Section 10: Resisting fire spread over external walls

Introduction

10.1 The external wall of a building should not provide a medium for fire spread if that is likely to be a risk to health and safety. Combustible materials and cavities in external walls and attachments to them can present such a risk, particularly in tall buildings. The guidance in this section is designed to reduce the risk of vertical fire spread as well as the risk of ignition from flames coming from adjacent buildings.

Fire resistance

10.2 This section does not deal with fire resistance for external walls. An external wall may need fire resistance to meet the requirements of Section 3 (Means of escape – flats), Section 6 (Loadbearing elements of structures – flats) or Section 11 (Resisting fire spread from one building to another).

Combustibility of external walls

10.3 The external walls of buildings other than those described in regulation 7(4) of the Building Regulations should achieve either of the following.

a. Follow the provisions given in paragraphs 10.5 to 10.8, which provide guidance on all of the following.

i. External surfaces.

ii. Materials and products.

iii. Cavities and cavity barriers.

b. Meet the performance criteria given in BRE report BR 135 for external walls using full-scale test data from BS 8414-1 or BS 8414-2.

10.4 In relation to buildings of any height or use, consideration should be given to the choice of materials (including their extent and arrangement) used for the external wall, or attachments to the wall, to reduce the risk of fire spread over the wall.

External surfaces

10.5 The external surfaces (i.e. outermost external material) of external walls should comply with the provisions in Table 10.1. The provisions in Table 10.1 apply to each wall individually in relation to its proximity to the relevant boundary.

Table 10.1 Reaction to fire performance of external surface of walls

Materials and products

10.6 In a building with a storey 18m or more in height (see Diagram D6 in Appendix D) any insulation product, filler material (such as the core materials of metal composite panels, sandwich panels and window spandrel panels but not including gaskets, sealants and similar) etc. used in the construction of an external wall should be class A2-s3, d2 or better (see Appendix B). This restriction does not apply to masonry cavity wall construction which complies with Diagram 8.2 in Section 8. Where regulation 7(2) applies, that regulation prevails over all the provisions in this paragraph.

10.7 Best practice guidance for green walls (also called living walls) can be found in Fire Performance of Green Roofs and Walls, published by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Cavities and cavity barriers

10.8 Cavity barriers should be provided in accordance with Section 5 in dwellinghouses and Section 8 in flats.

Regulation 7(2) and requirement B4

Materials

10.9 Regulation 7(1)(a) requires that materials used in building work are appropriate for the circumstances in which they are used. Regulation 7(2) sets requirements in respect of external walls and specified attachments in relevant buildings.

NOTE: Guidance on regulation 7(1) can be found in Approved Document 7.

10.10 Regulation 7(2) applies to any building with a storey at least 18m above ground level (as measured in accordance with Diagram D6 in Appendix D) and which contains one or more dwellings; an institution; or a room for residential purposes (excluding any room in a hostel, hotel or a boarding house). It requires that all materials which become part of an external wall or specified attachment achieve class A2-s1, d0 or class A1, other than those exempted by regulation 7(3).

NOTE: The above includes student accommodation, care homes, sheltered housing, hospitals and dormitories in boarding schools. See regulation 7(4) for the definition of relevant buildings.

NOTE: The requirement in regulation 7(2) is limited to materials achieving class A2-s1, d0 or class A1.

10.11 External walls and specified attachments are defined in regulation 2 and these definitions include any parts of the external wall as well as balconies, solar panels and sun shading.

10.12 Regulation 7(3) provides an exemption for certain components found in external walls and specified attachments.

Material change of use

10.13 Regulations 5(k) and 6(3) provide that, where the use of a building is changed such that the building becomes a building described in regulation 7(4), the construction of the external walls, and specified attachments, must be investigated and, where necessary, work must be carried out to ensure they only contain materials achieving class A2-s1, d0 or class A1, other than those exempted by regulation 7(3).

Additional considerations

10.14 The provisions of regulation 7 apply in addition to requirement B4. Therefore, for buildings described in regulation 7(4), the potential impact of any products incorporated into or onto the external walls and specified attachments should be carefully considered with regard to their number, size, orientation and position.

10.15 Particular attention is drawn to the following points.

a. Membranes used as part of the external wall construction above ground level should achieve a minimum of class B-s3, d0.

b. Internal linings should comply with the guidance provided in Section 4.

c. Any part of a roof should achieve the minimum performance as detailed in Section 12.

d. As per regulation 7(3), window frames and glass (including laminated glass) are exempted from regulation 7(2). Window spandrel panels and infill panels must comply with regulation 7(2).

e. Thermal breaks are small elements used as part of the external wall construction to restrict thermal bridging. There is no minimum performance for these materials. However, they should not span two compartments and should be limited in size to the minimum required to restrict the thermal bridging (the principal insulation layer is not to be regarded as a thermal break).

f. Regulation 7(2) only applies to specified attachments. Shop front signs and similar attachments are not covered by the requirements of regulation 7(2), although attention is drawn to paragraph 10.15g.

g. While regulation 7(2) applies to materials which become part of an external wall or specified attachment, consideration should be given to other attachments to the wall which could impact on the risk of fire spread over the wall.