Grenfell fire, London- cladding

caesarthechimp

Tragic fire today, and questions being asked already in the papers.

Grenfell Tower underwent a major refurbishment programme starting about 2½ years ago to improve the hot-water system, to improve the heating, to improve insulation, put in new windows, new external cladding, to improve the quality of life for people who were living there.

It looks like panels may have been Aluminium Composite which comprises thin sheets of aluminium on a polythene core. In the photo there, the insulation looks like mineral wool, which would be fireproof. But there are also a lot of plastic membranes in the buildup.

It makes you wonder how a building fitted with EPS external wall insulation would fare?

BryanF

caesarthechimp wrote: »

Tragic fire today, and questions being asked already in the papers.
It looks like panels may have been Aluminium Composite which comprises thin sheets of aluminium on a polythene core.

Polythene core? I thought it was a rainscreen system?

It makes you wonder how a building fitted with EPS external wall insulation would fare?

rendered eps? assuming apartment cavity barriers. Would be ok in a fire. Probably give of some smoke. But certainly wouldn't spread the fire like the 'rainscreen' seems to have.

All very vague media coverage. Can we wait for decent technical statement from the building control authority?

kildarejohn

While this may not be the actual insulated cladding that was installed, according to the documents on the Planning Permission file (rbkc.gov.uk) the original concrete panels of the building were to be retrofitted 3-4 years ago with 150mm insulating board of PIR foam, then an air gap, and external zinc rain screen.
If this is what was actually fitted then issues such as what fire test rating the boards had and what fire stopping was used in the air gaps will no doubt have to be reviewed by the investigators.
What is most relevant for us in Ireland is - do we have buildings here with such cladding? If so, what should the Irish Fire Authorities now do about them?

murphaph

kildarejohn wrote: »

What is most relevant for us in Ireland is - do we have buildings here with such cladding? If so, what should the Irish Fire Authorities now do about them?

Presumably we do have them. My missus' father lives in a renovated clad medium rise block in Berlin. I was curious to see if German fire regs say anything about this and started googling and stumbled upon an interview with the Commissioner of the Frankfurt am Main Fire Brigade. In it he states that despite his efforts at EU level to ban combustible materials in facades over 22m Germany remains the only country in the EU to do so. The article is in German but I'm presuming Google translate can be used on it.

https://www.google.de/amp/m.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/ungluecke/feuerwehr-chef-reinhard-ries-zu-dem-brand-in-london-15061296.amp.html

Alf Veedersane

kildarejohn wrote: »

What is most relevant for us in Ireland is - do we have buildings here with such cladding? If so, what should the Irish Fire Authorities now do about them?

The regs also refer to the fact that there is a greater risk with buildings over 18m that have a ventilated cavity between external cladding and insulating material even if materials meet the requirements of Part B