking RTF first, we need to make sure that the façade materials are not easily ignitable - an irresponsibly discarded External spread of fire
Slab edge fire stop system
cigarette, for example, should not be able to start a façade fire. Surface spread of flame would be our next concern - if a façade is next to a fire, maybe it is burned, but the materials that the façade is built from should not then spread that flame outside the zone of the original fire. He added, those that have called for ‘façades to be non-combustible’, do not understand façades, neither understand fire. ‘Non-combustibility’ has a very strict definition in the fire industry and only materials like glass, stone, solid metal and the likes can achieve it. However, we need gaskets, sealants, thermal breaks and other plastic/polymer materials for the façades to make them work properly. Although the performance of these small components should have some understood limits, if all other aspects of the façade are controlled, then the small, necessary combustible components have an equally limited effect. Turning to FR (fire resistance) or compartmentation, the fire safety strategy created by the fire consultant informs the façade consultant where the firestopping should be and if a façade itself needs to be fire-resistance rated. Common examples are horizontal fire stops between slab edge and the façade; the spandrel panel itself (so that the spandrel panel doesn’t deteriorate in a fire), vertical firestopping between party walls and the façade; and car park entrance glazing. The requirement for other façades to be FR rated is less common, but we’ll come on to that in the next question. Dean believes that it is important that all of these aspects work together to collectively create a system that is low-risk.
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IMPORTANCE OF FIRE RESISTANCE RATED GLASS
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Fire-rated glass system is needed only if compartmentalisation is needed as a part of the fire strategy of a building, we don’t have to
©Shutterstock
Fire-rated glass for fire safety of the façade
design the entire façade with it. There is no substitute for a fire-rated glass yet. When you need to see through function, and you need it to be firerated, than glass is the only material that fits the description, says Mayank. Thakur believes that the importance of fire-rated glass depends on the context of its application. All kinds of façade on the building should discourage fire propagation and smoke development, but it does not require to be fire rated. There are regulations in place to have fire-rated façades if the adjacent building is less than a certain distance. There is a necessity of fire-rated façade or partition if there are refuge areas separated into other areas. In those cases, the façade shall be fire rated. There is no substitution to fire-rated façade systems and glass together for such cases. Fire-rated glazing plays an important role within the built environment, particularly where clear vision and architectural aesthetics play an important part within a design. The duration of fire rating required, will impact on the cost of this type of design solution as will the area to be covered, says Stephenson. For large areas, a fire shutter or fire curtain could be used as an alternative solution that can be deployed in the vent of a fire to close an opening and provide the required fire separation as per the code requirements.
cities. Notwithstanding that certain elements of the façade system need to provide a firestopping function - the perimeter firestop for example - the need for the façade itself to be fire-resistance rated is usually only present if buildings are spaced closely together - the premise is that if the fire is contained, it can’t spread to the adjacent building. There are other particular examples, such as if a fire escape route next to a façade needs to be protected, or if there is a clear fire potential such as a car park or plant room. There may also be other important spaces with a façade that need protecting such as document storage rooms or critical function spaces. Dean adds that the cost fire-rated glazing is generally higher than non-rated glazing. “However, compared to the damage that an uncontrolled fire would do, it is good value”. There are less expensive options, such as blockwork, but then they tend to be less elegant and do not offer visibility that may also be an important requirement. ROLE OF FIRE STOP IN FIRE SAFETY Sharma notes that a fire stop is a sublime fire protection measure that seals openings and joints in a fire-rated wall, minimising fire escalation. They hinder the transference of smoke and fire through cracks and crevices in walls and floor assembly. These are available in varied forms and materials like cementitious mortar, silicone, rubber, etc. Fire stops materials and systems are used to ensure the fire is contained within the compartment created as part of the fire resistance strategy. Any areas like through penetrations and parts of cladding system create gaps and openings in the compartments designed to contain the fire. Fire stopping material
According to Dean, fire resistance rated glass (or more accurately ‘glazing system’ because glass cannot exist without the system, it is held in) is essential if the fire safety strategy requires that the particular area of façade needs to provide that level of performance. However, the need for fire resistance in a façade is not common in modern
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According to Stephenson, fire stopping plays an important factor in the overall fire & life safety provisions of a building. Fire stops can be used to effectively limit the spread of fire and smoke between areas/rooms by effectively sealing openings around openings for penetrations such as pipes, cables, and ducts. Systems can be provided to close openings between walls and floor slabs and also at the perimeter edges between floor slabs and façades. Dean notes that the main fire stop in façade terms is the perimeter fire stop - that being the special linear seal that closes the gap between the slab edge and the adjacent façade. The intention is to stop the products of a fire (not just smoke) moving vertically from one compartment to another. This is usually formed from a compressed insulating mineral fibre mass that either itself creates a seal against both adjacent surfaces, or is combined with an additional sealant to do so. It is important to make sure that the portion of the façade adjacent to the firestop (usually the spandrel zone) plus the bracket holding it all on, does not significantly deteriorate during a fire. Otherwise, the stability and even the existence of the perimeter firestop are somewhat moot. Dean also adds that a similar, but not the same, firestop is the cavity barrier. This aims to break up large cavities between a façade and the adjacent structure into small compartments to prevent the wide intra-cavity spread of smoke and hot gasses. Examples of such scenarios might be a cladding wall built over a core or shear wall or a GFRC fin that runs up a column. The best practice is to add a horizontal cavity barrier at each equivalent floor level, and vertically at the perimeter of the area. There are several aspects to consider here, including that some cavities must be ventilated in general service. In such cases, a mineral fibre cavity barrier with an intumescent strip that expands in a fire to close the ventilation gap could be used. IMPORTANCE OF COMPARTMENTALISATION IN BUILDING STRUCTURE FOR FIRE SAFETY According to Sharma, firestopping is part of effective compartmentation, it is the building of the fire, smoke, and other resistance-rated assemblies into “boxes” in buildings. These boxes are built to keep the fire from spreading from the room of origin to other parts of a building. Compartments are formed when the area or firewalls separate one space from another, allowing the collapse of one side without the other sides being structurally affected. They are also formed when resistance-rated walls are constructed in corridors, when resistance-rated floors are built
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for floor-to-floor protection, and when spacing between buildings is added to protect against fire spreading from building to building. Thakur mentions, apart from the material itself, the chimney effect at the cavity behind the façade is the main driver for the fire spread. Oxygen is the fuel of fire. So, cutting the supply of oxygen, in the cavity, is of the highest importance for extinguishing the fire. This where compartmentalisation has importance. An appropriate compartmentalisation can alone contain the fire propagation substantially. According to Stephenson, the purpose of compartmentation within a building is to protect the egress routes to allow safe evacuation and to limit the area that a fire could spread within a building. Depending on the hazard/risk, some rooms of a higher hazard or risk may require a higher level of fire separation based on the perceived risk, such that any fire should be contained within the room/ area of origin. MATERIAL FIRE SAFETY STANDARDS All firestop systems need to be tested to two criteria - Integrity and Insulation (EI), notes Sharma. Integrity (E) refers to the ability of the system to prevent the passage of flame, smoke and combustible gases either through, around the material or through joints in an assembly; while insulation (I) refers to a measure of the increase in conducted heat transferred from the exposed to unexposed surfaces of 180°C rise above ambient. Sharma adds that these two criteria are critical in the development of curtain wall perimeter firestop products. The most effective products combine
Cavity fire barrier
because it evaluates multiple aspects and can be used across several material types is a common modern standard for classifying the important fundamental performance characteristics of a material. However, we need to be careful about using this type of standard to state the performance of smaller components such as sealants and gaskets. These exist in the façade in a completely different arrangement than components such as cladding panels or insulation. Another important set of tests is the full system tests such as BS 8414, NFPA 285 or ISO 13785. These evaluate flame spread on a larger (system) level. However, they are still fundamentally RTF materials tests, and the incorporation of features such as windows into them, albeit anecdotally interesting, deviates significantly from the intent of the standards and introduces variables that present more confusion that conclusion. Perimeter fire stop system
a number of material features – density, thickness, resin content, fibre structure and controlled compression - which together determine the resistance properties. When looking at the integrity (E) criteria, the material chosen must be impervious to the transfer of flame and gases, easy to install with minimal site management and accommodate all realworld requirements at interfaces, joints and details.
AWARENESS ABOUT THE GUIDELINES, STANDARDS & NORMS FOR FIRE SAFETY Thakur observes that with the recent fire incidences around the world, there is better awareness on the
Address Downtown Dubai Hotel fire
Dean says, “in the Middle East, we now have matured codes that define the minimum levels of performance required. However, noting that the materials are imported from all around the world and that there are already plenty of test standards available internationally, we use a variety of those standards to prove compliance with the codes. European and American standards are the most common; EN, BS, NFPA and ASTM”. He adds, EN 13501-1 standard is followed because of its engineering basis, and
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Stephenson opines that the various fire safety standards can be applied and these will be governed by local code/standard requirements, such as the UAE Fire & Life Safety Code 2018 and also the requirements of the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), for example, the local civil defence. The standards to be achieved within fire codes generally refer to, but not limited to, British Standards (BS), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, Underwriters Laboratory (UL) standards, Factory Mutual (FM) standards and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
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subject. But the confusion is, who is responsible. It is a combined responsibility. The subject has some degree of uncertainty. Apart from codes and regulations that we need to follow, there are common senses and rationales that we need to consider while designing, selecting material and executing the façade. Also, design and execution should include factors that can avoid damages, even if a fire mishap occurs. The final objective should be the factors that challenge the fire and life safety subject should be eliminated and it should include factors that can save humans and property from damages. The local laws, regulations and standards for fire safety should be known to all stakeholders within the built environment. It is important that a competent fire engineer is engaged on all projects to ensure compliance at all stages of the design, construction and occupation of a building, says Stephenson. Dean points out that in the past, many buildings’ façades have been built without sufficient awareness of fire safety. Clearly one of the principal problems has been the spread of flame performance of voluminous elements of the cladding such as cladding panels or insulation. Similarly, firestopping has been installed
without sufficient evidence of performance and glass installed without an understanding of postbreakage characteristics. However, particularly in this decade, with the introduction of codes and more importantly the enforcement of the application of those codes, standards of construction have improved substantially. We are now building façades that are world-class in fire performance terms, but we must not ignore the previous building stock which definitely needs our retrospective attention. Conclusion With the introduction of new fire safety codes, the façade industry is undergoing several changes in the Middle East. The façade market is refurbishing and fire-rated façade materials are enjoying a huge share of benefits out of it. Also, the market for firerated materials has become more competitive with the entrance of new players. The initiatives are taken towards making the buildings fire safe will boost the growth of façade fire safety materials and will provide tremendous opportunities to the players of this industry.
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Design and execution process of building construction should include factors that can avoid damages, even if a fire mishap occurs
Fire & Life Safety Compliant Façades - An Integrated Approach
Dr. Belarmino Cordero Head of Façade Engineering, AESG
Peter Van Gorp Director of Fire, Life Safety and Acoustics, AESG
What are the impacts of façade design on fire safety of buildings? Dr. Cordero: Façades need to fulfil the appropriate fire safety requirements in terms of fire stopping, spread of flame and, if required, integrity or insulation. Façades are, however, only part of the broader fire safety strategy that includes other aspects such as sprinkler, pressurisation, evacuation and compartmentation strategies among others. All of these aspects need to be addressed and coordinated to achieve redundancy in fire control mechanisms that would ensure fire safety even in the event of failure of any one of them.
increased industry awareness. What is remarkable is that, despite the number and seriousness of the façade fires, personal losses have been limited in comparison to smaller fires in other regions. With the rest of the non-façade fire safety mechanisms working well, this allowed for evacuation and limited the spread of the fire to the façade.
The above concept of redundancy in fire control mechanisms is known as “layers of safety”. An example of it can be found in the UAE where a significant number of façade fires have occurred in recent years. This situation, partly due to loose regulations prior to 2012 in conjunction with poor design and supervision practices, is now being addressed through revised regulations and
What are the various aspects of façades which could prevent the spread of fire in the building? Dr. Cordero: In all cases, façades need to be designed to align with the fire compartmentation strategy and to limit the spread of flame. Additionally, façades may have fire integrity or insulation requirements, when they are facing escape routes or within a certain distance to neighbouring buildings.
Are there restrictions on the materials that can be used in façades? Peter: Materials used in façades have to comply with the listings referred to in the UAE fire code under the UAE jurisdiction. Most recognised internationally used listings are accepted.
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What are the parameters that define the performance of faรงade materials during a fire? Peter: The behaviour of a material to fire is typically defined through its combustibility, smoke production and the production of flaming droplets. These parameters are categorised in the table below as per BS EN 13501-1. A combustible material is a material that, in the form in which it is used and under the conditions anticipated, will ignite, burn, support combustion or release flammable vapours when subjected to heat and fire.
relevant authorities. What are the mechanisms of fire spread at the faรงade and why are fire stops important? Dr. Cordero: Fire stops are intended to ensure that the compartmentation strategy works as intended, containing the rate of spread of fire and allowing enough time for evacuation. There are 3 main mechanisms for fire spread: chimney effect at rainscreens, the chimney effect between slab and curtain wall, and leap from effect from opening to opening. At curtain walls, the gap between the front of the slab and the back of the curtain wall needs to match the fire rating of the slab and the passage of smoke needs to be prevented. The openings need to be spaced apart a certain distance with a fire rated faรงade in between to prevent the leapfrog effect.
Further to the material performance, it is important to consider the behaviour of the system as a whole. The fire performance of faรงade materials and systems is demonstrated through testing and the manufacturers should be accredited by the
Fire Behaviour
Smoke Production
A1 to F (as applicable)
s
Flaming Droplets
1, 2 or 3 (as d applicable)
Reaction to fire classification (as per BS EN 13501-1)
Emirates EXPO Pavilion
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0, 1 or 2 (as applicable)
or insulation unless they are facing escape routes or within a certain distance to neighbouring buildings. Since integrity and insulation rated glazing is costly, it is advisable to limit the extension of such conditions in the design of the architectural layout at an early stage.
Qaryat Al Hidd masterplan
At rainscreens, cavity breaks should be provided at every floor. How important is the use of fire rated glass? Is it affordable or is there a substitute that most companies go with? Dr. Cordero: Typically, faรงades are considered to the sacrificial and do not require to be rated to integrity
Integrity is typically provided by using borosilicate glass or by reinforcing the glass with metal wires. Toughened glass will also provide enhanced integrity as compared to annealed glass. Insulation is provided by laminating glass with intumescent interlayers that react to heat by transforming into insulative foams. The number of interlayers increases with the required duration of the insulation. This requirement is only needed when the faรงades are facing escape routes or within a certain distance to neighbouring buildings. It is advisable to limit the extension of such conditions in the architectural layout as insulation rated glazing is costly.
Shams Reflections on Reem Island in Abu Dhabi, comprising of two residential towers
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FACE TO FACE “Architecture should Provide Real Benefits for the Society by Optimising the Use of its Resources�
Alejandro Stochetti Director, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG)
About the Author: Alejandro Stochetti (AIA, LEED AP) is a Design Director at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG). He has been the senior designer and leader in a wide-variety of projects, from the mega tall Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia to the typologically diverse Astana Expo City in Kazakhstan. His built projects include residential, commercial, and cultural typologies ranging from Burj Vista, a two-tower residential complex in Dubai, to Energy Hall and Congress Center, two cultural facilities in Astana. Alejandro is currently the senior designer and team leader of Al Wasl Plaza, the centrepiece of the upcoming Expo 2020 Dubai that combines breath-taking design, innovative technology, and an intricate domed trellis with a huge immersive projection experience.
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Could you please tell our readers about your firm and your practice? AS+GG was founded in 2006 with the goal to create designs that aid society, advance technology, sustain and enhance the environment and inspire those around us. As design professionals, we strive to create intelligent, high-performance, forwardlooking designs that exhibit timeless and enduring qualities. We prize innovation and experimentation. We are not limited by known solutions utilising our experience and knowledge to move forward and develop new methods and technologies. Clients count with our support in the realisation of their visions, while delivering the highest standard of design in the international practice of architecture. In order to support our goals, we collaborate with the world’s leading experts: scientists, artists, sociologists, philosophers and thinkers. We strive to expand our perspective and generate new discoveries and insights into the world of design. During their years at SOM and before founding AS+GG Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill, designed many remarkable buildings, including Burj Khalifa and Pearl River tower in China among many others. After working with them at SOM in many of such buildings, I joined them at the start of AS+GG. We grew fast and we were soon working in amazing projects such as Masdar Headquarters in Abu Dhabi, 1 Dubai and Jeddah tower just to mention
a few. Our teams use state-of-the-art physical and digital tools to inform the creation, test and present designs that have been very positively transforming their context. What inspired you to become an architect? I grew up imagining and building things. I could not stand quiet and always wanted to create objects to add to our garden, my room, and my family rooms. To me, imagining and building was the preferred part of the day in between classes. My home town in Argentina was also fairly humble. We had to re-use, recycle and find new ways of extending the reach of our resources. Energy, water and even food were resources that we had to take care and use very efficiently. From the very early years of my architectural education and professional life, I combined both, my interest in creating new experiences, new spaces or enhancing the environment with the need to take care of resources. Environmental considerations were not common those days in education or media, however they were present in my everyday life and they helped in forming my approach to the design process. Overall, architecture is a discipline where we can imagine “better places”, “better objects”, great experiences and put our energy and knowledge to materialise them for everybody to enjoy.
The digital canvas of the Energy Hall
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The satisfaction of seeing others enjoy our “imagined spaces” as they use them is immense. I still happily remember the great calls from my first client Nora when she would tell me that the room that I added to their house was the center of the family life. Birthdays, homework, lunches and dinners had moved to a central room full of light and plants (a glass roof) that was supposed to be the extension of their garage. Going beyond what we are being asked to do, surpass our client expectations is another good goal and practice. We can always do better.
Other cities around the world have been incorporating buildings with such function and technology for a while. The Middle East is becoming a champion on that front now too.
What are the current technological trends in façade and fenestration industry in the Middle East? We have been working in the Middle East for a long time. I personally started when I was working with Adrian Smith at SOM in Burj Khalifa. Then at AS+GG, among many other projects, we did Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia.
The one consideration I have been very interested, and I don’t know if it is a trend - is to make façades richer in materiality. And, this should respond to how these façades work, how they respond to their context. When we did Burj Vista in front of Burj Khalifa, we focused on the benefits of reducing vision glass to the areas where it was needed, in particular to respond to views towards the Burj Khalifa. Radiation and views studies provided us with the information to shape the building, the façades and define materials for every distinct part of the enclosure. This resulted in what we call the “language of performance”, where buildings are not just built with one façade, but every part of the enclosure is serving its distinct function maximising user’s experience, reducing energy use and impact on the environment.
In both iconic towers, we could see the evolution of the façades. From their typical enclosure function and architectural expression to the more complex function as a platform for communication. As seen in Burj Khalifa the exterior walls added a feature that currently adds to the experience of the overall site.
The most important technological advancement would probably be coming from the advancement of artificial intelligence and its impact on the design process, the detailing of our built environment and the development of customised materials serving specific parts of a building.
Burj Vista, UAE - A residential and retail complex with two towers placed along the boulevard in front of Burj Khalifa
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The understanding of the use of spaces - public and private, the way we use materials, detailing and the nature of the materials we specify, clearly be better informed by the revolutionary development of artificial intelligence and deep learning. Such discipline has been impacting a wide variety of professions and industries during the recent years but has not shown its full impact in architecture or the construction industry. The deeper scientifically based understanding of every aspect affected by or being affected by our design discipline could significantly and positively impact the quality of our work and how it affects our environment. What are the major challenges faced by the architects in the Middle East? How do you cope up with these challenges? The Middle East has matured as a market since the early days of my work in the region. One of the positive impacts of such maturity is that the proposals now tend to be more aligned with what developers or leaders are really intending to do, or believe they can deliver. Some overambitious
The view of the Expo Hotel’s atrium space. A clear cable wall masimises daylight and views to entrance the experience of the hotel atrium space
projects of the past seemed to be screaming for attention. Architecture should provide real benefits for the society optimising the use its resources. On the other hand, when a market is fairly established, it does not seem to need to challenge the standards. The standards seem to work well enough in a mature environment. This might sometimes challenge the feasibility of proposals that go beyond the norm but can positively add to the overall story of the city or the region. Just imagine how much more difficult for Dubai would be to do a new Burj Khalifa today in the current developed market. However, even mature markets can find the need or the desire to develop untapped opportunities. Such was the case for Dubai competing, wining and currently building the Expo Dubai 2020 project. Through such ambitious project, Dubai is calling for the world audience to appreciate its capacity to deliver a world class event. Such events and all projects associated with them, are particularly challenging due to the fixed nature of their delivery dates and the extent of the resources needed to accomplish such visions. We have experienced such fast track unmovable schedules in our Expo Astana project and are going through the same process in this amazing project in Dubai. Tell us about the current technologies in the façade & fenestration technologies and market in the region? We have been very pleasantly surprised with the level of sophistication achieved by local companies working with GRP and GRC. GRC in particular, has achieved a level of sophistication with form and finishes that are both technically advanced and architecturally pleasing. We also worked with companies that count with 3D concrete printing technology, one such companies called “CONCREATIVE” from Dubai, and other stateof-the-art materials that are looking for projects to test their advancements. It is good to know that in some cases the industry is ahead of the ability of most projects to use their state-of-the-art technologies. On the other hand, we are still having issues procuring larger than typical glass panels at a competitive price. We know that these panels are internationally available but for cost control issues some of our projects had to procure only form local market where larger than typical panels seem to be not feasible at a competitive price.
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©Alejandro Stochetti
The south atrium of the Kazakhstan Pavilion Sphere
How do you go about choosing the material of façade? In our design process, “form follows performance” the expression of the buildings and their resulting spaces can be appreciated as the language of performance. With that in mind, every part of the façade should be conceived with the best possible material to respond to the local specific need. Daylighting, views, natural ventilation, protection from direct solar radiation, thermal control, etc. are all taken into account when considering the nature of the material to be used. However, it is important to note that we are not only looking for materials. We are “developing” systems to achieve the stated goals. When considering the enclosure, “a system” to perform at the highest level, adjacencies, detailing, accessibility and maintenance considerations among others need to be taken into account. Furthermore, we fortunately live and practice in an era that benefits with the potential of “modeling” and testing our “imagined” spaces and façades before building them. Consequently, modeling, analysing and comparing
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options or iteration of façades systems and materials is of imminent significance. We should not just use a material or a system in different contexts or environments without going through the process of understanding how they perform. During the design process, we would often test and change materials and systems as the projects advance at the different stages. The earlier adjustments can be done for the better overall performance of the building. This is also true during the review and construction process. Fabricators might have better options by the time construction starts. Otherwise, they might try to value engineer the developed system. In both cases, what happens at the review and construction phase is very critical and should not be taken for granted. No matter how diligent the work a professional has been in designing the best system, if his/her work is altered in a way that would negatively affect its performance. Clients should understand the importance of maintaining the main designers involved in the process all the way to the completion of the project. No one would be so interested and care about the design integrity as the group responsible for developing and testing the concept. Of course, apart from the client.
What are the key factors to consider while designing and installing fenestration? As mentioned before, a façade is part of the overall building system that needs to perform holistically. The principles and goals that guided the design and detailing process needs to be executed and materialised by the time the fenestration is installed. There are lot of forces that might impact this final stage - the installation. Global or local market forces, technical and professional capabilities of fabricator/installer, project cost management, project schedule, lead time, etc. When any of these items can clearly create a limiting factor, for instance - lack of access to a certain material - and this is known during the design process time, it is important important for owners or managers to make this clear to design team early on. The lack of critical information in early stages of development can lead to significant waste of time and ultimately to an unfeasible design solution. For instance, for the competition for Jeddah Tower, many years ago, it was clearly noted that competitors would obtain additional points for a scheme that was understood as feasible - not too complex to build to build. We used our experience in our first “tallest” building, learnt from that process and delivered a scheme with that goal in mind. Knowing the limitations and the objectives early on is a key factor in the delivery of a successful project.
What one piece of advice would you give to young and upcoming professionals? Be always open and willing to learn. At no moment, we should feel that we know enough. Not after doing one great building, not after you did 10. There is always room to learn, to improve, and to advance the profession. Great ideas are based on serving the society, inspiring the community and protecting the environment. Great leaders are attracted to such ideas because they enhance the development of their countries improve their countries and move them forward in a sustainable way. We are responsible for the resources that our buildings consume to be built and to be used. Technologies improve and change, our buildings will stay in place for very long time. Our buildings should allow scientific and technological advancements to be implemented overtime. In doing so, our buildings would “age” efficiently and will adapt to new demanding needs. Understand and use the best and innovative technologies but do not design to showcase any one of them. The prime goal of our profession is to imagine and help to build a better place for humans and for nature to thrive. From a small object to large new cities, our legacy needs to show how we have succeeded in doing so. Do not stop short of doing your best to serve that goal.
©National Company JSC
The Congress Center located towards the North-West side of the expo district along the cultural axis
CASE STUDY
designed for absorption and convection in order to circulate air from the warm side of the Sphere to the cool side throughout the year.
Kazakhstan Pavilion Sphere, Kazkhstan
At the base, a covered access plaza organises the entry sequence to the museum floors and also acts as additional exhibition space. Visitors can walk under the sphere and see into the interior spaces for alternative vantage points. Levels 2-7 are designated exhibition floors and Level 8, the highest floor, is an event space with a viewing platform to observe views of Astana.
The defining symbol of the Expo -2017 site is the 24,000 sm Kazakhstan Pavilion Sphere, located at the center of the exposition. In order to maintain a true spherical character, the exterior envelope is a double-curved-glass façade. The sphere is structurally supported by a central double core that is used to organise stairways and support functions such as service elevators and restrooms. A central atrium is surrounded by eight passenger elevators where visitors can experience the building and exhibitions as they travel on glass elevators from the ground level plaza to the top observation and event space. There are two opposing atria that are
The 80 meter diameter structure features an exterior wall system that reduces thermal loss and interior solar glare. A host of integrated systems, including photovoltaics, save energy use and increase energy output of the building simultaneously. The structure was slightly modified from a perfect complete sphere shape with the goal to achieve the desired renewable-energy goals. The building’s form, with its potential geometry adjustments, was extensively tested and modeled to determine how to minimise energy use, maximise daylighting, control glare, and take advantage of renewable sources with integrated photovoltaics and wind turbines that create energy for the building.
The BIPVs have been installed along the scoop to harvest solar energy
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Fact File Client: It Engeneering Architect: AS+GG Structural: Werner Sobek Façade: AS+GG Materials used for façade & fenestration: Curved glass (sunglass from Italy) Commencement Date: December 2013 (design process) Completion Date: April 2015 (Design process)
Many concepts were completed and tested to integrate the BIPV panels while balancing the requirements of other significant building components such as MEP, surface area requirements, collision with other architectural elements, maximising wind swept area for the turbines, and the rationalisation the double-curved minimal surface geometry. Ultimately Building Integrated Photo Voltaic cells (BIPV) were installed at the top of the sphere to generate renewable energy for the building. During the testing phase, the energy model predicted 81,056 kWh/yr of electricity or 2.21% of total energy demand. This generation of renewable energy serves not only as a pragmatic need but also as a symbolic function of the entire exposition. Visitors experienced firsthand renewable energy generation in progress through the exposed BIPV and wind turbines located at the top floor of the sphere.
costs of the Kazakhstan Pavilion include: highperformance glazing with an ultra-clear low-iron glass with low-E coating and ceramic frit in a varied pattern to reduce glare and heat gain on areas of maximum radiation, horizontal mullions that support a perforated enclosure with a radiant heating tube system, and efficient LED lighting is integrated into the exterior curtain wall mullion system. EXTERIOR WALL Glazed unitised curtain wall consists of thermally broken double-curved insulated glass units (IGU) with aluminum mullions supported by the building’s primary structural tube system and secondary members. The horizontal mullions support a perforated enclosure with a radiant heating tube system. The steel tube structural system is thermally isolated from the unitised glass wall. The inboard and outboard lite of the double glazed insulated glass unit are laminated glass units. The outboard laminated lite includes a pattern of ceramic frit.
Astana EXPO2017, Kazakhstan
A concave area was carved out of the building’s top for wind turbines to take advantage of potential wind energy generation. Countless geometries were modeled and tested to find an appropriate form that responded to both the programmatic requirements and optimised the amount of energy generation. These iterations focused on the wind energy that could be harvested from the surface of the sphere. The design team worked closely with wind engineers to design and test multiple overall building forms and eventually the various shapes of an inlet on the surface of the building. Predominant southwest winds activate the turbines that were designed specifically for the harsh winter conditions of Astana. Other sustainable strategies that reduce energy
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CASE STUDY The National Congress Hall, Astana, Kazakhstan The Congress Hall envelope details were designed to enhance the insulation value far beyond minimum code requirements. It is estimated that the Congress Hall performed 76% above a baseline building of its use and size. A big part of this is the use of windows only where they are necessary, and to enhance the user experience. The 34% window-to-wall ratio allows excellent insulation performance. Solid portions of the walls have a U-value of .015 w/m2k. Windows are designed with triple glazing to have a values of .8 w/m2k for the system and .6 w/m2k for the argon-filled glass. The solar heat gain coefficient is .36, allowing for solar protected but relatively clear glass for maximum views out. The roof is also heavily insulated, with a value of .1 w/m2k. The feature portion of the glass exterior wall consists of a sloped, triple-insulated, glazed cable net faรงade with one-way cable supported with panels of clear double insulated clear low-iron glass. Stainless steel cables & stainless-steel fittings and attachments are anchored to steel truss structure above and concrete structure below finish floor.
Fact File Client: It Engeneering Architect: AS+GG Structural Consultant: STUDIO ALTIERI S.p.A (Italy) Faรงade Consultant: AS+GG Commencement Date: December 2013 (design process) Completion Date: April 2015 (design process) Area: 49,000 m2
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The glass horizontal lines provide views towards the park and daylighting into the circulation area inside the Congress Center
The solid portion of the exterior wall consists of a sloping zinc metal clad, honeycomb backed rainscreen panel system with concealed fasteners. Waterproofing and rigid insulation are installed behind cladding and supported directly by the secondary steel framing attached to primary structure. Waterproofing and rigid insulation are installed behind cladding and supported directly by the secondary steel framing attached to primary structure. A majority of the roof surface was also designed to be covered with integrated photovoltaics to take advantage of the large exposed surface area. The design of the sloped, glazed skylight system also consists of laminated clear double-insulated low iron glazing with an integrated thin-film photo-voltaic layer. The mullions are aluminum supported by a painted, welded steel plate diagrid. The glass walls are typically sloped, triple-glazed insulated panels with clear low-iron glass.
CASE STUDY Energy Hall, Kazakhstan The Energy Hall is placed towards the center of the 25 hectare expo site, just in front of the Kazakhstan pavilion or Science museum. The overall goal of the project was to create a cultural hub connecting the main central pavilion with two commercial buildings and the theater in between, all along the covered street. The venue was aimed to feel and be active regardless of its programming and daily “theatrical” activity. Ideally, the venue would be active any day of the week, any time, and expo or legacy mode. The outer skin of the main hall was designed as
an active programmable surface that would allow artists to enrich it with digital art. The potential of being programmable, or ideally also interactive was an important goal. We called this surface “digital active canvas”. The space between this “digital active canvas” and the outer glass layer becomes a very active public zone designed to be open for public independently of the use of the theater inside. The materiality, technology and expression of such “canvas” become the focus of an exciting design and fabrication process. Several original concepts were developed and we decided to proceed with one where a “LED lit unit” would be the forming cell of the system. This “cell” is double sided, so it works on the outer “lobby” side and in the inner, smaller lobbies’ side. Each cell is framed with metal frames, connected to the main structural “tissue” that wraps around the main hall, following the shape of the main hall and its secondary circulations. The “digital art canvas” becomes a dynamic active system that “breath” with the space, enrich the interplay experiences and becomes the main expression of the Energy Hall theater all year round.
Towards the right side of the main auditorium, the clear glass wall opens up with views towards the covered street
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THE ENVELOPE The second layer to enclose this lobby area is a clear glass wall that wraps around its skin. It is part exterior wall and part interior wall. It geometrically engages with the covered street roof framing the arrival from outside. The form guides visitors towards the main covered street entrance while providing great views of the interior space at the same time. The glass wall wraps the Digital Art Canvas, protecting it, revealing it, and making it visible 24-hours a day.
was about .40 with a low 16% reflectance, consistent with the overall standards of the Expo project which encouraged heavily insulated glazing with relatively high solar heat gain coefficient in order to let in more light and heat, especially during winter. Solid walls were designed as a heavily insulated .15 w/ m2K u-value. Being very open, public buildings, the Energy Hall and Retail pavilions had a 81% glazing ratio.
ENVELOPE DETAILS The Energy Hall exterior enclosure used unitised thermally broken painted aluminum fixed window wall (storefront and curtain wall) with vision panels of high-performance triple glazing and solid frit insulated glass spandrel panels. The window wall oriented to the interior covered mall had vision panels of high-performance double glazing and solid frit insulated glass spandrel panels. The roof was designed as an insulated low slope roofing system with building-integrated monocrystalline photovoltaic roof panels. The triple-glazed system value was .8 w/m2k with argon-filled glass having a U-value of .6 w/m2k. The solar heat gain coefficient
Fact File Client: It Engeneering Architect: AS+GG Structural Consultant: Werner Sobek Façade Consultant: AS+GG Commencement Date: December 2013 (design process) Completion Date: April 2015 (Design process) Area: 6,550 m2
CASE STUDY Expo Hotel, Astana, Kazakhstan Developing the hotel façade was an opportunity to respond to such new Iconic central piece for Astana taking advantage of its location and amplifying its impact on the public realm. The design process was geared towards taking maximum benefits from the Kazakhstan Pavilion’s presence. The façade of the hotel was curved toward the sphere, to focus on it. In doing so, another plane at the public realm was created where this new Astana Icon can be reflected and be celebrated. But, it was not just one geometrical move. Every “viewing room” or hotel could adjust its placement to look
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The hotel circulation provides the access to all rooms to open up and experience natural light and views
straight into the sphere. The hotel was designed as a textured canvas to direct views room by room and in the process reflect and amplify the presence of the Sphere on the site. The ballroom and amenities pavilion’s smaller scale and softer language better integrates with the surrounding park. It is mostly solid metal wall surfaces slope down to reduce direct solar radiation on its interior spaces. The walls are carved with minimal window areas to allow for daylighting and views where necessary. The Congress Center, developed next to the ballroom pavilion and at the same time relates to it with a similar design language. At the top, the roof of the pavilion opens to frame a landscaped terrace for used primarily during the warmer time of the year. This open area offers a great view towards the new residential neighbourhoods.
Insulated clear glass panels provide for an efficient thermal barrier still allowing daylight and views to flow into the interior space
EXTERIOR DETAILS From the technical point of view, the main hotel tower exterior wall consists of a unitised triple insulated butt-glazed curtain wall system. Operable windows are included in typical walls to take advantage of natural ventilation during the warmer parts of the year. From the design team’s point of view, allowing natural ventilation during the warmer months in Astana was an opportunity to improve the comfort levels for the users. It also potentially lowers energy use by reducing the need of cooling during part of the year. Some parts of the project teams might see the need of natural ventilation and as an additional investment and operational cost. However, its user’s views should be more strongly taken into account. Comfort levels are significantly enhanced physically and psychologically by allowing users to customise their space and make it work as per their preferences. Inside the room, guests may want to hear the sounds of the street, listen to the birds or the sound of fresh air moving into their space. Based on promoting the adjustability of the built environments, it is worth pushing for the incorporation of openable panels. A continuous horizontal shading element was also added to add shading to the overall window wall glass system to increase comfort and add a level of texture to the façade. Between the two hotel room sides, a 2-way stainless steel cable wall system spans the 9-story tall atrium space. The vertical row of rooms at the edges of the cable net wall have balconies which are designed to visually hold the atrium wall located in between them. The balconies give these premium corner rooms the amenity of outdoor space.
Insulated clear glass panels provide for an efficient thermal barrier allowing daylight and views to flow into the interior space. Between the roof and the main hotel mass, a 4m tall clerestory designed with triple insulated glass brings in indirect daylighting deep into the space reflected by the warm wood ceiling. The sculptural roof cantilevers over the edges of the hotel and is cladded with aluminum panels with an underside that is made up of wood composite panels. In keeping with the principles of the overall Expo site, strict insulation values were given to the building envelope including a U-value of .8 w/m2K for the glass façade areas, and .15 w/m2K for the solid façade areas - resulting in a design savings of over 60% versus a typical baseline hotel building.
Fact File Client: It Engeneering Architect: AS+GG Structural Consultant: STUDIO ALTIERI S.p.A (Italy) Façade Consultant: AS+GG Commencement Date: December 2013 (design process) Completion Date: April 2015 (design process) Area: 51,200 m2
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PRODUCT WATCH AluArc Offers Movable Glass Systems for Glass Walls and Roofs AluArc, a trademark of Gurkan Building Elements Inc, has introduced movable glass systems to meet the diversified requirements of customers for space enclosures, partitions and weather protection. The systems are the result of Turkey’s oldest and pioneer system design company and of 30 years of Turkish and Austrian expertise. The company currently exports to more than 40 countries.
in Windows Doors and Façade Event in Dubai, there have been a tremendous interest and applications for manufacturing dealerships from the GCC and neighbouring regions to our premises in Turkey and Dubai. The systems offer a new perspective for creating extra living spaces even with the harsh weather conditions. People desire to enjoy outdoors even in desert climate and protect their spaces from sand or dirt.”
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Usage and benefits of movable glass systems: • Enable to create extra spaces and enlarge your living/service spaces and create shade when needed. • Protect from harsh weather conditions, dirt, noise, etc. • Reduce heating/cooling expenses of the building by increased insulation • Extend building life cycle by reduced corrosion • Increase the security by their locking systems. • Easy to clean thanks to folding and sliding panels • Silent and comfortable use with smooth wheel system design • Enable maximum transparency comparing to standard window systems • Ability to glaze different angular spaces
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Architects and designers want to bring the aesthetics and joy of outdoors and create additional living spaces to the buildings with flexible solutions. With the high stability of aluminium and creative design of movable glass systems, more transparent spaces can be created without sacrificing the durability and strength.
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PRODUCT WATCH Emirates Glass Introduces SmartLite SmartLite, a switchable glass that changes its appearance on demand by using electric current, is now produced within the UAE by Emirates Glass, a subsidiary of Dubai Investments PJSC and a leading architectural glass manufacturer and processor in the Middle East. At the launch of SmartLite, Rizwanulla K h a n , Executive President commented t h a t “Smartlite f r o m Emirates Glass is designed to offer a sophisticated and pragmatic solution to on-demand privacy requirements. The deliverables encompass a complete package from product design over fabrication to installation on site. We pride ourselves in offering new products and quality service to our customers and being a trusted local partner for all glazing solutions, no matter how complex.” SmartLite has two operational states “on” and “off”,
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in the “on” state SmartLite is transparent with full visibility through the glass pane, whereas it appears translucent in the “off” state, allowing a decent amount of light to pass through but effectively preventing see-through. It uses a combination of special technical sheets (PDLC = Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) which contain liquid crystals. In the “off” state the molecules of the PDLC sheet are randomly scattered which decreases visibility to zero and giving the glass a milky white appearance. In the “on” state electrical current causes the molecules of the PDLC sheet to be uniformly arranged in order to see through the glass. EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) interlayers are used to stick the PDLC sheet firmly to the glass. SmartLite can be operated via wallmounted switches or remote control. SmartLite changes its state in a time span of 400 milliseconds and so the quandaries of the curtains getting dirty can now be easily replaced with SmartLite. While SmartLite provides privacy it also blocks ultraviolet rays (UV). SmartLite can be used as partition wall for conference rooms in offices, consultation and patient rooms in clinics and hospitals, designer bathrooms and living rooms, but also in banks and safe deposit box areas, and any other place where security and discretion is important.
BRAND WATCH fischer’s First Customer Experience Center in the Middle East fischer MEA has opened their very first fischer Center in the region at Street 8, Mussafah Industrial (M-6) Abu Dhabi, near Al Ahalia Exchange. The showroom was inaugurated by Florian Birkenmayer, Head of the Board of Directors (fixing systems division) and Managing Director (Development and Product Management) Michael Geiszbühl, Managing Director (Sales and Marketing) and Jayanta Mukherjee, Managing Director, the Middle East and Africa. The launch attracted many major contractors, consultants, media houses from across UAE. It was an eventful day with refreshments, a brief photo session, meeting the key delegates of the event, exchanging wishes and networking. fischer center is a key milestone and is part of a major strategic expansion plan of fischer MEA considering the current market trends. By re-emphasising the brand’s commitment to provide its customer service excellence, fischer MEA has brought everything under one roof through the fischer center. fischer center will serve as a one-stop showroom where customers can experience fischer’s complete
product range first hand and also receive assistance from its technically sound personnel who can provide them expert advice in choosing the right products for their application. The showroom will also accommodate over the counter sales and in-case of high-volume orders, the showroom is equipped to arrange direct delivery to the customer’s door-step from fischer’s central warehouse the following day. Today, fischer MEA operations headquartered in the Dubai-UAE, oversees the entire region with local offices in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Pakistan with deep footprints in all major projects and in the trade market across the Middle East and Africa. fischer is known for their various fixing solutions, firestop/MEP product ranges. fischer is highly regarded as a business excellence partner, known to provide their customers a 360 degree service excellence through a range of specialised services from certified training programs, seminars, onsite/ offsite testing, technical design support, free webinars, a free to use innovative design software and much more.
fischer MEA’s new center has been opened at Street 8, Mussafah Industrial (M-6) Abu Dhabi
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BRAND WATCH Why Solar Shading should be Installed on the Outside In our dynamically changing world, we face the dual challenge of increasing temperatures, due to climate change on one hand and the need to reduce our energy footprint on the other hand. Smart innovations and new concepts are required to tackle these challenges and exterior solar shading is one way to help achieve that goal. Sun protection systems fitted on the outside of buildings and houses are indeed a clever way to help climatise our indoor spaces, without draining our electricity supply. A motorised screen with a solar-shading fabric that is placed in front or on top of a window will absorb most of the heat that would otherwise seamlessly make its way into your office or living room. A high-quality fabric can block approximately 90% of the sunrays that leads to a net temperature decrease of 7°C. If the outside air temperature is 32°C, an exterior solar shade could curb the inside temperature to just 25°C without even using the air-conditioning. In Europe, this concept has already proven to be a genuine success, needless to point out the potential it holds for the Middle East. Another reason to look into exterior shading applications is for increasing domestic comfort and for enlarging your living space. A retractable awning on your patio can let you enjoy evening drinks or family meals without facing the direct sunlight that is detrimental to the human skin. Pergola systems can transform the terrace area of any hotel or restaurant, turning them into an enjoyable outdoor setting where you can relax for a few hours. Sitting outside and breathing fresh air without having to endure the heat of the sun, it seems like an impossible combination but thanks to exterior shading, it really is not anymore.
the air-conditioning would have to work less hard to achieve the desired inside temperature, thus saving power and therefore bouncing less heat back into the circuit. During the rest of the year, the need for air-conditioning could be all but obsolete. The power saving on annual basis would be considerable, not to mention the user-comfort one would get from blocking out the light during movie sessions or corporate presentations. At Harol, we are one of the pioneers in this market segment. Founded in 1946, this Belgian company started out as a manufacturer of roller shutters in post-war Europe. Later, we developed systems for superior heat and light control and that is how exterior shading came into being. Whereas the first generation consisted of a basic box with retractable fabric placed in front or on top of the window, the next-gen products are equipped with highquality ZIP technology and superior wind resistance performance. Different kinds of fabric allow the consumer to choose between different shades of sun protection, varying from 14% transparency to a zero transparency fabric. The Chamber of Commerce, Izmir, Turkey A Zip-screen has been used for facade solution
The benefit of the exterior shading approach for windows is twofold: during the heat of the summer,
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BUZZ Yas Bay Waterfront Project’s Work Advancing Rapidly The Miral officials have given the updates on Yas Bay arena’s progress. The AED 12 billion project on the southern end of Yas Island is on the completion track. Currently, the 75 percent of the construction has been completed and the structure is fully done. The façade work is 25 percent of the façade work is done. This new Emirate’s indoor venue is set to open next year. This new waterfront destination will feature capacity of 18000 people. This entertainment destination will have two hotels, Yas Bay Arena, a beach club, 37 restaurants and cafes, 19 retail outlets, and a pier. This project has been aimed to feature sustainable building design and could become “zero plastic” venue. The facade’s fins will reflect the sun and reduce the air-conditioning requirements. The project has already won the title of ‘sustainable
building design of the year’ at the Middle East and North Africa Green Building Awards in 2018. This is the largest indoor, air conditioned area in Dubai which can cater 18,000 people. Miral has invested AED 4 billion in this project.
Palm Tower in Dubai to have 12 acres of solar control glass The Palm Tower, Dubai - the 52-storey, 240-metretall hotel and residential building will be clad entirely in glass. The architects have chosen to install 50,000 square metres of Pilkington Suncool™ One 30/21 solar control glass to provide stunning vistas to the guests and residents in comfortable surroundings. The glass features a state-of-the-art multi-layer coating that incorporates a microscopically thin layer of silver to help reduce heat transmission to just 21 per cent, while maintaining a neutral colour
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balance in the light passing through, maximising the views. Pilkington Suncool™ One 30/21 was originally developed by Pilkington United Kingdom Limited, part of the NSG Group, for Intraco UAE, which has used the glass on a number of projects in the past. The hotel will provide comfortable climate for users. It will significantly reduce the need for air conditioning, reducing costs and emissions.
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